Motor City sketch...with a difference

[shaxper]

Thank you, guys.

We'd move mountains for you, Sensai. Only say the words...

[Becky-Chan]

I'm boggled that he actually defaced the art! Any value that art might have had on the secondary market just fizzled once it's known that it's been defaced. I bet if somebody actually bought the piece and realized the alteration the seller would have more complaints than he could handle.

I'm sitting here hugging my Space Usagi drawing glad that I have it, the only way that is getting sold, (or any of my other comic art) is if I am in dire straits.

[VENOM]

Its so sad that people take advantage of Stans kindness. I live in an area where I have no chance of ever meeting Stan or getting to receive a convention sketch. I was in contacted with Stan and he was kind enough to send me a sketch...personalized and everything. I was amazed at his kindness, Stan I really appreciated it. My wife was so amazed at my reaction (she still makes fun of the fact I got goose bumps when I first looked at it) that she took it out and had it framed for me.

The worst part is that a lot of Stan/Usagi fans probably don't even realize that a lot of these are convention sketches...or don't see the wrong with buying them. I fell in love with this one eBay Auction but I resisted buying it out of respect to Stan.

[Todd Shogun]

Regarding the message I sent out (to over 2000 Dojo Members), I've been getting a lot of positive feedback from many of the other Dojo Members on the UY DojoList who do not frequent this forum. Many were unaware of the problem and now recognize it. I also got a couple replies from Dark Horse who want to run the message in an upcoming issue of Usagi. Lastly, I got a reply from the Groop (the Groo equivalent of the UY Dojo), who will be passing the info along as well. Figured I pass the good news along to everyone...the word's spreading!

One of my fave replies...

Good to see you again. Todd!

Screw these people! I still have the action figure, still in the box, that Stan
signed for me as part of a dojo contest almost 10 years ago. If I ever sell it, all
the money would go to either Shriner's Children's Hospital or the Scottish Rite
Learning Centers.

As a matter of fact, if anyone here wants to buy it, the starting bid is
$1,000,000.00, cash only please.

Abayo!
Stephen Escobedo

...what, no PayPal???

[Maka]

Great work in stopping that auction.

That grass was so ugly . . . what was he smoking?

Peace, maka

[Stan Sakai]

I must say that I have no problem at all with full drawings or commissions being sold. I had been paid for those.

I do have a problem with people posing as fans, asking for a free sketch, only to post it for sale the day after the con is over. I particularly objected to this drawing for sale, because it was obviously altered and the buyer was trying to pass it off as entirely my own. It hurt me, but it would have hurt the buyer even more if he/she ever found that it was a fraudulent piece of art.

We (that is a bunch of my artist friends) have been trying to figure out a way to weed out the dealers without hurting the true fans. I thought personalizing the drawings would do it. It did help in that not as many sketches are up on e-bay right after a con. Even with the personalization, there were still about a dozen sketches up after MegaCon. At Motor City, I intentionally made the personalizations even bigger than I did in the past. Except for this one guy, no one has posted any sketches on e-bay.

[Treadwell]

This is sad.

Well done on getting the word out, Todd!

I agree with the suggestion that "free" sketches be offered when something else from the table is purchased at the same time. I know at MegaCon I felt guilty enough as it was that I had brought an insane number of trades for signing/sketching, but my conscience was tempered by the fact I bought over $100 worth of stuff (all of which I treasure). Otherwise I think I would've been abusing his generosity. (And actually I half expected there to be a nominal charge for the sketches besides.)

An artist's time and skills have a value and I don't think any fan would begrudge a policy like that. I think it would weed out at least some of the speculators.

[shaxper]

While I agree with the intentions behind your suggestion, I can't imagine Stan would feel comfortable with a mandatory purchase rule. While he's woefully underpaid for what he does, I can't imagine he wants to send the message to fans that his primary motivation is sales and money. I know I'd be uncomfortable using such a policy were I in his shoes.

Here's another possibility that would be a bit more time consuming:

write the fan's FULL name on the sketch. Additionally, write the fan's name in a log or notebook as you do this. Then put some simple code next to their name that also appears on the sketch (i.e. a cloud with five dots in it, or something like that). Then, when the sketch appears on ebay, you can look at the cloud, go back to the notebook, and know the name of the seller. Then highlight that name or rewrite it so that you know to refuse that fan when they request another sketch in the future.

It's not a perfect system. Theoretically, the fan could lie about their name. But, so long as they don't figure out the system (then they could just white out the clouds), this might work as a more effective deterrent. Imagine the look on these guys' faces as they come up to the table and discover that Stan knows who they are!

[Thomas Froehling]

Here's another possibility that would be a bit more time consuming:

write the fan's FULL name on the sketch. Additionally, write the fan's name in a log or notebook as you do this. Then put some simple code next to their name that also appears on the sketch (i.e. a cloud with five dots in it, or something like that). Then, when the sketch appears on ebay, you can look at the cloud, go back to the notebook, and know the name of the seller. Then highlight that name or rewrite it so that you know to refuse that fan when they request another sketch in the future.

It's not a perfect system. Theoretically, the fan could lie about their name. But, so long as they don't figure out the system (then they could just white out the clouds), this might work as a more effective deterrent. Imagine the look on these guys' faces as they come up to the table and discover that Stan knows who they are!

Hmm, time consuming does not start to describe it....

Funny, I had a very similar idea, but dismissed it. I'm led to believe there's a line of people waiting for their sketches, signings, purchases, what ever, from what I heard about these Cons. I think Stan Sakai could do with a secretary if he was to keep a log on which sketch he did for each individual fan. To hide a memorizable hidden code somewhere in the sketch that could be tracked down to the name of the one who got it would take out a lot of fun for Sensei, I think: he would be reminded of these scavangers everytime he does one of these formally nice little gifts.

