This is a lot harder then I thought it would be.

[luco]

So, I'm still hunting, but I think I suck at it, and I'm very annoyed about that. Then again, it would probably help if I wasn't too damn shy (yes I'm shy so shut up!) to ask other artists about it.

I mean, I just want to be able to print 'Legend' (and a few other ideas I have worked out) but I can't find a place around here that will help me out ;____; And it's driving me insane! You would think going to an art school would help but noooooo....everyone seems to think their printers are a closely guarded secret and won't share the info. DA artists seem to be the same way and it's really starting to annoy me.

I mean, everyone else seems to be able to find a printer they can afford and I can't.

And I really want to.

I want to be able to take all those sketchy comics I've done and finalize them. I want to put a whole bunch of extra pretty stuff in there and be able to offer it to you guys. I want to be able to sell them at a bit of profit. Enough that I can take that money and work on more art and slowly start getting stuff together so that one day I can do some original stuff (while still doing fan-based stuff because there are some characters I'll NEVER get tired of playing with...) and I want to make a living out of it.

*sighs*

Never thought the first step would stump me.

Guess, I'll stop growling at my computer and go back to packing. I'll be moving back to Toronto this weekend where I will be cleaning and organizing my room and studio. Even without a damn printer I still want to have a place where I can seriously start to work on all these ideas.

Actually...

I'll ask you to be brutally honest.

Do you think people would want to buy Legend and other things I've done?

Comments

[jpegasus.livejournal.com]

Have you tried asking pondy? I know she and blue put together a doujin for last year's Yaoi-con.

I think people would buy your stuff -- the stories I've seen you do are interesting, cute, and well drawn. Well-drawn doujin is sort of a rarity in itself, so having the art + interesting story is extra fabulous.

Would you be doing the FFVII chibi plushie comics as well, or are there other things you were thinking of (Legend is really only the big comic I can think of right now, I'm sorry if I'm forgetting other important ones!)

[dragovianknight.livejournal.com]

Perhaps telophase would reveal who her printer is?

I would buy your stuff. You're a fabulous artist and a great storyteller.

[dragovianknight.livejournal.com]

How are you searching for a printer, btw?

[onnaevilsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah! I would definatly buy the comic if you published it! I really adore at how you draw Sanji.. and hips.. I like how you draw hips. XDDDD

Anywho, I would help you out .. but alas I am in the U.S. ( Colorado ) X_X

Good luck on the move! *hug*

[devlinnreiko.livejournal.com]

Me and a few others I know would buy your stuff (I would especially buy Legend). I actually showed a few of my friends some of the art I bought from you at AN, and they realy liked it so they're potential buyers.

I know one or two people that would buy some of the FFVII stuff you have. I'm an art collector whore sadly. I have a large box that filled wiyj half of my stuff and half of what others have done.

Have fun moving back to Toronto.

[imagines.livejournal.com]

Do you think people would want to buy Legend and other things I've done?

HOLY SHIT YES. O_____O

[rock-dy.livejournal.com]

Your Canadian, right? Since I'm from winnipeg, I can't zackly help you to the T, yet theres prolly quite a few independent print shops (the kind that photocopy) that can help you. Thing is, they advert as the 'photocopy' kinda- which is what throws people off. Be sure to actually check what kind of printing they do before moving to the next
ALSO Staples, Armstrong, (place that looks like UPS, but isn't... sorry name escapes but is Canadian).. places like these can help you- yet I dunno the price range.
Most offer discounts to those who print in bulk (book form). The key is to look around and try to fox a deal or so.

BTW people in art schools= snoots. Not all, yet most. Turn to teachers for information since most artists do keep hunts to themselves (I know I do XD- but I also like to help).

[rock-dy.livejournal.com]

OH! Have you looked to online book places for help? Like lulu.com or whatever its called >.>

[salmon-pink.livejournal.com]

Would buy. No questions asked, simple as that. ;)

[ripfangdragon.livejournal.com]

If I could, I'd buy in a heartbeat.

Are you gonna be part of the Artist's Alley at Otakon?
If so, I'm considering commissioning you <3

[travellyr.livejournal.com]

I would buy your work. I'm actually kinda sad that I have not bought the Zoro!kitty T-shirt, despite only having $3.16 to my name, INCLUDING my checking account (God bless my parents for feeding me ._.).
BUT! September is coming, and with it, EMPLOYMENT YAY!

