Yesterday while en route to Sketch Con in New Jersey, the bus dropped me off on the side of the road and I had to do this for like 15 minutes. The sidewalk (if there was one) was covered in a foot of snow from the blizzard we had on Friday. I kept thinking "why am I doing this?" but the con was a big success so it was worth it :) Pictures to come later this week!
Gowanus Nite Market Tonight!
TADAA! All of the letters this week form to spell GOWANUS! I want to make postcards of these :) Come out to the Gowanus Nite Market tonight, where I'll sell my comics and create custom sketches for people.
This month, GNM goes FREESTYLE. In addition to the usual rotating film industry props changing the look of the Film Biz Recycling warehouse each month, creatively designed vendor stations utilizing furnishings from the prop shop, super cool vendors and DJ Chela on the 1 and 2’s, get ready for an amazing urban art exhibit and live art show. With classic grooves spinning in the backdrop, NYC artist Marthalicia Martarita brings the stage to life as she transforms blank canvases into incredible works of art. Artists Shanieka Marson, George Stratakis, Emmanuel Toribio, and others will also be showcasing their paintings.
Admission is FREE
RSVP: http://
7p-midnight
At Film Biz Recycling: 540 President Street, Brooklyn, New York 11215
Take any train to Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn and switch to the R one stop to Union St.
See you there!
G for Gowanus!
I'm back to drawing for the Gowanus Nite Market again! The next market is next Saturday January 12! This week I'm trying a new theme: GOWANUS has 7 letters, and I'll post a new letter each day that has a picture that starts with that letter. I went around Gowanus taking pictures one night to find lots of things that began with all the letters. Super cold, but super fun like a scavenger hunt! The first letter is G for the G train. The G has its quirks: it's a few car lengths shorter than the other trains, it's the only train that is only in Brooklyn & Queens and doesn't go to Manhattan, and I've heard some refer to it as the "Ghost Train." According to Wikipedia, the G's original name was the GG and started service in 1933. Today, most people hate the G train because it's royally messed up on the weekends due to construction and is super slow at night. However, most times I've taken the G during the day it's been fine. Whatever your feelings are about the G train, it's a part of Gowanus and part of your life in Brooklyn.
Gowanus Nite Market Recap
Finally I get around to writing my blog! This past week I not only had to get stuff ready for the Gowanus Nite Market, but also do a rush custom comic for a client (more on that next week!). Here's the recap of all the excitement at GNM.
Each vendor had a unique set up, and luckily I was able to get a good table (not a coffee table) to draw on. You can see I had all the original drawings that I posted all last week behind me on that board. No originals sold, but people were interested in prints, so that's coming next month!
I made Christmas cards out of that deer drawing I did. Those didn't sell, but the people who worked at Film Biz were interested! Now, onto stuff that DID sell - practically my entire profit was made just from custom sketches!
Did another funny Deadpool sketch for a couple I met at New York Comic Con!
This time I displayed an example of how well I capture people in portraits. People responded well to it!
Portraits of pets included too.
This one wins most bizarre sketch. A guy wanted him & his girlfriend riding a sperm whale out of hell with a unicorn. They liked the extra added touch of the demons chasing them :)
Props to these people for holding their poses so long!
This wins funniest sketch. A girl wanted a drawing of a tiny monkey riding backwards on a tiny pig, drawn like a family crest.
She loved it SO much that I'm doing more for her whole family!
This guy has always loved Waldo :)
I also held the fortune cookie hunt! I hid 15 cookies around the venue and gave a free Misfortune Cookie mini comic to those who brought the cookie back to my table.
I hid them in plain sight because there are so many props and stuff in the area!
So many people were bringing me cookies in the first hour, I wondered if I didn't hide them well enough :P But the hunt was a success!
Had a super fun time at the Gowanus Nite Market, and hope to see you next month: Saturday January 12. GNM: the 2nd Saturday of the month!
Gowanus Nite Market TONIGHT!
Gowanus Nite Market is tonight! I've been preparing so much for this all week, and I think it'll be a success. DIRECTIONS: Take the D, N, R, B, Q, 2, 3, 4, or 5 to the Atlantic Avenue/Barclays Center stop in Brooklyn, then transfer one stop on the R to Union Street. Then walk south one block to President Street, turn right, and walk a minute to Film Biz Recycling 540 President Street Brooklyn, NY 11215. Starts at 7pm tonight until midnight!