And about the names....
I found it strange in the first place that the comic monster on ebay sold personalized sketches with different names; and very unusual names, like "John" or "Dave"....I haven't seen Tom, Dirk, or Harry as yet, but I don't think we've seen the last of it

[Treadwell]

What if Stan took a picture of every recipient of a sketch, holding it in front of them? I think the speculators would be spooked by that, while fans would be happy to be posing with their new treasure.

It wouldn't have be presented as a security thing, either. A snapshot of a happy fan, which would not be untrue.

[Thomas Froehling]

The picture is taken by the secretary, I suppose?

[shaxper]

What if Stan took a picture of every recipient of a sketch, holding it in front of them? I think the speculators would be spooked by that, while fans would be happy to be posing with their new treasure.

It wouldn't have be presented as a security thing, either. A snapshot of a happy fan, which would not be untrue.

I like this idea. If using a digital camera, there's no cost involved. True, the camera would have to be passed to another fan or stranger, but I can't imagine someone running off with Stan Sakai's camera in the middle of a convention.

[Stan Sakai]

What if Stan took a picture of every recipient of a sketch, holding it in front of them? I think the speculators would be spooked by that, while fans would be happy to be posing with their new treasure.

It wouldn't have be presented as a security thing, either. A snapshot of a happy fan, which would not be untrue.

I like this idea. If using a digital camera, there's no cost involved. True, the camera would have to be passed to another fan or stranger, but I can't imagine someone running off with Stan Sakai's camera in the middle of a convention.

Though this is a good idea in theory, it would be a lot more trouble than its worth. As you may have noticed on eBay, many of my free sketches are very similar. It would be difficult to distinguish one from another. Besides, I would have to stop what I'm doing to take a photo every time. I would forget to do that more often than not.

And you would be surprised at what people have run off with at a convention.

[Todd Shogun]

I agree, these ideas sound great, but would require extra work. I've been thinking about solutions and the only easy way is what we've been trying to do, namely getting the word out to as many Usagi readers as possible that this is simply uncool in the eyes of Stan and his fans. I've also been trying to get into the heads of the fans who would actually bid on such items. I'm starting to understand how they think. The typical bidders for such pieces are not other speculators merely trying to obtain a piece to flip for more money. These are hardcore UY fans who simply need to own a piece of Stan Sakai art, even if it's only a quick sketch and not an actual piece of original art. What the bidders don't understand, especially the younger ones, is that there is a world of difference between the two and that is what must be focused on. Here's what else I've learned:

1) They typically do not have the means to obtain one easily, so an eBay auction is exactly what the Doctor ordered...convenience. A lot of these bidders are probably in different countries where their chances for meeting Stan are slim to none. Comicmonster and others will find these customers particularly ideal since they are willing to pay good money if necessary.

2) They may also be too young to go to conventions on their own to get a sketch. I know that if I was a 12-year old again with no easy way to meet Stan, I'd probably be all over bidding on these things (or getting my parents or older siblings to do it for me). I might not care if it was personalized to someone else or not, only that it was done by Stan. Heck I might even buy a scribble that Stan did on a post-it. I know it sounds crazy, but to a youngster things might be different that way.

3) They are new to the world of Usagi and haven't yet grasped the difference between the sketches done as a courtesy and commissioned or portfolio drawings done for a price.

For all three cases above, education can help thwart bidding on free sketches. Imagine if all readers of UY knew about this and complied (why wouldn't they?)...there'd be no market for the sketches. Comicmonster and his kind would simply crawl back under their rocks and conjure up new ways to take advantage of people.

Other ideas I had:

1) Stan could charge a nominal fee for the more elaborate full-page convention sketches and only do the smaller head sketches for free. I'm sure a reader would gladly pay $5-10 for a typical full-page sketch that Stan usually does for fans he meets. This might deter parasites like Comicmonster from obtaining them, because that means he'd have to PAY for them himself. Stan can still apply the same rules, such as they they must be personalized. I got this idea from attending Star Wars Celebration 4, where fans had to pay a minimum of $10 just for an autograph from a background actor like the guy who played Max Reebo!

2) Reserve the free full-page "elaborate" sketches for certain UY books and comics... in some of the Trades there are nice blank areas where a sketch could be drawn. Stan could simply STOP doing elaborate sketches on loose sheets of paper all together since these are easily sold as separate items. Who in their right mind would bid on a sketch that was actually ripped out of a UY trade or comic? Not happening....The "Special Edition" UY Color Special #1 had a cool blank inside back cover, ideal for larger sketches.

3) Do the elaborate full page sketches ONLY if the fan purchases a UY Book or Trade paperback or what not from Stan's booth. Again, might deter the parasites as they'll have to plunk down cash to get the sketch.

4) Do "free" sketches only on UY-related merchandise, such as the aforementioned trades/comics with the space to make it happen, or on the backs of prints that were purchased from Stan...again the idea is to make Comicmonster pay for the sketch in some way...something I doubt he'd do.

5) Offer free sketches to Dojo Members only. The Dojo is essentially the official UY Fan Club. Of course, it doesn't cost anything to join, but it would be an extra step that jerks like Comicmonster would need to take in order to get a sketch. I could make UYD identification cards that Members would need to print out and bring to the conventions and submit to Stan to get the free sketch. This option could also be used in conjunction with some of the ideas above...almost like a "free sketch coupon" or something.


Hope these ideas help....

Still thinking!!

[Mayhem]

#5 is an interesting idea but I'd hate for casual Usagi fans to miss out. #3 certainly seems the best way forward perhaps... and other people I've met at cons do operate a similar policy, you get a sketch/autograph only on something you've bought from them or produce (book or comic wise) for them to sign.