Since you can read all about DesignerCon in my post from last year, I’m just going to go over this year’s highlights instead!

The Exhibit hall was BIGGER

Maybe it just felt bigger because everything was so spread out, but when it reached about halfway through the day, I realized there was still over half the convention hall to make it through! What I did appreciate was not feeling cramped, and really just enjoying looking at people’s booths and being able to move on, instead of moving a couple feet to interact with the next booth.

We got to meet Danielle Fishel

Better known as Topanga from Boy Meets World, my friend managed to spot Danielle right as she was finishing up for the day. Sheepishly we inched over to ask for a photo, and she kindly obliged. All the while trying to remain incognito. Due to the low key interaction, we couldn’t talk to her for very long, but it was still cool to meet her!

Chatting with Artists

Just like last year, I had a chance to sort of just chit chat with a few of the artists again. Here are a few to note!

• Punching Pandas – I was actually told about this person from a family friend who is actually good friends with their family! I started following them on IG and saw they were going to be at DesignerCon, so I made it a point to say hello.
• Pikarar – When I happened upon this booth, I realized something about it seemed familiar. Turns out, I used to follow this person on DeviantArt many years ago! It was cool to see her creating again after I fell off the DA scene.
• Art of Kelly Johnson – This conversation ended up starting after the Con, but I felt it was worth noting. After picking up a business card from her booth, I decided to check out her Instagram, and I realized that not only is her name also Kelly, but she hails from San Diego, AND she has a dog that looks almost exactly like ours! We connected on Instagram, despite me feeling like a total creep. Haha.

Anyway, DesignerCon was as amazing as last time, and my wallet just as broken too. If you seriously haven’t gone yet, what’s holding you back?

How did I hear about DesignerCon?

Believe it or not, it was because of artists that I am following on Instagram. A ton were posting their convention schedules, and I kept seeing the name DesignerCon pop up. Out of curiosity I decided to look it up, and I realized it was in Pasadena! Not only that, the tickets were really cheap. It just so happens I have family and friends living in the area, so I threw out the offer to see if anyone else would want to go with me and then just bought the weekend pass.

What the heck is DesignerCon?

The best way that I can describe DesignerCon is that it is basically an entire convention that is JUST the Artist Alley. TONS of incredible and talented artists selling all sorts of merchandise from enamel pins, stickers, shirts, and vinyl figurines. If you’ve read any of my past blogs about conventions, I’ve always noted that Artist Alleys are my favorite part of them. Why? It’s because of the unique gifts that you are able to get, as well as being able to support fellow artists and gain inspiration from. Let’s just say, by wallet was crippled because of the many things I bought for myself, as well as the many great gifts I was able to find for my friends and family.

What is the best part of this convention then?

Since for this convention I can’t just say the Artist Alley was my favorite part, I would have to say that my favorite aspect of this convention was being able to have conversations with some of the artists there. Learning about vendors, talkin’ story, and gaining some valuable advice. What’s great is that I’ve found so many new artists to now follow and support on Instagram!

Should I go to DesignerCon?

YES. Why? Because the price for entry can’t be beat! I especially recommend it to any fellow artists out there who are looking for a convention that centers around such great talent and inspiration. A convention that is much more affordable than something like Adobe MAX, but will still have you leaving feeling inspired and energized to get some of your own creative projects going.

Next year they’re planning to move it to Anaheim, so be on the lookout for tickets, and hope to see you there next time!

How do you find your inspiration? Instead of me talking about every single thing I use to inspire myself, I’m going to focus in on 2 quarterly subscriptions I signed up for this year: The Mohawk Maker Quarterly (FREE) and Uppercase Magazine (Quarterly Subscription).

This isn’t so much a review of the publications, but more so just me trying to help promote 2 awesome things you should consider adding to your inspiration trunk. Okay, maybe that is just a review, but I’m no expert on magazines, I’m just telling you why I like these and if you’re like me, you probably will too.

With all these internet resources for project inspiration like Pinterest or Instagram, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of endless scrolling. Coming up for air, it’s good to know that there are still some hard copy paper publications out there to hold on to. Keep reading to see what’s so great about them, and how you can get some of your own.

Uppercase Magazine

I had been thinking about subscribing to an art magazine for a while, but wasn’t sure where to start. Then, one day at work I stumbled upon Uppercase. It was the cover and the paper it was printed on that first attracted me. After flipping through the pages, I decided to investigate the magazine further when I got home.

At the time I was still contemplating subscribing since I wasn’t in the mood to spend money, so when I first got on the website, I clicked “Free” on their menu, and ended up signing up for their emails. Later on when I received one of their emails offering a discount to start a subscription, I was hooked. I’m so happy that I did sign up!

Why is Uppercase so cool? Let me break it down for you in a few bullet points.

