#possible mini print for cons ?!

[rombitzy]

🩵

[spongebob-connoisseur]

Hey! So you’ve met some of the SpongeBob VAs at cons before right? I’m hoping to meet Rodger Bumpass at one this year but I’m so nervous! What was it like? Any tips on how to stay composed? Lol

Ohh! You're gonna meet Rodger? Lucky!! Congrats!

I've only ever met one of the SpongeBob voice actors. That time with Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Squilliam, Perch Perkins, Bubblebass, etc) in 2024 was my first time ever meeting a voice actor period😭

I feel like I really fumbled the moment because I was so ill prepared. It was wonderful to hear Bubblebass's voice in person. Its so weird. He was pretty funny and kind but I wish I got more out of the experience. It was entirely my fault because I wasn't prepared. I spent the entire week before the con working on my Slappy cosplay (never make your cosplay last minute) so I didn't plan anything else out.

But it was an informative experience! I learned a lot and let me know how to prepare if I ever get an opportunity to meet any other voice actors in the future.

- first of all carry extra cash on you. The prices for autographs and things like that on the website can change and may not be how much it'll be when you're there in person. I had the exact cash for an autograph based on online pricing but the price went up when I was there in person, which was why I only got a selfie with him😭

- have a plan on what you want him to autograph. Yeah voice actors have their own prints but they are horrible quality. I was looking at the prints they sell for autographs and they're horribly jpeg pixelated. Just bring your own thing. You can bring your own print or have him sign a piece of merch. Though be careful because some VAs may charge extra for that. some VAs might be kind enough to sign more than one thing for the price of one. Depends on the person.

- right now write down everything you want out of meeting him. In the moment it is incredibly disorienting and you will forget what you want to do and say. I was tired and anxious, I didn't ask any of the things I wanted to say. I completely forgot to ask about Squilliam, I forgot to ask for a voice recording of Perch for a friend. I was standing in line for so long and I felt kind guilty knowing how many people were still waiting behind me that I tried to speed through it as fast as possible. For how much I paid for this experience, I really wished I took my time. It was still a good experience but not what I wanted to do. Write down now what you want out of it. The day of the con, write it on a mini piece of paper and keep in your pocket so you can check it while you're there and make sure you're not missing anything you wanted to say or ask. It's also good to rehearse in your head while you're in line. I was so disoriented I forgot everything. Just keep it in your mind and keep replaying it. Don't let the social anxiety win. I'm not good at being composed tbh dawg. I can only suggest to both physically have your bullet points of what you want to do on hand and rehearse in your mind. It may feel awkward but knowing you hit all of your points of what you wanted to do in the moment is more important than trying to play it cool. I'm sure the VAs wouldn't mind either since I'm sure they are well familiar with socially anxious fans.

- if you have something personal to tell the voice actors like how much the characters and show means to you but you feel like its a lot or you're too embarrassed to say it ourloud, you can always write it in a letter and hand it to him. You may not hear a response but if its just something you want them to know then its fine. I've always wanted to meet Tom Kenny (I doubt he'll ever come to Canada though) And I could never fully express how deeply personal the show is to me, how much it means to me and how much the characters Spongebob and Slappy means to me. I'm writing it down in a letter😭😭😭 I'll still tell him some of it at the table because I just want to hear a response but the bulk of my feelings will be contained to writing.

- I personally dream of giving Tom Kenny some of my drawings of Slappy and Spongebob. If you wanna gift the voice actors something, you totally can btw! They'd appreciate it.

- Try to meet the voice actors in the morning. Do it as early as you can. The line to meet voice actors are incredibly long. Every time I thought I was at the front and I was finally gonna meet him, the line zigzaged. It is MUCH longer than you expect. Being early at least makes it easier. If you can, you should plan to go to the con for 2 days, that way you have one day to meet voice actors and another day to actually experience the con. I couldn't do everything I wanted to that day because meeting voice actors took most of my day. I really wanted to do cosplay red carpet but I missed it😭😭

- wear comfortable shoes and keep your lunch on you + extra snacks. The first time I ever went to a con, I went as Spongebob. I wore my doc martens dress shoes because it looked kinda like Spongebob's dress shoes. Big mistake. My feet was hurting the entire day and I constantly had to sit down. The shoes weren't that bad, I wore them many times before but the con was the longest I've ever been on my feet in those shoes. When I got home, I saw my feet drenched in a blood bath😭😭 wear comfortable shoes dawg. On top of that snacks and food. When I went to meet Neil Newbon, he took a 2-3 hour break in between to take photos with fans. So I was sitting in line for so long. I'm glad I had my lunch on me, my friend didn't. Its hard going thru the entire day at the con without eating. Even though I had food I didn't bring water. I had a horrible dehydration headache towards the end of the day. Stay hydrated and stay well fed. the con experience is incredibly draining.

- Have a friend be there with you. This isn't a must but I feel like it helps me a lot to have someone familiar next to me😭😭 i do not fare well with social situations and I lean on her a lot. But also if you want to record your experience, it helps to have a friend be there and physically record it for you. She helped me a lot that day frrr Anyways I do recommend if they allow, to record the experience because if you're like my friend who has a poor memory, you wouldn't want to forget. I have a pretty good memory but I still forgot part of the experience somehow because I was feeling disoriented. You can always revisit a video, but your memories are less consistent lol

- If you're doing cosplay, it can be heavy. Its okay to take some of it off and keep in a bag while you're in line. My Slappy head isn't that heavy but I did get tired holding it in my arms while I was in line. I had a big Walmart bag to put it in when I got tired carrying it. I wish I had a clear trash bag tho and covered it with blood splatters so when I'm not wearing the Slappy head, it looks like I'm carrying his decapitated head around😭😭 I'll remember it for this year's con. But yeah, waiting in line is uncomfortable, any way to make yourself more comfortable is welcome.

- and most importantly, have fun! I wish you a fantabulous time!

[ebonytails]

PotA: Fall is Over!

This means that this week I’m going to chip through unfinished commissions, thank you so much for your patience!

As my first boothing experience for a big con, this was very special, and I learned a lot! It really melted my heart a lot to see everyone’s reactions to my work, and so much so that they buy them to bring home… Stickers are usually an easy-buy, so it was such a pleasant surprise when on the first day, my first order was someone who bought almost HALF of all the prints I brought!

It was honestly a very lucky experience for me, I think. It was also genuinely an honor to see so many people want to buy physical copies of my art and to trust me with drawing their commission ideas in person!

I met a lot of cool people this weekend, and it was a really different experience from just attending a convention for sure. It’s one thing to take someone’s business card from the otherside of the table, and it’s another to be exchanging them mutually..

I also made back table! It’s made me feel like perhaps a life where I feel fulfilled while being able to do art is actually quite possible :-]! I haven’t been able to make this post for a while, because I feel that there is a lot I can say, but with a mix of exhaustion and also “there is so much I could say”, I get lost! The best part, really was just connecting with people and seeing everyone’s reactions. I am very lucky

I’m not sure how I may be coming off as right now, but I just wanted to do my best to quickly journal how this all feels, so hopefully as I keep doing this in the future, I really don’t lose that spark of why I started in the first place.