Don't give up! I'm sorry you're having such a hard time finding a printer.

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

I would buy Legends! And I'd not even spend the normal hours of dithering on whether or not I should spend the money or eat or save or something -- Legends all the way! *I do so adore your artwork, even though I've said it several times*

[travellyr.livejournal.com]

Ne, Luco- I dunno what you want to print, besides your comics, but an artist friend of mine who works at a print shop (they do brochures and flyers and business cards and such) said lulu.com for comics. I have a book printed by lulu.com- they do good work.

She also said "posters? Just search for local copy shops in the area, call for price comparisons and take a look throug examples of their printed work. Print shops may have poster-size stuff but on the level of mine it goes up to 13-19" since we use a digital color copier. The quality of the Xerox Docucolor 240/250 is extremely high and I am quite pleased with its results. So I endorse that printer.
"Printers that use offset presses and 4-color presses will often require a high run to make it worth their while, so you'd have to order several hundred copies in advance usually. It's a lot of labor for setup.
"Copies themselves tend to be cheaper if you get a lot. Making a comic book is feasible if you make enough copies. I'm making a 20-page book that will boil down to 10 black and white copies per book, at 50 books that's 500 copies, so it gets pretty cheap for me to run. It ends up like 60 cents a book that way. I'm binding them myself because Tiffers has a special stapler for this sort of thing. If they had to saddlestitch them there'd be a fee."

Did that help any?
She'll also be at Otakon selling prints and koozies and stuff, if you're going. She may look FIERCE, and actually, she IS fierce, but fear not! She's actually very nice and loves kittens.

[travellyr.livejournal.com]

....blasted girl kept talking after I hit "post comment"....


"But Lulu will do comic books and you don't have to put an money down and you have unlimited orders that way, so I'd suggest doing that.
"And HAVE EVERYTHING LAID OUT AND ON A CD. CALL AHEAD to ask what format they will accept. DO ALL OF YOUR OWN SETUP because if they have to do anything except hit print, you will probably pay a fee. At my shop it's $15 setup."

(and if setup is difficult, and you're being a 'tard about it, the print shop graphic workers will call their friends and RANT about it. How do I know this? Oh, no reason.... *whistles innocently*)

Final words: (I think)
"Avoid name-brand places and chains like Kinko's and stick to local businesses. Kinko's is equivalent to assrape. And remember paper may change cost. Oh, and if it's fanart, most local places won't care. Kinko's has a rule against it."

[kala-aira.livejournal.com]

I would absolutly buy a copy of Legend! And read it everyday!

[stephaniecmc.livejournal.com]

Legend? Where? *gives bank account number to you and holds out grabby hands*

Since I'm halfway around the world, I can't really help with the printer...Unless you want to print it over here...which would then be cheap for you...but a real hassle...

Anyhow, I hit the Search button on Google and found these 2 places... Seems nice... Maybe you want to check it out? Links:

http://printx.ca/services.htm
http://www.imagetechprint.com/services.htm

Hope it helped!

[tripoverhercats.livejournal.com]

As a proud owner of Zoro!kitty tshirts, I dare say my answer would be "hell yes!".

I unfortunately have zero clue as to printing, I think the one person I've bought English doujin from prints them herself (PL Nunn).

But oh yesh, definately yesh! Legends, plushie adventures... a collection of sketches... I would buy!

[white_aster]

I definitely think that folks would buy your stuff, hon. Most of the self-published doujinshi SUCK. To have something with art and stories as nice as yours, I think that folks'll jump all over it.

Just be sure when you print stuff that you make sure you're going to make money or at least break even. I KNOW you, you're the type to be all, "Oh, no one'll pay that much, I'll mark it down!" before you even get there, and before you know it, you'll be actually OUT money because the books cost $7 to make and you're selling them for $5. :P

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

.....I'm that predictable huh?

