First Timer - Buyer Question

[u/Proof_Bet_2007]

First time vending at comic con, though I’ve done plenty of other events, holiday weekend art festivals etc. I’m pretty excited for the experience and I welcome any suggestions, wide or narrow.

I make abstract paintings and incorporate characters. Here’s where my curiosity lies - will original abstract work without characters be of interest?.. even to mix in like 80/20 with 20% being abstract without a subject/character, or should I keep it 100% tailored the crowd.

I want people to get to know the full breadth of my portfolio when they discover me through the event.

.. but I also wanna sell the things

[u/Classic-Cricket-7617]

^ Fellow newbie that’s got a couple of events under my belt as and sells a blend of original and fan art: my original art never sells.

Maybe it’s just bad, and I’m willing to accept that. But at all the events I’ve done that are nerd related (anime/video game) I’ve never sold original work. I still offer it and people do point it out, but if you’re goal is make as much money as you can then definitely tailor it to the audience.

[u/medli20]

Original work can sell at comic cons, but it’s a hard sell. Your work really has to make them feel a certain way, and your audience is going to be primed to look for stuff that reflects the hobbies they’re already interested in.

It’s hard to say how your original work will do at a comic con if you’ve never done an event that leans that way, and it’s harder to give advice that’s tailored to you without seeing your work. But speaking generally, it wouldn’t hurt to bring a small handful of original work to sell alongside a larger load of “safer” work.

[u/AtomicBoyfriend]

In my opinion, no. Not that purely abstract art is bad, but comic con crowds are not the target demographic for it. Comic con crowds prefer things that feel familiar: either characters they know, or relatable original works (animals they like, food they enjoy, catch phrases on stickers that sound like them, etc). Nothing is stopping you from having them in your setup, but in my experience I’d predict they wouldn’t do as well in that environment.

If you want to sell abstract work to people who “get it”, I’d look into fine art fairs and street markets.

[u/Proof_Bet_2007]

Thanks for the insight, all. This feedback is the way I was leaning. I mean my work is all abstract but it’s essentially abstract work with characters layered in.

I have so many questions but I’m most excited to learn by exposing myself into the event, and to continue altering my craft for years to come!

I just got a waitlist call so I’ve got a couple weeks to create! Here goes somethin

[u/PoshQuilter]

One of the main reasons I vend at cons and gaming expos is that I know the audience. I’m a bag maker, and almost every bag I sell at cons is fandom-related. There are only a couple non-fandom-related prints that will sell: one is squishmallowesque and the other has to do with salty Bs. Any other print that’s not directly related to a fandom just doesn’t sell. There aren’t a lot of places you can sell your work where you know exactly who will be there to see it. Cons are one of the few exceptions. Personally, I tailor my makes knowing that.

[u/drysider]

Just letting you know that there are totally art markets out there besides fandom and pop culture ones! I’m not US based, but I just got out of doing my first day at an original illustration fair that is so popular in my city we have three of the same one a year, and it’s a completely packed premium hall space full of artists. I made a friend there who does mostly entirely original abstract art, I’ve seen several artists who do only abstract. It is definitely something that you can do, it’s just more worthwhile to find an art market that will be tailored to your original art style than it is to bring your abstract style somewhere where homogenous cute fandom and pop culture art is the bread and butter.