We also raised a humble amount for the PCRF! About ₱500! A lot of people refused the extra mini-sticker, and told me to keep the change for various purchases so it can go towards the people in Palestine. It was nice to see.

For the rest of the week, I will be resting and also chipping away at other project slowly as I get back into the groove of things. Thank you so much for supporting us and what we do. It makes what we’ve been worried about a little less scary in life!

[zlulyart]

Fat orange Cat 🐱 aka Garfield. Had fun with this will be making Mini (small) prints and possibly stickers. Will be available at my next con.

[sirladysketch]

Been a hot minute since I’ve done one of these so ignore under the cut, lol.

WT stuff:

Spec costs for mini pin

Finalize washi design

Finish test pour for suncatcher

Quilt

finalize design

prep fabric

cut pieces

iron together

quilting

Finalize full bundle items + cost

Thank you gift for full campaign supporters

Misc:

Test destati lamps

tiny

tupp

Sidon papercraft sample

Washi designs + 5

Komory restock (?)

Tarot card finish

private commission (May-ish)

Con builds (?)

Woodworking designs

3d printed stuff

resin scenes

Plush

Lifesized meow wow

Rex lapdragon

those sumeru birds lol

Knock-off bags

More pin tapestry designs

Genshin

Fall

Halloween

Chesapins sketches

Cryptiddies sketches

Teyvat Travel Pins

Diecut Sticker sets (Tags)

Shaker charm/ <redacted> merch designs

More TK as I remember them lol

Possible new fandoms for merch:

SVSSS

MXTX

Genshin

Dragon Age (again)

[sofiarichards]

HOW DO YOU DRESS IN A SWEATER DRESS?

Sweater dresses are comfortable, warm, and fashionable. You can choose from a variety of sweater dress styles, each with unique length, fit, colour, closing method, and knits. Whether you want to use it with tights or just for fashion purposes is entirely up to you.

These dresses come in a variety of styles. The selection is broad and diverse, ranging from body con, micro-mini sweater dresses to long, bulky ones. Choose from a variety of chunky knit dresses or go with a traditional rib knit dress. You can layer dresses with various coats, cardigans, or ponchos depending on the fit and style of the garment. The secret to successfully wearing a sweater dress is layering.

By adding a long blazer, a fashionable belt, or printed scarves, you may give your sweater dress ensemble some edge. The appearance will be further elevated by the inclusion of stylish accessories like chains, striking necklaces, and purses.

HOW SHOULD I STYLE A SWEATER DRESS? There are several possibilities when it comes to footwear with a sweater dress. There are other footwear options to wear with dresses besides heels, so resist the urge to go for those sexy stilettos or t-straps. Or, to look like a diva, you can wear platform heels, which are now fashionable.

In addition to these choices, you should choose a variety of boot styles for an outfit that will not fail. piece. Wear a black midi sweater dress underneath a coat in black and white plaid. Combat boots in white will complete this look.

Utilize animal designs with a black sweater dress. Try pairing it with a similar-colored purse and boots with leopard pattern. Alternately, wear black ankle boots and a scarf with tiger stripes wrapped over your neck.

BOOTS AND A LITTLE SWEATER DRESS We reach for our short sweater dresses with chic boots if we want to look great without sacrificing comfort. Wear a gorgeous green body con sweater dress to effortlessly rock the combo. Black pencil heel ankle boots are a lovely choice for the body con dress since they give you a confident image. Make sure you choose black accessories for this outfit, such as a sleek shoulder bag and a black necklace.

COWBOY BOOTS WITH A SWEATER DRESS The interesting cowgirl look is really popular right now. You can choose to wear a full cowgirl suit or add components of the look,such as cowboy boots or a hat, to your more casual outfits. Put on a brown leather jacket with fringes, brown cowboy boots, and a beige sweater dress. Add a brown cross body bag to elevate this look.

HOW SHOULD I STYLE A MIDI SWEATER DRESS? Sweater midi dresses come in a variety of styles. If you choose one, be sure it fits your body type and that you pair it with the appropriate kind of boots. While a pencil dress would allow you to choose higher boot designs like riding boots or combat boots, a loose-fitting A-line sweater dress will look great with stylish ankle boots.

Grey suede ankle boots look great with a purple turtleneck dress. This unusual mix creates a seductive appearance. To give this outfit a party-ready vibe, accessorize with metallic silver accessories and hoops of silver jewelry.

DRESS IN BLACK WITH SWEATER AND BOOTS You may create a variety of outfits utilizing a black sweater dress as your foundation piece. Wear a black midi sweater dress underneath a coat in black and white plaid. Combat boots in white will complete this look. Utilize animal designs with a black sweater dress. Try pairing it with a similar-colored purse and boots with leopard pattern. Alternately, wear black ankle boots and a scarf with tiger stripes wrapped over your neck.

BOOTS AND AN OVER SIZED SWEATER DRESS How about fending off the chill in a stunning blue and white ensemble? opt for a royal blue dress with an over sized cable knit sweater. An attractive silhouette can be achieved by tying a white belt around the waist. For a glam look, pair this outfit with white wellington boots.

CONCLUSION You must be fairly adept at pairing a sweater dress with boots by this point. We have provided you with various suggested clothing, ranging from fancy to casual. To upgrade your fall/winter 2023 looks with stunning success, add chic sweater dresses and modern boots to your collection. Who knew achieving functional style could be so simple? Thank you very much.

[mega-angry-cloud]

hey so do you like SVA??? i was just accepted for BFA comics/cartooning and i’d love to hear ur opinion b4 i officially commit!

Pros: 95% of the professors are working professionals in the industry. (For example, my applied cartooning class is taught by the executive editor of Avatar Studios, Joan Hilty.) so they have up to date insider info and they can slip your name into job conversations if they like you.

The student pool is diverse, extremely talented and passionate. There are tons of after school clubs and events where you can meet up and make friends and collaborate.

Plus there are things like Ink Magazine, where you can submit your own comics or illustrations each semester, as well as student showcases and even mini artist alley cons. It's great practice for applying the skills that you're learning in class.

There's student job boards with leads on employment opportunities, a pretty cool print lab, a wide variety of available classes (illustration and comics majors overlap alot) and the atmosphere is very creatively open in most cases, but there are a few assholes to look out for. Which brings me to...

Cons: while the school seems to be trying to address it in recent years, there have been a lot of stories about some of the department heads being dicks about art style. Honestly, this is a risk at any art school. The trick is to make sure the feedback your getting is about the techniques you can use to achieve the look YOU are going for. Take what helps, leave what doesn't.

