Stumptown 2010 or "enjoy your debt"

Ahh man, I just want to sleep, but I gotta update. Stuff went down. Gotta update. Not as much stuff as last year, because I was largely confined to my table, but stuff none the less.

Saturday:

Karen offered me a ride. She said she was going to arrive at 9:30, but was running late. This was fine because I was late getting my outfit together and making myself all pretty for the nerds. She arrived at about 10, and we got to Stumptown at about 10:30. We most assuredly did not get out half table. Oh well. The PNCA table and Duford were in almost the same position, so I beelined it for there. I still paid for a weekends admission as I didn't have an official pass for the table.

A fourth of the table was occupied with Continuing Education information and half of the rest of the table was Daniel's stuff, and then there was my comic, bandana, and sketchbook zine. It wasn't that impressive, I felt, but more than last year. The table was more of a "representing PNCA table" anyway, and I introduced myself as such. Mostly put forward that this was the PNCA table and I was a student and here is my massive comic that is over a year old and looks dated to me, but still buy it? Please? Sales overall were a lot slower. I spent a lot of time at the table by myself, which sucks. Daniel was helping at Aidan Koch's table, where he had prints, and he also had a panel. He did relieve me, but most of the time it was the situation where if I was there, he would be gone. But if I asked for time, he gave it. Like when I realized it ended at 6, not 4, and that I needed a sandwich badly.

The first day I only spent what I made or had in my wallet already. So I didn't buy a lot. Two for $15 volumes of Octopus Pie and some spectacular volumes from the Rabid Rabbit collective. When I was buying Octopus Pie, Kate Beaton was talking to the creator. She introduced herself and I did likewise, but didn't break out into OMGYOUKATEBEATONOMG!! fits. She is rad. Rad rad rad.

I was next to the same people I was last year, and this Luchador in Space dude. Really nice and complimented me heavily on my enthusiasm. I was across from the CloudScape people. Nice folks them as well.

There are so many vertical displays. That is, large vertical supported banners that people prop up behind them to support themselves. Can't even see half way across the room.

Saw Farel, Sivonna, Jim, Matt G, Daniel H, uhm...lots of people. A couple people remembered me from last year. Some were wowed by my comic, but I didn't get as many "wow I must buy this NOW" reactions.

BT was all dressed up like a vintage bartender. Karen had work to do, so she wasn't tabling. Lacey was finishing up her thesis so she wasn't there either.

Paul Pope was at the convention. I don't know his work that well, but I know he is truly awesome.

I spent a lot of time at the table.

After the show, I went to Rose & Thistle with Jim, Dave, Matt, and BT. Got a lift with Matt, stored my box of stuff in his truck, and whoo beer and onion rings after a long long day. Mostly convention chat. Indiana(or was that Indigo?) and his ladyfriend joined us. That was the after party. The after after party was at Cosmic Monkey Comics. There was an awards ceremony, voted on by the people at the convention. You self nominate. Categories include best art, best writing, DIY, small publication, etc. BT's press Banner Year Press's work Bear Fight (which I am a part of) was nominated in Do It Yourself and Small Publication. And it won BOTH AWARDS!! Whooo!! He looked so dapper on stage. The place had free beer, but we (Matt, BT, and I) were not sticking around, so I only had one. I was dropped off on Naito & Morrison and ran and caught the max back to my place. I came home at about 10:30pm, but it felt like 1am. Doctor Who beckoned and then I passed out.

Sunday:

Maxed it to the Lloyd Center Double Tree today. Didn't have time for breakfast and I forgot mascara. Blar! Arrived on time. Ate the apple and granola bar I had stored. Daniel showed up with his wife and daughter, Devlin, but those two didn't stay. His daughter is a cutey. Three year old, I think? There were a lot of babies at Stumptown. Lots of cute babies, that didn't cry all that much. Had to remind myself that they DO cry and that I DON'T want one.

I sold less comics, but I did sell two bandanas! Those two made me more money then pushing my comics did. I wonder how pitching the school affected my sales. Oh well. Because I was lonely at my table with minimal display, my enthusiasm was not where it was last year with Lacey.

I spent more money also. I did take some money out of the ATM, but when I totaled how much I made and how much I took out, I only really spent about twenty bucks. AND since I did it through PNCA, I didn't have to pay for the table (which I got the refund for, hurrah). But I'm happy with what I bought. Mostly higher end publications. Some sets of comics. Theo Ellsworth's Capacity (which he signed with a cute doodle) and a story by Ken Dahl, which may or may not be a pseudonym (say his name out loud and think about it). Lots of stuff. I went a little buy crazy in my last thirty minutes. But it was mostly picking up stuff I passed several times over and it still stuck in my head.