• The magazine is printed on QUALITY paper. Okay, that may seem like a weird thing to geek about, but after you hold this magazine in your hands, you’ll wonder what cheap material People magazine runs theirs on. I have also recently worked at a print shop, so paper has become a new thing for me.
• The content has substance. It’s not about any celebrity gossip or quick movie reviews or non-stop pages of ads, it’s got substance! The articles are all very informative, and shine light on all sorts of artists and the many different crafts that they do. I find these to be great sources of inspiration. Just learning about what others are doing with different mediums sparks my creative juices. Sometimes just interviews with the artists are refreshing because you get to read their thought process and absorb it into your own creative flow. Each issue also has a new theme that they focus on, so it’s never the same thing twice! Sometimes you even get little reader-submitted goodies too.
• The makers are passionate about the magazine and what they do. There’s just something about an artist who has found their “thing” and gets to work everyday with it that is so admirable. I really enjoy reading the editor’s welcome letters and about her own creative journey. Her social media is a great way for one to peek into her life. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I think it’s so cool to see an editor so close to her work.

Mohawk Maker Quarterly

It’s one of those best kept secrets that I have no shame in sharing! One day at work someone from Mohawk came down to tell us about their papers. Some of you must be thinking “oh paper, *yawn”, but really you should be thinking “OH HELL YA PAPER!”. The paper that you choose can really make or break your print project. If you don’t understand the difference between 20# paper and 300gsm, then you have a lot to learn.

One of the things that stood out during her presentation was this Maker Quarterly that they publish roughly every 3 months. In short, it’s a cool way for them to promote their paper and to feature the artists who use their paper for their projects.

What can you gain from Mohawk Maker Quarterly? Here’s the skinny:

• It is 100% FREE What?? Did I just say “free”? Yup. You read that correctly. If there’s anything I like more than sales, it’s free. This publication is all yours for the price of nothing! Now there’s really no excuse to not subscribe right now, now is there?
• Free artwork and paper samples. If a company is going to promote their product, then of course they’re going to put their best foot forward. You’ll sometimes get free art prints with your copy of the publication and there’s great digital printing and offset printing that makes it into this publication. I received a free letterpress print in my most recent copy! If you’re curious about the paper it’s printed on, they tell you right on the back of the issue. Talk about great marketing!
• The articles and the materials work together. For each issue, there is a new theme. Together the paper and the articles work together to help you understand the theme in a new way. This further pushes the significance of obtaining a hard copy for yourself.

So, where can I sign up for these?

Uppercase
If you’re not in the market to buy a subscription just yet, take a peek at their back issues to see if it’s something you would like to own yourself. When you’re finally ready to take that leap, head on over here to subscribe. Also note that the subscription is in CAN dollars, so for anyone in the US, it is a bargain! Or you can be like me and subscribe to FREE weekly inspirations first. One thing is for sure, you will not regret your subscription one bit.

Mohawk Maker Quarterly
If you’re not signing up for free, then what are you doing??
Here’s where you can sign up for the Mohawk Maker Quarterly.

Happy Inspiration Shopping!

Why do you like/do art?

To be honest I didn’t answer the question exactly how I would like to…
One of the first things I did say was that partially because I’m good at it x’D
“Good” as in people like what I do, and I like that they like it and I like it too. Haha.
I’m not sure if I can exactly speak for everyone, but most people tend to like things that they are good at, right? ^^;

But when I was driving home I thought about it a little more and this is the list that I came up with in my head:

• Even though art can take a long time (whether it’s painting, drawing, clay, animation, digital illustration, etc), the end result or the feeling of getting it done and having something to show at the end is awesome. I always like to sit and admire what I was able to accomplish… I don’t mean to sound self-absorbent or anything… ^^;
• This kinda relates to my first bullet… but having to do projects vs. studying for an exam are extremely different! You can study study study, but in the end all you really have to show is your grade… At least for art projects you have something to show and keep in the end! Aaannndd… you pretty much know when you’re done, or well, for the most part.
• Making things for people! I should really do this more, but being artistic and able to create things for people as gifts or whatever is really rewarding because you can make it personal to fit them, and the best part is that it is unique!
• Art is visual, art speaks for itself, art is unique, art takes things into a different perspective. Art expresses things in a different way and if you do it right, it can bring a message to others who view it and appreciate it.
• Art is FUN! People sometimes are so scared of art, but art isn’t restrictive and doesn’t have set rules. Art is what you make it, and it can be fun if you figure out what works for you in art.
• There is no finish line. Art is constantly changing, just like technology and fashion. I feel that in art I am learning new things everyday. Whether it’s techniques, styles, mediums, ideas, projects, etc. Art stays interesting for me because there is so much more to explore in it than just learning the basics and technical things. There is also no finish line because there is always ways to improve and get better.
  I remember back in middle school when I thought I was pretty good at art, but now comparing things to then and now, I can see how much I have improved and still am improving.

There are many many reasons to love art, and I’m pretty sure this list doesn’t cover all that I want to say/mean, but it’s nice to get it written down for once :3
So thanks to Reese for bringing up this question!