2019 Year in Review & 2020 Cel/Sketch Resolutions

[Fiore]

Oops. Double post.

It’s Graymouser!<3

This off topic, but I wanted to say I love your site so much! Your collection is beautiful, and your helpful section of terminology has help me a lot (I referenced it more than once)! Thank you!

[graymouser]

Thank you very much. Its nice to know someone has popped by for a visit.

[kizu]

Thank you very much. Its nice to know someone has popped by for a visit.

Hey I visit your site too. You know I've done so over the years. Too bad I've been to San Diego a bit ago to watch Joe Hisaishi and didn't notice you were from there, i would've asked to meet up.

[graymouser]

Oh no. That would have been a lot of fun.

[eternaltorture]

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2019?

It increased in size (but not quality ) and I managed to obtain some art from mangaka whose works I used to read.

2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?

Just the influx of commission pieces by non-professional artists... They look out of place in my collection and I have buyer's remorse (shhh)

3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2019?

A shikishi drawn by Kaoru Shintani.

4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?

I started collecting autographs/shikishi in early 2018. There's definitely a lot more competition now in conventions and pieces for auction seem to be more scarce, ending in higher numbers.

5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2020?

Since I joined, I've been reading a lot of past threads and the yearly resolution ones. I recall reading someone's transition from cels to shikishi. I think that's how it usually is lol. In my case though, I have only collected shikishi and now I want to start collecting cels. Is that weird?

2020 Cel resolution: A GiTS or Studio Ghibli cel by end of the year. They are rare and cost thousands so I'm definitely going to save up money for them and at the mean time, only buy cels I really like and won't break the bank.

2020 Sketch resolution: Only buy ones I have watched/read. I have a few of series I've never heard of but just because they look nice and I was desperate to increase my collection. Never again... Now there are some sketches I want but can't afford and I'm here thinking "If only I did not buy this and that.."

6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2019 or for 2018, how true did you stay to it?

N/A

[cutiebunny]

Since I joined, I've been reading a lot of past threads and the yearly resolution ones. I recall reading someone's transition from cels to shikishi. I think that's how it usually is lol. In my case though, I have only collected shikishi and now I want to start collecting cels. Is that weird?

Pretty sure you're referring to me

I toggle between shikishi and cels. I've gone years without buying cels and then I'll suddenly find something I really like and bid on it. I can't say that I've gone without purchasing at least one shikishi a year since I started to make the transition to them.

My experience has been that conventions have been cracking down on sketches since 2014. Conventions got some absurd idea that if an artist sketches for attendees, the attendees won't try to buy the artwork at auction. A lot of this is due to how much control corporate sponsors have over their guests. Corporations will bring over guests for larger conventions but then prevent them from doing much more than signing a pre-printed shikishi for guests. Meanwhile, the artist will draw something for the corporate sponsor. When it works out in your favor, it's great, but when you're going to large cons and standing in line for hours just to receive the same sqiggle that everyone else in line will receive, it's hard. Convention auction prices started to really increase for me in 2015, but I think that was because the economy had largely recovered from the 2008 housing crisis.

[eternaltorture]

Since I joined, I've been reading a lot of past threads and the yearly resolution ones. I recall reading someone's transition from cels to shikishi. I think that's how it usually is lol. In my case though, I have only collected shikishi and now I want to start collecting cels. Is that weird?

Pretty sure you're referring to me

I toggle between shikishi and cels. I've gone years without buying cels and then I'll suddenly find something I really like and bid on it. I can't say that I've gone without purchasing at least one shikishi a year since I started to make the transition to them.

My experience has been that conventions have been cracking down on sketches since 2014. Conventions got some absurd idea that if an artist sketches for attendees, the attendees won't try to buy the artwork at auction. A lot of this is due to how much control corporate sponsors have over their guests. Corporations will bring over guests for larger conventions but then prevent them from doing much more than signing a pre-printed shikishi for guests. Meanwhile, the artist will draw something for the corporate sponsor. When it works out in your favor, it's great, but when you're going to large cons and standing in line for hours just to receive the same sqiggle that everyone else in line will receive, it's hard. Convention auction prices started to really increase for me in 2015, but I think that was because the economy had largely recovered from the 2008 housing crisis.