Went to the Kate Beaton/Dylan Meconis lecture. They talked about history and art and comics and why history comics. It was hilarious. Oh, I was with Madeline at the lecture, who was there and we hung out and walked around for a bit and she showed me some stuff. But yeah, it was a great little chat. I wish I had a chance to talk to Beaton in person, but she had a solid line of people every time she was at her table. Next year...

Luke was there, but I only saw him once. Karen watched my table while I ran to make change. Lots of people paid in twenties.

I got a lot more time to walk about, away from the table. Didn't really talk to many people though. I always wanted to keep moving.

Keenan, a tabler from last year, was there and he remembered me. Total nice guy.

Spent money, made money, spent more money.

One person came up to my table and after I introduced PNCA he said "wow you must be really rich" and after I asked what he meant, he rambled about how much art school costs and how if you are not rich, you are in horrid debt for the rest of your life. REALLY RUDE. My reaction, while not rude in return, made it quite obvious that I did not like his, and the lady he was with, comment. Serously people. I am here promoting myself and my school, don't be an ass.

It was a good second day, though my enthusiasm to promote was waining. My voice was going like it was yesterday. Need more work to sell...

Lots of stuff happened, I am clearly forgetting portions. Oh well.

I got a ride back into town with Karen, BT, and Lacey (Lacey and Karen came from PNCA to pick up BT). We all ate victorious at Hot Lips (for the girls) and Laughing Planet (for the dapper boy). Then it was print lab time. BT took a nap. I read some of my comics. I helped Karen print. I helped Lacey eat her cake. We listed to Lacey practice her speech. Chatted girl chat. BT left to catch the max to the other side. After printing finished, we found a room to practice. Lacey's first full run through was really good. A couple pauses, but very smooth with minimal ums. Karen's proposal improved vastly in between the first and second run throughs.

Big week next week.

For a picture of Daniel & I at our table on Saturday, go to this link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanyamaha/4550395734/in/set-72157623801923951/

I will sum up Stumptown 2010, I promise

I'll do a full two day sum up of Stumptown tomorrow. Just let it be known: I'm having fun though making less money.

now that is a cool tattoo

At the symposium, this girl had a very rad tattoo. It was of a waffle iron. It was in the crook of her elbow (the soft side where it folds...I think there is an official word for that side, or maybe it is just all the elbow). Anyway, when she folded her arm it closed the waffle iron because each side of the iron was done on each side of the crease. It was so totally cool. Blew my mind. It was really well rendered as well. Lots of nice tattoos and the zine symposium.

Arrived on time and set up. The lady said that if there was empty space next to you, you could fill out into it if you liked. So I did. A full table! Lacey came at around 11:30. She sold four of her comics. I traded alot. Some of the trades were very awesome, some I was kinda more meh about but still my work is getting out there. That's good. The symposium is more about becoming a familiar face than making phenomenal sales. I sold 17 comics over the course of three days (17 hours total, Stumptown is 16 spread over two days). Sold two of the posters. Karen sold three of the Milagro today (when she got back to me with the price which was a buck). Need a more vertical display and more wares to sell. Variety. Because right now its the comic, a poster...and that's it. We are making a pact to quit art if we don't have anything new by Stumptown.

I sold 46 comics at Stumptown. Didn't trade quite so much. Like I said, people come to Stumptown with money.

Exchanged a new plane with BT. Flew one to the Reading Frenzy guy. He was cute and we had a great conversation about Zach Smith and David Lynch via the plane. His flights to my side were a lot better than mine to his. I'm just dreadful at throwing them.

The revolutionary guy was gone and Jason and Sarah were next to me. They had a box with sticks set up. The sticks had a little mini clothes line esque set up which held one dollar mini comics. Awesome set up. They were really nice people with a great sense of humor. We pitched each other every now and again. Jason had some really beautiful comic work.

Lacey bought tater tots for lunch. Mmm. Jim stopped by. His hair is longer. Like a damn hippie.

In the last 2 hours I did a circuit and spent about $23. Not a whole lot interested me. Bought Jesse Reklaw's Slow Wave compilation. 16 dollars marked down to 10 for the convention. He vaguely remembered me from Stumptown. I told him my dream about Batman eating coleslaw.

I wore longer pants so I didn't get hurt sliding under the table.

Tomorrow, if I remember, I'll scan the paper planes.

Met some nice people. It was fun. Need more stuff. I'd do it again for sure but I won't have such high hopes for big bucks. Stumptown 2010, The Perceivers are coming for you!

Spent the rest of the day indoors. Gabe made tacos. Caught up on So You Think You Can Dance. Great thing about watching them online is that you can just skip to the dancing. Loved the 5 girl Bollywood number and the Seven Nation Army routine. So cool!

Braided my hair for the convention. I felt really cute with it like that. And I like how it crimped once I removed the braids.

