Please take a moment to read more about it HERE and HERE and finally HERE

For everyone who has enjoyed my postings – think about all the ways that someone could claim infringement (didn’t like the review I gave of a restaurant that had pictures of the food) and have me completely shut down with no warning, discussion, or recourse. It’s a terrible thought, and my site is one that I don’t expect goes on many radars. Now think of much splashier well-visited sites that might be considered competition – easily taken down by a liberal interpretation of SOPA’s intent.

Contact your representatives – let them know that this law cannot be put in effect.

It is a weekend long celebration of everything fantastic about learning and teaching, science and engineering, arts and crafts, and everything in between. It gives a place for every DIY’er and home-brew hacker to come together and show off what they love – creating.

Throughout the day I saw people of all ages learning how things work, and seeing new ideas taking shape. Everyone was having fun, and everyone wore their geek titles proudly.

We arrived at 9 am and already there was a good bit of commotion on the parking lot grounds as everyone finished setting up for the day.

They had a very organized ticket pickup process, which left us with 30 minutes to kill.

I’ve been coming to the Henry Ford since I was a child – courtesy of my grandparents who kept a family membership (which includes all kids and grandkids under 18 – really a good deal) and made an annual outing of seeing the museum. It’s been a few years since I’ve been here though, and amazingly my husband has never been.

A photo enthusiast like myself could spend hours pointing the camera at everything no one else looks at, let alone the actual museum installations.

Finally we killed enough time and were let in. They had signs up with QR codes to unlock an app that let you enter a drawing for an iPad (which were heavily in use everywhere, as portable video displays or robot controllers). Droids were also in abundance of course.

While not exactly Maker Faire – I had to get a shot of the old style Wienermobile. We saw the current one just this year during one of our trips to Chicago so it was cool that this was the first thing we saw walking into the museum space. Yes, I bought a whistle.

The second thing was a Rancor head (complete with drool)…

A fantastic reproduction R2-D2 (all metal!)

Displaying the power of the BeagleBoard. Each tiny chipboard is controlling a single monitor and keeping the video perfectly synched across them. Essentially everything an average laptop can do all on a board the size of a floppy (3.24 inches square). Very impressive.

Some kind of recycled scrap installation art piece. Not entirely sure…. I was amused however to notice after getting home that the art got a picture of me taking a picture of the art:

There was an excellent balloon artist entertaining the kids:

Souvenir tee shirt:

The Maker Works booth showing off a laser cutter – and promoting the opening of an Ann Arbor tech shop where members can use this machine and many more for projects that would require far more investment capital than most of us have.

The always popular MakerBot

My fangirl moment (in the middle of all the rest of the geeky stuff of course) were these adorable Daleks (with the rocket ships behind them):

Another interesting display was the mold casting booth. It offered a great variety of colors of hard plastic as well as malleable rubber for masks. This guy was as well made as he was creepy:

I was REALLY excited to turn the corner and see Shapeways had a booth. I’ve been following them since they started (and they have really come a long way in a short time in terms of materials they offer) but never gotten around to plunking down cash for an order. Being able to see the results in person, hold them and stress test them was fantastic. I am 100% comfortable in suggesting their services to friends and will seriously look at placing an order soon.

Another extrusion based 3D printer – this one however kept the head in place and moved the table as it printed.

Next up was some mechanical demon pony robot that spat fire (my husband: “Of course it does”).

The next photo doesn’t really work without sound – but we’d left the camcorder at home so…. The museum staff were showing off this lovely gramophone and even letting you record your voice on a wax cylinder and playing it back! I thought it was wonderful (I want one) and still amazing that something so simple works so cleanly. I actually liked the sound of my voice on this.

A cyber robot snowman (duh):

Some of the best things were all the hands on demos. For instance – they had a “learn to solder” booth set up where you made this cute little Maker SHED robot for just a $1. I’ve never soldered before and found it a little too small and fiddly for me (especially in a crowd, in the heat, I get frustrated easier) so Chris had to help. They DID have staff helping out of course, but a husband is a better handler of heat induced meltdowns I think.

By now we were pretty hungry and more than ready for some air conditioning time (temps were in the HIGH 90′s, and we’re in a parking lot with no shade) so we headed in to the Michigan Cafe’.

