atomhues

May 4, 2011 3:55 pm Adam Hughes, here (yes, it's really me).

Thank you for an informative & supportive column.  I'm sorry everyone is making such a fuss, but I understand that some people have hopes of getting sketches.

I'm sorry if my decision upsets anyone or bothers them in any way.  But, as Jason pointed out, it's my life, my career, and my decision.

I've been doing convention sketches for 23 years, and while my drawings have slowly increased in value, so have the monetary predators who feel they have the right to buy my art FOR THE EXCLUSIVE PURPOSE of instant monetary gain.

Is your con sketch your personal property, once I've been paid?  Yes.  Is it yours to do with, as you see fit?  More or less - you can't reprint it for monetary gain without permission. 

But the thing that rankles me & makes me sick in the gut about the flippers is that they take away a sketch from someone who ACTUALLY WANTS IT.  I'm slow, and there's too much demand - I can't do a sketch for everyone who wants one.  Jason's arbitrage argument about Coke and Green Lantern is trenchant, but the truth of the matter is that a con sketch (from me or anyone else) is a one-of-a-kind custom item.  If I do one, I have the right to expect the person paying for it to actually WANT it, not see it as an instant investment opportunity.

There will still be sketch opportunities in the form of gauranteed eBay acutions before cons, and the headshots I do in return for charity donations.  Maybe I will be able to created art for shows beforehand and have it for sale at my table.  But that is unlikely.

One poster aksed why we don't put more sketches on eBay, and the answer to that is the same as the answer to why I don't pre-draw sketches and bring them to shows: TIME.

I have so many assignments on my desk right now, you have no idea.  Covers, interior assignments (both writing and drawing), designs for products, and commissions.  When I am supposed to find time to also draw sketches for cons while at home is beyond me.  Maybe if the day was 40 hours long, and I didn't require rest or time off to recuperate creatively, I could add at-home sketching to my To Do List.  But it's overwhelming, trying to do you best work 100% of the time for your clients AND keep up with the usually enjoyable duty of producing one-of-a-kind sketches for actual, loyal fans.

I saw this article's link on Twitter and felt the need to comment.  I thank everyone who supports me & my decisions.  I have awesome, amazing fans, and I greatly appreciate them.

~AH!~