Lacey is a great table mate, just want to say. Fun and easy to sit next to. Gets what is going on.

paper planes and a single perceiver

Rushed downstairs right at 10 to get Karen's box. A sign was up saying they were closed for training and that they were sorry for the inconvenience. Before I swore to the heavens I heard someone behind the closed door and knocked and booyah I got my package. Smaller than I thought.

Raced off to the symposium. The set up took a while. The box contained a lot of large loose letters and extras. Taped them to five lines of string so that it spells out
THE
PERCE
IVERS
in front of the table. Real slick. Karen made little Milagro displays with pins. I never quite got down the pitch for them. She also didn't include a price. Nor have her phone turned out. I sold two for three dollars. One to a lady who knew what they were and one to Nathalie who also knew. Some of the pin shapes are a little ambiguous and hard to identify. Still, the half table filled out.

A guy (Dominic) from Laughing Horse Bookstore took the table next to me. He was pretty cool, into revolutionaries and all that. Cassie and Bethany took my other table half. Pretty cool blond Pacific Northwest chicks. They liked all my little drawings. And were fun to talk to.

Made about 18$. Traded mostly. The symposium is such a hard sell, then again I'm not buying anything.

10 to 5. Spent most of it at my table. Left to grab a free bagel.

I brought a lot of paper to sketch on. I ended up drawing doodles and folding them into paper planes and chucking them at the tables across from me. They then drew on them and tossed them back at me. BT and I had an epic paper plane. I took out half of one tables display but they had good humor about it. Dominic (Laughing Horse, not Snacks) and I made an epic plane. Well one of his friends the the folding. It was out of the paper from one of his poster remnants. It was very aerodynamic. It got one table minder in the chest. He wasn't too happy so we ended up tossing the big one back and forth between us and the F-Bomb table. I had so much fun drawing and chucking the planes. I sort of neglected my pitching duties. Will certainly scan them.

The day moved by really fast.

Lacey came by in the last hour and joined the little Perceivers table. She will be back tomorrow. She sold a comic to Nathalie. I sold a little poster to her as well. Whoo whoo!!

For dinner I had sushi at Diana and Robin's. Diana is a master roller. Afterwards we walked to a gelato place on 23rd and Kearney. A long walk. In flip flops. We had a good long talk about Doctor Who.

Now I'm just going to put my sore feet up. 10-4. Last 6 hours. Hopefully I'll sell a little better.

"Luna"-gacy

The package didn't come in the morning so I set off to Friday with a big feeling of dread that all the weekend might just be my comic, Luna, and Katie with Jade Plants.

Dom and Michaela already had their neat little set up. Mine took all of two minutes to put together. Blanket. Comic. Prints. The price tags took a little while longer. 2$ for the comic, 50 cents for a Luna, and 3$ for the two color Katie with Jade Plants. They are not registered all that well so yeah.

The Luna prints sold out pretty much, save for a few of the blue on blue ones. Some people remarked how cheap they were. Personally, I would have felt bad for charging more seeing as how I gave away 150 of them to family and friends. I want my art to be shared and put up, not bartered for. A few people were psyched about the comic but not as many at Stumptown.

I traded a comic and a luna. One to a very nice shy girl with pretty features. A man with hair like Wolverine bought my comic and I didn't even have to give him a hard sell. And I'm not being mean, he must have genuinely styled his hair like Wolverine. The side tufts, the mutton chops. All the way!

All in all, I made $21 for about four hours behind the table. Seems not like much but the numbers are good. About 7 comics and 19 Lunas. Now that I'm just down to the comic, it will either be a buy or not. And there was not that many people wandering around. The crowd is very different from Stumptown.

Stumptown Comics Fest
+bigger name publishers
+larger crowd
+participants in a slightly higher income bracket
+mostly comics but is open to prints and zines
-costs more for a table
Portland Zine Symposium
+free admission
+cheap, easy to get tables
+mostly self publication
-small crowd
-participants in a slightly lower income bracket
-not as much comic folk

For showcasing a comic, go to Stumptown. For showcasing cool printing, go to PZS. Combining both? Do both.

My table was slightly almost directly across from Robopocalypse. BT and Matt mostly manned the table. BT's moustache was all dishelved. He should use that moustache wax that he handmade. I tossed a few paper airplanes with doodles on the paper at them. One of how their table looked and one of BT thinking, "What ever happened to Orlando Bloom?" Because seriously, whatever happened to him? I shared some cookies with them (oh yeah, I went to Safeway to get some change and some yeast and chocolate milk. Gabe also made me a sandwich that I ate half before leaving and the other half at around 4). It's nice being near familiar faces. Dom, Thom, and Michaela have a table farther away. I can see them and they can see me but thats about it.