There was a fairly long line (but it moved fast) so I busied myself taking artsy photos:

They have a nice setup to deal with crowds – the full menu board is in sight of the line, and broken up by salads, hot items, and deli things. With a cafeteria style pickup spot for each. Folks know what they want and can go straight to the counter without having to mill about deciding.

Chris got the pulled pork and a side of potatoes. The pork was good, with a slightly sweet tangy sauce to it:

I got the broccoli quiche (with potatoes) which was fantastic. There was a spice that I can’t quite name but gave it a tart citrus kind of flavor that was different. I’m not sure if they make this in house or if it’s brought in, but I’d buy a whole pan!

Revived and cooled for the moment – we ventured back outside. Right into a couple of Stormtroopers. “We support the Empire – honest!”
The always fantastic 501st Legion – Great Lakes Garrison division.

Demonstrating electricity generation by people power:

Sadly, we didn’t get to see the Imax video – but seeing the Tornado Intercept Vehicle in person was awesome.

We have a LARGE yard. We own a piddly push mower with a wonky back wheel (though we’re grateful for it, as it was a hand me down, else we wouldn’t have one at all) that takes many many passes to tame our lawn. So I was not surprised when this made Chris’ eyes light up like it was his birthday:

Uhm, hmmm… okay….

Tusken Raider!

Nyan Cat! Yes – it was animated too, and he sang the song. This guy never was without a crowd whenever we went by (I also saw him playing videos from The Simpsons).

For the last event of the day we stopped to watch the Life Size Mousetrap game:

It was a very cool thing to watch (and yes I tipped him).

That was our day at Maker Faire. There was a ton I didn’t get photos of (just far too hot for me to deal with – even the camera was almost too warm to touch) but hopefully I’ll have more photos to feature next year. Who knows, maybe we’ll be there SHOWING an invention?

According to their website:

In 1983 a group of Hot Air Balloon enthusiast who lived in and around Jackson came up with the dream of a family friendly event for the Jackson Community. The Hot Air Jubilee was born. Since then the Jubilee has grown to an event that thousands of people attend every summer. 35-40 Balloons come in from around the country to participate in the friendly rivalry of the contests.

There was definitely a large crowd of people there when I arrived, and it was a bright hot July day to be sure. There was quite a bit of shade afforded by the trees and as long as you stayed hydrated it was tolerable. They had the usual carnival games like water guns and shooting hoops.

I was tempted to play if it meant winning this fuzzy guy.

The Jackson RC club was also out – showing off their confidence with their planes with barrel rolls and nose dives.

I caught this dragonfly taking a break on a car antenna – no doubt letting his wings cool in the slight breeze.

It was equally entertaining watching what goes into getting a balloon set up as it was the actual launches.

This little girl was having a blast with her bubble gun.

The obvious fan favorite was Sugar Bear of course.

I highly recommend if you’re within any reasonable driving distance that you check them out next year.

View the full gallery HERE.

For part 2  I’d like to go over some of the things that AA staff can do (or has done in the past that stuck with me) to really make the experience that much greater for the artists.

Registration and check-in – Let me register everything together – badge(s) and table(s).  Preferably there should be a package deal so I am not forced to register early for badges before knowing if I have a table.  Unfortunately I cannot go to nearly as many conventions if I’m not selling, and having to get locked into a badge ahead of time is a turnoff.

Check-in should be the day before if at all possible.  Otherwise, at least an hour or two before opening so I have time to settle and set up before it opens to the public.  I actually prefer assigned seating to first come.  There’s nothing worse than having to elbow someone out of the way, or make someone move after they’re set up because of an electrical outlet placement.  Get your tables laid out, and make sure everyone’s needs are accommodated.  Very few alley’s do not assign anymore, as it is more trouble to deal with fallout.  Be firm!  A layout has more benefit to everyone.

Layout, layout, layout – No matter how long or short the convention, eventually your butt starts to go numb and you start feeling claustrophobic.  Artists are there to be AT our table to sell our art, and if you make sure there is enough space between the table and the wall and a gap between every 2-3 tables for someone to get out for the occasional potty/water/food break it makes life so much better.  Believe it or not, this has been overlooked at some cons.

