What is Artist Alley? Unlike your usual craft fair, the Alley is a vibrant, fun place to sell your goods. While you may be tempted to take your favorite character merchandise home, you should first check the licensing of that character’s images.
After that, you should read up on the convention’s rules and regulations before making your selection. If you have an idea but need some guidance, here are some tips to make it successful.
There are certain rules you must follow to be accepted into Artist Alley. You must show a wide variety of items and styles, including variations on existing items.
There are no sketches allowed, and you can only submit 30% of the images you create. Every artist will have only one entry in the queue, and if you submit multiple entries, your work will be removed from the queue.
How to Join Artist Alley?
During the convention, artists must adhere to the artist alley rules to maximize their chances of being chosen.
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Once you’ve been approved, you’ll need to display your work. Plan out your layout, and package prints, and make sure your booth looks well organized.
Besides displaying your work, you’ll need to stay energized, well-organized, and prepared. As with any other event, Artist Alley booths cost about $125. It is worth the investment. Your artwork is an investment. You can make a lot of money in the Artist Alley.
Depending on the convention, rules vary between conventions. In most cases, creators apply for an artist alley spot and pay a fee for the right to set up a booth.
If you’re an experienced creator, you might want to consider sponsorship from a publisher or a convention. In return, you’ll spend time in your booth. It is a great way to network with fellow artists and promote your work.
In order to be considered for Artist Alley, artists should showcase a variety of their works. Depending on the genre and the size of the convention, the artists’ works should be diverse enough to stand out.
For example, comic books are often more popular than movies, so a comic book convention will have a large selection of both types of merchandise. Moreover, if an artist is selling original artwork, they should be able to sell their creations.
There are strict rules regarding what is allowed and what is not. Generally, 50% of the images must be original artwork or fan art. For example, an Unlimited Booth display should show original art and not fan art.
A-Pro Row Booth display should have a variety of items. Even though it’s rare for Artist Alley to be completely free of advertising, a booth’s owner can decide to remove the advertisement.
The SPJA rules are strict about what is allowed and what is not. For instance, if the artwork is offensive, the SPJA will take action. If you’re a beginner in the artist alley, you can purchase an artist alley table package.
It includes the basic supplies you need to set up your booth. If you’re selling art prints, you should consider a sturdy plastic bin. It’s important to have a container that is lightweight so that you can carry it around easily.
While you should be familiar with the rules of Artist Alley, there are a few things you should know before you start exhibiting. For example, you’ll need to make sure that your displays are not too large.
A standard table should be at least six feet wide by eight feet tall. In general, it’s okay to put a table on the ground and display your art. You can have it placed at the front of your booth, but you should be aware that you shouldn’t use it as a platform to advertise your business.
If you’re an artist, the art in your booth must be original. It’s important to distinguish between fan art and original artwork.
The art should be at least 50% of the same medium, and there must be no similarities between the two.
Your booth should be a booth in the same space. If it’s the latter, you should have a table that allows you to display your work on both sides of the hall.