Erkhart's Art

LOTS of lookers today, very few buyers. Like… 3. Guess being the first of a 4-day con there are a great many folks just checking things out. 

Met a lot of great folks, though, and the day FLEW by. Lots of fun, did a few commissions (mostly ones I booked before the show, but drawing time is good time). I had planned to hit the Artists Party after the day’s shenanigans, but when we got there nobody had showed up yet save the MC, and the restaurant/bar was pretty crowded so we went for dinner at TGI Fridays. That ended up an event in its own right since the Missus is lactose intolerant and nearly EVERYTHING on their menu has milk in it.

I didn’t check, but I’m pretty sure their water had milk in it.

Anyway, that took longer than expected, so we’re calling it a night. Fun day, though. And absolutely great. Can’t wait to do it again tomorrow. 

Recently I was at Wizard World Con in Toronto and sort of accidentally won 1st Prize in their Drink & Draw.

I’m an amateur whose never really been published anywhere, and I now find myself with a free table in Artist’s Alley at Wizard’s Chicago Comic Con August 9-12.

I have no printed work, no self-made comics, not even a real portfolio to speak of, and I have a million questions to ask of anyone who might be willing to offer some advice regarding what makes a successful booth at a comic con.

Especially at a convention as big as Chicago, I’m really being thrown into the deep end here… So ANY experienced answers to any of the following questions would be immeasurably helpful. Thanks in advance!!!


First off, Stock & Pricing:
1.) How many Prints do I need to have made (considering Chicago Comic Con is a big show)?
2.) What’s the rule vs. the reality of Copyrighted characters (DC/Marvel) in Prints?
3.) Should I be making original character/public domain prints, or sticking to the well-known characters? Ie. What will sell vs. what won’t get me a Cease-and-Desist letter?
4.) What’s the rule vs. the reality of Copyrighted characters (DC/Marvel) in Show Commissions?
5.) What is a reasonable price for Prints, Commissions, Sketches for an unknown artist?


Next, Canada/US International Business:

For reference, I am a US Citizen & a Permanent Resident of Canada. I live & work full-time in Canada.

1.) What is the process crossing the US/Canada Border with a booth setup and Prints?
2.) Do I need to set up a registered Canadian business?
3.) Should I ship my goods to the Con in advance or bring them with me in my car?
4.) Do I need any kind of license to sell my art in Chicago?

The Booth:
1.) Any and all recommendations on setting up an awesome, professional-looking booth would be great, especially on the cheap.
2.) I hear I should grab a nice tablecloth… Any and all helpful tips for kitting out the table itself would be invaluable. Like a ‘Convention Table Survival Kit’ list..? (ie. Go nowhere without Duct Tape…)


I’ve done lots of research myself, but I’ve found very little documentation regarding the practical side of things. And the legal topics (copyright questions in particular) have SO much contradictory info it’s impossible to sort the truth from the crap.

So anything an experienced con-goer could help with would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks,
—Matt