Rustin, the guy from my failed internship, was also there. He said something about feeling guilty or ashamed or something. Not sorry. He didn't say he felt sorry. Dom and some other people came up when he was at my table and he didn't stick around. So thank you Dom, it was too early for me to have an awkward moment.

A lot of people loved Luna. Of course. Some of James' roommates were delighted to meet the person who drew the cat. I love it when my art preceeds me. If I died tomorrow, at least I have left a legacy.

Did I mention the guy with Wolverine hair? Yes? Okay.

I left my table for a minute and turned around to see people eyeing my art. No one else is coming to take over. 7 hours tomorrow, by myself. Well Michaela and people offered to watch my table if ever I want to wander. I want to make some more money first. No buying unless I earn. Well, I might buy lunch from Subway. Unless Gabe makes me another sandwich.

My table right now is next to some anarchists. My halftable mate and next door table mate have not arrived yet. Stuff I have overheard from their table:
"It's like an anti-patriarchy scene right?"
"What's your name?" "Shirt, and yours?" "Yuglo."

Adam from Australia and I had a nice chat. He had a thick accent and we chatted about travels. I mentioned living in Australia with my oil rig working pop and he recommended a book call "Don't Tell Mum I Work On The Rigs, She Thinks I'm A Piano Player in a Whore House." Does this sound like something acceptable for dad to read? Hmmm. Paul Carter wrote it.

Met some nice people. Met some really pretty people (mostly the girls through, the guys are more along the lines of Derelicte).

I sat and wrote and looked sad and lonely.

The building is a real challenge to get into. You have to take the right stairwell or else you'll wind up in a different section with no way to get across the floor. Doesn't make any sense to me.

I came home at around 7 to an email about me recieving a package!! Karen's I hope! If one of you loving family members sent me something...well it better be something awesome. But yay, I'll have the set up. And I will look more like a Zinester printer than a huge lonely nerd.

My First Stumptown (as a seller)

Stumptown Comics Fest: 2009. Third year attending, first year selling. First time EVER selling my work for reals.

Saturday:
Rolled out of bed after such a long day working on the print. I hopped on the Max and arrived at a little bit before 10am. I stood in line for a little while before realizing that exhibitors can go right on. Got my badge and found the PNCA tables. Tables. Two. Two whole big tables for Lacey, August, PNCA stuff, and myself. No one else was there. I spread out my comic on half the table and showed many different formats. Lacey showed up just a little after I did and set up. No one else was there still. Daniel came with the PNCA pamphlets but there was no one coming with a set up. NO ONE! We had a couple comics spread out across a full table. Some people stuffed a half table with more than we were offering. It was a rather silly looking display. Very weak. But we still sold. Lacey would edge a comic along every now and again. She sold minis. I was selling mine for $2 so it sold really easy. People were impressed by the format and the colors and how unusual it was. I made a lot of on the spot sales. Sure I got the, "I'm just doing the rounds" line and the "I'll come back later because it is big and I don't want to crush it" stuff. And about four people did come back and buy it. So great. It sold. It sold well. I made about $45 the first day and about the same the second. It was a nice little return and it felt good to get my stuff out there.

I saw Keith Knight speak about the comics business. Jeff Smith was giving his lecture at the same time so Knight's was a tad vacant. Which actually worked out well for me because he recognized me afterwards and we talked and he bought one of my comics! Farel bought one. Jesse Reklaw bought one. Greg Means, who edits Papercutter, bought one. He was apparently showing it to other people all over the place. Some people came to my table looking for it because they saw it around.

I traded some and gave some away with chocolate. I'm not all that attached to it.

August took his sweet time showing up. Lacey and I had our pitches down. We would do one and the other and pimp each other out and trade off. It was a nice little enthusiastic show. August was shy or whatever and we didn't really sell anything when we left the table. I sold one when we took a half hour for lunch. You gotta make eye contact and smile and talk and talk and talk and show off the wares. I got some great reactions when I opened the whole thing out to its unfolded glory.

Jason (Dagit, not Powell) stopped by to support me and he got a comic. That was nice. He invited me out for drinks with him and a couple friends later on.

A lovely lady with the last name of Yanow and I chatted a lot.

Jim had a cozy little nook, he bought a comic. Bryan over payed but I bought one of his first, as well as 1-4 of BT's Otto Zeplin comic. I stopped by Farel's table a bunch. He had a lovely set up and was one of the honored guests.

Talked to Martine Workman, who was delightful and lovely. Dame Darcy was there and I was giddy. I love her work!

Kenan Rubenstein loved my comic so much and we traded. He had this epic calendar style format and the comic unfolded over a year and you turned the pages like a calender. It was really nice. He was super nice. He had a sort of fold out comic like mine, just smaller. He really loved Lacey's work as well. A lot of people did. The people that connected with it really loved it. It was awesome.