The school is expensive. The books are expensive. NYC is EXPENSIVE. Keep your budget in mind when making your decision, because for all I've learned at this school, (and I learned a LOT) I can't confidently say that I couldn't have improved at a cheaper school. Plus, you don't actually need a degree to be any kind of artist. Art school is more about making connections and building a strong portfolio than anything else. If you think you can do that online, don't put yourself in debt to do it in a school.

The workload is KILLER, especially in the comics program. The studio classes expect you to be able to complete 1-2 pages of comics a day, and every professor treats their hw as the most important assignment on your plate. You will be forced to improve by the sheer amount of drawing youll be doing on a daily basis. And breaks are shorter than at other schools, so less time to recharge(my guess is so they can make the summer last as long as possible to save money on the professors).

I know that might sound like a fun challenge at first, but it really wears on you. Burnout is a bitch, and its a VERY difficult place to pull yourself out of while still enjoying the thing that put you there in the first place. Do what you can not to push yourself too hard, but remember to seize opportunities to show what you got.

All in all, I've had both good and bad experiences with SVA. I've made better work here than I could've ever imagined, and I've learned so much more about comics and storytelling. The professors know what you can expect after you graduate, and they want to see you succeed. People say this alot, but you get out what you put in with this place. Stay open minded, and remember what you're trying to do.

[toonytoodles]

So like once a year there's a local art exhibition thing at a mini-comic-con, and there's no word on when it's coming back, but I'm highly debating on joining when it comes back to sell prints/get commissions. Do you guys think I should? Or would I just be embarrassing myself? Be honest please, if I'm not good enough for something like this I'd rather be told here then at the event. And if I do it, what sort of fan art should I make if I do it? I'm thinking centaur world and kid cosmic for sure, some Pokemon and animal crossing stuff, star wars, jojo (possibly), maybe some MLP stuff (if I can learn to draw a horse), but Idk what else people would like? There's no word on if it's returning, it'd likely be next year at best but I wanna know what people think

[percussionmassagerblog]

10 PROS & CONS OF MASSAGE GUNS FOR RUNNERS

People that are always trying to find the very best & best method to call home through hard races and workouts. And who could blame individuals? The capacity to recuperate quickly means athletes may endure education hard, which theoretically, means advancement to getting a quicker, stronger runner. Of course, each time a fresh restoration technique or even product reaches the endurance community, then it is inclined to show viral. Compression socks. CBD oil. Epsom salt tub. Percussion / vibration massage firearms are no exception for the principle.

In reality, as I write this article, every advertisement that this is appearing within my own interpersonal networking packs is to get an alternative new rub gun down. Apparently everybody is expecting on the bandwagon, from quite long recognized restoration application brands, to businesses you may possibly have definitely never been aware about. Thus, what's the offer with percussion / Percussion Massager firearms? Achieve they actually get the job done? Let us dig deeper.

A massage is actually a handheld resource which massages muscles by supplying rapid bursts of force at concentrated, short-duration stimulation. Think about a mini-jackhammer, especially parts of your muscles.

The notion is the fact that the movement and impact, frequently called shaking treatment, helps loosen tight and sore muscle, very similar to that of a massage, in addition to stimulate the flow of blood to aid one to increase healing.

The massage firearms are an average of battery powered, also have various rate settings to change the intensity out of the massage. The majority of those massage firearms arrive with interchangeable minds to concentrate on different muscle tissues and portions of the human body.

Let us first discuss the advantages of these massage programs for runners.

Decreased DOMS

For anyone not familiar with the definition of, DOMS is the tender, tight experience which pops anywhere from 24-28 hrs after a powerful work outside or race. It's brought on by microscopic tears which ofcourse occur in muscle fibers throughout exercise. DOMS isn't simply embarrassing, however it might interfere with future work outs by leaving you sense too sore to work out, or inhibiting movement routines as a result of aggravation.

Plus one as straightforward as changing your running gait as your hamstrings are tender may lead to additional injury else where.

Essentially, the shaking therapy will help in avoiding mechanical overload of their muscular fibers, leading to less of one's above microscopic tears that the muscle.

Higher Efficiency Exactly the Exact Same above research shows that utilization of percussion and/or vibration treatment before exercise might assist:

Decrease tissue adhesion, thus increasing array of flexibility Reduction accumulation of lactic acid in the bloodstream, so decrease time before fatigue May offer an earlier decrease in pain (origin ). Each one these things can subscribe to increased functioning performance.

Greater Blood Circulation = Faster Recovery When used article exercise, percussion massage-therapy firearms might help temporarily increase the flow of blood into the muscle. Heightened blood circulation helps hasten the healing process by helping remove waste product in tissue that is damaged. What's more, the specific blood provides oxygen and nutrients into the muscular mass, and also help stimulate regrowth and recovery of their tissue.

Pain Alleviation Let us imagine you worked outside or dashed hard, and no matter of one's absolute best preventive measures, you still have muscles that are super sore. Massage. In other words, percussion massage firearms feel-good about sore muscles.

However, what does this mean?

According to the theory, sensory nerves carrying vexation sense and sensory nerves carrying vibratory sensation both transmit signals towards precisely the exact afferent neurons, which then sends data to a mind. The nerves triggered by vibratory feeling impair the afferent pain nerves, hence barring or preventing the material delivered by the nerves who felt pain. To put it differently the shaking by the percussion caress rifle may shut the nerve pathways into painful inputsignal, preventing pain sensation in traveling into the leading nervous system.

Give More Anxiety than Massage therapies I have no idea about you, but I am definitely the most intense at using self indulgent programs such as"the rod" and sometimes perhaps polyurethane rollers. Why? Because I can't physically use the tension needed, or I am at precisely the exact same time frame chicken to take to (as it strikes ). The battery life run, mechanical percussion/vibration massage firearms, but do not return. They have the seriousness that my muscles that are sore desire once I can not...or will not...take action .

Which would be the Disadvantages of Knead Guns? Here Is What you Want to're aware of the drawback of those recovery tools:

User Error Have you some idea what it is you're doing? Are you currently trained in the science in addition to implementation of massage? Chances are the answer will be extremely little (it's okay, the majority folks are not ). And consequently, often there is a chance you may wind up utilizing the massage gun erroneously. Or, you may possibly well be massaging a region that's experiencing known pain, also maybe not targeting the location which really needs help with healing.

I reached to someone Who's trained in massageand she consented up on." It (the massage weapon ) is a instrument, so it is just like the consumer " Says accredited massage remedies therapist Michele Zeberlein. "Should you understand just what direction to go and manners, then it's really a fantastic tool. However, in addition, it can cause further problems is employed in the incorrect way. "

It's required to learn the safety instructions which include your percussion massage handgun. So if in doubt in the event that you're targeting the suitable area for helping any pain you're having, make reference to your doctor or maybe massage therapist.

Stroke firearms utilized on harms such as stress, sprains, broken bones, and sometimes extreme swelling may potentially cause your injury more powerful. They are able to further hurt the wounded tissue, and sometimes even fortify swelling speed. This is only going to delay healing period, and might cause further annoyance.

