#tbf2015

So, for the past couple of months I’ve been locked away preparing to exhibit at Thought Bubble comics festival in Leeds. And a week ago that time finally arrived. 

I’d been once the year before as an attendee, but this was my first time as an exhibitor. In fact it was my first time being an exhibitor at any con, so I was super nervous to be on the other side of the table showing off my own work.

(Setting up my half of the table)

My table was in the central marquee area, which was a great space to be in, and I was sat next to some very nice and talented people. I had no idea what to expect or how things would go. and I did feel a lot of pressure for the first half of Saturday. But after a while i think I eased into it and gained confidence when people came over and bought stuff. Even just browsing or talking about my work was good. Still though, the start of Saturday got me sweating a bit. Luckily I had some minions in the form of Lara, Phil and Costa to help me out throughout the weekend (thanks guys).

(Pat’s-eye-view)

Here’s some tips for getting through a weekend at Thought Bubble:

Get plenty of sleep! if you go out to the mid-con party on Saturday night, don’t stay out until silly o’clock and wake up with a headache the next morning! (Oops...)

Bring plenty of water and get lunch in advance. Or, if you have minions like I did, get them to bring lunch to you (thanks again Phil & Costa).

Bring emergency equipment like markers, tape and scissors in case you need to make new signs or fix stuff up on your stall.

Bring bags to put the stuff you sell in! Not so great when you sell a bunch of stuff and have nothing to put it all in for people... (need to remember this for next time)

Make sure you have enough business cards (a common problem it seemed, actually)! I had two designs which people people could choose from... except most people took both which wasn’t really the plan ^^;

Make sure to leave enough time to go around and meet your fellow exhibitors and buy stuff, ideally before everything opens or near the end of Sunday. I missed out on seeing loads because I didm’t leave my table!

#TBF15 First wave of guests announced! thoughtbubblefestival.com with many more to come as November draws closer!!

kateordie gingerhaze beatonna beckycloonan babsdraws​ steinerfrommars cornellajoan gemmacorrell popgunwar rayfawkes amyreeder kurtiswiebe

Chatham actually.

We're a week removed from True Believer's Festival held at Cheltenham Racecourse. The day was good. It did not require an AK.

Familiar faces surrounded us, and the event was well presented, with the focus being on comics and the scene, lots of independent there, and the price point was spot on. It was a good virgin voyage... 

We've been to similar affairs with a price point easily exceeding what could be considered reasonable, for venues located much farther from civilisation. We did well, the familar sites of Gloucester going down well with locals, and shifting all the Issue 1,2, and 3 packs we had. 

The hometown return was not as huge as I'd anticipated when signing up, due to the "personal issues" I had going in to the new year, the inadvertent disassemblement of the creative team with Dhalia's extended stay in Malta, and general exhaustion. I'd planned to have a local exhibition to promote the work which prominantly features nearby Gloucester landmarks and familiar scenery. Even the portfolio wasn't prepared in the fashion I would've preferred, up till 4am the night before arranging it, like I was back in University and my dissertation was due in next morning. Take drugs out of the equation (a renewed commitment to cutting weed out of my life. )and another marble falls - like a self perpuating game of Kerplunk - where the aim of the game is to remove all the straws, and have the marbles just fucking levitate there.

I've become hypocritical; allowing things to happen to me, like I'm sat watching my life go by on tv - only getting the introspective glimpse of myself in the brief second of black screen in between commercial breaks.

The difference between the masses and I - I make no excuses. Whilst that is minor, excuses allow you to walk away feeling justified in the mediocre, patting yourself on the back for things that are just part of life. Like getting up on time to not get fired from your job. As if there was another way. Athough working at nothing like full capacity, I have been making silent moves behind the scenes, planning out the year ahead, hence the lack of impending State Of The Union. Big tough decisions have had to be made, as well as some pretty exciting developments. With that said what we do next, and some of the aforementioned plans will be outlined in the State Of The Union which will be up in the next few hours.