Coles84 Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Hi all, Over the years of attending Comic cons I have had a few unlucky times where I may get a smudged signature, totally accidentally by a guest. This is not usually noticed until the picture is handed back and during those few star struck seconds it is hard to take in. My query is, if this happens, are we okay to ask for another sig unsmudged? Appreciate this would not be do-able on DVDs etc and really only on 10x8s (which coincidentally is the only items I have had the issue with) you would certainly be able to present evidence that you are not just trying to queue jump, you just want what you paid for. Just wondering if anyone has had this happen to them and how they have dealt with the issue. To be honest it never really bothered me as meeting the guest is what I love to do but now when I look back at some my autos, especially one from Gillian Anderson that is totally unreadable (not her intentional fault! Great lady) it is a bit gutting. On a positive note, I once asked Nicholas Lea for a quote on his picture, which he very kindly did but forgot to sign the picture. I noticed when I got back to the hotel, the next day I explained to his crew member and showed the pic, he kindly signed it and we had good joke about it. Last thing I want to do is make a guest feel embarrassed so that's a reason I have never asked before but I just wondered if there was more of an official line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen_Sindel Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I've only had it happen once to me, back when Jorge Garcia appeared. A crew member noticed when I was leaving the line before I even had a look at the picture, took the picture from me and told me to wait and they'd get me a new one. Took all but two mnutes. If it's really genuinely smudged and not just a tiny drop of paint somewhere I don't see any issues, just speak to crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raylenth Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I think like all advice given for any event issue's it's best to speak to the crew as soon as you notice. If you don't want to do it right in front of the guest which is understandable, step away from the table and let the next person up and discreetly speak to the crew. I'm sure I recall people saying it had happened occasionally in the past and that was what was advised. It's the same with the photo's, if you think it was a bad picture you can bring it to the crew's attention and ask for a retake (though that is at the crews discretion and only if they agree there is a fault with the picture, not that you just don't like it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spacecadet is here Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Armin Shimerman tore up three photos from his table because when he was signing he didn't like it. A real Gent. On his fourth attempt he handed me the photo and asked if I was happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvirtue Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 To be quite frank, you're paying a lot of money for these autographs; even £10 is more than some people make in an hour and it takes 10 seconds to sign a photo. If it is not right then you should ask for it to be done again. There is no need for anyone, guest included, to feel embarrassed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumper8 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 At last year's Glasgow FCC Max Grodenchik personally dried the autographs with an electric mini-fan as he chatted to the recipient. Now that's service! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siva Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 When I met Iain Glen last year I got my auto and stood to one side whilst my friend got her auto. I looked down at mine and noticed it was smudged and instantly cried out "Oh no it's smudged!" Iain Glen looked up at me and motioned me to come back over. He asked for my auto, looked at it and then threw it under his table and gave me another one. He smiled and told me not to smudge it next time. After I thanked him and left, I looked at my hands and noticed there was no blue ink on them. Anyways I was so thankful that Iain Glen was nice enough to do another auto for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony1975 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I always worry when the person signing is left handed as they are more likely to smudge the signature. No offence to leftys. I am one myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHAPPiE13 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 On the odd occasion the signature has been smudged I found no problems what so ever speaking to the event volunteer looking after the guest or line. I never made a fuss or demanded a replacement, and it seems this way forward of a discrete conversation with an event volunteer meant the solution was fast, friendly and did not put the guest in a situation where they may have been embarrassed that they had smudged their autograph and/or dedication. Yes, I did and do pay to meet them, but my personal opinion having worked in retail and/or the restaurant sector off and on for many of my 30 years employment, is that a polite, friendly and discrete conversation with someone gets the quickest and best solution where all parties are happy. Yes, the guest is paid to sign autographs, but with some they can see 100s over the course of a weekend. And the really popular ones even more. The guests are human and do have feelings, so discretion is the way forward for myself. And, having been to Showmasters events in the past (amongst many by others who will not be named as per forum rules/guidelines), I have found the volunteers helpful when these little "issues" pop up. But hey, I am only me and I am sure many others will do it their own way. But, as the saying goes, POLITENESS costs nothing but a smile. Regards and salutations, CHAPPiE13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indio Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 I had an experience in April 2010 regarding a smudge, which I am still a bit raw over all of these years later. I'm not raw about the guest, but I'm raw about the experience, because it was one of those experiences that involved being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had already met this guest 3 times over the years and had such great experiences with him, and I was and still am a big fan of his work, however, when I met him the 4th time in 2010, it was a bad experience. Out of all of the guests at this event in 2010, this guest was the only guest who didn't have a silver sharpie. Instead, he had some cheap silver pen, which partly caused the smudge. The main reason for the smudge was due to some guy who rudely interrupted while my item was being signed. I, myself had my own silver sharpie with me, but for some unknown reason, I didn't firstly ask him to use it. However, I did ask him, after I noticed the smudge, but instead of him just resigning it, he tried to make out that there wasn't a smudge and he even asked his assistant if he could see one. His assistant