Hypertension (elevated blood pressure) Rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis, arthritis, or fibromyalgia Varicose veins

Muscular dystrophy or alternative muscular ailments As always, reevaluate to a medical doctor when you have questions regarding respect to massage gun usage and some other injuries, chronic complications, or other health conditions such as pregnancy.

Bulky / Enormous / Noisy While maybe not true for each and every percussion massage weapon, more than a few of these are able to be bulky or heavy. The very first time that I implemented one, I had been astonished by just how much sexier it had been anticipated (today, do not misunderstand me, an average of the ExoGun DreamPro we have is 2. 5 weight. Still, I did not expect the burden ). It primarily is logical, nevertheless, since the battery has to be large enough presenting capacity to the engine which goes pretty fast.

Rely to a Solar-battery While virtually all the massage firearms available on the industry at this time chance to be corded, they still have a battery that has to be charged. Different from a normal foam roller or hand-held tool which could possibly be human-powered, a massage weapon wont work without becoming an energy resource.

Therefore, if you should be carrying your knead rifle into a lengthier event -- state an ultra marathon or stage race, then you have to become conscious of battery lifetime.

Bundle cost This is huge. I have seen percussion massage prints vary between $49. 9-5 completely as much as $1, 200. Sure, you read that right -- a dozen hundred cash to get its small edition, goldplated, G3PRO Theragun. Many folks us seem to put at the 100 -$300 range. All these are certainly the investment, and maybe not really a cheap tool such as a roller coaster.

You may be wondering exactly what these acronyms mean -- and also why that they matter. Thus, allow me to help.

Stroke Length: that can be called amplitude. To spell out, just how far does the mind of this massage gun travel. Or simply, how heavy can it move in your own muscle. Percussion exact firearms will routinely have a increased stroke span than guys designed to concentrate on vibration.

To put it differently, what number"percussions" (sometimes the mind of this massage gun will likely reach on your muscle) each and every minute.

Stall Force: how the burden it's possible to apply on the apparatus before it dries and ceases changing. To put it differently, just how much pressure could YOU placed on the rifle before motor ceases proceeding.

Other items to think about: Additional variables to take into account are now actually going to boil down to personal taste. Consider precisely what you want (and desire ) out of a massage weapon ). Those variables might be:

Battery life or interchangeable battery packs Weight Develop (could it be easy to put up? Would you reach specific sections, such as the back or shoulders? ) Noise place Attachment heads

Therefore...Can I Want a Massage Gun Only for Running Retrieval? The thousand dollar question -- will probably soon be these massage firearms worth every penny?

Maybe.

The boundless marketing effort in my face book feed directly now may possibly be attempting to embarrass me these would be the best things since sliced bakery. But massage firearms are merely an instrument. They'll in no way completely block or solve sore tissues, and they'll never guarantee decreased healing period.

While there's loads of researching pointing into the efficacy of percussion and shaking healing for muscle soreness and healing period, there's also viable research that says differently.

My thoughts: In case you should be excited about purchasing a massage first use one from the pal or with a massage therapist. See whether you take pleasure in the stroke, also notice some other positive aspects.

After that, browse reviews.

You are able to acquire hundreds of brands of massage firearms available on the industry at the moment. Ordinarily the greater price label does not necessarily relate to some fantastic nutritional supplement. Conversely, a relatively inexpensive massage rifle does not suggest it's crap.

And finally, be sure to actually enjoy the massage gun. Many folks will likely delight in the impression of percussion and shaking massage rifles, while some could see them anything but relaxing. Of course in the event that you are not going to make use of a restoration tool or procedure as you can not endure it (such as me personally along with ice bathrooms ) so of course it wont be quite good in any way.

[theineffablecon]

The Ineffable Con Programme    

Please note the schedule below is provisional and subject to change!

Friday

16.00 Registration Opens

Sign in at the registration desk in the Lounge to collect your convention badge.

18.00 Welcome to The Ineffable Con

Get to know your fellow convention members with some themed ice breaking games.

19.00 Episode 3 Cold Open

Get into the spirit of the convention with a group rewatch of the magnificent 28-minute cold open of episode 3. Heckling encouraged.

19.30 Dinner

20. 30 Opening Ceremony

The official opening of the convention. Rachael and Tracionn welcome you to The Ineffable Con with themed games and prizes to win.

21.30 Kink Bingo

A fandom favourite game to round off the night.

*

Saturday

09.00 Round Robin

Start the day by writing a collaborative fanfiction.

10.00 Panel: Ineffable Husbands

What’s your headcanon for the progression of their relationship? How much of a gift was the cold open of episode 3? How much difference does it make to have the author openly acknowledge it as a love story?

11.00 Chibiffable: An Art Workshop

Three of our fandom’s talented artists present a workshop for complete beginners and seasoned artists alike, to discover easy ways to draw Aziraphale and Crowley in the most adorable and wholesome way possible.

12.00 Alpha Centauri & Beyond

Is Alpha Centauri a good place to run away to when you want to avoid the apocalypse? An astrophysicist talks through the stars and nebulae Crowley helped to build.

13.00 Lunch

14.00 Meet & Greet With the Crowley Family

For fanfiction research or just for fun: meet some of Crowley’s serpent friends. Content Notice: contains live snakes (handling optional).

15.00 Bring & Buy Sale

A chance to buy and sell merchandise and crafts.

15.30 Much Ado About Ineffability

An introduction to a fan project crossing Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing with Good Omens. See progress on the first act and learn how you can get involved.

16.30 Gavotte Workshop

Learn to dance like an angel. Note: this room is up one flight of stairs.

18.00 Free time to get ready for dinner

19.00 Dining at the Ritz* and Cosplay Contest

*imagination required

20.30 Quiz

Another chance to win prizes in our team quiz event.

21.30 Vid Show

A screening of a selection of Good Omens fanvids, including some not seen online.

*

Sunday

09.00 Panel: Queerbaiting

“Queerbaiting” is when writers (whether in books, TV, or movies) hint at a queer romance in order to attract an LGBT audience, but shy away from actually depicting it in order to avoid alienating a homophobic audience. Does Good Omens fall prey to this trope?

10.00 Panel: The Ineffable World of Fanfiction

There has been an explosion of Good Omens fanfiction in the last few months. What trends have emerged and which tropes are popular? This is also an opportunity to recommend your favourites to help other convention members wade through the thousands of new fics.

11.00 Panel: Genderfluid Crowley

Headcanoning Crowley as genderqueer, and the connection between snakes and genderfluidity in myths and fiction.

12.00 Auction & Raffle

A chance to bid on the art that's been on display in the Art Show throughout the convention, and to win prizes in our raffle.

13.00 Lunch

14.00 Behind the Scenes

A member of the Good Omens crew talks about the experience of working on the show and shares stories from the set.

15.00 Armageddon, feat. An Ineffable Musical Parody

The official close of the convention, featuring prizes and a special musical performance.

