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Returned from MFF (Don't Go to Illinois)
19 years ago
General
So yeah, I'm back. So I did end up getting a room at the last minute, and I must say that was some luck. Roomed with several people, but they were all awsome. Some older, giant black guy with a voice like gravel: fucking amazing. A younger guy named Unknown Wolf who was also totally awsome. Gave a ride to a friend of theirs in Michigan goes by dBull, whom it ends up had been an inker for Marvel. That was pretty cool. The guy running the room was Zak Rhino, a good guy. So yeah, lucked out there.
The con was... and endurance test. Thanks to Traffic and bad directions from the internet and locals alike, a 5 hour drive became more like 11 hours. Then the con got more than three times the expected turnout, so the artist's alley became hotly contested. For those that haven't been, at MFF a certain number of badges (roughly half the number of artist alley seats) are sold that guarantee you a spot, even if they have to through someone out. This is the first year they had to throw people out, and it was a lot. I was one of the first on saturday, but an hour later I got back in. Then there's the whole 10 AM to 12 PM thing, which is great for selling, but awful for sleep. I got maybe 6 hours of sleep between thursday afternoon (didn't sleep before the drive) and sunday night (after another 5 or so hours of driving). By sunday, I literally told a couple of people I just didn't feel up to drawing.
On the other hand, being there was great. Got to see a lot of friends, and met some new folks. Not sure if it's the name he uses here or not, but I have to give a shout out to the guy going by Fanboy Justin, whom is actually a fan of Lafitte and actually paid me to draw her. This is sort of pinnacle experience in my life, you must understand, and gave me a massive ego boost. Ben Racoon was another person we met who was cool, and Lyenuv, who was awsome. The fursuits were really intersting (the, like, 7 foot cyborg furry with truly digitigrade feet, and the satyr with seemingly digitigrade, hooved legs were my favorites). Ran into familiar faces, like my old friend Swann, Silver Fenrir, and Skandranon (if I forgot to list you, sorry). Met some friends of the local Skates who didn't know he was back in Ohio, including 2, who want us to visit.
The real problem with the con, though, is that it takes place in a little place the Mob calls Chicago, and I call hell. That city pissed me off more than Texas, and the rest of Illinois angered me too. Sorry for those who live there, but shit! I had to pay just to enter the state (in case you don't know, this is fairly unique for a landlocked state), then I had to pay THREE seperate tolls to get on, and then stay on their innercity freeway. A freeway that LITTERALLY backed up for many, many miles at each toll, since less than a quarter of the booths for these tolls were for people with cash. The rest were for people with some fucking pass, but it didn't matter, they still waited as long since most traffic was cash, so the traffic jam was unavoidable.
Add to this the maze-like structure of the city, the way everyone who gave directions seemed to live in Bizaroo Chicago, and that these traffic problems existed for LEAVING the damned city too, and you have a big sign that says "SALALI HATES YOUR FUCKING STATE!"
Oh yeah, sales were abysmal over all for me, but Snakes sales were beyond anything we could have imagined. Truly a mixed bag trip.
The single best thing, though, is that a got a badge from Java of Lafitte! It's the most beautiful badge I've ever seen, too! She also gave me some tips on using watercolor without it taking so much time and space. I was taught by my mother, who is a professional illustrator who uses water color, but doing it properly takes an immense amount of time and space. Now I know how to cut some corners, so hopefully I'll have some traditional coloring soon.
Oh, the other best thing! Heather Bruton liked the badge she did for me so much that she actually remembers me, and we actually spent a while just talking... about bull shit. It was pretty cool.
Well, I can't think of anything else to complain about now, but I'm sure I will, so there'll likely be edits. Oh yeah, and three new art pieces.
The con was... and endurance test. Thanks to Traffic and bad directions from the internet and locals alike, a 5 hour drive became more like 11 hours. Then the con got more than three times the expected turnout, so the artist's alley became hotly contested. For those that haven't been, at MFF a certain number of badges (roughly half the number of artist alley seats) are sold that guarantee you a spot, even if they have to through someone out. This is the first year they had to throw people out, and it was a lot. I was one of the first on saturday, but an hour later I got back in. Then there's the whole 10 AM to 12 PM thing, which is great for selling, but awful for sleep. I got maybe 6 hours of sleep between thursday afternoon (didn't sleep before the drive) and sunday night (after another 5 or so hours of driving). By sunday, I literally told a couple of people I just didn't feel up to drawing.
On the other hand, being there was great. Got to see a lot of friends, and met some new folks. Not sure if it's the name he uses here or not, but I have to give a shout out to the guy going by Fanboy Justin, whom is actually a fan of Lafitte and actually paid me to draw her. This is sort of pinnacle experience in my life, you must understand, and gave me a massive ego boost. Ben Racoon was another person we met who was cool, and Lyenuv, who was awsome. The fursuits were really intersting (the, like, 7 foot cyborg furry with truly digitigrade feet, and the satyr with seemingly digitigrade, hooved legs were my favorites). Ran into familiar faces, like my old friend Swann, Silver Fenrir, and Skandranon (if I forgot to list you, sorry). Met some friends of the local Skates who didn't know he was back in Ohio, including 2, who want us to visit.
The real problem with the con, though, is that it takes place in a little place the Mob calls Chicago, and I call hell. That city pissed me off more than Texas, and the rest of Illinois angered me too. Sorry for those who live there, but shit! I had to pay just to enter the state (in case you don't know, this is fairly unique for a landlocked state), then I had to pay THREE seperate tolls to get on, and then stay on their innercity freeway. A freeway that LITTERALLY backed up for many, many miles at each toll, since less than a quarter of the booths for these tolls were for people with cash. The rest were for people with some fucking pass, but it didn't matter, they still waited as long since most traffic was cash, so the traffic jam was unavoidable.
Add to this the maze-like structure of the city, the way everyone who gave directions seemed to live in Bizaroo Chicago, and that these traffic problems existed for LEAVING the damned city too, and you have a big sign that says "SALALI HATES YOUR FUCKING STATE!"
Oh yeah, sales were abysmal over all for me, but Snakes sales were beyond anything we could have imagined. Truly a mixed bag trip.
The single best thing, though, is that a got a badge from Java of Lafitte! It's the most beautiful badge I've ever seen, too! She also gave me some tips on using watercolor without it taking so much time and space. I was taught by my mother, who is a professional illustrator who uses water color, but doing it properly takes an immense amount of time and space. Now I know how to cut some corners, so hopefully I'll have some traditional coloring soon.
Oh, the other best thing! Heather Bruton liked the badge she did for me so much that she actually remembers me, and we actually spent a while just talking... about bull shit. It was pretty cool.
Well, I can't think of anything else to complain about now, but I'm sure I will, so there'll likely be edits. Oh yeah, and three new art pieces.
But yeas, seriously. I don't know how the locals were so fucked up they couldn't find the hotel either. O.o
Granted, I always get confused on where that elusive Day's Inn is in this town, and we've got like 2 square feet to call 'town'. XD