Posts
A Review of the Comics Convention…
Hi Guys,
This Saturday saw me attending the second annual Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds. It was the first time I had attended, having missed last year’s event. I arrived early in the morning and spent the early part of the festival looking around, getting my bearings and chatting to old friends and new ones. After lunch I met folks at my table where I sketched and signed in The Royal Armouries Saviles Hall in the afternoon.
The venue is great and is situated in a nice shopping mall area with a car park not more than a few yards away from the front entrance, which made the carrying and setting up of the table very easy indeed. As we were leaving the area’s trees were all decorated and lit up by small blue bulbs – a very pleasant experience to end the day.
Inside the Saviles Hall you enter a foyer area, which contains the reception area, a small café, access to the toilet areas and the entrances to the convention rooms. The main area was bright with high ceilings, which stopped any claustrophobic feelings, with lots of space for folks to move about and browse and chat.
On arriving I took time to look around the hall to get my bearings. I spent most of the morning, until it was time to set up and start sketching and signing walking about, meeting up with colleagues I have known for years and lots of new ones too.
I had long conversations with Dean Ormston, who had some stunning black and white artwork for sale and his partner, Fiona Stephenson, who had some replica Gil Elvgren paintings for sale, Al Davison and his wife, Maggie, whose stall looked great as usual, Dave Windett, who accompanied me on the way home, and Nigel Dobbyn. I also caught up with Liam Sharp, Barry Kitson, who as always had a huge queue for sketches all day, Harry Markos, Ian Sharman, John Anderson of Soaring Penguin and the Comic Creators Guild, Staz Johnson and Colin Mathieson of Accent Comics, and a very brief chat just as he was leaving with Neil Edwards.
I also managed to speak briefly to Mike Carey, the first time in about almost ten years, and Doug Braithwaite as he went to find the Café.
I met Liz Greenfield for the first time – Her stall looked absolutely great with some fantastic stuff on display. I also met a young artist called Wynn Ryder and Autumn Wainwright, who showed me some wonderful hand made comic books, which included some dried flowers and personal hand-written prose pieces in the pages and another artist called Dan Barritt based in Leeds, whose unique style of juxtaposed artwork impressed me.
I also had the privilege of speaking to a lot of other new guys on the block self-publishing their work…I hate the term small-press and prefer to look on them all as self-publishers as there is some really remarkable stuff out there from them.
As usual nowadays there were lots of folks in cosplay fancy dress as their favourite characters, some of which were very detailed and must have taken ages to make and change into.
Many thanks go out to all those of you that took out to visit my tables and have a chat and check out and buy copies of my “Worlds End” Ashcan, Limited Edition Sketch Book, Bookmarks, Posters, Mouse Mats and stuff, and I hope you liked the “Freebies" too. Also thanks to those that asked for a sketch from me.
I would just like to say a very BIG thanks for inviting me along and looking after me whilst there to Tamsin, Lisa and all the Thought Bubble staff, who made my stay a totally enjoyable experience. It really was a fun event with lots going on. I am very much looking forward to attending next year’s event – maybe with a full-blown Wizards Keep stand.
Sadly I was unable to attend the after show party, which I had intended on going along to, but current deadlines loomed and I had to get back to the studio to begin work again…again, hopefully, next time.
Anyhow for you guys out there, especially those unable to attend here are some photos to accompany my above thoughts and musings on the convention.
Hi Guys,
This Saturday saw me attending the second annual Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds. It was the first time I had attended, having missed last year’s event. I arrived early in the morning and spent the early part of the festival looking around, getting my bearings and chatting to old friends and new ones. After lunch I met folks at my table where I sketched and signed in The Royal Armouries Saviles Hall in the afternoon.
The venue is great and is situated in a nice shopping mall area with a car park not more than a few yards away from the front entrance, which made the carrying and setting up of the table very easy indeed. As we were leaving the area’s trees were all decorated and lit up by small blue bulbs – a very pleasant experience to end the day.
