Emerald City Comicon 2017 is This Week!

Hello to those of you who are still reading! It's sad to look at my 2016 post count compared to previous years. Few people use Blogger much anymore, and a lot of my attention has been redirected to my Instagram account. However, I still hope to post more than just news here, even if it's not as frequently as before.

Today is just one of those news posts, though: Emerald City Comicon is upon us once again, and this year it's early! I can't remember if it has ever been held this early in March before. The convention begins this Thursday, March 2nd, and continues through Sunday, March 5th.

ECCC has continued to expand in both size and attendance year after year. Since I started exhibiting in 2011, Artist Alley went from taking up one small section of the Exhibit Hall, to two, to three. (Then it was reduced back to two.) This year, Artist Alley will no longer be split up in different areas of the Hall. Instead the entire thing has moved up to the 6th floor of the Washington State Convention Center accessible via a different set of escalators and elevators on the 4th floor. I'm interested to see how the new location will feel. If you're attending the con, please don't forget to visit us upstairs!

I will be at table T-5 in Artist Alley at this new location. Please check out the maps below:

Click to enlarge

Hey look –– there's my table!

I'll have my typical items for sale: my new-ish sketchbook Fabled Earth, copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, prints, note cards and a small selection of original art.

In other convention news, I have a busy schedule planned this year that will have me attending shows on both coasts and in the midwest. Two weeks after ECCC, from March 17th through 19th, I will be exhibiting at Mythicworlds Seattle for the first time. Mythicworlds is a convention focused on myth and folklore and the art, music and crafts it inspires. This convention is held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel near the Seattle-Tacoma Airport.

Later in the summer, I will attempt to make up for my emergency cancellation of last year by joining Gen Con for its 50th anniversary from August 17th through 20th.

Finally, I will be going to IlluXcon in Reading, PA for the first time to exhibit my work in the Showcase on the evenings of October 20th and 21st. IlluXcon, or "IX" as it's now being called, is less like a typical convention and more like an art show focused on fantastic art –– especially art that has been created traditionally. Many collectors travel to IX each year to see what their favorite artists have been working on. I'm excited to do the same.

I hope to meet you at one of the shows!

Emerald City Comicon 2016 – Thank You!

My ECCC 2016 setup, now including framed original artwork!

Another Emerald City Comicon has flown by. Thanks to everyone who stopped by my table to check out my latest work or simply to say "hello!" I shared some of the sketches I did during the convention on my Instagram account. If you're interested in seeing them, please click that link to head over there, and if you like what you see please follow me! I will continue to update Fabled Earth, especially if I'm making a longer blog post, but for quick posts and images I'll be using my Instagram account more frequently. Thanks for reading, and thank you for supporting my work!

(And thanks for ignoring those cardboard boxes behind me. You're ignoring them, aren't you?)

Emerald City Comicon 2016 Starts Tomorrow!

ECCC 2016 begins tomorrow! The convention runs from Thursday, April 7th through Sunday, April 10th. Come see me at Booth R7 in Artist Alley. I will probably be sharing updates and photos on my Instagram. Hope to see you there!

Emerald City Comicon 2016

Once again I'll be exhibiting at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle. This year the convention will run four days for the first time: Thursday, April 7th through Sunday April 10th. My table in Artist Alley is R7. If you've seen me at ECCC in years past, the location is similar to where I've typically been seated. Artist Alley is in the Exhibit Hall on level 4 of the Washington State Convention Center. The back section of the Hall is accessible through the Sky Bridge. Please see the map below:

Please click to enlarge

This year there's a new feature on the ECCC website you can use to look up individual artists. You will find a brief bio and description of their work, their table location, and links to their website and social media. Here's mine.

I finally have a new sketchbook! I've sold a few here and there at gallery shows and online, but ECCC 2016 will be its "official" convention debut. The book is titled Fabled Earth and it's the fourth in my series of sketchbooks. Fabled Earth has a color wrap-around cover featuring a new painting, and 68 pages packed with character and creature designs, rough sketches, finished drawings and even a couple illustrations in full color. In addition to the new book, I'll also have my usual product available: copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, posters, prints, and note cards and maybe even some original artwork.

Hope to see you there!

ECCC 2016 Tickets Go on Sale Wednesday

Emerald City Comicon is getting bigger every year. In 2016, ECCC starts on a Thursday, making it a four-day show for the first time. Passes for the con have started to sell out earlier each year, and for the last couple of years they've sold out well before the start of the convention. If you're thinking about attending ECCC in 2016, get ready! Tickets go on sale at 12 PM Pacific this Wednesday, September 23rd. I'm happy to report I'll be back at Artist Alley. Hope to see you there!

