Thanks guys!
I have some nice convention sketches and existing pieces I need to post as soon as the scanner is hooked up.
Some questions if you don't mind:
* I've contacted a few artists to see if they were taking Commissions or could put my name on a wait-list. A few of them replied pretty quickly and seemed game, but then when I tried to send payment...crickets.
Do people generally tell you if they don't like your request, or is it more of a passive-aggressive thing? I have a budget I need to stick to, so if someone doesn't respond at all, I can assume that maybe they will get back to me weeks or months from now if they have an opening. But if someone says "Yeah, sure!" and then weeks go by without hearing another peep, how long do you stay committed to them before moving on to someone else?
I suppose it's better to have radio silence before I send payment than afterwards, but I'm not sure how many follow-ups to make before throwing in the towel.
* What I like about this forum is that people seem cordial and genuinely willing to help one another. Which is great, because it feels like this is a hobby of Secrets.
Is it easier to network once you have some pieces in your collection to show, as proof you have fun concepts or are easy to work with, whereas people just starting out might have more trouble? Does it help having people to vouch for you?
* And just curious, do you all have "If ______ is there, ask for _____" lists you bring to conventions? I still kick myself over opportunities I lost either because I didn't know what to ask for, or because I didn't associate a person's name with their work.