Back from Japanorama

Exhibiting at Comic Con

It was invited to attend my first comic convention-like event as an artist. Japanorama – A Japan and anime themed event held at the National Space Centre in Leicester from 4th-5th of May 2013. It was described as:

The National Space Centre is an all-weather attraction for all the family, situated in the heart of the Midlands, located just two miles from Leicester city centre. Why not take a tour round the centre, or check out our special events and birthday parties for a full range of ideas to make your visit out of this world.

I was described as:

Ben Krefta from Organic Metal, is a hugely popular artist and designer, who runs online tutorials

Apparently I’m hugely popular! This statement made me laugh! Without wanting to sound too self-deprecating, at this stage in my career I feel like I’m very much unknown. At least, outside of my immediate small circle of acquaintances, and a couple of fans dotted around the internet.

A quick summary of what happened

I was one of several guest artists given a stall in the ‘Artists Alley’, along with talented artists: Chie Kutsuwada, Laura Watton-Davies, Jodie Azhar, Emma Vieceli and Dock. The aim- to talk to visitors of the show, sell our own selection of art related goods and potentially take commissions.

Unlike the others artist in attendance, I’d never attended this kind of live event. I had no idea what to expect. I made do with selling several postcard size art prints, which I’d sign for customers. I’d talk to fans and discuss potential commissions. To be honest, I was unprepared and I probably wouldn’t have considered going had I not been invited. In the end. I’m glad I did- it was a great experience.

Chatting to fellow manga inspired artists and fans alike was a worthwhile experience. It’s something I usually only do from behind a computer screen. At one point, we got up on the main stage to give a talk about working as manga inspired artists in the UK. Again, presenting art related info is something I’d previously only done via my website or art books. The public speaking side of things felt a little daunting, yet all worked out in the end.