16.00 Convention Ends

17.00 Depart for Tadfield

This is a Good Omens convention, so clearly Armageddon is not really the end! If you’re joining us for our outing to Tadfield, meet in the Lounge for a 5pm departure.

In addition to the formally scheduled programme, we have the following activities on offer:

Art Show The art show will be available for viewing until Sunday morning, with both originals and prints.  We welcome arts and crafts of all sorts. The show will consist of pieces brought by members to display, with some available to buy through the con auction.  Please check out the art show page to find details of how you can submit work to the show and how the auction will work.

Games We have two games created especially for the convention that will be available to play throughout the event.

Competitions Competitions available to take part in at any time include a caption contest, a mini story and art challenge, and a treasure hunt. Prizes are available and will be awarded at the close of the convention.

Photo Ops We know lots of people will attend the convention in costume - and not necessarily only for the Saturday evening Cosplay Contest! To help with your photo ops we'll have an assortment of props available.           

Arts & Crafts Corner Themed colouring pages and craft activities are available in the Lounge throughout the convention.                                                              

Reading Library Whenever you need some quiet time, we have an assortment of novels by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, as well as Good Omens fanfiction recommended by other convention members, available at all times to be enjoyed in the Lounge, or taken back to your room or (if the weather surprises us) into the extensive grounds of the conference centre.

[volantedesign]

Letter from Japan

It's quiet. It is really really quiet. There's a gentle white noise from the mini split and that's all. We're in Kyoto sleeping on the floor, inhaling the sweet reedy smell of the tatami mats. We're staying in a major metropolis. It's 4 in the morning because I'm still jet-lagged. The doorways are all too short for me. When I stand up on the train I invariably bang my head on the hanging handles, not hard, just enough to surprise myself and to feel foolish. I am enormous here. I forgot to pack walking shoes and bought a men's size, as the women's sizes stop well before my (size 9) giant feet. We've been doing a lot of walking. There are so many beautiful little streets, with worn fabric banners showing hand printed or drawn letters that look like nothing more than beautiful shapes to me. I am utterly illiterate here. The people I've met have been unbelievably gracious and put up with our knowing nothing in a way that makes it seem like they are at fault for not knowing what strange thing we're asking for in their country, in their home. We've been traveling very low-budget and staying in single rooms in homes and ryokan (tiny hotels run by families mostly). For some reason the images in my mind of Tokyo are not the sweeping torii gates of the shrines that we went to see. I have photographs and will always treasure the memory of seeing them. But what I was most amazed by were smaller things that we did not know to stop and document. There was a set of three ceramic pots, sitting on the street next to some potted plants. They seemed vacant at first, but they were full of water, and tiny fish hiding in the water plants. The tiny shapes of the fish were right there in the street under the sky. The bright flash of this revelation was both so fitting for the setting and so unexpected. I imagine that they belong to some grandmother who sits out in the evening and watches the fish go around. Who cares if this is true or not. I remember also vividly the meh meeeeh-ing sound of the cicadas, such a complaining sound, so loud in a country where even the construction is done with as little impact as possible. There were some houses styled to be European that stuck out. They looked like something from an anime. They didn't look like any European house I've seen. More like a very tidy cake in the shape of a house. The first night we landed and went deliriously in search of some food after flying for about 17 hours, we stumbled into a family run udon shop. David begged me to make a decision about food, because everything seemed bright and loud and utterly indecipherable at that time of night in our strange state. We ordered the first and second thing on the menu, ordered a beer. Blessedly the word for beer is understood everywhere. We got some amazing home-made noodles in broth, some cat-foody tasting fish, a bowl of clams in rich brown sauce? We think they were clams but honestly I'm not sure, and rice with tuna mash and a raw egg yolk on top. It was unbelievable. I think that's when I knew we were in Japan. We ate our udon hot even though they asked us 3 or 4 times if we were sure about that. It was about 90 degrees. It never occurred to us to have it cold. The cook went to sit in the back room and drink with his friends after it seemed there would be no more customers coming in. He poured us a tiny challis' of sake and left us to his wife's watchful eye. She tidied, we ate, and then payed and fled. I love how clean it is here. I love it. I have always liked order and taking off my shoes inside. I am German after all. Everyone seems to carry their own hand towel for a day's outing. There are no paper towels in most of the bathrooms. This same hand towel can cover your hair should it rain. Why you'd want to cover your hair when it rains I'm not sure, but it was clearly an important function of the towel. We enjoyed a late afternoon of watching people run through the rain with various items over their heads while we sat in the window of a restaurant/pub. The fashions and people were equally fun to watch. People wear floor length flowery mom-ish dresses and make them look cute. Can you believe it? The rooms we've been in are spare, clean, everything in the bathroom is white, as though to prove to you that there's no speck of dirt hiding that you might miss on a colorful tile. I love that people don't smoke and throw their butts on the ground, but either wait near an ash-can or carry the butt away in a small pouch designed for this purpose. I don't even mind that there's smoking in some restaurants. I grew up with this in Germany and it seems sort of cozy to me. I know that it's terrible for all involved of course- but what can I say. I've seen folks with gloves for ridding the train so they don't have to touch what other people touched. There are even men in the train stations who clean the ever rotating germ-buffet that is the escalator handrail. There seems to be a whole fleet of people in the parks who's job it is to clear away leaves. I love that they care enough to employ people to make sure that it's nice. We could learn from this America. We came to Japan to see Tokyo Games show and see if it would ever be a viable market for us. It's much cheaper to send me and David (who go for free) than the company and all the stuff required for a con set-up. So, we've reviewed Tokyo games show, and basically it'll be a very long time before we come to exhibit at this show if ever. No judgement of the show, but it doesn't really look like folks are interested in shopping. And what there is to buy is very easy to buy, t-shirts, towels, stuffed critters. It's blastedly full and hot and sort of dark also. But there I am being back at work, analyzing, explaining. I'm done working for the trip. We've got one week to do whatever we want in Japan. The funny thing is we have gone so far away to be able to have a real stopping point. To be able to stop working or even thinking about work it helps to have little to no internet and not to be callable. I think we must learn to be unavailable more often. The most wonderful thing about running a business is that you get to set the terms. You get to chose. This is also the very hardest because you have to chose carefully and then follow up on your choices. It never really ends of course. This has never been more true than now. As we grow, (not as smoothly as it sounds) we also have new growing pains, new overhead costs, new challenges, new systems we have to learn and master. There's nobody to help you "figure it out." It's hard to shut-off, to stop working. It's hard to feel like your ship will stay afloat without you watching it's every move. But it will, it does, it has for the last week.

- Willow Volante

[dmsden]

The Con Game – Running games at conventions

Hullo, gentle readers. We have a rare week of freestyle, where I can talk about whatever I want. Since for the last two years I’ve been running a lot of games at conventions, I thought that might be a fun subject to tackle. Running a game at a con isn’t just a fun way to spend some con time – it’s also a great way to make new friends and game with people you don’t normally have sitting at your weekly table.