I'm putting on a fortune cookie hunt! One of the many fun activities going on at GNM tonight. I'm going to hide 15 fortune cookies throughout Film Biz Recycling, and whoever finds one and brings it to my table gets a free mini comic. This is a great way to get people to explore all the cool stuff at Film Biz and a fun promo for me too :)
GNM tomorrow!
Tomorrow is the Gowanus Nite Market! Here's the last drawing in the series. I love buildings that have old mural signs on them that are pretty worn. I saw this old Brooklyn Tile building on 4th Avenue & Degraw Street in Brooklyn. I don't think they make tiles anymore (people might live there, but all the windows are bricked up, so I'm not sure), but it's a neat little part of Brooklyn history.
I'll post about directions tomorrow, and I also have a special surprise up my sleeve :)
Playing with the GNM Logo
Today I played with the Gowanus Nite Market logo - originally a water tower that looked like it was built from trees. I love adding many colors to objects that would in real life be one or two colors. Instead of the tree branches just bring brown, they have yellow, peach, and indigo added. I also drew large tree roots to fill the background. The towers are growing from the roots!
Only 2 more nights until GNM! Excited!
Btw, today I saw a dog walker with like 10 dogs, which is totally illegal.
4th Ave & Union
4th Avenue and Union Street - that's the intersection near where the Gowanus Nite Market will be in Brooklyn! I wanted to draw some of the surrounding area, and luckily it was warmer this week so I wasn't cold standing outside for like an hour. I stood on a narrow island on 4th Ave in between rushing cars, so I wouldn't be disturbed by pedestrians and so I could get the best view down the street. I started the drawing around 4pm and it got too dark to see soon after, but it worked in my favor because I ended with a picture of all the bright city lights. Of special note: the Brooklyn Lyceum (where I exhibited at King Con) is drawn in this picture!
Night Theme
I explored another nook of Film Biz Recycling and discovered this awesome old soda pop machine prop (made from "light weight materials!"). Next to it was a big "Emergency" sign, which isn't something you see every day (unless if you work in a hospital?). I like how Film Biz has a great mix of random props and stuff that is so practical that I'd never think of them as props, like that washing machine. I also inverted the colors of this drawing in Photoshop so it has a more night time feel, in theme with the Gowanus Nite Market :)
GNM Event Stuff
I drew this after a suggestion from Raphael, coordinator of the Gowanus Nite Market, that I should try a drawing that captures the space of the venue, Film Biz Recycling. There's so much stuff in that warehouse, it was pretty hard to choose just one section, and one where I didn't have to draw a gazillion objects. The furniture section had large objects, but the drawing looked like a furniture store, so I threw in the blow-up shamoo and gigantic teddy bear (both real props there) to show the quirkiness of the space.
I've been promoting the heck out of GNM! Here's the official facebook event page, facebook business page, and twitter is @gowanusNITEmark Please spread the word!
Cool stuff at Film Biz
Drawing 2 of cool stuff I saw at Film Biz Recycling, in preparation for this Saturday's Gowanus Nite Market! Right when you walk into Film Biz, you see 5 of these beautiful silver mannequins, right next to a GIGANTIC disco ball! The biggest one I'd ever seen, like 4 feet tall! I loved the shininess of both the mannequins and the disco ball, so I couldn't resist drawing them :) Disco balls have a special place in my heart, because I love dancing (I even dressed in a disco ball theme this year for Halloween). I used a silver paint marker to really give the drawing shiny life. The blue-to-gold color scheme in the picture is solely from the lighting in my apartment when I took the picture!
Here's a funny thing I saw at Film Biz: the "fireplace face" from that AT&T commercial! The commercial itself is pretty freakin' weird, but that prop is totally recognizable! This prop would have normally just been thrown out, but someday it will have a new life, perhaps on a "Legends of the Hidden Temple" spoof? See other random cool stuff like this Saturday December 8th at the Gowanus Nite Market!
Gowanus Nite Market
Super exciting news! My next appearance will be at the Gowanus Nite Market next Saturday December 8! I'm also the new Social Media Marketer for the Market! This show is very unique because it'll be held in a place called Film Biz Recycling: a warehouse chock full of awesome props used in the film industry. I'm doing lots of drawings in my sketch style for the show, and will be posting one each day this week up until Saturday, where I'll be selling them at my booth. This flyer has all the details:
I was even mentioned in an article about the Gowanus Nite Market on Brokelyn!! This is super huge because Brokelyn is THE site to check out where all the cool events in Brooklyn will be! Yaaaaaaay!
So I'll be posting about the Gowanus Nite Market with more details all this week :) Please come, because it'll be super fun!