Thank You for a Great ECCC!

After a couple busy weeks it's finally time for my wrap-up post about Emerald City Comicon 2015.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table this year! You helped make ECCC 2015 one of our best yet! We're looking forward to hearing if our application for next year is approved. If so, we'll be back. And next year it's a four-day convention. (Just don't get too big and become another SDCC...)

We were steadily busy so we only took maybe two or three photos the entire con. Because I was preoccupied at my table and Vinod was someplace else, I couldn't get this guy's photo when I caught a glimpse of him walking by. (Hmmm...maybe I should've yelled "Kaneda" real loud?) His costume was my favorite of the show:

Kaneda cosplay photo "borrowed" from ECCC's Facebook page.

Here are a few sketches I did during the convention. I would have liked to do more, but I was trying to conserve energy for the project I needed to work on after the con every night.

Thanks again for coming to see us! Hope to see you next year!

ECCC's Monsters and Dames 2015 Art Book

I'm happy to report that one of my illustrations will be printed in ECCC's limited edition Monsters and Dames Art Book once again. If you buy the 2015 edition (available at the ECCC Merchandise booth), stop by our table and I'll be happy to sign it for you. The proceeds from the book go to Seattle Children's Hospital.

"The Sphinx" from The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures.

Emerald City Comicon 2015 Next Weekend!

Emerald City Comicon 2015 starts next Friday, March 27th! Already! (I'm not ready for it to be the end of March yet...)

Vinod and I will be sitting at booth T-09 in Artist Alley, close to where we were seated last year. Artist Alley is in the Exhibit Hall on level 4 of the Washington State Convention Center. We'll be in the back section of the Hall accessible through the sky bridge. Please see the map below:

Click to embiggen!

Don't forget there is a nice ECCC app that has an easy-to-use map to help you find the guests and exhibitors (and droids) you're looking for.

Sadly, I still don't have a new sketchbook (I apologize to all of you who have been asking), but one is in the works and should be available in time for Gen Con this summer! For ECCC I'll have most of my usual product available: copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, posters, prints, note cards and sketchbooks. This may be your last chance to get a copy of my third sketchbook, Journey. I don't have many left and will not be printing more. I also usually bring a selection of original paintings for sale. They may not fit on the table, so if you're interested in seeing what's available please don't hesitate to ask.

In other convention news, we can finally take credit cards this year and will be taking payments using Square. We're also quite happy to take cash which is nice for us because it doesn't involve a fee.

Emerald City Comicon will take place at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from Friday, March 27th through Sunday, March 29th. More information about the show is available at the Emerald City Comicon website. Hope to see you there!

An Eventful Spring

There are three upcoming events where locals will be able to see some of my paintings.

The first is the opening reception of FAERIE III this weekend at Krab Jab Studio in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. A new personal piece will be on display.

The exhibition includes a stellar lineup of some of the best contemporary fantasy and fairy tale artists including Allen Williams, Amy Brown, The Frouds, Justin Gerard, Omar Rayyan, Sheila Rayyan, Paul Bonner, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Krab Jab show curators Tara Larsen Chang and Julie Baroh and many more that will probably make me look bad by comparison! Details below.

FAERIE III Opening Reception
Saturday, March 14th, 6 - 9 pm
Show runs through April 4th

Location:
Krab Jab Studio

5628 Airport Way S, Ste 150

Seattle, WA  98108

Next up is Emerald City Comicon at the end of this month. I'll be exhibiting with Vinod in Artist Alley for the fifth year in a row. We will be sitting at table T-09 in the Exhibit Hall on level 4 of the Washington State Convention Center.

Guess what?! I can finally take credit cards this year! We begrudgingly bought an iphone (we like to keep our old stuff 'till it breaks and our old phones were not broken!) and I will be taking payments using Square. I am also quite happy to take cash, which is nice because it doesn't involve a fee.

In other device news, there is a nice ECCC app that has an easy-to-use map to help you find the guests and exhibitors (and droids) you're looking for.

The show runs from Friday, March 27th through Sunday, March 29th. Show passes are already completely sold out.

I'll post more information about the convention, including maps and other stuff closer to the start of the show.


Finally, Vinod and I with both be showing at Krab Jab in April as part of the exhibition Marriage is a Work of Art, curated by Julie Baroh.