Now, there are two types of convention games. Many conventions devoted to gaming will have organized games that they need GMs for. In cases like this, being involved is easy. They’re usually looking for GMs, and all you need to do is contact them, volunteer, and show up and run the adventure you’re provided.

In my case, however, most of the cons I go to are not gaming-specific cons, but they’re cons at which a D&D game is very welcome. In a situation like this, you have a lot more work to do. A lot of conventions are fine with someone just showing up and running a game, but if you want to generate excitement and increase the likelihood of people showing up ready to play, then it’s best to contact the con and volunteer to run it. That way, your game can potentially be considered an official con event, show up in the con book, get listed in the scheduled, be advertised on their website, etc.

I check the convention’s website for their rules of submission. There’s usually a deadline that you should definitely adhere to. Most cons have a form online to fill out these days, and they want a description of what it is you’re wanting to run. It may amuse you to know that, when I submit my form, I almost never have the adventure written. Many cons have a theme, so I come up with a basic idea and a blurb based on the theme I’m going to write around. I make sure to include that it’s a 5E D&D adventure, that characters will be provided, and that I welcome brand new players.

For example, at the beginning of August, I’m attending a charity furry con in Connecticut called TinyPawsCon. Their theme is always “Summer Camp”, and they’re very family friendly, so these things inform the blurb I write for them. This year, I submitted the following:

“A year has passed since a band of heroes rescued the Woodland Warriors from the powers of Heck. Now, they need aid once again. The beasts of Heleswode, normally allies to the rangers, are attacking viciously. What can be causing this imbalance in nature? It's up to you to find out in this Charity D&D 5E adventure where donations can make your lives easier...or harder. No experience necessary. Characters provided.”

I tried to give a little idea of what the adventure might entail, to make sure that people know it’s a charity event, what game system I’m using, that I’ll be providing the characters, and that people brand new to D&D will be welcome.

You should probably decide whether or not you’ll be providing characters. I recommend it, as it saves time, and you can customize the characters to the scenario that you create. I have a set of standard characters – one of each character class – that I have printed out and laminated. That way, players can write on their character sheets with dry erase pens and clean them off afterwards. (Obviously, I also bring dry erase pens.) My provided characters are level 5, as I find this does a nice job of balancing a bit of power and longevity without being too complicated.

When you write your scenario, I recommend avoiding anything too complicated. You may have people who’ve never played D&D at your table, and you’ll find yourself answering a lot of questions. If you also have a complex mystery, you may find the game bogging down and running too long. I tend to make the adventures straight-forward in nature: rescue someone, find the magic sword and use it to kill the big bad guy, defeat the attacking orcs, and so on.

I personally like to use maps and miniatures in my convention games, as it gives the players something straightforward to focus on in battles. I bring these, of course (I have a bag of cheap, generic-ish minis for the players in my “con box”). I also bring several sets of loaner dice, because not everyone thinks to keep a set of dice on their person at all times.

Show up a bit early, claim your table if possible, and do whatever set up you need so that, when the time for your game to start comes, you can launch right into the adventure. Make sure to take a short break about halfway through your game if it’s more than an hour or two. Gamers need breaks! If it gets close to the end of your time, you might need to call the adventure mid-combat, but, if you can, give the players the victory before you do. Who cares if Blusipher, Lord of Heck, still had 50 hit points? You’re the only one who knows that, and your players are more likely to remember the adventure fondly if they get a win at the end. When you’re done, make sure you get all your stuff back, clean up the space, and leave it nice and neat for whatever’s coming next.

If all goes well, hopefully the convention gets some praise for the event and wants you to come back and do it again. And hey, maybe you just added some new gamers to the hobby!

[howtobeaconartist]

Any opinions/advice on non-centered table displays? Like a grid cube wall of your work and then artist on the side: _0[][][][]_. I see mostly centered ones where the artist is in the middle through a window made from cubes, but not on the side.

Kiriska: My table configuration used to be kinda off-centered on 6ft tables because of my print rack, but it isn’t by a lot so it’s not super obvious unless I point it out.

From 2015:

I do think centeredness is optimal though, for two primary reasons:

1. It’s easier to keep an eye out on your entire table if you’re in the middle.

My print rack takes up a lot of space and it’s already difficult to see over it. If I line up all of my racks on one side and leave my window on the far side, it becomes basically impossible to see the side of the print rack that’s furthest from me.

In addition to deterring theft, it’s important for me to be able to see potential customers hanging out on that side. I can’t greet them, etc, if I don’t see them.

Asymmetry makes it easier for more uncertain customers to avoid you. Shy people will always exist, but you being in the middle of the display makes it easier for them to give you a chance if they’re even slightly interested in your work, and you have more opportunity to win them over.

If they can easily avoid your little window, they can zoom in for the business card and run away before you can say hi.

2. Symmetry is more visually appealing.

It seems basic af, but visual appeal plays a big part in people approaching your table in the first place. Most of the super ~a e s t h e t i c~ and coordinated booths I see are symmetrical, and they look great for it!

It’s not always possible to go for perfect symmetry, but I still think it’s best for you to be in the center:

From 2019:

EDIT:Nattosoup:Oh gosh, somehow I missed this ask!  Of course, I agree with everything Kiriska says, but I’d also love to throw in my own two cents! 

Different Layouts Work for Different Types of Shows

Craft Fair

So here’s an interesting example of my craft fair setup- it’s definitely a divided setup that utilizes two tables- one for comics/minicomics and small wares like bows (with me behind the table), the other for original art and sometimes other books/anthologies (with no one behind it).  This is great for creating a ‘shop’ feeling, but only useful if you have the extra space.  Some shows, like Akaicon, will allow you to bring in an extra table, and this setup can be useful for utilizing a dealer’s room 10′x10′ space as well.

This is the setup I’ve used for the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Firefly Artisan fair.

Library Show:

While the artist (c’est moi!) is in the middle, this setup is also VERY divided.  On one side there’s mini prints and charms, including a small photo album of further mini prints, on the other side, there’s anthologies, comics, and original art.  I find utilizing zoning, like stores utilize, helps my customers find what they want quickly.  When you’re selling original content, this can be really helpful- those looking for fanart can focus on the fanart zone, those interested in original comics/art can focus on the other side.   

I LOVE the spinner rack- it allows me to have all my minis out, available for sale, accessible to customers, and in one space, rather than taking up my entire tabletop.  

This was taken at Imaginacon.

And here’s a weird still from one of my con recaps- this was at Destrehan Comic Con, a one day show.  The setup is a bit abbreviated, but I still try to keep zoning intact.

Huge Vendor Show (ALAAC)

So at a huge show like ALAAC, which is catered towards librarians, you want your display to be appealing, fun, and easy to parse.  This is a great show for me to sell original pieces, so when permitted, I also utilize a print rack for my originals, so customers can flip through various pieces of original art. 