The Stoop 2012
Mindy indy is participating in another fun-filled event this Saturday! I'll be teaching people of all ages how to draw comics at The Stoop 2012 in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn this Saturday August 11th from 2-7pm. The Stoop will feature live performances, DJs, games, activities, interactive arts stations, live art and many prizes, such as DJ101 class courtesy of Scratch DJ Academy, several fitness classes courtesy of Triomph Fitness, Health & Wellness, Dance Class passes from Mark Morris Dance Co., Hair care products from Doris of NY, passes to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and more.
The Stoop is brought to you by an awesome group called FOKUS (Fighting Obstacles Knowing Ultimate Success). Atiba Edwards started the group at the college I went to (University of Michigan) and I did a few events with the group back in the day - I did caricatures of people in U of M's diag. Years passed, we fell out of touch (as happens with college peeps), and one day Atiba walks into the art supply store I work at in Brooklyn! It's so random and great to reconnect with people like that! Glad to be involved with FOKUS again.
Here's more about the event:
For the fifth year in a row, FOKUS will present The Stoop, a celebration of art, music and life. This fun and free event will be held on August 11, 2012 in Fort Greene Park (Myrtle Ave and N. Portland Ave) in Brooklyn, NY from 2-7pm and is designed for folks of all ages!
Stoops are known for being a place for people to gather, relax, share stories and have a good time. This event mimics that by bringing together artists and the community into one space for a fun celebration in the park.
If you are interested in being a STOOP 2012 volunteer, please contact Atiba T. Edwards, The Stoop program director, at thestoop2012@gmail.com.
The Stoop 2012: A Free Celebration of Arts, Music and Life August 11, 2012 from 2pm - 7pm Ft. Greene Park Myrtle Ave between N. Portland Ave and Washington Park (300 Myrtle Ave - if an address is needed for GPS) Brooklyn, NY, 11201
Music all day by: DJ Polarity
Performances by: ScienZe Brooklyn Steppers Marching Band Ayodele Alli Nyendo Arts
Interactive Art Stations: Vinyl Artwork w/ Scratch DJ Academy Live Mural w/ Xmental Inc. Cooking Demo w/ Myrtle Eats Fresh Comic Design w/ Mindy Steffen Terracotta Pot Painting w/ Anna The Bumble Bee of FOKUS HIP-HOP Jeopardy w/ FOKUS Cru T-Shirt Design w/ FOKUS Cru
Games & Activities: Obstacle Course w/ MAChO Bean-Bag Toss Tournament Tug-Of-War Egg Race Hula Hoops OGO Sport Games Connect 4 and other Board Game Tournaments & MORE
via Bus B54 to Myrtle Ave-N. Portland B57 / B62 / B69 to Park Ave-N Portland St.
via Car Take Flatbush Ave Extension and turn right onto Myrtle Ave Take Vanderbilt Ave and turn left onto Myrtle Ave From Manhattan Bridge: Continue onto Flatbush Extension then turn left onto Myrtle Ave. From Brooklyn Bridge: Turn left onto Tillary St then turn right onto Flatbush Ext. and turn left onto Myrtle Ave
The Misfortune Cookie @ AMO Studios
One day while going to a cafe in Bushwick, I happened across AMO Studios, a super cool art gallery. AMO (Spanish for "love") had some books and independent 'zines for sale, and I asked if I could sell the Misfortune Cookie stories there. Joseph (the gallery owner) and his friend liked my stories and agreed! This actually happened last Thursday, and they gave me the idea for the new prices I had this weekend at Artists & Fleas, $3 each or two for $5. Because of the gallery setting, and the fact that other self-published magazines were $10 each, made me think $1 wasn't enough to sell them for. I asked how much the guys would honestly pay for something like The Misfortune Cookie and the new price was made.
So please go to AMO Studios at 55 Waterbury St. Brooklyn, NY 11206. They're open 12p-9p daily (except Sundays closing at 6p). If you missed buying my comics this past weekend, please check it out along with other cool art! NOTE: They're only for sale until August 10th, when the gallery will resume regular gallery stuff instead of this little store.
AMO Studios is across the street from these awesome murals! Can't miss it!
mindy indy @ Artists & Fleas semi-success?