I feel like that'll happen to me eventually but with shikishi. Whenever I see them, I don't feel the urge to buy them anymore after seeing pages and pages of pretty cels.

What series do you still collect cels from?

Yeah, I went to AX for the first time last year hoping to get a sketch from Bisco Hatori but they gave out pre-printed shikishi. Thankfully, it was pretty so I didn't mind but I really wanted a Tamaki or Honey sketch

[cutiebunny]

I feel like that'll happen to me eventually but with shikishi. Whenever I see them, I don't feel the urge to buy them anymore after seeing pages and pages of pretty cels.

I think it depends on what you're looking for and how picky you are. At least, that's the case with me. There's a lot of artists that I'd love to get even a squiggle from, but then there are other artists where I want something really nice and that's all I'll settle for.

With cels, it really depends on the scene. There have been times where I've purchased something from a sequence thinking that I'll upgrade with later and, over a decade later, I haven't seen anything else come up for sale from that sequence.

What series do you still collect cels from?

I still purchase the occasional cel from Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. With CCS, the prices have really skyrocketed since I started collecting back in 2008(?). There used to be a seller that would put a couple small lots of 2-3 backgrounds on Yahoo Japan every week that I would buy from.

Sailor Moon prices went up when Crystal was in production but I'm assuming as that reboot was an overall disappointment, prices have returned back to pre-Crystal levels.

I own more artwork from other series sketch-wise than I do cel-wise. For example, I don't own any cels from GiTS but I do own a couple GiTS sketches drawn by Kazuchika Kise. He's very eccentric in real life, but one of my favorite artists that I've ever met.

Yeah, I went to AX for the first time last year hoping to get a sketch from Bisco Hatori but they gave out pre-printed shikishi. Thankfully, it was pretty so I didn't mind but I really wanted a Tamaki or Honey sketch

I was tempted to go back to AX last year because of Hatori, but because I already owned one of her sketches and because I knew that her sponsor, Viz, was going to limit it to an autograph on a pre-printed board, I opted not to attend. I've been to many AXs in the past. I find that AX alternates between good and bad years, although the good has progressively gotten worse and more expensive to experience. When I last attended, I spent $1200 on 5 nights at Courtyard LA Live. At other conventions, I spend half that on a room for 4-5 nights.

I hope she was a nice person to meet though and you were able ask her a question or two.

As an FYI, most corporate sponsors make it so that their guests won't draw for attendees. If a guest is being sponsored by Aniplex, Viz, GoodSmile or any other very large corporation, they're not going to draw and will most likely not donate a sketch to the auction, assuming there is one.

[eternaltorture]

I think it depends on what you're looking for and how picky you are. At least, that's the case with me. There's a lot of artists that I'd love to get even a squiggle from, but then there are other artists where I want something really nice and that's all I'll settle for.

With cels, it really depends on the scene. There have been times where I've purchased something from a sequence thinking that I'll upgrade with later and, over a decade later, I haven't seen anything else come up for sale from that sequence.

Yeah, I've gotten a lot pickier with shikishi. Only getting ones on my list of "artists whose autographs/art I want" now.

For cels, I also made a list of series I want to collect from but I get easily distracted by pretty cels from series I've never heard of before!

I still purchase the occasional cel from Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. With CCS, the prices have really skyrocketed since I started collecting back in 2008(?). There used to be a seller that would put a couple small lots of 2-3 backgrounds on Yahoo Japan every week that I would buy from.

Sailor Moon prices went up when Crystal was in production but I'm assuming as that reboot was an overall disappointment, prices have returned back to pre-Crystal levels.

