Every month I’m blessed that people support my shop. Some are friends or fam, but most are people I’ve never met in my life. I hella appreciate you all! You can get art prints, books, stickers, etc.
Dig this? Check out this post about my table set up at SJ Made (Art Fair/Market)
This is a short comic about a young child seeing a trumpet , falling in love with it, and learning to play so well that she inspired a new generation. I drew this super fast without any words.
Whats this? I’ve had fits and starts with comics over the years. In 2016 I started working on an epic graphic novel and it was too much, I couldn’t finish. So I took a break and began doing mini comics (shorter more manageable stories) so I could do the most important part; finish them. This is a continuation of that.
Dig this? Check out some of my other comics
Space Graf is a short comic about a time when me and my homie went to the freight train yards to paint our names on trains decades ago. Just a colored pencil and an ink pen. I’m not trying to make the greatest illustration, just trying to finish a comics. Even if its 1 page long.
Whats this? I’ve had fits and starts with comics over the years. In 2016 I started working on an epic graphic novel and it was too much, I couldn’t finish. So I took a break and began doing mini comics (shorter more manageable stories) so I could do the most important part; finish them. This is a continuation of that.
Dig this? Check out some of my other comics
I did a quick and fun custom bookmark. You can buy it or one like it or you can give me a chracter or theme you’d like me to draw on one. No portraits of people though.
If you’d like to get one, here’s the LINK
Dig this? Check out my Bilingual bookmark deal 3
Here’s a short fictional comic about making progress, making mistakes and finally making one screen printed image. Its not my best drawing but the goal wasn’t to make the illest illustration, it is to finish.
Whats this? I’ve had fits and starts with comics over the years. In 2016 I started working on an epic graphic novel and it was too much, I couldn’t finish. So I took a break and began doing mini comics (shorter more manageable stories) so I could do the most important part; finish them. This is a continuation of that.
Dig this? Check out some of my other comics
I did two versions of this and scrapped the first one in favor of this. Its hand writing. instead of painting and I like how it came out. Its a gentle reminder to warm up before you get to business creatively. Maybe you’re a singer, a sculptor, designers, dancer, athlete, coder, organizer, painter, photographer, whatever. It helps to warm up or practice first.
Dig this? Check out this “Stay Principled & Curious” sticker
I just took a Loish class online which was inspired by Eliza Ivanova and a few others and tried out what they do using pencil and smudging or shading and it came out dope. Using her reference I made this and thought of sister opening a portal.
Dig this? Check out my collage of characters 2022-2024
Yo, I’ve been going to SJ Made since 2019 as a visitor and I’ve been a vendor off and on since 2021. This is one of the most professional craft fairs in the Bay Area. Period. I plan to start posting more about shows I’ve done and sharing my set up and realized I had this one in the chamber still.
Ok, when I pull up, they have a taped off section for vendors and they’ve already sent a message containing the info about when to set up, support such as tables, portable walls, etc and where I will be. This is how I pull up with my rolling cart and a few boxes. The first boxes usually contain my kids books, stickers, postcards, bookmarks, and prints.
It takes several trips to bring all the gear from my car to my spot or number.
Next I start to pull up with the pieces I need for my display. I usually start with putting up my foldable table first which will hold my books and smaller items.
When I started out I used to have my art prints sitting flat but through experimentation, research, and advice I started displaying them larger, higher up, and at eye level so passerbys will see them. If they can’t see it, they’re not going to buy it. I built these displays by hand with wood, glue, screws, and picture frame magnets from a hardware store. Each is meant to display four 11″ x 14″ art prints.
Next up are the kids books and the displays. I have written and or illustrated over 10 kids books that are out. Mostly picture books for ages 4-8, but I’ve done some middle grade for ages 8-12 as well. At this stage I usually place the display for stickers or postcards in the middle for symmetry. I then put two levels of books. One directly on the table and one a little bit higher up. Recently I’ve experimented with having a cardboard display with a darker contrasting color behind the books.
After I’m done with that I start to put up my art prints, usually in sets of four that can be purchased for a discount as a set. The prints were a game changer in terms of revenue I make at a show. Before it was just young people who’d buy one sticker. Or a parent or auntie who’d buy 1-2 books. But once I started to display my prints more prominently they sold. I come with display copies and I bring a box of prints that have a plastic sleeve, a note about the artwork with a link to my work, and a cardboard backing to keep it from getting damaged.
Next up after prints and books is my wooden display where I put vinyl stickers, sticker packs, sticker sheets, postcards, bookmarks, and sometimes a mini comic. ALSO, i put out a form for my email newsletter. Its great to guide folks to your social media, website, and store. But having a Substack, email newsletter, or something like it is a great way to reach your supporters and future customers directly!
After that, I put up my “Art of Rob” sign, get my tea, snack, a paper to write notes about the event, cash, square reader, and I’m ready to go. One day I’ll do a post on how to talk to folks. But this is how I set up my table. Photo by Rachel Kenney aka REK inc.
Dig this? Check out this 2019 post I wrote about how to improve your merch table. How I got to 1000 sales on Etsy, or Why I still use Business cards today!
Thanks to the organizing and kindness of Aspire Education in Oakland who provide tutoring, mentoring, and support to public school students in the Bay Area I was able to read to Lincoln Elementary. All photos by Beau Tindle.
Lincoln is smack dab in the middle of Oakland’s Chinatown and has a predominantly AAPI student body, but a lot of families from different backgrounds are mixed in there.
Staff from Community Reading Buddies and Aspire provided information and resources for the family, pizza, salad, cookies, and snacks, and free books!
As families started to pour in and get ready for me to read I began getting my daughter and my presentation set up.
I began reading “Fresh juice” published by Lee & Low Books to the little kids, tweens, and parents and found everyone super engaged, responsive, and curious.
There were several copies of the book given away that evening and many folks followed along with me as I read the story. I’ve read a hundred times but its still fun to engage the audience with details from their life experience like taking public transportation, going to farmer’s markets, or the kinds of fruits and veggies we eat at home or school.
After I read the book I got to share a little bit of the art process as I often do. I walked around showing my sketchbook as well. While it is nice to get ooh’s and ahhh’s from young people seeing your drawings, I don’t remember ever meeting an author or illustrator in school as a shorty. The work organizations like Aspire Education do is vital, for inspiration and academic success. So, I hope that some of them will be inspired to draw or write for books.
If you haven’t read “Fresh Juice” you can watch and listen to a reading HERE by actor Da’Vine Joy Randolph courtesy of Storyline Online and SAG Aftra Foundation.
One of the coolest things about my job by far is meeting young people who are not just artists, writers, change makers, etc but literally the future. This one was super fun too. If you’d like to invite me to come visit your school or library, check my contact page and hit me up.
Dig this? Check out these other school or library visits:
I made this sticker back in October of 2024 but somehow forgot to post it on my blog. So here it is again.
Stay Principled & Curious means to me. Stick to your guns but be willing to learn. So many jobs and careers in the arts ask us to not speak about issues or to remain quiet about injustice and I say fuck that. If you know something to be true, share it, stand by it, and let folks know. If you make a mistake, correct it. If you learn new information, share that too. But don’t remain silent. That is how injustice is allowed to continue because those with wealth, tech, and power bank on those who cannot speak and those who know something but remain silent staying silent. Nope.
Wanna send one to a friend?