The beautiful weekend meant a great turnout for the Artists & Fleas market! mindy indy was placed next to Tony of "Golly," who makes custom T-shirts out of 70s/80s cartoon character bed sheets (like She-Ra, Transformers, etc). I think it was a good pairing, and Tony was super supportive of me! I learned a lot from him too. I think he's in mid-blink in the pic, but there wasn't much time for pics as there were lots of people visiting our tables. I also definitely need a huge background poster to attract people's attention! mindy indy did ok sales-wise for the first time there, but the exposure was awesome. Paid $90 for the table and only made $74, but that's a much closer gap than when I paid $150 for the Bronx con and only made like $40.
This time I sold The Misfortune Cookie comics for $3 each or two for $5, because of the context of the more artsy environment. I was the only cartoonist there - that flea market is mostly for artsy vintage clothing. I didn't sell as many comics, but I made just as much cash as when I sold 75 of them for $1 each. I think I'll keep them at this price - it will save me lots of trips to Staples for printing, folding, and stapling them all. Also, in the pic above, I tried to get a poll started asking if people would buy a Misfortune Cookie T-shirt or tote bag (same for Aer Head too). One of my room mates suggested selling higher priced items at this venue, which is a super good idea. Once I get a few more Misfortune Cookie stories out, I'll make a real "book" of them, but in the meantime, I'm not sure totes or tees would do that well at this time (although I didn't keep up on asking people about the poll...)
The cards did pretty well! I KNEW they were a good idea!! This time I sold them for $5 each, which is a fair, normal price for a card. People seemed to like orange that day.
Random fact: Did you know my drawing table can fold up? I saved $10 by bringing my own table!
It was a pain in the ass to lug it all the way to and fro the subway stations though. I mean, it was doable - it has a handle and isn't as heavy as a table could be (being aluminum). But it was hella tiring! Luckily some people helped me carry it partially on the way back. It's hard to unfold too, it requires a screwdriver and it sticks. Was it worth saving the $10? Not sure, my arms still hurt :/ But it was an experience! I think I'll wait awhile to do Artists & Fleas again until I have higher priced items, but I'm learning a lot!
Artists & Fleas!
mindy indy is back on the scene again this weekend, exhibiting at one of the hippest places in Williamsburg! Artists & Fleas is a weekly artist, designer, and vintage market. According to their website, "it’s an indie fashion and vintage bazaar, a hipster hang-out and fixture in the Williamsburg neighborhood, and a home to the thriving community of countless designers, creators, vintage collectors and foodie enthusiasts that have passed through since 2003. Established in a warehouse on a then-neglected part of North 6th Street in 2003, Artists & Fleas has been a constant in a changing neighborhood – a community for those who love to sell and a destination for those who love to shop. Open every weekend, year-round."
I'll be there this Saturday July 21st from 10AM to 7PM and it's at 70 North 7th Street between Kent & Wythe Avenues, 3 blocks from the Bedford Avenue L train. They even mentioned me in an article! I'm so super excited to be able to sell my comics in areas outside the comics world. People come to this market JUST to buy cool stuff, so we'll see how it goes!
East Village Arts Party Success!!
mindy indy's greatest success yet was this past weekend at the East Village Arts Party! So many people came (like 500 people!) and it was super awesome to meet everyone and share my comics! I made sure to get there early to get a good spot with high visibility, and my table was right when you walked in and it led into the courtyard, where all the bands and performances were playing. It was also great to get people as they walked out too. I'm so glad my energy lasted the whole night! I was pretty exhausted from trying to finish up the sequel to the Misfortune Cookie.
A lot of my friends came too, and since many of them already had the first Misfortune Cookie comic, I wanted to have the next one ready to show them new stuff. I scrambled to get it done in time, and was still drawing it Friday and inking Saturday morning! I didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I was super focused, making sure to put a time limit on filling in the blacks and typing and such on Saturday, and I was able to get The Misfortune Cookie 2 done, printed, and ready to go just moments before people arrived at the show! I'll post the comic later this week.
It was kind of tricky setting up my table this time. I'm usually sitting behind the table, but this time they were all up against a wall. Oh and because it was outside, I had some sheets of plexiglass so all my comics wouldn't fly away. It was pretty effective!
This time I actually sold a lot of Misfortune Cookie Cards! One girl bought a lot for her friend, nicknamed "Miss Fortune." I colored some in her favorite colors.
Notice how I put my sign on the wall instead of the table. I wish I could've printed out a huge poster or something else to put up! Maybe next time.
This guy wanted me to draw on his hand! I loved the randomness! I drew a little fortune cookie.
All in all, the party was a great success and I made like $50 profit! Pretty good for only selling comics for $1 each :) I need to do more events like this where they don't charge for a table!