Hello!

[trinitycubed]

Sensei, you are so correct about budgeting. I think I just purchased the last cel that I can afford for the year... Not browsing when you don't have the funds for cels is probably the best advice for this hobby. I've purchased a few cels that were pretty expensive, and then go on browsing. BIG MISTAKE. After this last purchase, I don't think I will continue to browse for a very long time. But how do you resist the urge to see what's for sale out there? I mean all the auctions and the sale's page here is so addictive. I always tell myself, I'm just looking...just to see what's out there...but then BAM! a cel in a gallery up for offers is your dream cel... I just need to learn to control the urge to browse, but it's hard to do. I think that starting a collection is a very overwhelming experience, filled with both the good and bad aspects. I can see how this hobby can quickly become unhealthy to collectors, especially new collectors!

[sensei]

I think that starting a collection is a very overwhelming experience, filled with both the good and bad aspects. I can see how this hobby can quickly become unhealthy to collectors, especially new collectors!

Yeah, and even if it's hard, it would be good to have you for the long haul. I've spent nine years collecting, and that's not long as collecting goes: people collect postcards or stamps or 20th century art for decades and decades and decades. I love watching PBS's "Antique Road Show" (as soon as we see any oil painting, we say "thirty thousand dollars!" and usually aren't far off), just to see the bizarro "experts" who look at the hallmarks and miniscule signs of intrinsic worth.

But it can be sad, like the poor guy whose family heirloom jade artifacts turned out to come from one of the Chinese royal family's regalia and were worth $1 million plus. He couldn't begin to afford the insurance on such a possession, and so the artifacts now have to be sold outside the family.

Animation art collecting has a lot of the same snob value -- a rough is an original artwork, after all. I was once at a community day event, showing off some of my Inuyasha sketches, when a young boy complimented me on how well I drew the character. I thanked him, but responded, "That's not a drawing of Inuyasha -- that IS Inuyasha. That's an image that the studio scanned, colorized, animated, and broadcast in one of the episodes." The kid looked at it again, a bit skeptically I thought, but went off hmmmming a mighty hmmmmmm.

And it can have some of the same sadness, as with people who go through a lot of funds to collect amazing things, then, as happens in life, run into difficulties and so are forced to part company with the dream cels they worked so hard to get.

But at the moment it's a relatively innocent hobby. No one really knows how much a given cel or sketch is really worth, and probably won't for a couple more decades. So we can keep the snob part at bay for a while yet, and, if we use a little sense, we can just have a good time getting hold of something that we really admire. It's been great fun so far, and even though I'm slowing down, I'm still having great fun, within my budget.

Perhaps what I'm saying, trinitycubed (and anyone else who's listening in), is to take a broader view of the hobby. Getting is one great joy: but there are other ones, like sharing, having, and learning. If you're still finding the getting the primary joy, then maybe you should put yourself on a strict diet, but at the same time browse galleries, especially for series that you don't collect or maybe don't know anything about. You'll have a lot of fun, especially if you hit on a gallery run by someone who (like me) is incurably chatty about why such-and-such a series is a classic.

And get those pretties scanned and uploaded, so you can have the joy of people walking through and oooooing. [/b]

[Belldandy16]

then maybe you should put yourself on a strict diet, but at the same time browse galleries, especially for series that you don't collect or maybe don't know anything about. You'll have a lot of fun, especially if you hit on a gallery run by someone who (like me) is incurably chatty about why such-and-such a series is a classic. [/b]

yes! browse the galleries! that way you may find a new favorite anime to watch.
thats how i was introduced to one of my all time favorites, i was looking at the cels in other's galleries and finally said to myself im going to watch that series and i LOVE it! (its inuyasha btw)....

thanks for keeping us honest, Sensei!

[Strictly-Dragonball]

Welcome to probably the best forum online!

I can only repeat what others have said, focus on getting the shots you know you want. (don't be impulsive it's expensive as it is )

You don't want to drop $200 on a cel only to realise you didn't really want it. Try to collect only from shows ou really want as well.

[toonybabe]

Having a well thought out wishlist helps you keep your priorities straight. Just remember, you WILL find your wishlist cels....eventually!

Welcome to AB!