ADAM HUGHES commission prices have gone up!

[The Troll King]

Looks like his standard commission prices have increased.

 

Per their Yahoo group:

 

Hi all;

 

Adam takes his sketch list in the first 10 minutes of the first day on a convention. So to get on his list, you need to be standing in line in front of our table before those 10 minutes pass. In the first 10 minutes we usually take anywhere from 40 - 50 names. Adam can draw about 8 - 12 sketches in the average convention weekend. So from that long list of names, Adam chooses randomly for his sketches. This means that the person at the top of the list has as good a chance as the person at the bottom of the list. It also means that there is no need to be in line at the Convention Hall before sunrise.

 

PRICING

 

Adam's convention sketches, up until now, have been $200 for a fully rendered gray scale marker image that measures 11 by 14 inches. Going forward the same sketch is going to be $400. In addition to that, fans will have the option of still requesting a $200 sketch. This new sketch will be approximately half the size of the old sketches, and feature just a head and shoulders rendering of your requested character. It will be rendered in gray scale markers, just like the full sized sketches.

 

The new pricing will go into effect starting with the Baltimore Comic Con on October 10th and 11th.

 

Hope this helps answer any questions;

 

Allison

[comix4fun]

Yeah, I saw this.

 

Oddly, it's still a steal at the increased prices.

 

On Ebay his con sketches (which have become more and more finished drawings over the last few years) sell for $1200-2000.

 

When Adam listed auctions for 3 guaranteed sketches for San Diego, all three crossed $2,000.

 

I don't blame him for raising prices, really. He's still giving $3-$4 worth of artwork for ever $1 spent with him and if it helps Adam live an easier life financially, then I am all for it.

 

I have a lot of respect for the people whose art I collect. I want them to live well, be happy, and to not struggle. I try, when possible, to give them more than their commission rate.

 

When I look at it in it's totality, his sketches are still one of the biggest bargains around.

 

There are plenty of guys out there who overcharge for the effort they put into con sketches. Adam's not one of them.

 

Best,

Chris

[CollectingFool]

Oddly, it's still a steal at the increased prices.

 

I definitely agree with everything that you said about Adam. Only problem I see is that many (not as talented) artists at convention will likely follow suit and increase their prices as well. I remember when Adam first started raising his prices, he was at the top of the curve for a while and soon after other artists caught up. I'm afraid it's unavoidable that it will happen again and unsuspecting novice collectors will buy these things and six months later try to sell and find that on the open market they aren't worth 1/4 of what they paid. Hell, it happens often enough now at current prices.

 

 

 

 

 

[The Troll King]

I don't disagree with anything you guys have said.

 

I do feel that it will price a lot of collectors out of the market though.

[AKA Rick]

I think the best aspect of this statement:

 

I'm afraid it's unavoidable that it will happen again and unsuspecting novice collectors will buy these things and six months later try to sell and find that on the open market they aren't worth 1/4 of what they paid.

 

...is that anyone who buys commissions with the intent to sell will hopefully not garner profits and if anything ensure losses as part of a profiteering speculation.

 

From what I heard, it's the very reason why Neal Adams increased his commission rates (and stopped doing free sketches), because he was bombarded by sellers/investors under the guise of fans, only to see the work he sincerely thought was for a fan to be sold off at a much higher price than his offering.

 

It's supply and demand... so if any artist charges over the market value for their commissions, they'll hear the sound of crickets at their table and adjust accordingly. But, if there's a limited amount of time for an artist like Adam Hughes to do sketches and there's a long list of fans, unfortunately it does box out some fans economically, but in fairness to Adam Hughes, if there's an opportunity to maximize his income with a willing marketplace... more power to him.

 

He signs free autographs for fans, so no matter what, everyone leaves with something too.

 

Eventually, I beleive there will be a shift away from commissions and convention sketches back to original published art, since even tho' commissions are one of a kind, they're unpublished and lack the footprint a published piece does. Plus, with a published piece, you can see exactly what you're getting, and most of the time the rendering is magnificient with multiple characters, inked and with backgrounds. With a commission, it's a single character (albeit large splash size) but as many fans know and have experienced, sometimes lacks quality and disappoints in expectations (of course once in a while it's knocked out of the ballpark with a masterpiece creation). The known quality of published artwork will soon overshadow commissioned pieces.

[DiceX]

I'm disappointed in the price hike, but I do understand. I really don't blame him.

I really wanted to get a sketch by Hughes, but doubt it will ever happen.

Then again, I wanted it in my sketchbook, so that's about half the size. Just too bad I can't get a full figure. I actually reserved the first page of my sketchbook just for him.

