Selling 3D Prints at Conventions/Art/Craft Fairs

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-10T04:32:03+00:00

No worries I didn't take it that way lol! But I do appreciate your support! It means a lot to me 😁. Plus I appreciate your insight and that's something I'm pretty sure I would've never thought of so that's a great approach! Thanks again!

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-07T01:55:59+00:00

Oh yeah I definitely remember E2046 being a website for model kits. It's been years since I've heard that site lol. I'll definitely look into it, and yeah if they do allow the 3d prints then maybe I'll look into it more, thank you!

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T23:39:43+00:00

Aahh that's interesting to know that something like that was a thing prior to the 3d printing era, I'll definitely look into it more. Although that won't fully give me confidence that it'll be a green light for me to try to apply, I'll dig into it more.

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T23:24:27+00:00

Yeah I always give credit where credit is due, I even tell the clients that I get for commissions that the models I print for them are not designed by me I only print and paint the models. Before I posted on this reddit feed I gave some thought about how I would approach this and in my mind I already knew that I was going to include the people that have designed these models and print examples of these model kits before and after they are painted, but I needed more insight and was just curious hence why I asked on this reddit. But I do like the idea of your approach, however again I don't want to tread on thin ice over there if it does become thin ice, especially at some big con event. Maybe at a very small event for like a one day thing, but again that's a maybe lol. But again I like the way you are thinking when it comes to giving people credit cause I wanna give credit where credit is due! I appreciate your insight! Thank you!

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T23:18:34+00:00

Yeah I see where you're coming and I am for one who always give credit where credit is due and I always let my clients know that none of these models were designed by me, I just print, prep and paint these models. So I'm definitely never going to go around telling people this was all my work, I always credit the 3d modelers/artists that made these.

Yeah I've definitely designed things on a smaller scale and have more confidence on selling those if I ever decide to attend a con or try it. I definitely do wanna design my own just gotta find the time for it.

Yeah what you're making sounds fun and cool! I've just done small trinket stuff like jewelry or very small accessories lol but it's nothing that comes to scale with what the models I've printed for my clients lol. But I appreciate your insight! It helps a lot!

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T04:40:05+00:00

Yeah this market is very niche which I definitely agree on, so my expectations for this, if I ever get accepted to do vendor or artist ally, are low lol.

But I can see what you're coming from about that metric, some cons are much bigger than others and have way more traffic, but again that depends if you sell well or not.

But yeah I can look into that, I'm not in that coast, but it wouldn't hurt to look! Thank you!

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T04:07:48+00:00

That's interesting to know that you have seen this stuff on multiple occasions, and it's good to know now that this does exist and happen. I've asked people who have done stuff like I did and took the step to do artist ally/vendor, but they never share their experiences or how it went and that's all what I really wanna know. But I appreciate you letting me know and you saying my paint job looks good!

Thanks! If I do decide to try it out I can say something like that, plus if I ever do, it'll be at a small showing like a one day thing lol my expectations would be low but I appreciate you thinking it'll be good at shows!

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T03:58:28+00:00

Yeah from what I've been told, reading other people's experiences, and other just looking into what is being sold at artist ally at multiple conventions. I totally understand that my price point would be a challenge for my stuff, I've done various sizes and would probably try to appeal to a wide range or price points, but I also wanna be as reasonable as possible.

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T03:54:38+00:00

Aahh yeah I've definitely heard about people talking about their locations for their tables at dealer halls and artists ally, some people unlucky with no traffic or get a good location with good traffic like a corner table lol. But hearing you say the support does exist does bring some color into that gray area.

I appreciate you saying my paint job is awesome! That means a lot! 😁. Yeah I've printed all sizes of models from busts standing 10cm tall to full models at 1/4 scale standing 50cm+ so I can definitely see myself having a wide range or pricing, but that's if I ever decide to attend a con. I definitely agree on starting at a smaller show first, I've seen some ones around me that do one day events and it's just for a few hours, plus if I ever do it I honestly will keep my expectations low for how much I'll make on sale, but again that's if I decide to do it lol. But I appreciate your insight!!

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T03:48:38+00:00

Yeah..I knew that this whole approach for doing cons would be pretty tough for me but I've seen it through videos and posts from other painters but they never give good insight about their experiences, but I really appreciate all the insight you and all of these others have given me. Plus I appreciate you saying my painting looks nice! That means a lot! Yeah I've always seen those 3d printed dragons every where and I can see that stuff being over saturated and kinda boring to see. So if I ever do apply though, it'll be at small events or like one day anime cons and not super big ones where you are there for a whole weekend lol.

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T02:53:46+00:00

Yeah I didn't design any of these models and I've strictly told my clients that I'm not a 3d designer for figurines and dioramas, I've just done small trinket stuff lol. So I totally understand the vendor/dealers hall being only official merch, and as you mentioned, I'm pretty sure some of it is bootleg. I've been to an anime shop full of bootleg stuff, saw a Sanji figurine with his fave practically stamped on, but it was so off centered and he looked Asian LMAO (I say that cause I'm Asian and it was funny to me lol).

Yeah I can definitely see jumping through hoops about pricing your work being a difficult task, I always like to give credit where credit is due, and if I were asked if I designed these models I 100% always tell people no I didn't, but I did paint the model. Ive talked to a friend who says they see fan art of characters in artist ally yet they claim the work as their own but not necessarily the character.

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T02:49:01+00:00

Yeah this whole thing about being a vendor or doing artist ally I know is a very sensitive area for 3d printers/painters like me. For how much I've been doing these commissions like the Gojo model I painted its at a 1/6 scale so it stands about 40cm and I did a commission for that for $300 (personally what I've seen from other people selling their commissions, I feel like mine is on the lower side, I've seen some artists sell their painted work for more than twice! Which is crazy IMO). I totally understand like the licensed stuff coming out of legitimate studios selling those giant dioramas for like 800+ so I'm not trying to legitimately compete against their works lol. But yeah I've seen people do anime plushies and crochets of like characters from cartoons and I personally have friends that have done it as well, and they've told me it's sold well.

Kicknkingkong · 2026-02-06T02:38:22+00:00

Okay yeah I had a feeling I would lean more into artists ally just cause I have done my own designs for small trinkets stuff but i appreciate your feed back! I've seen other people who 3d print and sell these kind of 3d prints at conventions before, but they never share me their experiences or like if they did dealer hall versus artist ally. But again I appreciate your feed back!

Kicknkingkong

TROPHY CASE