 Anime Cons

It’s a bit hard to see in this picture, but I still try to utilize zoning, and drawing attention to specific products even on busy anime con tables.  I also try to stay consistent with my zoning from show to show, as it allows me to go through my pitch quickly and with few mistakes, even if I’m down with a migraine.  It’s also helpful for people assisting me, or repeat customers, as it allows them to quickly find particular items.  In general, although I don’t design my setup in a way that really allows me to ‘hide’ behind it too much (I’m a bit claustrophobic), I have designed it to invite customers to casually browse, flip through things, and pick up samples, without feeling pressured into addressing me if they don’t want to.

This was my setup from Mechacon 2018.  The hall they had us in was very dark, so I brought my own lights, and used them to highlight (doo doo tish) pieces I wanted to showcase.

PS:  I have loads of great con recaps AND interviews with other artists at cons over on my Youtube channel, yall should definitely check it out!

[destinyroseart]

New creature design Print-Spirit foxes called The Whispers of Na Firi(or The Whispers for short)! To be added to my print collection in time for Michigan Comic Con. I’m adding a new mini print and possibly bookmarks to the list as well. Stat block in progress!

[rpgsandbox]

Each game of MAZES begins as you are about to set out into the darkness. You and your stalwart companions peer down the stairs winding into the abyss, or lifting a rusty portcullis into a secret passage, or opening a door into a labyrinth where they say power and glory lies…

The MAZES RPG combines the look and feel of classic, dungeon exploring RPGS with cutting edge game play and mechanics. Designed for short session play in an episodic, novella style.

Each player has a different role to play within the party, and that role is DEFINED as a single die. You only ever roll your die - so, What do you want to do in the game?

MAZES and Polymorph System use the same YOU ARE A SINGLE DIE mechanic

MAZES ZINE EDITION is an introduction to this brand-new RPG – and the first game published with 9th Level’s exciting new POLYMORPH SYSTEM. MAZES makes it easy to play episodic, narrative heavy RPGs about dungeon exploring, monster fighting, and tales of sword and sorcery.

#ZINEQUEST

When Kickstarter announced ZINE QUEST, we knew that we had to be a part of it! Besides being game designers, we are also huge fans of ZINES and ZINE culture. In fact, our first game “Kobolds Ate My Baby!” was a Zine 20 YEARS AGO! (And we just completed a ZINE QUEST Kickstarter to deliver a reprint of it : Check that out here.)

We completely rejiggered our 2019 schedule and decided to introduce you all to POLYMORPH with this 1979 style ZINE EDITION of MAZES.  

MECHANICS OF MAZES

In MAZES, you always roll a die that represents your role in the party (the Vanguard is a D6, for instance). When you take an action, you are rolling against one of the 4 Actions - BOOKS, BOOTS, BLADES, or BONES (see the character sheet below) - and you are trying to roll one of the target numbers for that action. So, if you are running away from a Razorbear you would roll your die and try to roll a 3, a 4, or a 5 (since those are the numbers for BOOTS).

Each player has a class (reminiscent of basic/BECMI D&D). If you roll a 1, and it is something that your CLASS can do - you also succeed. Your class also gives you a number of EDGES - edges are like skills or abilities that allow you to gain ADVANTAGE on rolls.

                                   MAZES basic Character Sheet

OSR Emulation and Trilemma Adventures

Since MAZES is designed to feel like a game from 1979, but play like a game in 2019 - we have included a set of simple rules for translating OSR compliant game material for use with MAZES - so you can play using all of those great, old, DND modules, or all of the great, new, Old School Renaissance modules.

But, making adventures just for MAZES is easy too! The MAZE zine includes a host of ways to cook up a quick adventure for a night of gaming.

To help you get going quickly, we've included a set of three mini-adventures created by TRILEMMA ADVENTURES (100% ready to play with MAZES ).

FOUR ZINES FOR MORTALS DOOMED TO DIE

This Kickstarter is to create 4 small booklets that will detail a complete old-school style game – featuring everything a group needs to jump in and start adventuring!

SWORD contains the primary player facing rules of the game, including: how to create characters, fight monsters, and do cool stuff. This is the book that you need if you want to play the game. Sword also includes tiny solo adventures for you to learn more about the game!

SORCERY introduces magic, tools, and retainers to the game. It has everything that you need to wield magic, and information about the assumed world of the game. This is a player facing book. Together SWORD and SORCERY contain everything that a player needs.

MAZE is the core rulebook for the Maze Controller - the MC - the player that runs the game. It features all the rules for creating adventures and commentary on running games, creating obstacles, and a collection of quick play adventure episodes.

MONSTER is a bestiary of the horrible denizens that are waiting in the darkness to devour the players when they descend into the maze. MAZE explains how to control “The Darkness” a running clock that keeps the players moving forward.  

ONE GAME TO RULE THEM ALL

While POLYMORPH and MAZES are new – the 9th Level team is not. We have been making RPGS for 20 Years (yes, TWO DECADES). The Polymorph System is the result of countless games we've run all over the world – distilled down to create something fresh and exciting. We hope that you will join us on this journey as we start exploring the edges of what is possible with Polymorph – starting where we always start – BACK IN THE DUNGEON!

ONE GAME TO FIND THEM

Anyone that backs this campaign will also receive an invite to the BETA Discord Channel for MAZES and POLYMORPH. We will use this channel as a forum, and hopefully, as a place for people to play and share POLYMORPH and MAZES games.

9th Level will be supporting MAZES throughout the year with convention play opportunities and actual play videos. You can be a part of that through this Discord.

9th Level Games will be at Dreamation, Emerald City Comic Con, PAX East, Origins, DexCon, GenCon, PAX Unplugged, and more in 2019!

AND IN THE DARKNESS BIND THEM

BESIDES being huge RPG NERDS, Chris and Heather at 9th Level Games are huge zine and design nerds. We're just as excited about the look and feel of the zines as we are about the content!

Each zine will be solid black printing on bright white, matte 80lb Text weight acid free paper, with 111 lb. 300gsm rich colored vellum cover stock, all gloriously saddle stitched. Our zines will be produced by FIREBALL PRINTING in Philadelphia, PA.

These are some badass looking zines! Each book will be approximately 36 pages (we think, but don't quote us on that). We've gone with bold, shadow style art that looks amazing.

THERE WILL NOT BE A DIGITAL VERSION of MAZES at this time. However, the next iteration of MAZES will include a complete digital experience.