Thom and Dom showed up and sat at our table and brought some of the late afternoon energy. They also payed paper money for my comic. So awesome! I love being supported by my friends.

We stayed all the way through till 6pm, when things shut down. I had invites to the Cosmic Monkey party but I decided to chill with Jason instead. I met them at Lompac at 7:30. I rode my bike there as it was at 23rd and Raleigh. We had pitchers. I had fish and chips. Me his friends Sandeep and Chris. We drank and talked and laughed and were loud and I think some of the other patrons didn't like us. But we were making fun of them. Well mostly this one girl and guy. The guy wanted nothing to do with this girl but she was pawing him and sitting in his lap and all but throwing herself at him. He just sat there and ignored her and pretended like she wasn't there. It was kinda funny. We finished up there (I waved to my friend Michael on the way out, he was far from us and probably didn't notice me because I was with math majors and forestry chris). We went to the Matador for a nicer drink in a nicer place. I don't know how it happened but we left at 1:30am. It became a sudden long night. Sandeep lives a block from my place and Jason and Chris were crashing at his place so we all walked to the Goose Hollow region together. I really should have payed better attention to the time because 2am and 7:40am wake up do not go together.

Sunday:
UHG! So horrible getting up. It was a slug and a trudge and crawl. I stuffed some stuff in my face that made up some semblance of a breakfast and was late out the door. I got there right at 10:00. Not early but not late. Not late as I was the first one there again and Lacey the second. I brought blankets so now our setup looks a lot nicer and a little less pathetic.

I managed to make some rounds to creators and really talked to people. Talked to Jon Chad and he had some awesome format comics. One was about descending into caves. We traded. I talked to so many people and got such a wide variety, some of what happened is going to blur together. Most of the Greg Means stuff happened today I think. Today was fueled by sugar and adrenaline. Bought the set of Ouija Board Interview comics from Sarah Becan. She came by and got my comic as well. He talked and it was lovely.

Karen stopped by. She got my comic for free because, well duh, I couldn't have finished it without her screens. Farel gave her a print to give to me. He also gave her one. What an awesome fella!

Madeline was there and picked up a comic. So awesome! She said someone mentioned to her that she was walking with an awesome comic (when they saw her with it) and she hella name dropped me as her friend. Ha! She is so cool.

Talked to these lovely fellas with a castle set up display for their comics. We traded. Will Iversen and Dan Bouse I believe they were.

It was great to feel like my comic was being shown around and considered awesome. I traded a lot. I wanted a wide range of people to have it. And it seemed like they were eager to take it. Greg said cartoonists thought it was awesome. Some bought it as an inspiration for printing. It was, well, wonderful. I was this ecstatic feeling. I sold really well. I am at about 10 copies right now. I sold around 46. Gave away or traded maybe about 20. Hard to say. Didn't keep the best of track.

A guy gave me a card asking if I was interested in an internship. He said I seemed to know what I was doing. Lacey sold all of her comics and had a strong interest from local bookstores who might carry it.

Now I just need to think of a new, cool format. Or keep doing it like this. Make a niche for myself as the massive format comic girl. Cheap and creative. It also helps to talk and smile and network and introduce myself.

I was in a daze. Flustered and stuttering and it was so hard to get my pitch but I still sold. In the end I made $93 and Lacey made around $172. Pretty awesome for our first go.

August showed up for barely 2 hours. It was frustrating having to have to trade off the whole day. You don't want to stay at the table the whole time.

Oh and one of the models at school was selling her comic, Erika, she was really cool.

There were just so many awesome people who were psyched. I've used the word awesome a lot of times but that was what it was: AWESOME! My friends came and supported me, strangers liked my work, editors and professionals dug it.

Now I just need access to a screenprinting studio. Gotta get into the comic GAME YO!

Went back home on the Max with Lacey. Gabe made dinner. I am exhausted but have to pull up the stupid freaking Illustration assignment that was impossible for me to do half of it (how can I take pictures of the same inanimate object at noon and 3am when I'm at school or printing or selling my wares?). Argh. I'll do as much as I can but my heart just isn't in it. I WANNA SELL MORE AND PARTY! So much went down this weekend. I wish I could write it all but it is hard. I met so many people.

long day, late night

I had a long day and afterwards I went out for drinks and I just got back and its 2am so I don't feel like trying to recount the whole day right now.

But I'll say this: it went very very well! I sold a lot of comics and made like almost $50. Which is good for this type of thing. I'm selling it for 2$ so the price is right.

It's going good. Full recount tomorrow.

amaZINE

I've started to get into Pushing Daises. Lee Pace is in it. It is a cute concept for a mystery/romance. I'm only two episodes in. It is a ncie pace from all the heavy shows that I have been watching.