Inside the Saviles Hall you enter a foyer area, which contains the reception area, a small café, access to the toilet areas and the entrances to the convention rooms. The main area was bright with high ceilings, which stopped any claustrophobic feelings, with lots of space for folks to move about and browse and chat.
On arriving I took time to look around the hall to get my bearings. I spent most of the morning, until it was time to set up and start sketching and signing walking about, meeting up with colleagues I have known for years and lots of new ones too.
I had long conversations with Dean Ormston, who had some stunning black and white artwork for sale and his partner, Fiona Stephenson, who had some replica Gil Elvgren paintings for sale, Al Davison and his wife, Maggie, whose stall looked great as usual, Dave Windett, who accompanied me on the way home, and Nigel Dobbyn. I also caught up with Liam Sharp, Barry Kitson, who as always had a huge queue for sketches all day, Harry Markos, Ian Sharman, John Anderson of Soaring Penguin and the Comic Creators Guild, Staz Johnson and Colin Mathieson of Accent Comics, and a very brief chat just as he was leaving with Neil Edwards.
I also managed to speak briefly to Mike Carey, the first time in about almost ten years, and Doug Braithwaite as he went to find the Café.
I met Liz Greenfield for the first time – Her stall looked absolutely great with some fantastic stuff on display. I also met a young artist called Wynn Ryder and Autumn Wainwright, who showed me some wonderful hand made comic books, which included some dried flowers and personal hand-written prose pieces in the pages and another artist called Dan Barritt based in Leeds, whose unique style of juxtaposed artwork impressed me.
I also had the privilege of speaking to a lot of other new guys on the block self-publishing their work…I hate the term small-press and prefer to look on them all as self-publishers as there is some really remarkable stuff out there from them.
As usual nowadays there were lots of folks in cosplay fancy dress as their favourite characters, some of which were very detailed and must have taken ages to make and change into.
Many thanks go out to all those of you that took out to visit my tables and have a chat and check out and buy copies of my “Worlds End” Ashcan, Limited Edition Sketch Book, Bookmarks, Posters, Mouse Mats and stuff, and I hope you liked the “Freebies" too. Also thanks to those that asked for a sketch from me.
I would just like to say a very BIG thanks for inviting me along and looking after me whilst there to Tamsin, Lisa and all the Thought Bubble staff, who made my stay a totally enjoyable experience. It really was a fun event with lots going on. I am very much looking forward to attending next year’s event – maybe with a full-blown Wizards Keep stand.
Sadly I was unable to attend the after show party, which I had intended on going along to, but current deadlines loomed and I had to get back to the studio to begin work again…again, hopefully, next time.
Anyhow for you guys out there, especially those unable to attend here are some photos to accompany my above thoughts and musings on the convention.
Nigel Dobbyn Sketches with Dave Windett looking on
Dave Windett Shows off his cover to the latest DFC
Fiona Stephenson with her BeautifulGil Elvgren Replica Paintings
Harry Markos at the Mighty Markosia tables 
Barry Kitson doing what he does best - pleasing the fans!
One of my favourite comic guys - Liam Sharp
John Anderson with his copy of the AshcanColin Mathieson and the Funsters Gang
Al Davison and his wife Maggie at the Astral Gypsy stall 
Liz Greenfield and her Stuff Sucks table
One of the many Cosplayers at the Festival
A shot of one of the many aisles at the Festival
Until next time have fun!
Tim Perkins…
November 17th 2008
4 comments:
Really nice meeting you, Tim!
And you too mate.
It's always great to chat to folks at these events.
Hope we can do it again soon.
Best,
Tim...
;D
How ironic that the comic convention with the best rep in England is in my hometown... and me 6,000 miles away.
Rich!
Hey and it's on my doorstep (nearly) too.
I reckon they want you back there in Leeds, which is why the event was so good.
Hope you are well, Rich.
Thanks for dropping by.
Best,
Tim...
;D
Post a Comment