We will be hanging paintings alongside some incredibly accomplished artist couples: Omar and Sheila Rayyan, Justin Gerard and Annie Stegg-Gerard, Greg and Roxana Spalenka, Mark and Sara Winters, and Norman and Tory Taber.

Marriage is a Work of Art Opening Reception
Saturday, April 11th, 6 - 9 pm
Show runs through May 2nd

If you're in the Seattle area any time within the next month I hope to see you at one of these events!

Sketches from ECCC 2014

Another Emerald City Comicon has come and gone. I'd like to extend my thanks to everyone who came by our table during the convention.

Here are some of the sketches I did for people who purchased my sketchbook, Journey, this year:

I have two sketchbooks still available featuring the following original sketches. If you had been thinking of buying a copy online and either of these drawings have caught your eye, please contact me and let me know so I can put the book aside for you.

See you at ECCC 2015, March 27th-29th!

Emerald City Comicon 2014: Final Day

Today is the last day of Emerald City Comicon 2014! A con report of some sort will follow shortly. If you'll be at the convention Sunday, please don't forget to stop by our table N-10, located near the back of the exhibit hall.

I'll be waiting!

ECCC's Monsters and Dames 2014 Art Book

My Painted Marsh Nymph illustration will be printed in ECCC's limited edition Monsters and Dames 2014 Art Book. If you buy the book (available at the ECCC Merchandise booth), stop by our table and I'll be happy to sign it for you. The proceeds from the book go to Seattle Children's Hospital.

Emerald City Comicon 2014

This year's Emerald City Comicon (or its fun to say abbreviation, ECCC) is only two weeks away!

Last year, the show was huge and had even expanded into the Sky Bridge, the wide hallway that connects the two sections of the exhibit hall. This year the show is even bigger, and as of Thursday, March 13th, it is completely sold out. It looks as though the exhibit hall has expanded even further into Level Three of The Conference Center, which is part of the Washington State Convention Center (and the location of GeekGirlCon in the fall). Please refer to the map for all the confusing details!

Click to enlarge! Full convention center map here.

There is an important note I'd like to make: there are now essentially THREE Artist Alleys. Please make sure to visit them all! Last year there was some confusion about the location of all the artists, and many attendees said they were unaware Artist Alley was split into two sections. 
As you can see on the map, one is on Level Four closer to the entrance of the Washington State Convention Center and the other is through that aforementioned Sky Bridge in the second, larger section of the exhibit hall (where most of the exhibitor booths are located) near the back of the convention center. It looks like the new, third section of Artist Alley is located below the main exhibit hall floor on Level Three of The Conference Center.

The show will be open longer this year, too. Friday is now a full day, with show hours from 10 am to 7 pm. It's gonna be a long day for those of us working the floor! (Come by and be nice to us!)

Vinod and I will be sitting at booth N-10 in Artist Alley, not too far away from our location last year. We're against the wall near the bathrooms, so hopefully we'll be easier to find in the crowd. I'll have most of my usual product available: copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, posters, prints, note cards and sketchbooks. They won't fit on the table, but I plan to bring some original paintings to sell, so if you're interested in seeing what's available, please ask.

Emerald City Comicon will take place at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from Friday, March 28th through Sunday, March 30th. More information about the show is available at the Emerald City Comicon website. Hope to see you there!

Sketches from ECCC 2013

Thanks to everyone who came by our table at Emerald City Comicon last weekend! Here are some of the sketches I did for people who purchased my sketchbook:

 

Elves ahoy!

As I posted on my website after ECCC 2011: Many freelance artists tend to live reclusive lives, and sometimes it feels as though we work in a void. Feedback about our work frequently only comes from a small circle of art directors, editors, and close friends and family, and while all of that is much appreciated, it's very different to hear from the general public. Good response to an artist's work is one of the best forms of encouragement, so to everyone that took the time to chat, buy stuff, or even simply say hello, thank you. I look forward to attending the con again next year.

Upcoming Events

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow I will be speaking on a panel at FaerieCon West at the Renaissance Hotel in Seattle at noon. The details are as follows:

The Realm – Madison Ballroom – Level 2

12:00 – 12:45 FAERIE: Krabjab Studios Artists

FAERIE, a show curated by local artist Julie Baroh at Krab Jab Studio in Seattle, highlighted some of the worlds best and brightest fantasy artists. At this panel we’ll get a chance to hear from talents like Echo Chernik, Heather Hudson, Tara Larsen Chang, Emily Fiegenschuh, and Todd Lockwood.

