So I've been super slow to post a review of SDCC (sorry! )  I wrote a super long review right after I got back, then went through all the pictures I took and all the free goodies that I got, and then I decided to put it away for awhile, just so everything could sink in.  This is shortened entry from the one that I originally wrote (although, really, I cut out a lot, but this is still super long )

Overall, it was...well, an experience.  I had fun, but also had some bad luck, too.  It was exciting to see San Diego (even though I mostly kept between the convention center and the hotel).  Still, it was great seeing the ocean and the downtown scene!  The whole city had a very different vibe (so different than anything I had experienced before).  That being said, I would love to visit California again (would love to see San Fransisco and LA- even though everyone says they hate LA ).

As for the convention, it also had a very different feel from any other con I've ever visited.  It was definitely more commercialized than I expected.  You couldn't go five feet without someone shoving free stuff in your face.  While this was initially, very awesome, it became tiresome after a while.  There is only so much free stuff I can carry!  And a lot of it was junk fliers for things that I had no interest in.  The best free stuff you usually had to wait in long lines for (it took me about two hours to get through the line at the Alien Anthology Booth- although the fact that you got a free shirt and got to crawl into a hibernation chamber was kind of worth it ).  

The lines, however, were one of the most frustrating things about the con.  I waited in lines for about two to three hours on Friday and Saturday to see the panels that I wanted to attended.  And although technically, it wasn't a line, I waited maybe four to six hours on two different occasions in cue for portfolio reviews.  I guess those times weren't too bad, considering the amount of people, but it made me sad to think that maybe I was missing something somewhere else because I was in line.

I had only positive portfolio reviews, but most companies were looking for artists with finished books that they could publish on the spot. :/  Only got one sort-of-job-offer after I got back, but I guess it's probably a dead end deal, cause I asked about pay and never got a response back. *sigh*   

I also took the opportunity while I was there to participate in the art show, but my art show experience was....just terrible.  I had prints and originals for sale, all of them matted and looking beautiful.  I was really excited, especially cause I was hoping my originals would go off to new homes (because I don't really have any use for them) But, alas...I have bad luck...  

It all started when I hung my artwork up on Wednesday afternoon.  I returned on Thursday morning to fill my business card holder, only to find my artwork MIA.  I asked what happened, and was informed that my work was moved to the back of the art show.  I was annoyed, but let it pass cause I figured it wasn't that big of a deal.  If only I had know. >_<  I returned on Friday to refill my card holder and found one of my art pieces DECIMATED.  Instead of using the hangers that I had on the backs of my matte board, they taped my art up with three tiny squares of velcro when they had moved my art.  >_<  As a result, everything kept falling down, and the matte board on one piece hit the ground so many times that it ended up looking like it had been hit by a truck.


I immediately got the art show director, but I was so upset that he handed me off to someone else to complain to.  This other person just told me "Oh, you're young, you'll get over this, it's not a big deal" I'm pretty sure if I was someone important, it would definitely be a big deal.  But, alas, I am a nobody in their eyes. *sigh*

At least they offered compensation (a free art show panel for next year), but considering the way they treated my work, what makes them think I would want to show there again?  Arrrgghh...

I can't say this didn't put a damper on things.  It was at that point that I decided to just try to enjoy myself as much as possible, cause I just didn't feel like art shows or portfolio reviews at that point.  I went to a few panels (yay! Fringe and Lost panels! and also True Blood and V, only by accident ), did some shopping (found a really cute print by Brittany Lee!  Look at her amazing art   [link] ) and also finally got my copy of Toilet Genie!   

In the evenings, I got to go out dining with people.  It was a nice chance to meet up with old friends from college and meet new people, too.  =blix-it and *RadiusZero introuduced me to cool new web comic people which was exciting, but also slightly nerve racking because I always feel like I say stupid things in front of new people.

Anyway, Sunday rolled around, and by then I had caught a cold and felt like I had my fill of SDCC (even though, thinking back, there were some places that I realized I missed! Oh well...)  Perhaps I will return again when I can afford to have my own booth and am good enough to sell with the big dogs (really, I think only big-time-artists can afford to sell at SDCC successfully).  Until then, I think I will spread my wings and try to hit other cons next year.  Definitely would like to go to Otakon and maybe AX and Sakura-con, as well.  Do you guys have any dream cons on your bucket lists?  

In the meantime, I've been working on stuff for AWA next month!  Please feel free to give me feedback on the shirt design I've been working on!  Also, Spice and Wolf won the fanart poll; I've been trying to figure out a good poster design with Horo and accidently ended up drawing Saber art last week instead.  Oops!  Think I will end up drawing fanart from all three series I listed on the poll, so I suppose it doesn't matter anyway! XD

And before I go, I have to give a quick thank you to whoever bid on the pieces I entered in the art show for SDCC.  Thank you, mystery buyers!  You have my utmost gratitude!

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Con List

-Anime Weekend in Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga)
-Ikkicon 2011 (Austin, Tx)
-Anime Matsuri (The Woodlands, Tx)