 

Sucks that the greedy slime of the world has to always end up screwing everything up for the true fans.

 

 

[CollectingFool]

I think the best aspect of this statement:

 

I'm afraid it's unavoidable that it will happen again and unsuspecting novice collectors will buy these things and six months later try to sell and find that on the open market they aren't worth 1/4 of what they paid.

 

...is that anyone who buys commissions with the intent to sell will hopefully not garner profits and if anything ensure losses as part of a profiteering speculation.

 

I wasn't referring to "profiteers" in the hobby looking to flip sketches, they know who to go after to make money. I was referring to this rash of casual collectors that don't know the hobby but seem to get excited about the idea of being in it for some reason. They wade in hip deep and then find out they tied up money they need and think they can sell their pieces for at least what they paid. I've seen it at least 100 times this year alone.

 

It's very easy for new collectors to get hurt in this hobby thinking that practices they're used to from other hobbies (like CGC books) might work in this one. They won't, at least not most of the time. Plus a lot of collectors jump in for who knows what reason and start spending right away at levels they aren't prepared for. Unless you really know what you're doing, no one should buy art with the intention of selling for a profit in less than at least 6 months to a year. And with the way the current OA market has been acting that range might extend even longer now.

 

 

[Nexus]

Sucks that the greedy slime of the world has to always end up screwing everything up for the true fans.

 

I feel for anyone who is now priced out of getting a sketch. And I'm no fan of flippers. But the market is what the market is...there are no shortage of people willing to pay multiples of even the new $400 rate on the secondary market.

 

Say you are able to get an AH sketch and you end up having to sell it at some point in the future. Will you sell it to me, a "true fan", for what you paid...or will you put it on Ebay and try to get the most for it? If you choose Ebay, are you "greedy slime"?

 

I'm all for artists getting whatever the market will bear, even if that prices me out. Being a "true fan" of an artist doesn't entitle anyone to owning a piece of his art. To me, a true fan doesn't expect his/her favorite artists to drastically underprice their work.

 

Just my opinion.

[DiceX]

Sucks that the greedy slime of the world has to always end up screwing everything up for the true fans.

 

I feel for anyone who is now priced out of getting a sketch. And I'm no fan of flippers. But the market is what the market is...there are no shortage of people willing to pay multiples of even the new $400 rate on the secondary market.

 

Say you are able to get an AH sketch and you end up having to sell it at some point in the future. Will you sell it to me, a "true fan", for what you paid...or will you put it on Ebay and try to get the most for it? If you choose Ebay, are you "greedy slime"?

 

I'm all for artists getting whatever the market will bear, even if that prices me out. Being a "true fan" of an artist doesn't entitle anyone to owning a piece of his art. To me, a true fan doesn't expect his/her favorite artists to drastically underprice their work.

 

Just my opinion.

 

I think if Adam's con sketches are bringing $2k, then he should charge $2k.

I would never fault an artist for taking advantage of opportunities they are given. It's their work. If someone should make a penny of profit from it, it should be the artist. Period.

 

The people I'm calling slime are the ones that go to such events, and present themselves as fans in order to get something from an artist in good faith. Then the slimeball sells it on eBay like it's a hot potato.

This is the slime that's ruined the whole meet and greet at conventions.

 

 

[Fiawol]

I definitely agree with everything that you said about Adam. Only problem I see is that many (not as talented) artists at convention will likely follow suit and increase their prices as well. I remember when Adam first started raising his prices, he was at the top of the curve for a while and soon after other artists caught up.

 

I actually think it's at the other end of the spectrum: Adam Hughes sketch prices have remained the same for the past several years (other than special situations like San Diego), while other artist sketch prices have crept up to $100, $150, $200, $400 and higher range for some artists. You get your money's worth with an Adam Hughes sketch, so he SHOULD be near the top range again for convention sketch prices. That is also not considering "at home" commission prices, which are seeing prices at $500, $1000, $1200, $2000, etc, for the highest demand artists. Adam does not do home commissions (other than favors for friends), but his "con sketches" are as detailed as commissions, which puts him back down into the "everyday" price range.

 

My opinion, if $400 is more than you want to spend, there are any number of artists at shows willing to do nice $20-$50 sketches, just have fun collecting some of those.

 

Dave M.

