Art Print Issues by Barney Davey

Shifting with the Paradigm - Hazel Dooney on Using Creative Commons

If you pay attention to the contemporary art scene, you are aware of of Australian artist Hazel Dooney. Or, perhaps you read about her here on a post I published last year: Hazel Dooney: A Courageous Uncompromising and Successful Visual Artist. She works as hard at her creative life and shares her successes, trials and tribulations like no other artist I know.

As one of the most prolific visual artist bloggers you will find, she shares intimate details of hard fought battles with her serious bi-polar condition, head butting with gallerists and clueless would-be collectors, her father's terminal cancer, working the creative process and managing her career.

Hers is the most revealing behind and in front of the scene look you will ever get at the struggles of making it as an artist. This is not made for television, it is real. Unless you cannot resist the guilty pleasure, there is no need to tune into to the reality TV show, Work of Art, when you can access the real deal on Dooney's Self vs Self blog.

What you will find when you follow her is that Hazel Dooney is as articulate with her writing as she is creative with her art. In both, you will find she does not shy away from confrontation or making points that make other people uncomfortable.

A few weeks back, she wrote and suggested I republish her blog post on her views and use of Creative Commons (Creative Commons is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright.) where she said, "I think this brief piece on how artists should view the rights in their works and how value is shifting is quite important. It might piss some people off but I think it deserves a wider airing and discussion." 

I believe what Dooney is stressing is important and that we cannot avoid assessing the reality of how digital media and our interconnectedness truly have changed everything. What was will never be again. Facing what is and making it work for you is the only reality and only way to make headway in the shifting paradigms we face. Sitting still is not the answer. The famous Will Rogers saying hold's up well here. "Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there." Let's hear from you with your opinions.

Shifting with the Paradigm - Hazel Dooney

A lot of artists and photographers warn against the unauthorised use of images from their web sites, even if such use is 'non-commercial'. I can't help feeling that they're shooting themselves in the foot.

Copyright is a contentious issue. Like many other visual artists, composers and writers, I've thought hard about the consequences of relinquishing control over my work. Not that I have much choice in the matter: every image I upload to the web is likely be downloaded by someone else and re-distributed without my permission. And now that we all have cell-phone cameras that can SMS, email and access the web, even works in the real world can be captured and shared with ease. Nevertheless, the disadvantages of restricting the distribution of my work far outweigh the advantages.

Unfettered sharing encourages a wider awareness of my work and me.

I have licensed my images (and my words) under the flexible and user-friendly terms of Creative Commons for the past four years, allowing non-commercial users "to copy, distribute and transmit the work" under the following conditions: the user "must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work)". They must neither use the work for commercial purposes nor "alter, transform, or build upon the work" without my explicit permission.

Operating under this license is a fair and effective way of allowing reasonable public engagement with my work and my ideas and effectively 'unleashes' it so it can be reproduced and shared freely without impinging on those rights from which I might derive the most financial benefit, now or in the future, or on other rights I might have, such as 'fair dealing' or fair use rights, so-called moral rights, or even the rights of others either in the work itself or in how the work is used, notably privacy rights.

Many artists think that Creative Commons undermines their rights. They clearly don't understand that while it allows others limited use of one's work, it doesn't support, in any way, the idea that someone can steal it and claim it as their own.The specific terms of the Creative Commons license I use precludes the 'mash-up' of my work without permission or, worse, attribution.

On a personal level, I like to think that others can draw whatever they think they need from what I do – quote it, adapt it, synthesize it, copy parts of it, whatever – to create something distinctively different, providing they acknowledge me as the source. There is a big difference between plagiarism and appropriation, just as there is between forgery and reproduction.

Using another's work as a starting point is not at all new. Artists have fed off each others' ideas, themes and subject matter for several hundred years. The 'modern' tendency towards appropriation took root with Andy Warhol, whose unabashedly literal reproduction of press images and package design in the 1960s ruptured once comfortable boundaries between inspired originality and 'copying'.

Warhol's soup cans, soap boxes and screen-printed multiples of Elvis were important and liberating in their day. They appear a bit mundane now, especially given how easy technology has made replication of any sort. But Warhol's real innovation was recognising long before any venture-funded dot.com entrepreneur that attention was a form of currency. He was unperturbed when his own works – even images of him personally – were copied, re-worked and widely distributed. For him, as for the web generation he has inspired, ubiquity had replaced rarity as the key element of defining value.

In the new economic reality of the art world, increased awareness promotes increased opportunities for artists to exploit not only their work but themselves. The locus of value is shifting – from the 'product' to the 'producer'. Unquestionably, the wider distribution of 'product' (even if it's free product, shared without restriction) enhances the audience's awareness and with it, the value, of the producer.

As artists, we need to be focussing less on preserving our rights in our product and more on enhancing the value of ourselves as producers and being imaginative about how we exploit and extract that value. Above: an iPhone self-portrait at The Cullen Hotel, in Melbourne

How to Become a Corporate Art Consultant

You read about corporate art consultants. Perhaps, if you are an artist, you might wonder if meeting one could help you sell your art to businesses. Or, regardless of what you do to earn income in the art marketplace, you might have at some point asked yourself, "How do I become a corporate art consultant?"