Next weekend, I will be exhibiting with Vinod at Emerald City Comicon's Artist Alley, table Q-02. We will also both have artwork in the new art show ECCC is holding this year in the gaming area at The Conference Center, which is across the street from the Washington State Convention Center, and  easily accessed via a covered sky bridge. Please check Emerald City Comicon's website for more details.

Emerald City Comicon 2013 is Almost Here!

 ECCC 2013 exhibit floor

Emerald City Comicon is less than two weeks away! The convention has grown in size each year, and it looks like 2013 will be the biggest ECCC yet. Three-day and Saturday-only passes have already sold out online. The exhibit floor has nearly doubled in size. And one of the most exciting art-related developments this year will be an art show organized by Julie Baroh from Krab Jab Studio. Stop by the gaming area of the show to view and purchase work by professional artists, many of whom will also have tables in the exhibit hall. Some of the art from FAERIE:Contemporary Fairy Art Group Show, which is currently hanging at Krab Jab Studio through February 28th, will also be making an appearance at the ECCC art show.

Vinod and I will be sitting at booth Q-02 in Artist Alley. We're on a main aisle, so hopefully we'll be easier to find in the crowd. The goodies I'll have available include copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, posters, prints, and sketchbooks. Though they're not likely to fit on the table, I plan to bring some original paintings to sell, so if you're interested in seeing what's available, please ask. This year I have an illustration printed in ECCC's limited edition Monsters and Dames 2013 Art Book. If you buy the book (available at the ECCC Merchandise booth), stop by our table and I'll be happy to sign it for you. The proceeds from the book go to Seattle Children's Hospital.

Emerald City Comicon will take place at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from Friday, March 1st through Sunday, March 3rd. More information about the show is available at the Emerald City Comicon website. Hope to see you at there!

Emerald City Comicon 2012

I swiped this photo from the Komo News website.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday we exhibited at Emerald City Comicon for the second time. We had a great show! This convention is one of the best we've been to. It has a comfortable mix of comics, games and other media, but keeps the focus on comics much more than some other cons of its size. Artist Alley takes up nearly a third of the convention floor. There are a lot of local artists in the Seattle area, and artists who work in the gaming, comic book and other publishing industries are well represented.

Our table.

Our table was at a good location on a major aisle, and there was a lot of table traffic for the duration of the convention. We heard a rumor that Saturday's attendance alone matched that of all three days last year. There were so many people in the exhibit hall on Saturday afternoon that a restless line of attendees was asked to wait outside the hall until enough people had left in order to comply with fire codes. Please don't let the crowds discourage you from coming in 2013, though. It's a wonderful convention (still not nearly as crowded as San Diego) and there's a lot to see and do. I only wish I had had more time to wander the exhibit hall and check out the work of other artists.

Vinod's side of the table.

My side of the table.

Now onto what you were really waiting for: the photos! Since we were occupying our table throughout the weekend we had to wait for various costumed heroes to come to us for photos, but if you'd like to see more, check them out here.

Me at our booth.

We at our booth.

Emma Frost

"Everyone can relax! Gambit has returned."

The second Jareth to appear on my blog!

Vinod's friends dressed up as Nightcrawler and Phoenix.

"Hello there!"

Padme and a Schoolgirl Trooper

Thanks to everyone who made it such an excellent show! We'll be back again next year!

Only Two Weeks Until ECCC!

There are only two weeks left until Emerald City Comicon!

Click to go to the ECCC website to download a full-sized PDF of the updated map.

Vinod and I will be sitting at booth C-02 in Artist Alley. We're on a main aisle, so hopefully we'll be easy to find. More information about the show is available at the Emerald City Comicon website. 

Emerald City Comicon will take place at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from March 30th through April 1st. I'll have copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, posters, prints, and sketchbooks for sale. If you stick around long enough, I'm sure you will see us having at least one awkward conversation with a sexy Wolverine.

Stay tuned to the blog for any additional updates. Hope to see you there!

Emerald City Comicon 2012

The Artist Alley table assignments for Emerald City Comicon were recently announced. Vinod and I will be sitting at table C-02. You can download a PDF of the show floor at the convention website.

Emerald City Comicon will take place at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from March 30th through April 1st. I'll have copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, posters, prints, and sketchbooks for sale. If you're attending, please stop by to say hello!