Con sketches -- how much control should you have?
I read, with interest, the widely reported story about artist Adam Hughes' decision to stop doing con sketches because of the practice of "fans" flipping the drawings and selling them on eBay. I think this is an important issue for professionals to discuss, so I'm raising it here. One caveat: I will not permit bashing of Adam or the buyer in question. I want to see what the pros here think about the practice of selling con commissions and flipping them on the web. Writers can get in on this, too -- a few of my books and sketches have wound up on eBay after I signed/drew them, although God only knows why anyone would pay a premium for my horrible handwriting.
Personally, I see both sides of the issue. On one hand, selling a piece of original artwork is a limited contract: I agreed to draw you X in exchange for money. Once that deal is completed successfully, I no longer have control of the artwork in question. You can frame it, hang it, burn it, give it away, sell it, whatever. It's no longer mine. I've been paid to do a job -- well-paid in some cases -- and that job has been completed. Do traditional art collectors buy pieces and then resell them for a profit? Sure, and Picasso's heirs have no right to complain. When I bought my first house and then sold it for a huge profit,a few years later, did the builder come after me asking for more money? No. our original transaction was complete.
But on the other hand, I may be the type of artist (or writer) who wants to make sure my artwork or autographed book goes directly to a "real" fan rather than an eBay flipper. One way to ensure that is to personalize the piece. Once as a joke I wrote "Don't sell me on eBay" in a word balloon that led to Batman's mouth on the cover of a Batman book, only to find out later that the person I signed the book for actually was a regular eBay flipper. I haven't done it since. I was joking, after all, and not trying to make a comment about someone's actual habits.
I also suppose artists could eliminate the flipper by raising their rates for commissions to such a level that no profit would be made on eBay. But that might not work and could price some fans out of the market.
What do you guys think about this?
Personally, I see both sides of the issue. On one hand, selling a piece of original artwork is a limited contract: I agreed to draw you X in exchange for money. Once that deal is completed successfully, I no longer have control of the artwork in question. You can frame it, hang it, burn it, give it away, sell it, whatever. It's no longer mine. I've been paid to do a job -- well-paid in some cases -- and that job has been completed. Do traditional art collectors buy pieces and then resell them for a profit? Sure, and Picasso's heirs have no right to complain. When I bought my first house and then sold it for a huge profit,a few years later, did the builder come after me asking for more money? No. our original transaction was complete.
But on the other hand, I may be the type of artist (or writer) who wants to make sure my artwork or autographed book goes directly to a "real" fan rather than an eBay flipper. One way to ensure that is to personalize the piece. Once as a joke I wrote "Don't sell me on eBay" in a word balloon that led to Batman's mouth on the cover of a Batman book, only to find out later that the person I signed the book for actually was a regular eBay flipper. I haven't done it since. I was joking, after all, and not trying to make a comment about someone's actual habits.
I also suppose artists could eliminate the flipper by raising their rates for commissions to such a level that no profit would be made on eBay. But that might not work and could price some fans out of the market.
What do you guys think about this?
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
ones. con sketch with your name in it $25, w/o personalization $50. so
at least your making more money off of them if they are an ebayer>>
Interesting idea. Even more so when I recall my days collecting baseball autographs when I was a kid -- and personalized sigs always cost more. Of course, that was pre-ebay.
Flippers are one of the worst parts of the fan experience and I don't look forward to dealing with them (if that day should ever come).
I like the idea of making the non-personalized sketches more expensive. Worth a try at least. Of course, it depends on how you sell it to your customers. It's a tin line between selling an extra privilege (to do as they please with their sketch vs. to use it for themselves only, and other people of the same name) and policing ill behavior.
I don't usually table at cons, but if I did, I doubt I would do any commission sketches. I would sell original art already completed. I'm not some monkey for people to watch and gawk at as I draw. I find the whole practice kind of lame anyway. Most fans want a sketch of spider-man or batman, regardless of who the artist is, they want original art of their favorite character. As an artist that situation really feels like whoring yourself out IMO. If somebody wants to buy my art they can, just don't expect me to draw some character I could care less about.
And I agree with that completely, and it looks like that's what Hughes now plans to do by going directly to the Internet. But I still think that if you're happy with the price you set for something you created, you should be happy with the sale -- regardless of what follows. It'd be my own fault if I set a price low enough for someone else to make a buck off it.
<<Peruzzo said: I'm not some monkey for people to watch and gawk at as I draw. I find
the whole practice kind of lame anyway. Most fans want a sketch of
spider-man or batman, regardless of who the artist is, they want
original art of their favorite character. As an artist that situation
really feels like whoring yourself out IMO.>>
Whoring is a strong word; there are a lot of artists who make a living doing drawings at shows and selling art. It's making a buck, to be sure, but hopefully they're willing participants and don't feel like they're selling their souls.
As for which is more sought after, the artist's work or the character, the comic-art collection business is driven by people who collect specific artists' work. Otherwise, we'd all be drawing Batman or Spider-Man and selling them for big bucks.
When I exhibit, I have a portfolio of 8x10-ish drawings ready to sell, as well as my sketch cards. I generally don't do commissions on the spot because A) I'm not a professional artist so few people actually ask me to draw stuff and I'd rather be talking to fans about comics than stuck with my face in my sketchbook. But occasionally -- generally once a show -- I'm asked to draw something specific for a fan. One guy at c2e2 last year asked me to draw Death (from the Sandman). And I was miffed, because he refused to provide any kind of visual reference, so I had to do it from memory. Fortunately the drawing came out really well and she's now one of my favorite characters to draw. Then, at ACen last year, a fan asked me to draw an original character -- someone I'd created, not Batman or an established hero. I thought about it and drew the Night Hunter from the upcoming OLD WOUNDS, and the guy loved it. Personally I didn't care for the drawing's execution much because I had to rush it, but the guy was happy and I got twenty bucks out of the deal.
I may be wrong, but I don't think First Sale doctrine applies to original works of art (only to copies), so in theory, an artist could restrict the buyer of a sketch from flipping it, by having them sign a contract specifying what they may do with it, but enforcement of that would be difficult at best.
Apparently Darwyn Cooke recognized a flipper at a show a couple of years ago and tore a strip off of him.
I caught a glimpse of him at the Baltimore Comic Con in 2008, it was like a sighting of Bigfoot. I've just now tried to Google him and almost nothing comes up! Keyser Soze shit, man.
way to connect with people, and that's what conventions are about,
right? I've made some new fans just because I did a sketch they really
liked at a convention. And kids especially, they LOVE to watch the
artistic process -- they get amazed that someone can draw anything so
quickly, especially their favorite character.
Yes, it's a pain sometimes, and I do a LOT of smartphone Google-ing to
figure out what people are asking for sometimes, but I also think it
makes me a better artist to be challenged outside of my comfort zone in
such a manner.
(I know this has nothing to do with the general topic, just addressing @anthonyperuzzo 's comment.)