Kickstarter campaign ends: Thu, February 28 2019 11:30 PM UTC +00:00

Website: Ninth Level Games

[kelsmister]

Phoenix Fan Fusion 2019 -- Artist Alley Review May 23-26 2019 *Thursday - Sunday* ==Opinions expressed are completely my own, and from my own record. If your experience differed, then good for you. This is how the event unfolded for me. You are more than welcome to write your own review, and even allowed to vend at this event. Keep in mind my opinions are again, of my own accord.== Once again I decided to brave the desert sun and venture out of my comfortable air conditioned room to sell my various wares in the hopes of making a decent buck. After my hard drive crashed two weeks ago I had high hopes this event could at least cover part of those expenses. Oh boy, did this show do a 180 and nose dive into the deep end of the pool without bracing for impact. Where to start? I’ve been doing PCC (as it was formerly known as before the lawsuit involving San Diego vs some weird event in Colorado), for about 6 ish years now. Maybe closer to 10 by now. Point is, I’ve seen this show go from great things to downright lousy. This year was one of the lousier ones. For those who don’t know, or plum forgot, around 2 years back a man brought in real weapons, real bullet proof armor, and had threatened the life of one of the guests at the con. Idiot posted said exploits online where his one and only online chum alerted authorities and he was swiftly apprehended before he could do such vile acts. The next day the con had to crack down hard on security, as the city pressured them to not have one of those ‘mass shootings’ happen in THEIR city. (Hey I don’t want to be shot at either!) The whole scramble to get metal detectors and REAL security personnel (not just teen volunteers) took it’s toll as lines stretched for hours around the buildings in 110+ sweltering heat. Some passed out, others drenched in sweat, it was bad. Many vowed never to return, as last year did show a slight decrease in attendance. However the damage was already done. Last year the increased costs for security left the con with empty wallets and almost zero budget, they fell seriously into the red nearly going bankrupt because of it. So this year they revamped everything by cutting corners wherever they could. First thing- entry points restricted to just 3. I believe the prior year it was 5, so right there it’s not as many personnel you need to hire, or rather pay the company to hire. Secondly, they moved registration back inside the building, so saving on rental tents and such. Third, they really cut corners with the artist alley. They added more artists. Pipe and drape were scraped. Tables were now side by side, no gaps no 2 feet of spacing between you and your neighbors. Now everyone resided in 8 table deep rectangles with taped down walkways behind everyone to ‘allow entry/exit’ for the middle tables with mini pipe and drape at the ends to block out the attendees. Did I mention more artists? Seriously, they squeezed in so many that the aisles did not match up with the vendor aisles. Row 900 was actually row 1000 in artist alley. This confused several attendees walking by who would look up to see a huge banner saying one thing but the ground saying another. Our once nicely printed up table signs, which use to hang off of the pipe and drape backings were now lazily stapled to the front of tables, which fell off rather easily fyi. The rectangle of selling for each cluster of artists left many to just push their now brought from home photo backdrops to the very edge of their space, some not caring at all and just going over these 1.5 feet of ‘walkway’. Many tri-pod legs stuck out, I myself kicked a few out of frustration and even had to yell at a neighbor behind me who somehow thought the double lines were ‘his’ space. Again, no one ever came by and demanded the space be free. If pipe and drape were used instead it wouldn’t have been an issue. But being right up against each neighbor was infuriating to say the least. You couldn’t hang anything on the sides of your display for fear people would think it was your neighbor’s work. Without the pipe and drape the sea of artists looked horrid. Random photo backdrops as far as the eye could see. Some looked good, but others yuck. For those who don’t have backdrops it looked just like a big yard sale. And a lot, and I mean A LOT of tables were left empty. At cons it’s common for a few people not to show up, emergencies happen, but heck even my neighbor didn’t show allowing me to stretch out onto his space (free of charge kind of nice). Besides this they never did closing announcements. You got one at 5 minutes till but nothing else. Not saying every con does this, but at a show this big, and a hall this grand, you have to warn the public. “Hey guys 1 hour until the vendor hall closes!” “Not to alarm you all but the hall closes in 30 minutes!” “Better make those last minute purchases, hall is closing in 10 minutes. Please start making your way to the exit!” Nope, none of this. Also, randomly, on Saturday around noon someone got a hold of the overhead PA system and started blaring music. It was so loud we all were covering our ears. After song number two started to play I rushed over to the exhibit hall manager booth where I kid you not an ARMY of angry vendors were ready to lynch someone. Eventually the music cut off and we all cheered, but never heard how that happened. Maybe a blu-tooth thing?

Security. Oh boy. They had MAJOR problems. This was supposedly the same company hired the prior year, but man they didn’t act like it. Prior year everything ran smoothly, never a problem, but this year it felt like rookies-r-us training camp or something. Day 0 I overheard one of them, as they searched me ask another “Uh.. what do I do again?” Not exactly encouraging to hear. I get not all of them can be trained veterans of this, but most acted like day 1 newbies. Each day their ‘allowed/not allowed’ list changed. Sometimes they allowed bottled water, other days nope toss it. Luckily being a vendor they allowed me all the bottles of soda and water and snacks, but I heard the rumors. Some said they had to toss their sealed Gatorade or sandwiches in bags. And sometimes I was allowed in any entry point, the last two days they forced me to the one furthest away. Again, you guys can’t change the rules EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Pick something stick with it. Heck on one day, I think Friday, I got in the specialty line but the staff pointed me to general and said it “would be quicker”. Ok whatever. So I hoped over, nope. It wasn’t. Guys in front of me reeked of BO, and this was at 9am, and of course had bags in a bag in a bag. So searching took FOREVER. As I’m waiting for my turn a supervisor approaches me and points to the other line saying “Madam vendors are supposed to go through the specialty line-” I cut her off “YES I know, YOUR employee sent me HERE. I’m not hopping lines, I’m staying here. Go yell at her.” She tried to make me go but gave up after a bit.  Never had this problem before. Makes me wonder what this company did to suddenly get a bunch of rookies working for them who haven’t got a clue. OH. With the weird ness too, some days they made me open the money box and shuffle through it, other days nope didn’t care! AGAIN IT WASN’T CONSISTENT. NOT ONE BIT. Bathrooms. Another disgusting beast. This convention center has multiple bathrooms, I’m thankful for that, but the one closest to me oh boy, it was busy almost every hour. It reeked by the end of day one and never lost that lovely wretched odor of feces, urine, and chlorine. Did I forget to mention that cleaning staff, fed up with doing their one job of cleaning, almost went on strike during this? They complained to the con saying the bathrooms were too hard to maintain during this crazy event, and had threatened to just up and close the downstairs restrooms as a consequence. Con luckily put their foot down, but it did explain why at one point I saw the barrier up around the bathroom while the cleaning crew gave me the stank eye as I had to walk further down to whiz. So, the take away, if you didn’t bother to read my lovely little rant. PROS: - 8 foot table - 3 badges per table - Largest show in AZ - Easy to get into (application wise) - Big attendance numbers - Several hotels near by - Easy walk from light-rail (public transit)

CONS: - Table cost over $300 (for inline) - Table cost varying $300-500+ (endcaps higher) - Security and flip flop rules - No ‘cheap’ food alternatives - No food trucks, only con center food court - Strict food ban (cannot bring in whole pizzas) - No free parking - Booth space reduced - Pipe and drape gone (possible cost in future) - TONS more artists now - Guests not best draws - Crowded but not a lot of buyers - Huge homeless problem (it is downtown) - Ticket scalpers, you have been warned - Aisles narrowed - Tables side by side (no exits for some)