Pixel Moon Studios Interview at All-Con 2018
One of the most interesting aspects of comic conventions, like All-Con, is the merch that you can buy. On the surface, each convention has a different selection & different focus on the fandoms that are presented for purchase. When you dig into it a bit more, though, you start to discover there is another, much more important separation of the types of merchandise that will continue to keep fans coming back year after year: custom made vs manufactured. The opportunity to take home a piece of your favorite fandom that few others can say they have or have ever seen, is something that entices both passing & hardcore fans. Artist alley is the place where people can clearly see unique takes on their favorite fandoms, but it can be easily missed that plenty of the other vendors also offer custom made items for all preferences. Home made Harry Potter pillows, Darth Vader mugs, Firefly onesies and much more are just the beginning of the one of a kind items that you can only find at conventions these days. To get more insight into this world, we stopped by the table for Pixel Moon Studios to talk about what it's like to make & sell these home made specialties to convention-goers.
Sam, the shy, but very friendly owner of Pixel Moon Studios, kindly took time out of her day to tell us all about how she got into making things like nerdy plushies & unicorn headdresses for conventions. Having earned a bachelor's degree in fine art & being a nerd at heart, Sam decided to put her talents to work making the kind of unique & fun things that she always wanted to see at conventions. What this has now evolved into are Rick & Morty plushies, anime pillows, unicorn headdresses, kawaii style flower creatures, and much more. With each new item you see, most people can't help but smile. Honestly, who wouldn't find the fun in a cartoon pop-tart looking like it's about to breakout in song? Of all the fantasy fans out there, who among you hasn't had a moment where you watched the Pastoral Symphony scene from Disney's Fantasia & thought about how much fun it would be to be one of those mystical creatures? Well, with her unicorn & deer inspired headdresses, you are one step closer to at least looking the part. As she continued to tell us about her sources of inspiration, it was perfectly clear how much she loved what she does. And with only selling her creations for about a year now, there is still plenty of room for her to grow her business.
If you find yourself at a convention where Pixel Moon Studios happens to be, do yourself a favor, stop in to say hi to Sam & give a Pickle Rick plushie a quick squeeze. The experience may just brighten up your day.