Speaking of…
Water/Food – Not all conventions have the luxury of staff to do so but man do I appreciate when someone is able to come by and offer to do a “food run”.  Bottles of water, the generic cheese pizza (ie a bunch were ordered and someone brings some by the AA).  At the very least – making it well known where the drinking fountains/closest food or snacks/restrooms are in relation to the Alley is awesome.

Advertising – Many folks have some sort of website these days, whether it’s a deviant art account, a full website setup, or just facebook/flickr/twitter.  Listing prominently on the convention site who is coming and how to find out about them before hand (or get in touch after) makes a really big difference.  It increases the odds for commissions (and allows for the potential of more commissions than you could do at the con), generally gets people interested in the AA, and gives an easy way to follow up if there’s any problems/praise afterwords.

Trash – No, don’t give me trash, give me a place to put it.  Easily accessible, frequently monitored/emptied, and enough to accommodate the number of people in AA and attendees passing through.

Attention – Come acknowledge me!  Please take a minute to come by and introduce yourself – odds are I’ve only talked to you online and sometimes not even that (most cons have just a form and never need to talk one on one with the DH) and I’d love if you stopped by, said hello, and made sure things are going well.  It shows you’re paying attention to the Alley, the people in it, and are truly open to feedback…

Feedback! -  Paper survey, online forum post, anonymous form – give me some way to give all my criticism and happy thoughts.

These are some of the things that I, as an artist and “business person”, have … wait. I need to cover something first. I frequently hear that if you’re in AA you shouldn’t be running a business because that’s what the Dealer’s Room is for. This is a lame argument from people who aren’t getting enough traffic/revenue/positive feedback at their table. That’s my opinion. Deal.

Artist’s Alley exists to PROMOTE and ELEVATE the artist and their work. Presumably, most artists would eventually like to get somewhere with that – be it independently published or tapped to do artwork for a major studio. To get to that point (and notice I said “most” artists – it’s fine if you’re doing this just because you like to draw and have no greater goals) you need to set up a serious business model.

Your art needs to be presented well. You need to have a good solid pricing structure. You need business cards, a web presence for your portfolio, proper tracking of profit and overhead, a name and preferably a good logo. You need to BE professional to BECOME a professional.

Dirk Tiede is a great example of this (plus he’s just a nice guy with a very cool web comic) – his table is very nicely put together – he’s got a clear, easy to navigate website – and he’s on book 3 in his storyline. His books are not through a major retailer – he generates the money needed for a printing by presales. If he were forced into a dealer’s booth, even at the lowest tier, I don’t think he’d manage nearly so many appearances – budget just would not permit.

Sadly, that would mean I wouldn’t have met him, and likely wouldn’t have found his comic let alone own all three books. (I’m a fan, but in no way getting compensated for this little promotion. In fact, I doubt he knows I HAVE a blog. )

He is first and foremost an ARTIST. An artist that is doing well, and rightly so. However, his stuff would be largely overlooked and overwhelmed by the dealer’s booths with their 10 foot tall mobile store fronts. He is and should be in AA when he goes to conventions.

Now, someone who is employed and represented by a company like VIZ, would most likely have their booth costs absorbed by the company as promotional budget. They are often in the Dealer’s Room (if they personally have a booth at all) because they are working on a larger scale than your standard (even well established) artist.

I will grant you this distinction is grey, and often changing, and even subject to variation just between conventions. Something like Comic Con where no matter what booth you have or where you’re at you are fighting for attention – it’s almost a moot point. Artist’s and Dealer’s are almost indistinguishably blurred.

So what about me? Some don’t even think I’m an artist. I don’t draw… okay, I do a mean squirrel, and a pretty good goat head in top hat and monocle (no, really, it was a commission), but I don’t do any traditional drawing. I don’t sell prints. I sell buttons at my table. AWESOME buttons, but to some they’re just buttons.

Personally I think I’m different (and I won’t get into art vs crafts) because there is still unique art/design going into all my buttons. I spend hours tweaking and perfecting each one to get the look I want. Not to mention, each one is made on site. I don’t bring anything pre-assembled. Secondly, I offer custom buttons. In the dealer’s room, I don’t think I could offer that at all. The personal commissions that require lengthy interaction and quiet conversation. Like most artists – if pressed I’d have to stop attending conventions before I could afford a Dealer’s booth.