I got an email from the financial aid lady. I don't quite understand what she is talking about, it needs another looksie.

Jen called me up and got me out of the house for the Zine Symposium at PSU. It was crowded with hipsters. There were some nice looking gents there but in general, it was hipster city (which Portland is in general). One guy sort of forced his over priced comic in my hand to look at and seemed to take offense when I didn't want to buy it. Yeah, good way to make a sale there buddy. The Robopocalypse people had one and a half tables. They were all smiles and happy to see me there. There was minimal summer catching up. I was wearing my Thompson and Thompson tee and that was a great conversation opener.

I only had a twenty with me so my spending my limited. I bought a wonderful mini art book with great printing and line work, a smaller but wonderfully lined booklet, some zines about Wilhelm Reich, postcards that were Max Ernst reprints (seven for three bucks, amazing deal), and a two for four thing that also, you guessed it, had great lines. I look for in my zines: printing quality, rich lines, quality art, and overall presentation. Just because they are zines is no reason for them to be crap.

One guy I met at Stumptown I talked to, I wonder if he found it nice or creepy that I remembered him? If people didn't seem willing to talk to me, I didn't hang around their tables long enough to consider buying anything. The sure fire way to snag me in is to compliment my helmet.

Zines are cool, they are the thing to do to get out there.

Afterwards, I just went home.

My neighbour Drew and Amelia (Emelia?) knocked on my door. I made pot stickers but Amelia/Emelia left before they were finished. Drew hung around for a long while. We played with Cecine's snakes and watched some Youtube stuff. We, Drew and I, share a wall. He seems pretty nice. His stories of his various injuries made me think of Dad.

Speaking of Dad, I guess he got bored with making the truck more fuel efficient and made a hydraulic wood splitter. And here I was getting ready for some serious wood chopping action (when I visit home in 2012).

it was a sunny day and I was inside

Stumptown Comics Fest was fun. Not as fun as the last one but still pretty fantastic.

Panels:
Started off with Nicholas Gurewitch's one. Really good considering he winged most of it. And he had a robot. Always badass. Went to the Craig Thompson panel as well, despite the lack of me reading any of his work(no clue why I haven't, but now that I have some I can!).

Meeting Cool People:
Didn't interact with as many people as last one either. It was so crowded, it made it really hard to. Didn't really meet many awesome people. Just sort of remet a few old ones. Actually I was disappointed by a lot of the artwork, and that is what I come for mostly so bah. Disappointment! Did remeet Nicholas Gurewitch and the end of the day (when his line had almost vanished). He remembered me! How cool. I met Tim Sievert at the Top Shelf table. He was really sweet(and easy on the eyes) and when I flipped through the comics I was in awe of his octopuses (again with the Stumptown octopuses...)and his art in general. So his comic was the first that I bought of the day. He didn't know how to spell my name(I asked him, "what kind of a nerd are you?") so I wrote it in the book and he signed it. And DREW AN OCTOPUS! He rocks. And asked me to please enjoy it. Awww. I saw Kazimir Strzepek from a distance a couple times but I never approached him. He was just visiting and didn't have a table. The Robopocalypse people had a table. It was a pretty badass spread that they had.

Spending Money:
I am being a good American and am spending my refund. It is my money and I earned it! And this only comes around once a year. I'm very good. I didn't really buy anything from the people selling. Well not the lonesome sellers. The prices were suddenly more expensive than last one. I can't randomly buy a lot of $15 comics! Even if they look good, that is still a lot of money and if I buy a couple of those then my budget gets killed fast. I bought a story/illustration collection, the comic from Tim Sievert, 3 scuffed comics for $10 from Oni, a grab bag of cheap comics ($1), a half off anthology of autobiographies, and I went back to the Top Shelf table and said "I have this much money left, any sweet deals you can give me?" And the guy who wasn't Sievert said, "I can give you Blankets for that." And I said deal. Now I have Craig Thompson's 500+page tome in my collection and I got it for a fairly good deal.

Friends:
I rode the train with Michal and Blair. Interesting ride. I met Matt pretty much the instant I entered the building. Nicole was manning the PNCA table. Andy was there looking tall. Karen was looking fabulous. Jim was also there being tall. I ran into Danny and that really surprised me. As evidenced by my, "I thought you were a dork, I never knew you were a nerd!" comment. Philip was there with awesome hair. It is cool now that I am getting to know more of the community. But damn there were some nerdy people there. Karen, Jim and I went to Lloyd Center and got lunch. I set off the alarm at Macy's a couple times but no one came running. The books I had acquired were not desensitized.

