Welcome to XioArts’ Artist Alley 101, where I give you tips on how to begin your journey as a convention artist! First, let me introduce myself if you don’t already know who I am. My name is XioArts (show-arts) and I run XioPrints LLC (show-prints). I started my journey as a con artist and eventually pivoted to become a manufacturer. 

If you’re here, that means you’ve decided to join the world of Artist Alley as a Con Artist. Congratulations on your new endeavor! In today’s guide, I’ll go over some of the most frequently asked questions for newbies.

Okay, so first, I’d like to list out the most common items you will see at Artist Alleys and their pros and cons. The first one should be no surprise.

Listen, I know I’m biased but hear me out. Acrylic is generally pretty durable. I’ve had an acrylic keychain for over 3 years and it’s still holding up after being whipped around and thrown all over the place. A little bit of it has chipped off and the artwork has chipped too, but overall, it’s still in decent shape. It’s also important to note that single-sided charms (meaning that the artwork is only printed on one side of the acrylic) are exposed and will get damaged through wear and tear. If you purchase a double-sided charm (the artwork is sandwiched between two pieces of acrylic), then the artwork is protected from damage. You can also customize what keyring, strap, chain you use to hang your charms from.

Pros:

✦ Low cost

✦ Variety of sizes

✦ Variety of clasps

✦ Variety of finishes and effects

✦ Weatherproof

Cons:

✦ Can chip if handled aggressively

✦ Epoxy covered acrylic can yellow over time

✦ Single-sided acrylic will eventually chip off with wear and tear

Stickers are the most flexible and possibly the cheapest item you can make. They are flat and small, so they are easy to store. One thing I notice though, is that some people have a lot of stickers and resort to placing them in a binder or into jewelry storage displays. I would advise you to be careful with using binders because only one or two people can look at them at a time and it can potentially block potential customers who can’t see or get through to your table. Regarding the open display cases, be careful about theft since the merchandise is sitting out there on the other side for thieves to steal.

Pros:

✦ Low cost

✦ Variety of sizes

✦ Variety of finishes and effects

✦ Weather-proof (if made from vinyl)

✦ Easy to store

Cons:

✦ Can fade over time (depending on material)

✦ Some conventions/events have banned stickers due to misuse (people sticking them on places they’re not supposed to at the venue)

✦ Usually has to be bought in bulk (some manufacturers will offer lower minimum orders)

When I first started doing cons, buttons were among my first items and I loved designing them. I don’t really have too much to say about these. I like them. I would say, my largest criticism is that there are set shapes that you have to work around, unlike stickers and acrylic charms, where you can make them into any shape. Some people have their own button makers and make buttons on the spot.

Pros:

✦ Low cost

✦ Variety of sizes and shapes

✦ Easy to store

✦ Durable

Cons:

✦ Metal backs can rust over time

✦ Pin back doesn't align with image (this is nitpicky, but it's something that bothers me as a creator and customer. Most manus won't pay attention to this detail when making your pins)

Prints are a staple of the Artist Alley scene. It’s the best way to showcase your artwork, especially if you’re a very detailed artist. Like stickers, I would caution you on having a binder of your artwork that slows down foot traffic and drives away potential sales. The trouble I have had with prints is finding a company that can print consistently. I have also heard from print artists that they struggle to display all of their prints. I suggest making small prints for display and labeling which ones come in larger sizes. Trends show that smaller prints are more popular in general because customers don't have enough wall space.

Pros:

✦ Low cost

✦ Variety of sizes and finishes

✦ Easy to store (smaller prints)

Cons:

✦ Easily damaged (bent corners, scratches, folds)

✦ Heavy (if you have a lot of prints, it can get heavy and awkward to store)

✦ Hard to display/limited space

I have not personally dealt in the enamel pin business because of the reasons listed in the cons section. I know there are artists who do very well selling enamel pins, but I have heard many horror stories about designs being stolen and receiving large quantities of flawed products. Also be aware that many pin makers will not disclose their manufacturer due to seeing quality drops when their manufacturer is overloaded with orders. This is something you’ll have to experiment with, which can get costly.

Pros:

✦ High return

✦ Variety of sizes

✦ A few different choices on finishes

✦ Can be popular due to “Collector Mentality”

Cons:

✦ Very expensive to produce

✦ Can be difficult to find a quality and trustworthy manufacturer

✦ High product flaw rate depending on your manufacturer

✦ Mold fee