Hey y'all—since we're going into the summer/fall comic convention season, I want to talk about something that's been kind of eating at me for a while now. If you're a young artist attending shows this year and you plan to bring your portfolio for reviews, this is for you.
A few months ago, I happened to see a tweet from someone who claimed they brought their portfolio to my table at a con for a review and I supposedly ignored them, was super dismissive, and they left the interaction feeling hurt and upset. I promise you, this did not happen.
I have done 4 day shows with 100k+ attendees while suffering from severe migraines and still have never turned down doing a portfolio review—I would never dismiss a young artist seeking advice. Myself and most pro artists care very deeply about fostering new talent. I promise.
That being said, if you are planning on bringing your portfolio around artist alley, you need to understand that the circumstances on a convention show floor are less than ideal. Most artists are there to sell their work—and not everybody has a full time table assistant like I do
So asking them to sit down and review your work at their table is requesting that they put their business on hold and prioritize you over their own livelihood. Again, most of us are HAPPY to do this because we CARE, but know what you are asking of us.
Here are some best practices to ensure you have the best convention portfolio review experience:
1. Choose a less busy time. If there's a line at the table, come back later.
2. Confirm that it's actually the artist. Sometimes people have friends or assistants watch their tables.
1. Choose a less busy time. If there's a line at the table, come back later.
2. Confirm that it's actually the artist. Sometimes people have friends or assistants watch their tables.
3. Be aware that not all artists are prepared to do a portfolio review in a convention setting. Sometimes people are caught off guard by the request.
4. Be prepared to learn and be open to criticism—sometimes critique is hard to accept, but that's ultimately why you're there.
4. Be prepared to learn and be open to criticism—sometimes critique is hard to accept, but that's ultimately why you're there.
5. Ask if the artist is willing to give you a review and if it's a good time. They might need to leave for a panel or an interview, in which case it's better to come back instead of rushing it.
6. Tell the artist what your artistic/career goals are—it helps us to have context.
6. Tell the artist what your artistic/career goals are—it helps us to have context.
7. Thank them for their time, and this one is just me personally, but if you have a business card, give it to me. So many of you come by and tell me about your work but never show me? You're there to promote yourself. I am often in a position to recommend artists for jobs. Do it.
I can definitively say that I have never dismissed or ignored anyone who has asked me for a review at a show. That being said, please know that cons are exhausting marathons for artists and they aren't a great environment for portfolio reviews, so please be understanding 🙏🏼💖