The Afterparty:
Karen parted ways from Jim and I. After I spent all my money there was little point to me sticking around. Also it was ridiculously crowded so meeting people was mostly a bust. So I hopped on the Max and headed back to the Goose. And Jim tagged along. There were some crazy shouting people on the Max. And a guy named "Ace Venom" that used to work with Jim. He looked exactly like you would imagine a guy who changed his name to "Ace Venom" to look.

The rest of the day was spent hanging out with Jim, fighting off a killer headache, sorting my new finds into my shelves, eating spaghetti, coughing, and generally not doing a damn thing about my finals. Whatever. I need rest. I am going to be getting exactly that in a few. Tomorrow the game starts.

REFRIDGERON - DISASSEMBLE!

I met Nicholas Gurewitch, the creator of Perry Bible Fellowship. He was doing a signing at Floating World Comics so I stopped by. He signed my copy of The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories. We chatted a little but I was really jittery and starstruck. Waaah! So exciting. He dug my name and my bike helmet and was eager to show me the hidden 42's in his work. Tee hee. When I asked about taking a photo with him, he asked if he could wear my helmet. Hee hee. I love his work so much. He was sweet, more soft spoken than I thought. I'll see him again at Stumptown. Maybe then I will have calmed down.

Critique went smoothly. As in it was a pretty recognized fact that my big blue mess wasn't all that successful. But I had my little drawings up as well so some nice dialogue was started. Sara called my work "Illustrator-y" and "conventional". As in, drawing figures in outlines and with washes is conventional. Seemed like she was suggesting I find a whole new way of drawing figures. Uhm okay? Modou said it was more classical than conventional, which I took as a compliment but it sort of wasn't? I guess maybe because I wasn't being Avant Garde or "new" with how I presented them? Eh I don't really care. My critiques have never really been in depth into the structure of them and Sara always mentions something about it being hard to critique my work because I am an Illustrator. I think she doesn't like Illustrators. Well, if she likes my work then I might actually be worried about it. She can be closed minded. That's okay. She can keep to her highly conceptual work that is just a big mess of cute and I'll keep to my comics.

Ibanez and I took a three hour nap when I got home.

Painting was a brief critique of our final pieces thus far. I don't think I will tweak the one of Llyw until I get everything done. If I try to make it as good as Robin's and then the next ones blow Robin's out of the water then I'll have to do more reworking. I'll just see where they are when I get the portraits done.

Didn't get much time to rest at home before going to Floating World Comics. Due to the amount of bike riding I have done today, my hair is so wind blown and cool looking. I finished my little report on Neil Gaiman for Comic Lit tomorrow. Now I am going to make myself some dinner, try and digest as much From Hell as possible, and then write about it. If it wasn't for the nap, I would be so dead right now.

Tomorrow I have my presentation and work. After work I might print, just to get it out of the way early. Saturday is Stumptown Comics Fest. Then it is Sunday and next week is Spring Focus Week. In two weeks time I have to: paint two portraits, draw up more comic pages then I would like to admit to, paint something for Art History, and finish up my printing. Focus week is the cram week. And by cram I mean hunched over drawing and painting and printing week.

Stumptown Comics Fest (or OCTOPUSES GALORE!!)

Yeah so today was the first day of the two day Stumptown Comics Fest. I'm not going tomorrow, had enough UBER FUN today. Highlights: $2 comics at the Oni table, Shannon Wheeler, meeting Christopher Mitten and octopuses EVERYWHERE! Also not going tomorrow because I spent about $20 too much (but it was spent supporting indie people so I don't feel bad. I never buy things at cons and fests that I could buy elsewhere (except for the $2 comics)). But it was great, really close and comfy and lots of super nice people.

I planned to set out at 10, left at about 10:20. Was going to walk to the Max stop in fareless and then just decided to pay for the ticket and got on at the stop in Goose Hollow. Turns out this weekend they are closing down a chunk of the Max line for construction. Course they couldn't do that without giving us options so the shuttle but took us across the bridge lickety split (probably faster than the Max). Got right on the Max again and went to Lloyd and thought, "crap is this where I get off?" But I didn't scoot off in enough time to follow through on the possibility of it being my stop, but luckily for me the next stop was right outside the front door for the Comics Fest so it worked out great!

The fest was only $5 to get in, and was relatively uncrowded when I got there. Did a look checking out everything. I didn't want to browse everything serious during the first walk through because that's how I would end up spending all my money (gotta be specific!). Made my way to the back where Jim's table was but Jim wasn't there, only his friend. So I went back. Ran into Karen at the Oni table and then we saw the prices on the scuffed comics. $2 each or 6 for $10. I got the first volume of Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (it wasn't scuffed it was just on sale) and the first two volumes of Wet Moon. Karen was buying two comics and they said we might as well buy six between us and save some dough so she picked up this Marquis de Something that we both went "ooohh" at the line art in. Shes holding onto it for now, sort of a trade off thing I guess. We parted ways after that, I'll see her Monday. Jason from Floating World Comics had a table. Lots of neat things, but nothing I couldn't just go and buy later.


