Kevin and I had a great time at Multiverse this past weekend!  It represented our last show of the season and the first time we’ve been at this con, since this is a brand new event.  Normally, I’d be hesitant to do a first-year show because the traffic is usually slow at these, but in the end, I’m glad I gave this show a shot!  

After the chaos of DragonCon and consecutive Kickstarters happening around here, it was nice to do a small, chill con, while still being able to network with other artists and enjoy a more relaxed environment.

Booth Tour

I’ll admit by the time the con rolled around, I didn’t have a plan or proper signage for the vendor table for this untested arrangement!  Here’s what we were able to throw together at the last minute.  

After studying the booth’s traffic flow at DragonCon, I realized many folks were afraid to walk up to the prints in the corner.  I knew I wanted to try a display where the prints were front and center and viewers could engage with them immediately, so on the table they went so people would not be afraid to pick them up or venture into our personal space!

A spice rack served as a display for the pins. I’m still trying to decide if it blends well and if I should cover it with paper. Or if I want to place it with a rotating rack entirely.  My table display is always evolving!

You can see where I also forgot to bring the table runner, so the scarves ended up being draped across the front of the table, since I wasn’t sure where to put them otherwise and it filled the space left by our missing table runner.  I didn’t have proper signage for the top behind me either, so my Patreon sign became my main sign temporarily.

Folks had trouble even realizing the scarves were there because they blended so well, so I will have to think of a new way to display them so they stand out more.  Perhaps hanging them off a dowel rod of some sort? Or replacing my silver tablecloth with a darker color?  I know I want the scarves up front where people can touch them because most people want to feel the material before they buy clothing accessories.

Gallery Tour

While my table display focused on the Birthstone Goddesses, I decided that my gallery display should focus on my darker narrative art, which I felt was relevant to the interests of this con’s scifi/fantasy/literary themes.

I had a small 4’x4′ bay in the Art Expo which left a little to be desired. The unexpectedly large bid sheets and the print bin which overlapped my display meant I had to leave 2 pieces out of my planned display.  Simple fixes for next year, however!  The show staff are also new to things and were receptive to feedback.  

I sold nothing from my bay, so if any of this display interests you, drop me a line! (Reminder that Patreon Patrons will get their Patreon discount on these as well.)

So was it worth it?

I honestly would have been satisfied for the fact that I sold enough to cover my attendance fees AND I got to network with fellow artists in a much more relaxed environment!  We’re always so busy at DragonCon and other shows and barely have time to say hello.  

During this show, I was invited to two local events, was invited into a new vendor group online, and was able to attend 3 fantastic panels on writing since traffic was chill enough for me to let my husband handle things alone.

On top of all that, we did end up meeting a metric of success I agree with, which is this formula:

Profit = Cost of attending + $100 a day = worth attending

We made back the cost of attending, plus at least $100 of profit per day, so were paid for our time at the very least.  I got to test my new Square Terminal as well.  I’ll have more about the Terminal later over in The Muse’s Library where I’ll be writing a review on it! This is a fantastic piece of tech we just invested in that has totally blown my mind for how useful it is.

Favorite Cosplay

I always love to admire the wonderful costumes of attendees and Multiverse did not disappoint because the amazing folks of the Whiskey Weasel Cosplay dropped by with their wonderfully detailed Monster Hunter World cosplays!  They even replicated the scoutflies you use for tracking with little LEDs. SO COOL!

Final Thoughts

Sometimes it’s worth it for more reasons than just money to attend smaller shows.  It was nice to leave my art cave and remember how awesome the fan community is, as well as to meet a couple of my Patrons in person and say thank you for their support.  

It’s easy to spend so much time alone without the love and laughter of the community.  I hope to return next year and continue supporting the spirit of fan appreciation this convention is nurturing!