2000AD Original Art Thread

[Simon Beigh]

I really like that Steve Baskerville, and that Weston is very interesting. Chris is a really great guy and I get the sense he just loves trying new things.

You guys remember the recent Prog cover Chris did? Dredd in the shattered Mega City One? Took him a week to do! A week! And it's massive - I think he said it was A1. He said he used just about every art technique he knew to create it and used pencils, ink, watercolour pencils, paints... He sold it something like the day after it was posted on Twitter, and frankly, whoever has it is a very lucky person! That cover, and the Greg Staples on the Fourth Faction TPB, are epic...

Anyway, well done on all of your art you bagged, Chief. It is all fab. I think I need to take lessons from you in getting round a Comic Con because I pretty much failed to bag anything 

[chiefy2shoes]

Anyway, well done on all of your art you bagged, Chief. It is all fab. I think I need to take lessons from you in getting round a Comic Con because I pretty much failed to bag anything 

Thanks. It was a strange con. Short queues as most people were there for the film and tv stuff. The Sunday was especially dead in artist's alley and pretty much every artist still had room on their lists for sketches. It did mean that you could stop and chat to them for longer than usual though so for me it was a good thing. My wallet doesn't think so though.

[Simon Beigh]

My problem was two-fold. Lack of money and lack of research. I had a good chat with Chris and Kev Hopgood, but didn't really appreciate who else was there. I also only took £50 with me, which I thought was a decent amount - but nope...

[Sideshow Bob]

My problem was two-fold. Lack of money and lack of research. I had a good chat with Chris and Kev Hopgood, but didn't really appreciate who else was there. I also only took £50 with me, which I thought was a decent amount - but nope...

Yep with you on that one SimeonB.....
I was at Thoughtbubble in Leeds last year and got 2 sketches done ( by Sean Phillips and John McCrea ), at £20 each , really good ones so I was 'chuffed'....
I also bought 2 Compendiums of Sleeper and Hitman ( also signed ) for about £25 each, bought lunch,  and that was £100 gone.....And that was me totally skint !! ..........Skint but happy !!.....

It's a surprisingly expensive 'Day out', especially if you are planning on getting a couple of sketches done...
This time I will be saving more cash and doing a bit of research and trying to plan the day a bit better.....

Having said that,  I spent the rest of the Day walking around like a 'slack jawed yokel' just marvelling at the artists and the stuff on display that a lack of cash prevented me from getting.....
It's a 'slippery slope' this being a Comic Art fan...but it was a brilliant day......
Damm this 'lack of cash'....!!

[Skullmo]

You could have got half a Neil Adams sketch for that!

[Simon Beigh]

You could have got half a Neil Adams sketch for that!

Ah - but which half

So here's some lessons learnt about acquiring art from these cons - because I went into it with only a half-arsed plan and came out quite disappointed...

(1) Get there early.
(2) Have a list of people you want to grab and grab them as early as possible (they will happily sign stuff for nowt in most cases, as well as sketching, unlike the celebs from TV and movies).
(3) Expect prices to vary wildly between artists (see quoted comment from Skullmo about Neil Adams).
(4) Have a tonne of cash with you. Some of the dealers in the main area were taking cards, but clearly comic artists aren't traders and only took cash. I agree with Bob that £100 is probably minimum (in addition to your entry fee). At Comic Con that would have seen you with probably 3-5 sketches and a warm, bendy sandwich...

All was not lost for me, as I managed to arrange for a sketch to be done post-show and mailed to me. Obviously, I will post it here when it arrives!

[Sideshow Bob]

So here's some lessons learnt about acquiring art from these cons - because I went into it with only a half-arsed plan and came out quite disappointed...

(1) Get there early.
(2) Have a list of people you want to grab and grab them as early as possible (they will happily sign stuff for nowt in most cases, as well as sketching, unlike the celebs from TV and movies).
(3) Expect prices to vary wildly between artists (see quoted comment from Skullmo about Neil Adams).
(4) Have a tonne of cash with you. Some of the dealers in the main area were taking cards, but clearly comic artists aren't traders and only took cash. I agree with Bob that £100 is probably minimum (in addition to your entry fee). At Comic Con that would have seen you with probably 3-5 sketches and a warm, bendy sandwich...