And are there really so few self-published doujinshi out there O___o

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Sadly, no table, but I will take commissions online afterwards ^^;

Speaking of which, we shall ahve to make plans of when and where to meet ^___^

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

All of that has helped quite a bit. Thank you very much. I think I kinda know what I'm doing now ^___^

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Yup! The FF7 comic will be continued! ((and I still have your band poster for it too ^___^)) And i think a place has been found, so we shall see how it goes.

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Seriously? You mean it? ;_____; I love you.

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Tis okay, I think I've found someone so all should be good. I hope >_>

And thanks ^___^

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Squeee ^___^ I'm becoming famous!

Err...excuse my little ego moment but thank you ^___^ I think I now have a printer so hopefully Legend will be available sometime this year ((I really want the first book out before the end of the summer >_>))

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

*blinks*

Wow......I knew people liked it but seriously. You guys are amazing.

[white_aster]

See, we keep telling you that you are TOO NICE for your own good. :) Don't worry, we love you anyway. ^o^

At least the times that I've gone, there are way more folks selling just art than djs. And most of the time the djs just aren't that GOOD. Certainly not as good as your stuff.

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

It seems Lulu.com is my best bet at this moment. Will keep my eye out for other places, but at least now I have somewhere to start from.

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

*purrrrrrrrs*

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Well, eating is far more important then Legend so make sure you do that first, okay? But thank you. No matter how many times I may hear it, I still love knowing that I've drawn something that people adore.

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't you get sick of it after a month?

*looks at Sanji*

Or not?

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

Oh! one of those places is near by and I think they could help me out with posters! But I think I now have a place for the books so all is good. Legend will hopefully be available for sale this year ^___^

[luco-millian.livejournal.com]

^____^ I still adore my own Zoro!Kitty shirt and I do get alot of compliments on it which makes me way too giddy. . .

But I think I now have a printer so all will hopefully be good >_>

[bluestrata.livejournal.com]

Good luck with moving again. I hope it all goes smoothly.

[neko-geek.livejournal.com]

I would buy!!!

and I wish I could help with the printer bit, but as a Computer Science major, I have no clue at all...

But,... please! Print!

[ripfangdragon.livejournal.com]

o3o oh yes! I'd love to meet up somewhere. I'm not sure when though XD;; I'll be with vampire_otaku. I'm rooming with her at the hotel. So if you find her, you might find me.

and aww ;.; I was hoping you had a table. My mom doesn't let me do commission stuff online. I wish she would. I'd LOVE to see you draw Ripfang. XD

[plotbunny-tiff.livejournal.com]

That icon is too damn cute for words XDDDD

[plotbunny-tiff.livejournal.com]

My co-workers caught me looking at Legends at work today and wouldn't stop bugging me until I told them where they could buy it or see it online.^_^;;

So other than the ones I would buy, you have a potential customer base in Baltimore. ^_^

[stephaniecmc.livejournal.com]

Yay!! *bounces*
Here! Have my money! Have my children! Have my doggies, Sanji and Zoro! XD

Buyer in the Netherlands!

[marcha-chwan.livejournal.com]

Ooooh I was hoping you would! Reading Legends online is nice and al, but I would love to have it for real! And I rarely spend money, which makes no sense, because I have plenty. Never bought a doujinshi, so yours will be my first (must create shrine for worshipping in my room...)

ow yeah! Can I worship the floor you walk upon?

p.s. Will me being in the Netherlands be a problem? And paying how would I pay? How about shipping? ah so many buy related questions.... getting ahead of things. I'am sure it will turn out to be fine.... yeah fine... I am not exited at all (ignore that statement)... . What if the world ends before I can buy?! *shakes fist to world* Don't end Dammit!

ok, lets end my way to long/crazy message.

p.p.s. Great that you found a way of printing!*thumbs up*

[travellyr.livejournal.com]

Yay! Glad this was helpful for you. ^^

[farfan.livejournal.com]

ABSOLUTLY!!!!!!!!

i wanna byu legend!

please!!

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

I want FF7 plushies. If you make them available online I'd like to buy a copy. Just give me a good idea of the postage needed to mail to Australia.

:)

[onikotsu.livejournal.com]

If that's what you want to do aim for it. Even though I personally can't buy them have you seen the amount of artists out there for manga that sell stuff that I don't think is half as good as yours(no offense to the other people but it's my opinion) I think people would deffinetly buy the work that you do if they knew about it.