Over the past few months, I’ve been doing a small amount of conventions since it’s only the beginning of the year. It’s been rougher than I wanted because I’ve been more unorganized compared to my previous years.

Popfest Chicago

Things started slow at Popfest Chicago, a first time toy con that I was the only artist at.

I was the only artist there, but I did meet up with a writer name Thatcher Cleveland, who makes comedy horror fiction that I’d love to sink my teeth into. I bet we could figure out a cool project to colab on if we find the right pitch.

To pas the time I flipped through my old Bristol Board paper for unfinished art I can refine. There was this party of dog knights and I inked them.

Instead of drawing and forgetting them like I always do, I attempted to write some kind of narrative and character write up as much as I could to see if this had legs.

I have a bad habit of getting stopped at the outline phase of my stories and I’m seeking to change that in my life.

Capricon 44

After that was Capricon 44, a scifi convention in the city of Chicago. Like Windycon last year, it’s a very author-centric show. Many of the attendees love fantasy and sci-fi, but not necessarily comics, which is a surprise but I understood with all the cool older novels and books seller around, they likely get their stories worth from there!

Even without the appetite for comics, I’d say I did have a good learning experience. I submitted one of my silly ink pieces of Raccoons Not Playing Poker to their art show just to see if I could sell it.

I wasn’t as prepared for an artshow as I should’ve been and I know what I submitted isn’t up to the standards of all the other pieces at the show.

Later, I drew other stuff to pass the time with this Celes Chere Marker drawing being one of the highlights. Tilted to the Amano look.

At the end of the show, I bought the greatest print of art in the entire show made by Geek Calligraphy!

The larger original calligraphy piece is so fantastic that I had to get a print to hang on my wall! I’m hanging this over my office, where I’ll pray to it everyday when I wake up from bed! You too should purchase a print from their online store and join the religion of getting paid for your good work!

Northwest Indiana Comic Con

For the 10th anniversary of Northwest Indiana Comic Con and my third time selling my comics and this incredible show, I forgot my comics at home.

When I pulled up to the parking lot in Indiana after and 1 and a half drive, I was crushed by the realization. So I needed to coast off of my sticker sales.

Taking this all in stride, I was able to take a Postcard Commission of Bob from Tekken reminding me that he’s not in Tekken 8!

After I drew other things to pass the time. Drawing demon lady to get more familiar with my Pilot Fine Prera Fountain Pen. Other and that, it’s character brainstorming for ideas I’m still workshopping on notebooks and sketchbooks.

Lucky for me, my Pastry Cat Play mats kept me afloat as my next high ticket item offered. Since they matched with my Pastry Cat Stickers, people were happy to buy up my mats and I sold out of them. I sold out of Play Mats and high demand stickers, so I’m grateful for all who loved my artwork.

In the long run, this fortune became my misfortune at Polar Vortex, a tabletop convention! At the one show I’m tabling at where I know people would love a unique playmat for their Magic games, and I had none available to sell!

So once again, I spent most of the days, coasting off my stickers, doodling art to pass the time, and drifting through a smaller convention with missed potential.

Chicago Pancakes & Booze Art Show

Finally, I had a table at the Pancakes and Booze Art Show in the city of Chicago.

Pancakes and Booze is okay, but I don’t think it’s my crowd as a comic artist as it skews more in the fine art territory. With the smaller table space I couldn’t do my regular print setup. the crowd was large in the city of Chicago so Id did make money from sales but with my parking payments did eat into my profits for driving so far out of the sticks of the rest of Illinois.

In The End

Overall, Conventions will keep going as I find them. At the time of writing this, I’ll be going to smaller events like Lake Park Comic Con and Hiro Con.

I don’t think I’ll be going to more as, I’ve been rejected from larger shows like Anime Central and C2E2. I still have hope as I’m confirmed for large events like Blerd Bash and Anime Magic later in the summer. I’ve applied to newer ones, so if I get work that I’m confirmed, I’ll drop my announcement. So keep up with my appearances on my Convention Schedule page and my social media!