All was not lost for me, as I managed to arrange for a sketch to be done post-show and mailed to me. Obviously, I will post it here when it arrives!

Yep !!.....
Agree with all that SimeonB.......
Also......If you are getting a few sketches done,  try and get there about 15 mins before your favoured artist is due to arrive.....It's not time wasted,  as you'll have a good chat with the others waiting and pick up a few 'tips' about prices and who's doing what....and also 'good' ones to see etc..
If convention sketches are your thing the average price was about £20 at Thoughtbubble and the artists also have (usually) their most recent GNs there and they'll happily sign them for you.....
Remember CASH is 'king' here.... and there are a few 'deals' to be made if you are 'up for it'...
Above all.....as SimeonB says......Have a plan......If you don't you'll end up missing someone you really wanted to see....
Cheers...

[Spikes]

Good posts Guys, as someone who doesnt really do con's, i need to pull my finger out. Thats my plan!
But yes, i hadnt realised just how expensive these things can be.
I know some of us who frequent here have discuss having a big meet up, and thats something im down for.

[Simon Beigh]

Good posts Guys, as someone who doesnt really do con's, i need to pull my finger out. Thats my plan!
But yes, i hadnt realised just how expensive these things can be.
I know some of us who frequent here have discuss having a big meet up, and thats something im down for.

Yeah - the "Original Art Thread" Hell Trek would loads of fun - and if we hunt as a pack we might stand a chance of bagging some good stuff at good prices The cosplay boys and girls organise themselves to get to cons, so surely us Original Art Collectors can get our arses in gear!

Bristol has announced their 2014 dates for the 10th & 11th of May. I appreciate Bristol is near to no-one (except Smiffy) but it is Henry Flint's local con, and I for one am seriously thinking of making a pilgrimage with all my TPBs and enough spare change to bag a few sketches. Our American west coast cousins are most lucky to have him in San Diego soon...

Probably most practical would be somewhere mid-country (or "The North" as I call it ). And probably in 2014 so we can get as many along as possibly. Thoughts anyone?

[hippynumber1]

Much as I like the idea of Mid-country as the most convenient for me, I mean everyone  , the only con we have here is Memorabilia which is RUBBISH for comic art collecting!  I think probably the next best, location wise for everyone would be Thoughtbubble?

[Spikes]

Snagging a few sketches/pages would be nice. A 2000ad heavy guest list doubley so, but i think id happily settle for a beer laden day/night out, 

Thoughtbubble sounds good, though (and close to me as well).

[chiefy2shoes]

I've found that getting a con sketch tends to work in one of three ways.

1. The artist takes a list at the start of the day with a fixed number of spots. This can be troublesome as some artists will start a list of only 10 or so spots. If you don't visit them in the first 10 mins of the show it's possible you won't get anything from them.

2. The artist again takes a list but doesn't have a fixed number of open spots. They'll often work on the list overnight if they are there all weekend or just tell you, 'If I have time I'll do it but I can't guarantee it'.

3. The artist doesn't take a list and you have to wait your turn. Sean Phillips and David Aja are examples here. Sean can crank out sketches in about 20 mins and David is about 30 mins. The main difference between these two is that David sketches for free. At Thought Bubble 2011 he only left his table twice each day for about 5 minutes each time. By the end of the weekend he was knackered.

My top tip if you're thinking about getting some sketches at a con is the pre con email. Fire off some emails to the artists you would like to get something from and ask them if they are doing any pre-con sketches that can be collected at the event. If they aren't, they still might do a pre-con list that you can get on. I started doing this recently and it makes the choice of who to visit first at a con that much easier if you know you already have some spots in the bag.

[Colin YNWA]

Having recently done a re-read of Red Seas and having it fully confirmed what an under-rated classic it is I determined to get a couple of extra pieces of art from the series. So with the kind help of our own Mr Wells, I got in touch with the very amenable Mr Yeowell and after a short and plesent back and forth got the pieces that will follow.

I will definitively be going back. I beginning to think I might well stop being a comic art collector and become a Steve Yeowell comic art collector as I love his work so much and there are some many more key pieces by the man I'd love to get me mites on!

Anyway excuse me spamming this section for a while.

[Colin YNWA]

Second page of the shark attack from 'Under the banner of King Death'

[Colin YNWA]

Third and final page from said shark attack. Love the Moby Dick moment and the Asterix pirate ending.