Baltimore Comic-Con 2010 Report

I continued a remarkable con season by attending Baltimore Comic-Con in The Charm City last weekend. I didn’t think HeroesCon could be so easily matched, but this most recent event became a serious competitor for one of my favorite shows. Three things can be said about Baltimore Comic-Con:

1) The people who attended were some of the friendliest, most respectful, and most excited fans I’ve encountered yet. In fact, we had more than one occasion when a con guest stopped by the table and engaged us on a level we weren’t quite ready to meet. We discussed the suspected Asperger's syndrome of HP Lovecraft, techniques for silicone facial appliances in FX, and which cuts of meat on a unicorn produce sparkles, rainbows, and glue. I spent most of my day laughing with con guests, cheering on the zombies that lurched by the booth, and answering the usual questions about clay blends, armature construction, and the frequency of my nightmares. I even had one guest offer up his Neo action figure from his Matrix display (it was too random an offer not to accept).

2) The talent at BCC is incredible. We had a chance to catch up with our peers from Heroes and meet a few new creators who made our time at the show pass like an extended party. In the Artist Alley: On our left was Jeff Lonett, an artist from Virginia who had a remarkable display of layered wood sculptures and comic art (if you know anyone in a love affair with Captain America, this is the artist to see). I am the proud owner of an original zombie sketch crafted by his 5-year-old son.

On our right were Jeanie Galster and CJ Draden. They had an amazing spread for their illustrated novel Reverence, and Draden’s large-scale painting process kept more than a few passersby lingering by their display.

Behind us were Robert Wilson IV and his wife, Tiffany, who made sure I didn’t throw my display down while wrestling fresh monsters out of my con kit. Robert is the artist on Knuckleheads. I think I might have traded a few Rum Gimlets for having my pumpkin-headed mug appear in one of the future issues.

3) Baltimore is a great con city. While the bar at the chosen congregation hotel closed at midnight (well before the throng of writers and artists were ready to disperse), Baltimore is a city with plenty to offer. A little pre-conference reconnaissance revealed a wonderful Poe-themed restaurant known as the Annabel Lee Tavern. It rocked – plain and simple. We followed ALT up with a grand dinner with friends at the Inner Harbor La Tasca and a series of crazy events – including the razor-like wit of our waitress and a haunted bathroom – and dining over the weekend was set.

As with HeroesCon, I didn’t escape from the booth but for a few minutes to discuss commissioned projects and cover tables for those that needed a quick break. My traffic was primarily curious visitors who wanted to handle the sculptures and ask questions about my process. I made sales and covered expenses, but that’s never what drives events for me. I just enjoy escaping the art cave, running into fans of dark fantasy, and having the chance to sketch, push clay, and breathe in fresh ideas.

I always have a fair number of kids coming by the booth and this show was no exception. When the booth is covered with monsters of all shapes and sizes, it’s just something I have to prepare for. I made sure to have kid-friendly/kid-safe samples ready to avoid any accidents. That was a fine idea until I mentioned, “Don’t worry, you won’t break it.” Those words, friends, easily translate as, “Go ahead and rip it in half.” I can proudly report that my silicone samples have a tear strength that resists the 5-to-8-year-old crowd and create moments of unintended hilarity for everyone around the booth.

At this point, I can’t reveal any further details of the show until connections are made and projects are firmed up. The Shifflett Brothers say that only 1 in 10 projects discussed at events ever truly pan out. Of those that were brought up over this past weekend, any one would be a pleasure to wrap my hands around. I’m looking forward to discovering what pathways open up in the coming weeks and will happily share what I can when I can.

Moon Day Inspiration: Night on Bald Mountain

Moon Day Inspiration: PJ Harvey DOWN BY THE WATER

Moon Day Inspiration: THE GIFT

HeroesCon 2010: Con Report

I can honestly say that HeroesCon is one of the best conventions running. It was a full-throttle event from the start, and I spent all three days pushing clay and talking shop. I burned out my voice by Day Two, but I croaked my way through the final day to pass out tips and talk up the joys of three-dimensional artwork.

1. BORDER CROSSINGS: Christian Sager and Andrew Sides are a great pair to share a booth with. They have a wonderful following and the genuine excitement their fans beamed as they discovered two new books available for this year's event cheered the crew on for the whole show.

2. The Fans: HeroesCon has a terrific fan base and while others report that they didn't feel they received as much traffic as they were expecting, I was hit harder than I thought I would be this year. I was asked a lot of great questions, inspired to reboot my tutorial section on basic sculpting to help those that asked for additional assistance, and given the opportunity to see a few words of encouragement go a long, long way. Thanks to everyone that stopped by the table and made the show a great success for me.

3. The Artists: HereosCon brings out the talent (bone-crushing, eye-rupturing, brain-squishing talent). From the professional creators to the independents rocking the Indie Island and the Artist's Alley, I saw some work that made me shake my fists with excitement. If you come to HeroesCon, pack a bucket for your brain, because it will ooze right out of your skull before you're even through the first aisle. And do hit up the panels. There is so much information and inspiration to be found when creators are willing to sit down and share their experiences.

4. Guy Davis: I want to draw attention to Guy Davis. First, this man has inspired me since I was a daydreamer in High School. Second, he is a tremendously supportive artist and is one of the most genuine people I've encountered from the professional cadre of creators. His comments on my work will keep me motivated for years to come. Third, he was offering sketches FOR FREE! I was prepared to empty my bank account for a Nosferatu sketch and I received one FOR FREE! So, thanks to the legwork of my boothmates, I was able to purchase his latest sketchbook and a MARQUIS shirt as a small gesture of appreciation. To see someone of his caliber handing out sketches to anyone interested in his work is something to pay attention to.

5. Inspiration: For me, the highlight of the show was having the opportunity to meet new folks and discuss commission opportunities. I have plenty of personal projects on my calendar (one of which I'll be sharing tomorrow), but to have someone request a private commission for his/her collection is always thrilling. Given the requests collected from HeroesCon, it looks like the remainder of this year will be full of challenging yet exciting work.

6. Sculpting Demo: I didn't plan on sculpting the whole time, but it became quite apparent from the traffic on Day One (and the requests of booth visitors) that they wanted me to sculpt from start to finish. So, below you can see the results of the Fantasy Creatures Sculpting Demo I worked on between talking shop and supporting the new BORDER CROSSINGS books. I really had no idea where I was going to go with this piece (I didn't have any concept sketches or on-site designs to pull from), so I just riffed on some organic shapes and let the clay guide me along.

I can report that the sculpt made it home safely for an unbaked piece and will be detailed and finished as the project schedule permits.

All in all, it was a terrific show, a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, and a chance to get to know some of the up-and-coming creators that will dominate the comic book scene for decades to come. Thanks again to everyone who came out to the show and made the 2010 event a truly memorable experience.

BORDER CROSSINGS/King Unicorn booth photo © ComicRelated.com 2010