Art friends! Your assistance is wanted.

[feuervogel]

I've been asked to put together an outline for the Art Track at the con I'm working on (as literary director) because my Literature Track outline was that fucking awesome, apparently. I was able to foist my assignment to make the Media Track outline onto its new director, kirinn. Mwahaha.

There's one problem: I have no idea what artists want in a track! That's where you come in. What sort of panels would you like to attend at a small (~200 people) con? Digital art? How to sell/market your art? Indie publishing? How not to get ripped off by printers?

The con director's original plan was to have the art track include comics (and webcomics), but the Art Director is strongly opposed to that, so no comics or webcomics suggestions please. The art track includes the art show and artists alley.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[sabeth]

Indie publishing for me personally! Depending on your audience (amateurs or professionals?), it might also be interesting to have a technical panel/workshop type thing to teach people about RGB vs CMYK, print vs screen resolutions, how to scan/clean your line-art and all that. I only really learned all of that when I did my graphics degree, but it's extremely useful knowledge to have.

[feuervogel]

Ohhh, those are all good ideas. I know they've got plans for some workshop areas (mostly costuming; this is a steampunk con. Ironically, I'm not into steampunk, and neither are half the staff.) so that could work.

Thanks :)

[kirin]

One thing I had brainstormed in my head for the comics/media track, if I find guests who are up for it, was some sort of Iron Chef style original steampunk character design contest. Which is also kind of arty. But if the art track person doesn't want to be contaminated by this comics stuff, I'm keeping that panel for myself. ;)

[feuervogel]

Oh, I like the idea of an Iron Artist competition. I don't think that's too contaminated with icky comics, though I don't see why a comic artist guest (like Phil Foglio, if we manage to score them) would be excluded.

[kirin]

But.. but... stealing my panel. ;_;

[feuervogel]

But other cons put it in the artists track :P

[steuard.livejournal.com]

I think a session on drawing techniques would be highly desirable: how to draw realistic wolf fur, for example, or how to create a realistic "sparkle" on marble-toned flesh in various media (physical and digital), or choosing the right tone of blood red to convey a given mood.

You'll also want a panel on how to adapt your artistic interests to break into popular genres. Could your favorite seaside planetscapes be modified to resemble the Pacific northwest? What small adjustments are necessary to transform those gargoyles into werewolves? Can the same skills that you use to draw advanced mecha be used to draw teenagers riding motorcycles and driving sports cars? Would that scene of star-crossed lovers gazing into each others' eyes look better under moonlight?

And then you could... oh, hold on. I'm thinking of the wrong con, aren't I? :)

[kirin]

No good can come of Steampunk Twilight.

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

Portfolios. There should absolutely be a panel on How to Build Your Portfolio. I've taken classes in this, let me know if you'd like some input.

I think a panel on How To Photograph 3D art would also be helpful, but that might not be well attended.

[feuervogel]

Ooh. That's a good idea. I'm not directing the track, but if the actual director has questions, I'll pass them on to you.

Photographing 3D art could be interesting. It could apply to things like models and other traditional art as well as jewelry or puppets or other things that have generally been shoved under "crafts" and ignored.

[pharna.livejournal.com]

Being a super voyeur when it comes to art, I do love watching people do USTREAM broadcasts as they draw/paint.

Mmm, live demos!