however, knew that there was a smudge, as he didn't answer. Anyway, he did resign it with my silver sharpie, and I talked about a project that he was working on, in which he responded to. However, when I put my hand out to get my silver sharpie back, he didn't seem happy, as he questioned me by saying... Your pen? He then handed me my pen back, but wasn't happy when doing so, and when I thanked him just before I left, he looked up with a very angry face and didn't say anything. I so hope to have a 5th and final experience with this guest, as the 4th time was such a raw note to end things on, however, he hasn't done any signings in this country since April 2010, and I kind of get the feeling that if he was going to do so, then he would have done so by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieeerr Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 I have done quite a few 'autograph repairs' before, because the photo had been stuck to the back of another photo and while taking them apart some parts of an autograph were left behind in the back of the other photo. Filling in the gaps was nerve wrecking, but thankfully it looks fine again. But what did happen, like what happened with the original poster, is that Andrew Scott wrote something on a photo for me and then forgot to sign it. Bless him. I never noticed, but someone pointed it out to me after posting it on Facebook a few days later. Thankfully I have enough autographs of him already and this only adds to the brilliant story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raylenth Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I have done quite a few 'autograph repairs' before, because the photo had been stuck to the back of another photo and while taking them apart some parts of an autograph were left behind in the back of the other photo. Filling in the gaps was nerve wrecking, but thankfully it looks fine again. I tried that once years ago. I noticed the sig had stuck to the wrapper covering and most of it came off, it was done in silver Sharpie and it was before I knew the took longer to dry. I tried going over it again with a silver gel pen which was the only one I had at the time and it was a complete disaster, it's looks all shaky and to be honest I kind of ruined the picture which was a shame as it's a multi signed Stargate picture with Don Davis on so I'll never get that signed again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieeerr Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I have done quite a few 'autograph repairs' before, because the photo had been stuck to the back of another photo and while taking them apart some parts of an autograph were left behind in the back of the other photo. Filling in the gaps was nerve wrecking, but thankfully it looks fine again. I tried that once years ago. I noticed the sig had stuck to the wrapper covering and most of it came off, it was done in silver Sharpie and it was before I knew the took longer to dry. I tried going over it again with a silver gel pen which was the only one I had at the time and it was a complete disaster, it's looks all shaky and to be honest I kind of ruined the picture which was a shame as it's a multi signed Stargate picture with Don Davis on so I'll never get that signed again. That's a pity. 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHAPPiE13 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 One of the biggest problems that I have witnessed is when people put the autographed photos in a case or plastic sleeve straight away without letting the ink dry. This is a sure fire way to having the signagture smudge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raylenth Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I have a hard plastic document folder that's a couple of centimetres thick - it's really good as I can slip the photo in once signed and just carry it at a slight angle so it's not touching the side, then by the time I get to the next queue it's dried and the next one can go on top and repeat. Small solid cases/archive boxes are the best really, I'd never put a freshly signed picture in a sleeve or equivalent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHAPPiE13 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I have a hard plastic document folder that's a couple of centimetres thick - it's really good as I can slip the photo in once signed and just carry it at a slight angle so it's not touching the side, then by the time I get to the next queue it's dried and the next one can go on top and repeat. Small solid cases/archive boxes are the best really, I'd never put a freshly signed picture in a sleeve or equivalent. This is sensible and sounds similar to what I use. I usually have a dozen of them in a bag-on-wheels to make it easy to carry around and put one photo in each case to naturally dry. As I rarely get more than a dozen autographs they stay in the hard plastic case until I get home where I go on to frame them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumper8 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumper8 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Only had one "smudge incident" so far; carelessness on my part (insufficient wafting) caused the silver ink to stick to the inside of the poly pocket (see previous post) Tried to salvage it and its reasonably legible! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHAPPiE13 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 (edited) One of the biggest problems that I have witnessed is when people put the autographed photos in a case or plastic sleeve straight away without letting the ink dry. This is a sure fire way to having the signagture smudge. I blow on the ink gentle after they written but my reacent one i was was holding it in my hand till I found the plastic sleeve stall which took a bit of time. I suggest to everyone really not to put it straight in the sleeve the last saw my friends mum and she put in it a book and i said that will might smudge on the page. Sleeves can make them smudge if not 100% dry. And 100% dry takes time. That is why I will always use a hard plastic cover which is usually an inch in thickness so it can dry in peace. Edited June 4, 2016 by CHAPPiE13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelligrafie Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Depends on the level of smudging though doesn't it? And whether or not it's the guest who smudged it, or it happened due to negligence (not necessarily intentional) on the fan's part as people have said, with not letting the ink dry before storing it for example. If London is as hot and humid as it was last year, take extra care. Don't sweat on your autographs folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebster118 Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Only had my first autogrpah smudged (just the end bit of the guest's name) back in 1998. When I met Greg Grunberg at Spring LFCC this year, I accidentally smudged my name which I noticed and commented. I was willong to leave it at that, but he offered to sign another photo at no extra charge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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