That would make me sad – and I’d like to think it would upset my customers too. The people who come up year after year, pointing out which one’s they’ve bought before that are pinned to their bag/hat/jacket. The stories of how a friend nearly stole one because it was so cool, or started a conversation between strangers. My art is always on display – and I like that aspect.

To keep going to all the conventions I do – some several hours drive, some several nights stay in hotels – requires a tight monitoring of my finances. I have to at least break even if I’m going to keep doing what I do. My way isn’t the only way, and I do have FUN at the convention. I certainly didn’t break even my first, second, or even third year. It’s been a long time developing my business. Expanding my designs, constantly rotating new ones in, offering new options, doing wholesale products on my website and to other artists. It’s work! But I love it.

So, you could come away from this post as just a lengthy way of justifying my existence in AA – but truly I hope if you thought otherwise, that you’ve reconsidered just what AA is and the great mix of “artists” of all mediums that exist there.

First – the launch of my official photography site is coming soon. It’s live at: http://photos.disjointedimages.com but right now there’s not much to see in the galleries. Expect more and a full announcement later on that.

Second – Chris (the brains behind DisjointedCode) will be moving to his own blog soon. He has lots of cool stuff and ideas to share and wanted his own space so we’re not competing here. Don’t blame him! Details once he’s all settled in.

So this place will be all things buttons/photos/cosplay/ and the mad ramblings of yours truly – and Chris will have a spot for MahJong House updates/random programming geekery/and his personal ramblings of a more binary sort.

Thanks for sticking through the virtual construction.

Not long after we came back from our honeymoon, it was time to get everything together for Youmacon. It was a great weekend, lots of our fan/customers coming by to see the new designs, and a few new people too. I got to draw a squirrel, a goat with a monocle, a wolf, and will forever be haunted by the epic man nipples. (You had to be there…)

We had an even greater response to the current release of the game, which made me float with happiness. Thank you to everyone who tried, commented, and (yay!) bought a copy!

As Chris mentioned, the next release will be Linux, and shortly after that we will start putting out some of the expanded rewards and tiles.

I am also oh so excited to announce that I have been accepted on staff for ACEN. I will be assisting with both the website and Artist’s Alley. This delights me to no end; as many of you know, I am a people pleaser, and to be part of the workings the make ACEN what it is for so many just really makes me smile.

Of course, this doesn’t give me any slack on keeping you guys entertained with more humorous buttons each year, and fret not, as I am hard at work with quite a few new designs.

Please look for us next at Animarathon in Ohio.

After poking around and signing up, I found I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a very well made site, and shock of shocks, it works as advertised! You can find me at: http://raptr.com/disjointedimages

One of the downsides to developing a game, is that actually getting to play any is difficult. I’ve got quite a few recent and/or soon to be released games that I’d love to sit down with. Hopefully you’ll see my status update as I get that chance, along with further reviews here. Here’s my short lineup:

Tales of Monkey Island – C’mon! A new Monkey Island game?! I love it right there, at the title. Seriously, though. It looks like a great setup, and nice to see developers from the previous games on board. Even better…

The Secret of Monkey Island – Special Edition – A revamp and release of the original “started it all” Monkey Island game.

The Beatles: Rock Band (9-9-09) – This just goes without saying. First, it’s the Beatles. An amazing selection too from the Abbey Road album. By far, Rock Band has been the best return for my money hands down. I have the ION drum kit, and a lot of DLC music too, and even with that extra investment, I still find it worth every penny. So I have no qualms picking up a standalone game to be able to have that kind of fun with some of my favorite music.

Forza 3 (10-27-09) – A really nice looking game, and it’s been a while since I’ve had a new racing title. I look forward to this one.

As you can guess based on the list that’s there, I’ve got some wide ranging tastes. One of my favorite radio stations is CBC Radio 2. Though, with the format change, I don’t get to listen to enough of it when I’m on my way to work these days.

It’s a station based in Canada, and covers every possible genre over the course of the day. Tom Allen delights me with his personal chatter in the morning. Tonic has some great jazz (responsible for the Oh My My on that list), and Nightstream is like your subconscious playing DJ. Some of my favorite songs started with me staring at my radio wondering what the heck was playing!

Got a favorite song that I have to hear? Post it in the comments.