CTNX 2015 -- Artist Exhibitors.... UPDATED 11.26

Artists enjoy attending and exhibiting at CTNX. There's such a concentration of talent: the show is an ideal place for pros to meet up with colleagues ... and for students and young artists to interact with icons in their field. Many of the headliner artists have their own tables, so not only can attendees see them at panels and demos... there are opportunities to purchase books and prints from them and have a meet and greet moment....

Cory Loftis (Visual Development artist, Disney) http://coryloftis.tumblr.com/

Indie artist and former Pixar art director Dice Tsutsumi at his Tonko House booth: http://www.tonkohouse.com/

Powerhouse international star Kim Jung Gi is a drawing machine! He made his first ever stop at  CTNX this year. His table had a big screen that projected what he was sketching.
http://www.kimjunggius.com/

Genevieve Tsai signs a print at her table. Her recent project is interior illustrations for the book "Rescue Sirens" by Jessica Steele-Sanders and Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch; The Croods)
 http://www.rescuesirens.com/pages/rescue-sirens

Designer and Disney artist Brittney Lee http://britsketch.blogspot.com/

Feature Animation artists Griselda Sastrawinata-Lemay and Normand Lemay https://grizandnorm.squarespace.com/

Their "100 Tuesday Tips" book has been a top-seller on the SNB website http://stuartngbooks.com/100-tuesday-tips-signed.html

I first discovered artist Jillian Altmeyer and her Squidbrains creations at last year's CTNX. It's been heartwarming to see her talent embraced by fans and peers...http://www.squidbrains.net/

CTNX is the ideal convention to find and follow up and coming artists....

Artist Meg Park http://megpark.tumblr.com/ was a repeat exhibitor... sorry no photo of her table.. but I love her sketchbooks. Delighted to see how she put contact info on back cover

 and interior...

 of this year's "Alver" sketchbook. Also picked up another copy of her 2014 book "Fluff and Fangs"

Another find from last year..
 this striking image sold out ... charmed me into multiple purchases..... and

introduced me to artist David DePascquale http://davedepasquale.blogspot.com/
This year ... he just started a new post as Designer on staff at Disney Television Animation.

Talent of course ...  but it also takes Persistence... Patience... hard work. It pays off. David was so busy at his table this year.. I could only manage this quick shot of him chatting with Griselda :)

David's doggie post card above is an excellent example of making the most of your art sales! "Never underestimate your smalls" is an oft repeated refrain here on the blog. On his card.. there are lots of breeds to appeal to fans of those particular pups.. each rendered in fun shapes and poses that highlight his talents. And on the back -- easy to find contact info. Win. Win. Win!

Images on greeting cards ... postcards.... stickers ... and buttons are perfect entry point items to sell at a small table at a big convention. They are inexpensive to produce .... they are easy for customers to carry around at the show and ship home... and they are the ideal vehicle to brand your name with an appealing image and item.

Every single "small" should have your name on it and an email or web address. Little treasures like these are things that end up on inspiration boards.... or as little gift items.... and while they are bringing delight to the viewer, they can also be introducing your name and art to a new market or patron.

Here are a few examples of items that charmed me at this show... and a bit about the artists who created them...

Eliza Reisfeld (right) http://www.elizareisfeldart.com/

Julia Cone (left) http://www.juliaconeillustration.com/

Eliza had some tiny sculpts of colorful pigeons on her table...they got me to stop...

But what I ended up buying were some of these small prints... with a great story. There is a hidden animal in each little print. What a great story! The series was inspired by the true-life tale of a folk of small parrots that fly around free in the San Francisco Bay Area.

When you have a great story about your art -- be sure to feature it in your marketing and display. Be sure to include a business card inside the protective sleeve of every print. It's not enough to sign your work.... Let your art help sell YOU to future customers and employers...contact info on the right image could connect you with your best job ever!

What a great way to engage attendees... and make your art memorable.

Sharp framing helps small art feel like a bigger value.... This little cut-paper aquarium by Julia becomes a handy paperweight or office accessory/bookend with this substantial wood frame with some heft and depth.

Julia used the back of her calendar item to provide lots of contact information ....

This item engages with the story of its connection to charity... and collaboration...

UPDATE NOV 26th

Julia Cone is the Google Doodle artist for the 2015 Thanksgiving doodle!

This link to the Google Doodle page has a short interview with her about the doodle and shows several steps in her process for creating the doodle. http://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2015

Here's the intro: This papercraft doodle, colorfully constructed by guest artist Julia Cone, brings to life the “Three Sisters” of North America’s native agriculture: corn, beans, and squash. While it’s common to see the Sisters at today’s Thanksgiving tables, these crops prospered through thousands of years of careful domestication.

More "behind the scenes" on Google Doodles and their mystery artists in this previous post on the blog:

http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2014/05/google-doodle-mystery-artist-with-links.html

Amy Commentary...

 I sure wish Google would name the artist on the doodle, making that info more public and prominent. People love the google doodles.. and raising the profile of the Google Doodle artists would help educate users that internet images are creative works. The internet thrives (and makes money!) on the sharing of images... and we have to find a way for the artists to be credited and compensated for the use of their creative work (a blanket license for all the "free" sharing of images HAS to happen)

Back to Artist Exhibitors post...
Another table with artists Janice Rosenthal http://artofjanice.com/ and Bree Lundberg http://www.breelundberg.com/

These fun postcards by Janice featured several breeds... including the ubiquitous Corgi. So many artists doing Corgis right now. Queen Elizabeth would be so pleased :)

Easy to get sensory overload with so much fun art to see and artists to meet. 

Regret I don't seem to have a photo of table for Leslie Strock http://lesliestrock.blogspot.com/

 and her table mate Megan Maher http://meganamaher.blogspot.com/
I purchased this cut paper rainbow-maned unicorn from Leslie.. because doesn't everyone need one of these :) Small originals like this should also have artist contact info on the back of the image and the frame. 

When you set up a booth or a table at a convention you want to sell your art. That sale shouldn't be just a single transaction. Help your appealing image also market your name and website. There's lots of good art around... but only so many jobs or collectors. When you have items that are selling... make sure they are helping increase your chances of making future impressions and contacts.

COMING SOON!! a solo post with more details about these table-mate artists Melanie Hopper http://www.mellyhopper.com/ (left) and Melany Altuna http://melart.tumblr.com/...

and this BRILLIANT item on their table that made me search them out and want to learn more!