August Newsletter - Art updates, events, and general yapping! (Patreon)

Howdy, sugar cubes!

July came and went, and now we find ourselves in lovely little August. So many things have happened!

Back in July, I had a few events I was at. There was the Tractor Tavern Maker's Market in Ballard, and the Goblin Art Market at Outsider Comics. The Tractor Tavern event was... interesting, to say the least? I can now officially say that I made negative money somewhere. I think after parking and table fee, I was about -$15 in the hole by the end of the day. Oh well! Thus is the way of life. I always try local/small events at least once, just so I can get an idea of what the vibe. It probably didn't help that there was also an event happening on the street outside, blocking the main entryway. HOWEVER! I did get a LOT of sketching done behind my table, and I had my lovely friends texting my throughout the day. So not all is lost.

pen sketch of my wife and our girlfriend

Goblin Art Market was surprisingly REALLY GOOD. At first, I wasn't sure how it would go. The table was free, so I was just happy to be there. It was a small event held behind Outsider Comics, in the back alley/parking lot area. It was bright and sunny all day (I really need to invest in a tent. oh my god) but Wing, the shopkeep, did an amazing job of directing store traffic to come visit us in the back. There was a pretty healthy flow of people through the day, and I was pleasantly surprised! I actually ended up selling all but ONE of my copies of the Pink Sugar graphic novel. Turns out, people shopping at a gay comic store, are happy to buy gay comics in an alley. Who would have guessed! Wing was also extremely nice to me, and I love that she also had a snack/drink table set up for us inside. She's good people.

What a good wifi password at Outsider Comics!

I went BACK to Tractor Tavern at the end of the month, to go see The Family Crest performing live. They're one of my wife's all-time favorite bands so, if you are in need of music that is perfect for your fantasy ttrpg characters, I cannot recommend them enough.

OH !!! AND I GOT LEGALLY MARRIED IN JULY !!! LET'S GO !!! It's super awesome ! But in my mind, Freya and I have been married for like 5 years. So it more just feels like the legal world has finally caught up with us. I'm not just a regular housewife anymore, I'm a TAX BENEFITS HOUSEWIFE!

Bonus cute drawing of my wife

August, August, August, let's see...

I have mostly been preparing for Rose City Comic Con coming up in a few weeks. My art/work budget this month is fairly limited, especially since finding an airbnb near the convention center in Portland ate a pretty big chunk out of it. But! I am making it work. I have no issue returning to my roots as a very thrifty person raised by a very thrifty mother. If there's something I cannot afford brand new, I re-arrange my priorities, re-evaluate, re-use what I can, and DIY anything I am comfortable with.

Which brings me to my next subject...
THE SELF SERVE STICKER BOARD!!!

I debuted this baby at Tacoma Stickerfest on August 10, and I could not be happier. I bought a $13 piece of pegboard from Home Depot, spray painted it, drew on some cute sparkles, and zip tied it to my grid squares. All in all, it cost maybe $30, including the hooks and the self-adhesive hang tabs.

My only thoughts are that the hooks were a bit long for what I needed. My plan is to make another pegboard, with 4" hooks, and use that one for stickers, and the first one for buttons. I think it will work out amazingly, and I am so excited to graduate from my cork board display.

Tacoma Stickerfest itself was a lot of fun! I liked the concept. It was a first-time event, hosted in Wright Park, $40 table, and I like hanging around Tacoma anyway. I think it ran a bit long, though. It ran from 12-7, when it could've been more of a 12-4 kind of deal. However, I was grateful for the opportunity to supplement my art budget a bit, and I have a bit more spending money for booth upgrades now. The highlight of my day was when my sweet friend came by with pizza for me, and I took a little lunch break so we could sit under a tree together and chat. Do you know how significant that I, of all people, took a BREAK ? To go sit with someone ? I love making money, and I LOVE working. I love standing behind my table and going into NPC mode. This girl is just that special, I tell you what.

Tomorrow, I am running a few more silly errands for my silly little business. I'll be going to Home Depot AGAIN for another pegboard because I am a man possessed, and swinging by staples for my nice new signage for my booth.

OH FUCK THAT REMINDS ME !

Right after my cute friend left at Stickerfest and I was blushing into the distance like a fool, I looked down at my phone and there was an EMAIL !!! FROM KING'S BOOKSTORE !! INVITING ME TO AN AUTHOR SIGNING EVENT ???? They're doing some sort of local romance author book signing promotion and invited me to bring more copies of PS, hang around and sign them for a bit, since the book has been doing well at this location. It was pretty mind-boggling, honestly. I'm still letting the reality settle in. That just feels so fucking cool. I am so grateful that I get to live in a world where people read and enjoy my gay little comic. What a huge privilege that is. What a blessing.

Even more so, because Pink Sugar is the first comic I've ever made. I didn't really have much writing or comic experience before this. I'm so grateful anyone else loves it.

That being said, my middlest brother will be visiting from August 14-23. If comic pages are a bit slower to update during that time, it is because I am fulfilling my cool older sister responsibilities by taking my brother to an indoor rock climbing facility so he can throw himself at a rock wall for hours until he's exhausted. He always wants to accompany me to the romance book author signing (???) so we'll see how that goes. He's a funny kid. (22 year old man) funny kid.

xoxoxo
Alex
Dulceskull