[easyt63]

I personally think that Adam has his prices so low so that more people can afford them. Honestly, Adam is one of the top artists out there, so realistically his prices should be pretty steep, supply and demand. If you cant afford a sketch at $400 then you most likely should not be collecting original art, sorry. If you can not save up that amount in a year for the sketch then a Hughes sketch must not be that much of a priority to you. I am at the lowest of lows on the income spectrum. I just graduated from college, just got a job, just got engaged, and I still have enough money to buy art because I save up. So the people that whine and say they can not afford it now is a load of , its not that they can not afford it, its just that they are not a big enough fan of Adams to stop buying other stuff and save for that one sketch.

 

Im not saying anyone whines here, but man, I dont know if any of you are on the Hughes Yahoo group, but this one guy came on there and threw a fit about the prices going up. And a couple people agreed that the price increase could take some people out of the running.

 

Personally, I think Adam should jack the prices up further, make it easier to get a sketch. Some people have waited YEARS to get a sketch and still have not. The majority of people dont have the money to fly around the country to multiple shows until they get a Hughes sketch. They get one chance a year, maybe. So if the prices were higher, less people could afford a sketch, then the fans that truely want a sketch can save up and get one.

 

Anyways, to those of you who have a Hughes sketch, congrats, its such a great feeling when you get it.

[DiceX]

Everyone should be happy that Adam even does con sketches.

The few artists that hit superstar status almost always stop doing con sketches completely.

I think the fact that he still sits among fans and sketches for them says a lot about him as a person. (thumbs u

 

 

[Royd]

Hey Tyler,

 

I'm a member of the Hughes-Fans Yahoo group ;-) and I must admit that while I could find some sympathy for the poster regarding his initial comments (ie that he was no longer able to afford a full figure piece at the new price), his later remarks drew a lot of heated criticism.

 

Before we (Terry and I) decided to kill the thread, I was going to post prices for other artists to show that Adam's pricing was not inappropriate but we didn't wish to continue the furore at the group. Here is an extract of pricing for a number of artists taken from a more complete listing (I've only included those artists with pricing similar to Adam's new prices as mentioned above, $200 for head and shoulders and $400 for full figure, grayscale markers):

 

Brian Bolland - $150-$500 (sliding scale depending on detail; head, bust, pencil)

David Finch - $500 (full figure, pencil)

Gabrielle Del'Otto - $300 (full figure, pencil), $600 (full figure, painted)

Humberto Ramos - $300 (full figure, pen & ink), $500 (full figure, pen & ink and colour markers)

J. Scott Campbell - ?? $1200+

Joe Linsner - $400 (full figure, colour)

Whilce Portacio - $300 (full figure, pencil and markers)

 

The list the above info was taken from was not complete but did include a fair number of artists.

 

And, as said here and at the group, a number of artists have chosen not to make themselves available for con sketch requests for various reasons. I'm glad Adam is still accessible and willing to continue sketching! Best,

 

Royd

Hughes-Fans Mod

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=111

 

 

 

Im not saying anyone whines here, but man, I dont know if any of you are on the Hughes Yahoo group, but this one guy came on there and threw a fit about the prices going up. And a couple people agreed that the price increase could take some people out of the running.

 

[The Troll King]

Finch use to be FREE before his wife figured out what people were selling the sketches for on eBay.

 

I'm not complaining about the prices at all because if it's someone I want I'll pay it.

 

I do feel still though that it does put a negative image on everything because all of those people that complain about getting on lists and then they never get a sketch.

 

There's no real solution to any of it and each artist is going to do what they want.

 

I do like what Brietweiser is doing now. He doesn't take a list, doesn't do color so he's lowered the price, and when he's finished with one if you're the next person at the table, that's who gets the next sketch.

 

It has taken a lot of stress off of him and his wife, and he can relax and enjoy the cons a little more.

[innocuous]

In the past, David Finch did this. I waited over an hour, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything else by waiting in his line.

 

I wonder, if AH did this, would you pay someone $100 to stand in line all day? Those flippers (discussed recently on the Comicart-l list) probably would.

 

I've tried to get AH three times now, with no luck.

[NelsonAI]

Per their Yahoo group:

...............

Hi all;

 

Adam takes his sketch list in the first 10 minutes of the first day on a convention. So to get on his list, you need to be standing in line in front of our table before those 10 minutes pass. In the first 10 minutes we usually take anywhere from 40 - 50 names. Adam can draw about 8 - 12 sketches in the average convention weekend. So from that long list of names, Adam chooses randomly for his sketches. This means that the person at the top of the list has as good a chance as the person at the bottom of the list. It also means that there is no need to be in line at the Convention Hall before sunrise..................

