A bit of Convention sketch Q&A

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Bluemeanie
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:10 am

A bit of Convention sketch Q&A

Post by Bluemeanie »

Bristol was my first con and saw lots of people getting lots of sketches from artists (yourself included) so I was wondering if you wouldnt mind answering a few quick fire con sketch questions

1) Who do you most often get asked to draw? (Seemed to be Captain Britain while I was there)

2) Who do you most enjoy drawing?

3) What has been your weirdest sketch request?

4) Have you ever refused to draw something for someone, or suggested something similar or possibly tamer instead?

5) I notice you (and a few other artists) ask who the pic is to be made out to, and I saw some even insist they write it off to someone in pen. Is this partially to try and curb people getting generic pics to sell on rather than keep? (Hate those money grabbing guys by the way)


If you do take 5 to answer these, thanks. And again, thanks for the sketch you did me which is currently framed up next to the one I also got from Mark Farmer
Alan Davis
Creator
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Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:13 pm

Post by Alan Davis »

1) Who do you most often get asked to draw? (Seemed to be Captain Britain while I was there)
Captain Britain and DR & Quinch are maybe more popular in the UK with a certain age group but requests vary from convention to convention. Nostalgia is a major factor and there are those who follow Marvel but have no interest in DC, or vice versa.
2) Who do you most enjoy drawing?
No preference other than enjoying variety. It gets very tedious drawing the same ¾ profile for hours.
3) What has been your weirdest sketch request?


Nothing really weird as far as the subject matter but I did once utilise unusual drawing materials. In a heated discussion about artists who need exact materials to be able to work I said I could draw a headshot of Kitty Pryde with anything at hand and I was challenged to do so. Since we were in a pub bar at the time, with no drawing materials to hand, I used a beer mat (which can be split with the thumbnail to supply a coarse paper) and a burnt match (charcoal).
4) Have you ever refused to draw something for someone, or suggested something similar or possibly tamer instead?
I always refuse to draw the really weird requests-- There are some sick puppies out there. But in recent years I have limited myself to drawing very basic ¾ profile headshots which limits the degree of weirdness.

5) I notice you (and a few other artists) ask who the pic is to be made out to, and I saw some even insist they write it off to someone in pen. Is this partially to try and curb people getting generic pics to sell on rather than keep? (Hate those money grabbing guys by the way)
This is why I make a nominal charge for sketches now. I started to feel like a mug when I met a fan who had bought a sketch I had drawn for free for another fan at the same convention.

Alan
Bluemeanie
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:10 am

Post by Bluemeanie »

Thanks for taking the time to answer these.
I can only imagine the frustration you and others feel at these things when confronted with people who you must know are probably getting things signed for all the wrong reasons.

I was lucky enough to get a sketch and chat to Glen Fabry at Bristol, and while I was there someone was getting him to sign EVERY Preacher cover and there are about 60. So sure these were up on ebay within a week.

Now I wont lie, I have the hardback of the collected covers which I asked him to sign, and also my favourite individual cover... but 60? Takes the mick out of creators generosity in my opinion... maybe he shoulda charged £1 per cover :)
Alan Davis
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Posts: 472
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:13 pm

Post by Alan Davis »

The simple truth is that it takes a lot less time to sign 60 comics than to do a single sketch— even the most simple sketch—and it takes a lot less concentration so I can chat while I sign. I will object to signing multiple issues that are clearly for a speculator to sell but if I have time and the queue isn’t too long I’ll sign as many single issues as a collector brings. I usually find it is the people in the queue who object when a collection of my entire career in print is dropped in front of me for signing so I usually ask anyone with a large number to come back later or to rejoin the queue after signing half.

Alan
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