I own more artwork from other series sketch-wise than I do cel-wise. For example, I don't own any cels from GiTS but I do own a couple GiTS sketches drawn by Kazuchika Kise. He's very eccentric in real life, but one of my favorite artists that I've ever met.

I was thinking of collecting Chibausa cels but found them to be quite expensive. They're at least $300 and the ones I really like are 1k. I'm not that invested in Sailor Moon so I gave up on the idea.

Do you collect backgrounds from series other than CCS? I've been wanting to get some from Sci-fi animes, wondering if they crop up often

I'm jealous! GiTS is like my favorite franchise and getting a sketch from Kazuchika Kise would be a dream. Do you have photos of them up anywhere?

I was tempted to go back to AX last year because of Hatori, but because I already owned one of her sketches and because I knew that her sponsor, Viz, was going to limit it to an autograph on a pre-printed board, I opted not to attend. I've been to many AXs in the past. I find that AX alternates between good and bad years, although the good has progressively gotten worse and more expensive to experience. When I last attended, I spent $1200 on 5 nights at Courtyard LA Live. At other conventions, I spend half that on a room for 4-5 nights.

I hope she was a nice person to meet though and you were able ask her a question or two.

As an FYI, most corporate sponsors make it so that their guests won't draw for attendees. If a guest is being sponsored by Aniplex, Viz, GoodSmile or any other very large corporation, they're not going to draw and will most likely not donate a sketch to the auction, assuming there is one.

You own one of her sketches? That's crazy! Did you get it in person or through Mandarake/YJ?

Yeah, I think I got more sketches at smaller cons like ACen and Anime Midwest than I did at AX. Also spent more on airfare/hotels for it.... Kinda hesitant on attending future ones

She was really nice and soft spoken. I didn't get to ask any questions but I did tell her Ouran High School Host Club was my first shoujo series and my favorite character is Honey

[cutiebunny]

Do you collect backgrounds from series other than CCS? I've been wanting to get some from Sci-fi animes, wondering if they crop up often

I have a lot of backgrounds from Kobato and some backgrounds from various other series like Chihayafuru, but I don’t look for backgrounds as much as I used to search for them. A lot of studios trash them.

I'm jealous! GiTS is like my favorite franchise and getting a sketch from Kazuchika Kise would be a dream. Do you have photos of them up anywhere?

Here’s most of them. Still haven’t updated with the nengajo yet -

http://cutiebunny.rubberslug.com/galler ... esID=47129

You own one of her sketches? That's crazy! Did you get it in person or through Mandarake/YJ?

YJ. I picked up a Millennium Snow sketch several years ago. I’ve never seen any of her Ouran sketches for sale. I probably couldn’t afford it anyways

Yeah, I think I got more sketches at smaller cons like ACen and Anime Midwest than I did at AX. Also spent more on airfare/hotels for it.... Kinda hesitant on attending future ones

I’ve never been to Anime Midwest. How is that convention?

My recommendation is to go with a good group of friends. Even if the convention blows, you still have stuff you can do with them. I’ve gone to ACEN for the past few years and would have gone again had this virus thing not happened. You’re always welcome to hang out with my friends and I at any con if you’d like...as long as you don’t mind the fact that we go to bed around 11. We’ve all come to appreciate our sleep more as we’ve gotten older

[eternaltorture]

The Kazuchika Kise sketches look great! Especially the Yuuko ones, great choice!

Wow, Millennium Snow I haven't heard of that title for over a decade... Now that I'm looking it up, I realize it was never finished when I first read it and only completed in late 2013. Guess I'll be doing a reread soon
Haha, I probably can't afford any of her sketches. Congrats on the piece

Anime Midwest is a small con. I've only attended twice. From what I've seen, it's mostly casual fans and dubs/SPG crowd. There aren't many sketches-focused attendees so if they ever invite animators, it would be easy to get sketches there. I like the con sweet that they do: free beverages, ramen, chips, rice, etc. I would recommend it if you are okay supporting a Ryan Kopf convention.

Thank you for the offer, I will definitely consider it for future cons