Octopuses at the Fest:
One girl had this really cute style, big eyes and brilliant colors. One of her prints had this girl with an octopus draped over her. I didn't want to outright buy the print so I bought her postcard collection instead, which had more variety so that was cooler. Plus I don't really have room for lots of prints right now.

Talked to these guys from San Fransisco (at their table). Actually I came to their table several times throughout the day, they were really cute and sweet and I was bummed to find out they were not from around here. The red-head drew an octopus next to his autograph in one of the comics I bought from him (I had previously complimented him on his octopus art in a poster he was selling). The other guy did a quick sketch and wrote "hugs and kisses" next to it. Tee hee.

I bought a mini figurine from this nice lady. She had these two molds; one was a mutant chicken that had a mini-comic accompanying it and the other was an octopus attacking the space ship. You can figure out which one I bought.


Panels:
Carol Lay, Shannon Wheeler (with Stacey Murdock) and Matt Wagner were the major guests at the Fest. I only saw Matt Wagner, I didn't talk to him (I'm not familiar with his work). I love Carol Lay and Shannon Wheeler so I was just tickled that I talked to both of them in person.

Carol Lay's panel was a little under attended which sorta made me sad but I think shes the type that's loved by people that know her work but she isn't so much out there as other cartoonists. She advised me to be bold. And I shook her hand. WHOO!!! Didn't get a picture with her but I'm happy having met her.

Shannon Wheeler and Stacey Murdock did a panel about the Too Much Coffee Man opera. And there is going to be a second one which I will try my darndest to see (just gotta remember to buy tickets around December for the show which is in April). I had a good laugh. Stacey Murdock plays Too Much Coffee Man in the opera and he sung a little from it, quite brilliant. Afterwords at their table they autographed a postcard for the show for me. Booyah!


Autographables:
The first comic I bought was Kazimir Strzepek's The Mourning Star. He was really nice to talk to and warm and friendly. Generally if people were approachable and nice I was more inclined to buy their stuff. Plus he was downright adorable! The comic has great art and I look forward to reading it. He doodled in it and wrote "Thanks Trillian! Hope to read one of your comics sometime! ♥ Kazimir."

Camilla D'errico autographed the postcard book for me.

I chatted at length with John C. Worsley about materials and methods and how he produces his work. he was doing live digital drawing and it was cool seeing his process. He had two issues of his comics and they were both bound really nicely and you could buy the set for $5 so I went for it. His autograph was a simple thanks with his squiggle autograph.

Christopher Mitten was one of several artists at the lengthy Oni table. One guy earlier, a writer, he was nice but I just didn't feel like talking to him right then and there (he apparently works at Floating World Comics on Monday so I'll see him again most likely). The thing that caught my eye about Mitten was Wasteland. It is one of those comics I keep seeing around, on shelves and store fronts. It is a very distinct cover and I said this to him, that it was sort of lurking around. I flipped through his portfolio and asked him about his comic methods and whatnot (he has really nice ink skills). I gave in to fate and got the first volume of Wasteland interpreting it as a sign I must buy it because it keeps showing up (same thing happened for Palahniuk's Rant). When he was autographing it we got to talking about my name. I boasted it being the queen of nerd names and how I once heard a dad refer to his daughter as Arwen. Mitten teased me a little saying Arwen was more nerdy than Trillian. Once I finish Wasteland I'll email him an apology for the name I called him. He signed the book, "To Trillian, Thanks for following the signs! Christopher."

The last guy I talked to, Jeremy Tinder, he had a whole comic about all the mean things he has done. I would read a snippet and look up at him in shock or with a slight glare. Hilarious in the end, I bought the little mini meanness-comic and he drew a self portrait with a speech bubble saying, "blah blah blah" next to it on the inside of it.


It was great, so much fun! I only spent maybe five hours there, the two panels I sat in on were sandwiched between three chunks of time spent wandering and admiring people's octopuses. Saw Michael and Phil from my drawing class, Jim showed up eventually and we had a good chat over coffee (well I had root beer) about comics (like usual). I boinged his curly hair. You know, I lightly grabbed a curl and let it go and went, "boing!". Craig, who I met last night at the movie night, was also at the shindig. We chatted a little and ooed and aaahed over the octopus and chicken figures. He mentioned buying one of the chickens but I don't know if he did.

I feel really inspired to do my own little indie comic to pitch for $5 at things like this.

Road the Max/Shuttle/Max back and relaxed. Our RA was having a little get-together tonight. Hung about, chatted, ate brownies and cookies. Busy day, most of my energy was spent in the afternoon chatting up the comic honeys and looking fabulous.