Rick2you2

It just makes me uncomfortable.

Do any (or many) of the artists take credit cards, or are we still in the age of packing cash?

A bit different, but this just showed up. https://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=1573521

Sensible reasons.

I'm a little surprised that actual artists don't go and take a table. They could probably make some good sales.

It's not bad. Less than $1 a page.

I don't have any personal experience with the subject, but I went on the Internet and found something called "Strathmore Bristol smooth", which markets itself as "Excellent art surface for creating comics, cartoons and graphic novel illustrations. Ideal for pencil, pen and ink." It says it is "acid free, heary weight, smooth surface". (with 100 lb. weight). It was about $4 more than some other boards (24 sheets), but I figure if it helps the artist do a better commission, it was easily worth it.

About 3 years ago, I went to a show where I met John Higgins. After looking at the portfolio of art he had for sale, and being really impressed, I asked him if he could do a drawing for me at the show. Since he was from England, I didn’t want to take the chance of a more formal commission and slow turnaround time (if ever). He said he didn’t bring his tools with him, although he had them in his room. I offered to pay double his ordinary rate if he could do a Phantom Stranger commission for me, and offered to buy the paper, if he could do it before the show ended (pads were being sold there). He agreed, and I now own a great piece which he finished the next day. So, sometimes, artists will change their minds. By the way, I have been singularly impressed with artists I have dealt with. I have a standing rule that if an artist finds that doing work on a piece takes longer than expected to get it right, I offer to pay more since I always want the artist’s best work. Not once has any artist taken me up on this offer.

Is all of this stuff easy to get at an art supply store? I don't know these products (not my field), so if any of them go by other names, what would they be?

Actually, that has happened to me on several occasions. Several years ago, I ended up getting a Rudy Nebres commission instead of a convention drawing because he hadn't thought he would want to do a drawing at a convention (he does now, of course). Recently, I had a sketch done by an artist (who will go nameless) who did a sketch for me--after I found some paper for him (he borrowed someone else's "tools"). There have been others, too. So, the question still stands; Garf's comment is appreciated, by the way.

When I go to shows, I sometimes run into artists from whom I would like a commission or sketch, but they tell me they don't have their "tools of the trade" with them. So, it seems to me that a potential solution is to pack a set of pencils, pens, erasers, markers or whatever else they may need (I have already bought Bristol Board). Since I know nothing about what they may want to use/like to use/will use, can some of you make suggestions about what I can pack?

If you are referring to Heritage, consider whether the premium charged over, say Comic Link or even an eBay bin is worth it.

Sounds like a good way to keep control of your budget.

Those books were wonderful.

Impressive.

You will see a lot of the same stuff, but it won't all be the same. Different dealers have different levels of on-line presences. Anthony's, for example, places everything on line. Not all dealers do. And of course, some things just look better in reality than on-line (or worse). You can, of course, talk to the dealers, too, and perhaps negotiate better in person.

Most people here seem to be generalists, but with leanings to an artist or character. I collect to the character, which is not uncommon (although, my choice is not a typical one). For panel pages, I look for a page (or two) which tell a story, and I particularly like offbeat layouts and clever or unusual border designs. Not that I would walk away from a great cover or splash if it fell within my budget. Let me point out that pricing is often affected by the characters on the page. If there is a character you like who is not particularly popular, you can get excellent art at a lower than typical price. They are also a lot harder to find. Lots of people favor particular artists; occasionally, some people like subjects (e.g. graveyards). Some are more by category (Romance, Western, Vintage Horror, toy based).

Mike?

Reminds me of Wrightson:

Absolutely correct. Be careful when unwrapping. He's a good dealer. Let me add my satisfaction note. Your problem may be with the mail. I have had that happen.

Yes. Keep the art in a cool, dry and dark place except when you want to look at it. NO direct sunlight.

Nice friend. All I ever get is their bar bills.

Any way to move the content of this thread to advice for new collectors?

Aparo. I used to be put off by the squiggliness of some of his line work (particularly hair lines), preferring something closer to a photorealistic look. Now, I much better appreciate the way he controls the space on a page or in a panel, and the way he uses that squggliness to great effect in a mystery/horror setting. Similarly, Tom Mandrake, whose work I now love.

Place me among the minority who still does not like his work. I found that “blocky powerful style” combined with questionable anatomical decisions and cluttered page panels to be distracting. On the other hand, after reading his biography, I am a lot more sympathetic to why his stuff often looks that way. OMG, up to 3 pages per day in some cases? I have also seen images of his early, more fluid style which I liked.