As part of my final project in Japanese Popular Culture, I am researching the Artist Alley community here in the United States. I have already taken information from my previous travels as well as closely, statistically, documented one particular event. The final product will be published on DeviantART - but be warned, it will be long.
If you would like to provide me with information (quotes, experiences, opinions, etc), you can comment bellow, contact me on AIM/MSN, or e-mail me at fongmingyun@gmail.com .
The following is the best I can do to clarify, in writing, the issues that faces this community. I hope, if you are interested in being a con artist (no pun intended), that this short essay gives you insight into what you will encounter.
The Artist Alleys at American anime conventions differ greatly from the Japanese Comiket as well as those at United States' Comic, Science Fiction, and Fantasy conventions. Comiket is filled with doujinshi, amateur comics written by groups of people called "circles." American Comic Alleys have professional artists signing and selling his latest issues they worked on. On the other hand, at anime conventions, most artists are students, some of which have no interest in studying art professionally. Given the differences between each artist community, two major issues have arisen : fanart and crafts.
People are more likely to purchase things they are familiar with. Therefore, people buy fan art. Comiket thrives due to fan-made comics. Most American comic conventions frown on, or even restrict unlicensed fan art. However, many people who come to anime conventions treat the Artists' Alley as a handmade, sometimes cheaper, alternative to the Dealer's Room, where companies sell licensed merchandise. This has led to a "bootleg flea market" atmosphere. Otakon, in Baltimore, Maryland, went through an issue where a handful of artists' fan work actually threatened dealers' profits and caused the con staff to hire lawyers to discuss the issue. Anime North, in Toronto, Ontario, is famous for "lowballing" where artists loudly sell their work less than market average to increase sales. All fan art only exists in a legal gray area of "parody," but if fan art were banned, many artists would not make enough money to support themselves.
However, at anime conventions, the term "fanart" has begun to encompass crafts as well. This broader interpretation of "art" means that more people are competing for the same number of spaces. In 2008, Anime Boston sold out of Alley tables in 34 seconds, and many people complained the system was "unfair." Traditionally, artists have sold prints. However, since shoppers prefer practical items, many people now make dolls, bags, and cosplay accessories. In turn, many illustration artists have delved into a trinket market. Keychains, buttons, stickers, with cute, semi-deformed, "chibi" are consistently popular, and sometimes make more money than printed work. This is especially true in a tough economy where people are unwilling to pay as much for a piece of colored paper. However, in trying to make items cheaper and more practical, the Alley has become more focused on "mass production" and come in direct competition with the Dealer's Room.
I wish I could explain this better, but the issues the Artist Alley has are all intertwined. Explaining one leads to explaining another. However, I hope my attempt at summary makes the situation clearer to those in and out of the anime artist community in America.
P. S. I need a summer job...
4.20.2009
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2 comments:
You're posting something like this on DeviantArt? Ready your flame shield, my friend. You're in for some pissed of anime-tards.
That said, I think if you can re-enforce the idea of fanart being recycled culture, you can really make an excellent statement about the current state of anime culture and Japanese culture in general. Go forth and criticize!
Ted's right, be ready for the shit storm you're going to create by posting on DA.
About crafts in the Artists' Alley, it becomes it's own double edged sword. If you're just starting out and it's your main focus, the AA gives you a cheaper venue for testing the waters. However, most people come to the AA looking for, as you said, cheap Dealers' Room alternatives. More often than not, that's impossible with crafts. Because the DR can mass produce, which drives down costs, those in the AA can't really compete without sacrificing quality or using clever marketing. One-offs are great... until someone comes and ask for what you've already sold. Which, again, puts you in a grey area of parody. I'm using plushies as my main model.
Other hobbies where people expect to spend a lot, like ABJDs, leave much more room for appropriate pricing. You can actually charge what something's worth without sacrificing your business, only because the niche consumer is used to the higher price tag=higher quality mentality. Having something that's x-of-a-kind is another highly coveted thing. I can't really explain it but a lot of 're/upcycling' happens in the ABJD hobby so there's less animosity because, like with human clothes, people will get tired of something unless it's perfect. If you know the right venues, you're likely to find it again soon enough. Not so much with a handmade plushie. Also, the ABJD world builds "brands", so if your name is recognized from, say, DoA or even DA, you'll get more business because of it. I've told you about my disbelief with people and my price quotes, right? Still stands.
Illustration, I think you know more than enough about. A lot of it is definitely about name recognition, too much I think. Not just recognition of the character in a piece, which is the biggest part, but recognition of the artist and their style. Art as a whole is like that, however, so the AA is just a specialized gallery in that respect.
Yes, having crafts in the AA forces those who once depended solely on prints and commissions to branch into more "practical" stock. However, unless the purpose of the practical good is excruciatingly clear, people have no idea what to do with them. Bags? Good. Keychains? Good. Cell phone charms? Good. Stickers? Good, so long as they don't break policy. Book thongs with glass beads? Utter confusion. Not sure how it happened that way.
Uhhh... that's all I can think of and there's a food run about to happen so IM me if you need more?
-Allie
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