What Is Artist Alley?

Most comic book conventions will have an area dedicated to the artists, often referred to as Artist Alley or Artist’s Alley. At smaller conventions, the artists may be mixed in with other vendors, but at larger cons like SDCC or NYCC, there will areas dedicated solely to the artists.
So what is Artist Alley?

It’s A Place To Meet Creators

Artist Alley is a great place to meet your favorite writers and artists. You can bring your favorite items to have them signed or purchase items from the artist at their table. Often times they’ll have exclusive prints or books that you can’t find anywhere else.
Depending on the lines, which can grow large for popular artists, this is also a great chance to chat. Whether you just want to show your appreciation or you want to ask questions about their craft, artist alley is the place to get some face time with your heroes.

San Diego comic con day 1. I’m in a new spot by artist alley. Booth 5007. Make sure you stop by! pic.twitter.com/07pKKCkXIE

— Pin Up World Art (@PinUpWorldArt) July 21, 2016

It’s A Place To Commission Artists

For collectors, Artist Alley is a great place to order commissioned artwork. Artists will work on your piece at the show and you can often have it in hand that day.
Prices vary based on the artist and the type of work you request, but you can often find something for any budget. Many artists even offer cheaper “5 Minute Sketches”, which, as you can tell from the name, is a sketch they complete in 5 minutes.
For the more popular artists, your best bet is to contact them well before the show, as their commission list may fill up quickly.

This is Zombie #flash, he was unfortunately not fast enough.. c u in artist alley #NYCC @NY_Comic_Con pic.twitter.com/ey78t0Z0ge

— Sajad Shah (@Sajad_Shah) June 28, 2016

It’s A Place To Buy Comics and Artwork

When visiting the artists in Artist Alley, they’ll all have something for sale at their table. Some will offer their comic books, others will offer art prints or original comic book pages and others will offer custom artwork.
Check out your favorite artists and I’m sure you’ll find something you love!

All set for San Diego Comic-Con 2016! Come by and see me in Artist Alley (Table GG-03) if you’re here. ? pic.twitter.com/0iUOJZCY7J

— Otis Frampton (@otisframpton) July 21, 2016

Conclusion

Artist Alley is a must-see part of comic con for all of the reasons listed above. If nothing else, it’s great to walk around and admire all of the talented artists and their amazing artwork. What is your favorite part of Artist Alley?
Featured Image Source: Flickr