 

Those with early access dealer badges were often the ones in line first and were often the ones flipping on ebay. This "random" selection levels the playing field for convention attendees that would never have been able to make the cutoff (i.e., first 10 in line).

 

While I have yet to obtain a commission from AH!, I think his prices are worth every penny. Even if I don't make the cut, I still enjoy watching him draw.

 

Cheers!

N

 

 

 

 

[malvin]

Per their Yahoo group:

...............

Hi all;

 

Adam takes his sketch list in the first 10 minutes of the first day on a convention. So to get on his list, you need to be standing in line in front of our table before those 10 minutes pass. In the first 10 minutes we usually take anywhere from 40 - 50 names. Adam can draw about 8 - 12 sketches in the average convention weekend. So from that long list of names, Adam chooses randomly for his sketches. This means that the person at the top of the list has as good a chance as the person at the bottom of the list. It also means that there is no need to be in line at the Convention Hall before sunrise..................

 

Those with early access dealer badges were often the ones in line first and were often the ones flipping on ebay. This "random" selection levels the playing field for convention attendees that would never have been able to make the cutoff (i.e., first 10 in line).

 

While I have yet to obtain a commission from AH!, I think his prices are worth every penny.

 

Cheers!

N

 

 

 

 

Well, it's an open secret (I think) so I hope I'm nost starting anything.

 

In the random pick scenario, those with dealer badges still get their names on the list but they will not be picked for sketches.

 

Malvin

[mrpunch0]

I wonder, if AH did this, would you pay someone $100 to stand in line all day?

 

Given how much time I spend in front of Adam's table during a con already ... I wouldn't HAVE to pay anyone. I'd just do it myself.

[Nexus]

Thanks for providing a partial list, Royd. It does give some perspective for Adam's new price level.

 

I'll add a few more artists (these are prices the last time I checked circa 2007/8, they may have changed since):

 

Jim Lee: $2000 (but extremely generous with freebies)

Leinil Yu: $1000 at SDCC 2007 (full-figure, color), $100 at SDCC 2009 (simple bust shots)

Marco Djurdevic: $500, pencils-only

Lee Bermejo: $500 with Splash Page booth, $300 otherwise, pen/ink, ink wash

Dave Johnson: $200

Eduardo Risso: $200 full figure, $120 bust shot, $80 head shot

Cliff Chiang: $100-200 per figure depending on the show

David Petersen: $100-150 depending on the show...most bang for your buck, regardless

Charlie Adlard: $50 or $100, his rep decides after he's done

Sean Phillips: $50

 

Obviously, there are well-established pros at every level. Yeah, it sucks if your favorite artist is too expensive for your budget. But there are always other opportunities.

 

Hey Tyler,

 

I'm a member of the Hughes-Fans Yahoo group ;-) and I must admit that while I could find some sympathy for the poster regarding his initial comments (ie that he was no longer able to afford a full figure piece at the new price), his later remarks drew a lot of heated criticism.

 

Before we (Terry and I) decided to kill the thread, I was going to post prices for other artists to show that Adam's pricing was not inappropriate but we didn't wish to continue the furore at the group. Here is an extract of pricing for a number of artists taken from a more complete listing (I've only included those artists with pricing similar to Adam's new prices as mentioned above, $200 for head and shoulders and $400 for full figure, grayscale markers):

 

Brian Bolland - $150-$500 (sliding scale depending on detail; head, bust, pencil)

David Finch - $500 (full figure, pencil)

Gabrielle Del'Otto - $300 (full figure, pencil), $600 (full figure, painted)

Humberto Ramos - $300 (full figure, pen & ink), $500 (full figure, pen & ink and colour markers)

J. Scott Campbell - ?? $1200+

Joe Linsner - $400 (full figure, colour)

Whilce Portacio - $300 (full figure, pencil and markers)

 

The list the above info was taken from was not complete but did include a fair number of artists.

 

And, as said here and at the group, a number of artists have chosen not to make themselves available for con sketch requests for various reasons. I'm glad Adam is still accessible and willing to continue sketching! Best,

 

Royd

Hughes-Fans Mod

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=111

[The Troll King]

Allison is quite clear on their web site that if you have a dealer badge you will not be getting a sketch.

 

From the web site:

http://www.justsayah.com/pages/AHpg11.html

 

Will a dealers badge increase my chances of getting a sketch?

 

NO. In fact, if you have a dealers badge, you will be banned from the sketch list. If you are seen at the table, or lurking the hall before any show opening, you will be denied a sketch. I know it sounds harsh and unfair, however we have been forced to make the decision by countless people abusing the dealer badge thing. If you are upset; take it out on them.