Let's Be Friends Again! Forums

So I plan to go to Heroescon this year, and since you guys seem knowledgeable, I'd like to ask you guys for help on starting a theme sketchbook. i.e. will something like a decent-size Moleskine work, or should I be looking for something different?
Also, I'd be totally fine with people who have theme sketchbooks just showing them off, as I don't think we have a thread for that yet.

(01-24-2012 02:59 AM)Name Wrote: [ -> ]So I plan to go to Heroescon this year, and since you guys seem knowledgeable, I'd like to ask you guys for help on starting a theme sketchbook. i.e. will something like a decent-size Moleskine work, or should I be looking for something different?
Also, I'd be totally fine with people who have theme sketchbooks just showing them off, as I don't think we have a thread for that yet.

I have a standard Large Moleskine that I bring to cons. It's pretty light and good for small sketches. It's good for quick sketches. If you're looking for something for more robust commissions maybe get something that's wire bound and has a larger working area. If you get the Moleskein, word of advice is to cut a backing board down to the size of the pages and use that to back up the page people are drawing on, especially if they're using a Sharpie cause that stuff bleeds right through, yo. Moleskine's are also nice since they have a little pocket in the back, print off some small color images of characters you want sketches of so the artist has reference.

Also, here's Aztek that Chris Haley drew for me at last year's C2E2:

I'd love to do this one day. Just buy a sketchbook, go to a con and let artists go wild on it.

(01-24-2012 03:35 AM)jason1749 Wrote: [ -> ]

(01-24-2012 02:59 AM)Name Wrote: [ -> ]So I plan to go to Heroescon this year, and since you guys seem knowledgeable, I'd like to ask you guys for help on starting a theme sketchbook. i.e. will something like a decent-size Moleskine work, or should I be looking for something different?
Also, I'd be totally fine with people who have theme sketchbooks just showing them off, as I don't think we have a thread for that yet.

I have a standard Large Moleskine that I bring to cons. It's pretty light and good for small sketches. It's good for quick sketches. If you're looking for something for more robust commissions maybe get something that's wire bound and has a larger working area. If you get the Moleskein, word of advice is to cut a backing board down to the size of the pages and use that to back up the page people are drawing on, especially if they're using a Sharpie cause that stuff bleeds right through, yo. Moleskine's are also nice since they have a little pocket in the back, print off some small color images of characters you want sketches of so the artist has reference.

Also, here's Aztek that Chris Haley drew for me at last year's C2E2:

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I'm looking for more in the way of small sketches for the first one, though I do have this idea for a larger scale commission along the theme of the project, but that's not really a right now thing.

-Stay fairly small unless you're planning to pay for commissions. 6x8, max. Rigid back is good, since it makes for an easier, more location-flexible drawing surface.

-Likewise, spiral-bound will be easier to draw in than case-bound. Fuck moleskines.

-My current sketchbooks are are smallish 80-page Muji notebooks, which I love; they're dirt cheap, a great size, and paper that works for everything from pencil, to sharpie, to inkwash and watercolor (I don't know the exact model / dimensions; if you want 'em, let me know, and I'll check when I'm home).

-Keep in mind that you'll be carrying this thing around all day, and likely out to restaurants, bars, come the demon Etrigan. Get something that fits comfortably in your back or pocket and doesn't weigh a ton.

-I actually have two sketchbooks I take to shows--one is themed, and the other is a catch-all so that if there's an artist I want to draw a specific character, I can do that without breaking up the themed one.

-Write your contact information clearly, legibly, and PERMANENTLY in the covers of your sketchbook.

SOME GENERAL CON SKETCHBOOK ETIQUETTE:

-If your themed sketchbook is specific to a character / series, BRING REFERENCE.

-If you want a sketch from someone, be prepared to buy something from them. Never assume that someone is doing free sketches, and never press if they're not.

-If an artist has a long line, ask if you can drop your skechbook off and pick it up later, or if there's a better time when you can come back. When you hold up an artist's line, you delay or prevent potential sales, which is a dick move.

-By the same token, while someone's sketching or signing for you, move to the edge of their table so other people can get to it.

-Bring your own pens and/or sharpies. Most artists will use their own, but it's nice to be able to offer.

Everything Rae said is spot on good advice, but as a dude who has to draw in a lot of these things, and sometimes gets backed up on them, I have to add that the idea of a sketchBOOK is kind of a bad idea for a con.

I know it's nice to have a single thing with all your sketches in it, but if you've left it with one artist who has a whole stack of them to get to, you can't get some other artist (or artists) to draw in it while you wait.

If you can live without your sketches all being in a single book, get a pad of bristol pages from an art store and just get your sketches done on individual pages. Then you can just buy one of those display albums to compile them into book form for easy viewing. Plus, this cuts out having to worry about one artist's art bleeding through onto another sketch, and you can rearrange them as you get new ones and have them in whatever order you want.

Plus most cons (especially the big ones) will usually have at least one art supply booth, so you can get another bunch of bristol if need be.

(01-27-2012 03:58 PM)thechrishaley Wrote: [ -> ]Everything Rae said is spot on good advice, but as a dude who has to draw in a lot of these things, and sometimes gets backed up on them, I have to add that the idea of a sketchBOOK is kind of a bad idea for a con.

I know it's nice to have a single thing with all your sketches in it, but if you've left it with one artist who has a whole stack of them to get to, you can't get some other artist (or artists) to draw in it while you wait.

If you can live without your sketches all being in a single book, get a pad of bristol pages from an art store and just get your sketches done on individual pages. Then you can just buy one of those display albums to compile them into book form for easy viewing. Plus, this cuts out having to worry about one artist's art bleeding through onto another sketch, and you can rearrange them as you get new ones and have them in whatever order you want.

Plus most cons (especially the big ones) will usually have at least one art supply booth, so you can get another bunch of bristol if need be.

Great tip man. Definitely doing it that way from now on (especially since most of my sketches end up hanging on my wall).

I finally figured out my premise last night for a sketchbook since I'll be going to Heroes Con - Batroc the Ghost Leaper (Batroc but he is also a Ghost Rider) Flaming boots and a flaming mustache. Hoping in the air leaving a trail of fire.