Dragon*Con is an annual event for me, though my Guest nametag displays another pen name, not “Aisling D’Art.”
Dragon*Con is held during Labor Day weekend in Atlanta. About 60k (yes, 60,000) people usually attend, and it’s one of the high points of my year.
This year, I’ll be involved in my usual ATC workshops. They’re always wonderful… a chance to relax during a hectic weekend, and connect with fellow artists.
This year, Dragon*Con’s Art Show track is adding a panel about zines. (I’m passionate about zines, so I’m especially excited to talk about them at Dragon*Con!)
Here’s my art-related schedule for Dragon*Con. I’m not the only one who’ll be speaking/teaching at these workshop/panels, but I’ll be among the people at the front of the room.
Dragon*Con Artist Trading Card Workshop
Description: What is an Artist Trading Card? Join us for an informative panel and demo. 1st 20 people to sign up will get 4 blank cards. Sign up 30 minutes before.
Time: Sat 04:00 pm Location: Hanover G – Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
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Dragon*Con Artist Trading Card Swap
Description: Made some GREAT cards at the workshop? Or you brought some original cards to Con? Join us for an hour of swapping cards & sharing ideas.
Time: Sun 04:00 pm Location: Hanover G – Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
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Zines, Zines, Zines
Description: Whether you are just curious or a long-time fan of the zine underground join us to discuss how & why zines are made – free zines available.
Time: Mon 01:00 pm Location: Hanover G – Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
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ATCs
The ATC workshop and ATC swap are annual favorites. Melissa Honig and I are a dynamic duo, presenting basic and breakthrough ideas for ATCs. We always look forward to seeing friends there, new and old!
Not attending? If you have ATCs to share, let me know. I’d like to display a wide range of cool ATCs for people attending these panels.
(The ATCs must be non-returnable; after the panel, the cards will be distributed among the attendees, some of whom are teachers who will share the cards with their grade-school students.)
I will personally send you some ATCs in return, and add you to my mailing list (snail mail) for free art-related treats.
Zines (pronounced “zeens”)
This year, I’m also looking forward to a new panel about zines. If you’ll be at Dragon*Con anyway and you’d like to participate in the zine discussion, contact me.
I’m also interested in showing a variety of zines as inspiring examples of what zine creators can do. So, if you have a few to send me, let me know. In return, I’ll add you to my own artsy mailing list (snail mail treats).
Click here for more info about Dragon*Con
Whether or not you’re Dragon*Con’s panels about ATCs and zines, if you’re at the event and see me, be sure to say hello!
About Aisling
2 Comments
Awesome! I hope to check out some of your panels. This is my first year at D*con. Given my limited budget, getting a hotel is always a problem for me, so I could never really afford to go. But this year, I got turned on to vacation rentals, particularly this site called MetroFlats.com. They even had this deal which gave me 50% off membership admission to Dragoncon. Their Dragoncon page can be found here
Thanks, Tom… good tip! I’d be careful about choosing lodging that isn’t making up for the 50% off by charging more per night, but if that site is on the level, that could be good.
I mean, if they’re at all like the “free Disney tickets” offers that involve spending more on whatever-it-is in Orlando — or staying at a questionable B&B in a neighborhood that actually posts signs, “Prostitution is illegal” — that’s not a good deal.
I’ll have to explore the MetroFlats website more deeply after D*C. A casual search of the “available” rooms on their D*C page looked good.
Then, I clicked on one of those rooms — at super-low prices — and saw this line, “The listed rate does not apply to Labor Day Weekend (9/2-6) and Thanks Giving/Christmas/New Years (11/18-1/9). Please inquire before booking. ”
Then, I checked the map and saw that the location isn’t even close to Dragon*Con. It’s not a deal if you’re paying $50/day for parking near the event, or missing out on late-night panels, concerts & parties because you’re concerned about getting to & from your B&B safely.
(Most years, I don’t even stay at hotels six blocks away from the main D*C hotel. While it’s generally safe enough to walk there, if you’re at D*C, you’ll really want to be in the middle of everything, 24/7. Oh, I’ve stayed at one of those perimeter hotels twice, and it’s been a better alternative than simply not going to D*C at all. I just wouldn’t even think about an hotel that requires a cab or taking the transit system.)
At this point, the Dragon*Con website lists a few hotels that still have rooms. I’d choose one of them, and scout friends & forums for roommates. My daughter was still adding additional roommates to her (now overfull) room last week.
In addition, though it can be risky, you can always just show up at the event and start checking hotels for last-minute openings, and asking friends who has an extra bed. There are always last minute no-shows, but you’d need to be aggressive about getting there early and checking every possible option.