The best answer I can give you is to read Barbara Markoff's book, Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant. It is a slim volume full of big ideas. More importantly, it gives the reader the complete low down on what it takes to become a corporate art consultant.

You will find this book useful, practical and to the point

The book is chock full of practical advice borne from years of direct experience in the field. Markoff has successfully worked as a corporate art consultant for nearly 30 years. She and her husband, Rob, also operate a topnotch retail picture framing business in San Diego, California.

Markoff, I'm sure, would be the first to tell you that the market for corporate art is soft these days. With the slowdown in the economy and the commercial real estate market, there are fewer jobs to pursue. I am also certain she would tell you the healthcare market is faring better than the commercial real estate market.

Timing is over rated - this book is highly rated

Should that news deter you from reading this book and deciding if you should get into the business? Not at all. As Mary Engelbreit, whose art licensing business has done more than $100 million in sales say, "Timing is over rated." She started her business on the kitchen table when she was six months pregnant. I believe this book should be "must reading" for anyone who wants a better understanding of how art gets chosen and placed in all those buildings, offices and medical facilities.

Picking up Markoff's tips of the trade make the book a must read

Certainly, you may first be an artist in your heart and soul, but if your bank account tells you that you need to find another way to make ends meet, then working to become a corporate art consultant may be just the ticket for you. It worked for my good friend Dick Harrison. He spent 20+ years in a similar business as an artist's rep. He carried his own work, but signed it under the pseudonym, Claude, who was was his cat at the time. You can learn more about him from his podcasts at: www.SalesTipsforArtists.com.

Information and insight are keys to becoming smarter at art marketing

The point here is you can read this book and become better and smarter art marketing. The reality for most artists is they are ill-prepared to succeed when they launch their careers. There is no formal training for how to make a successful art career. I always recommend studying the habits and traits of other successful artists. Because if you add to your knowledge a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the people and business models who can benefit your own career, then you are that much more competitive and prepared to become successful.

So, whether you want to get valuable insights to help you decide if you should pursue becoming a corporate art consultant, or whether you should more aggressively pursue corporate art consultants to help further your own art career, then you should read this book. Either way, I highly recommend it!

The Art of Self-promotion for Visual Artists

For some visual artists, the idea of self-promotion is near anathema. They have a hard time believing good will come from it and look upon it as it is akin to being like the cheery cheesy fellow on the left of this copy.

The facts are without marketing and promotion what you have is a pleasant hobby

This is the last in a series of blog posts that the professional and exquisite artist Lori McNee and I have written on the topic of whether artists should work with galleries, self-represent or do both. Once we agreed in this day and age artists should do both, we got to work.

Most of the prior pieces were collaborations between Lori and me. This one is solo as was Lori’s insightful last piece: 3 Tips for Artists to Promote Themselves & Their Galleries.

While this post is about self-promotion for visual artists, nearly all of what is offered would work for any creative person seeking to market themselves. The suggestions here are offered to help artists improve the art of self-promotion. The suggestions are brief as many could be worked into a full-length post on their own. As a matter of fact, such is the case and will be linked as you read along.

Self-promotion is a learned skill for most artists

It seems to me most artists I know are either extroverted expressive personalities that demand attention or they are introverts who shy away from it. From the outside, one easily can be fooled into thinking extroverts have an advantage in this department. Further inspection proves this is not the case. Many shy people are highly successful in visible careers. The late King of Late Night, Johnny Carson, is a perfect example. He was a quiet private man who eschewed the limelight when not commandeering the desk on The Tonight Show. Meanwhile, his alter ego Art Fern persona was an always hilarious over-the-top send up of what a pitch man could be.

I do believe there are some folks who have a better knack for self-promotion than others, and they are not always the extroverts. This is is human nature. We are not all equally blessed in the same ways. However, in the art business having the knack for self-promotion is not the key to success in growing awareness for yourself and your art. It is determination and ambition that drive career success for artists. This includes learning to harness the power of self-promotion.

Self-promotion and self-belief are twin traits

You might want to read my blog post: The Power of Believing in Yourself. Self-belief is a powerful trait that can help propel your career and keep it moving when it appears to everyone but you that you are against all odds. If you possess self-belief, it will help you be authentic and sincere in your self-promotion, and that, sprinkled with talent, will take you far.

Self-promotion and success go hand-in-hand

Most of us don’t mind someone who promotes themselves when we can see it is coming from authentic self-belief as opposed to braggadocio. This is especially true if we can see they have the talent to back up their self-belief. In fact, we are likely to want to see them succeed. Do we think less of Lance Armstrong knowing he was proud to be the most successful professional bike racer of all time? Do we despise the Rolling Stones who cockily strutted their stuff as being the world’s greatest rock n’ roll band? Did we think Picasso was out of if with outrageous and ego centric behavior?  When Jack Nicholson won the Golden Globe for “As Good As It Gets,” he said it was a license for ten more years of bad behavior and we laughed with him.

Do I think anyone reading this is on the level of the above mentioned greats? Of course not, but that should not stop you from learning from them, from being able to grab that scintilla of purpose that can be applied to you in your job as a visual artist. That is what you do as an artist anyway. You assimilate and emulate styles and techniques until you have one of your own. You borrow from the masters who have paved the path in front of you and use what you learn to go your own way.

Here then are some things that all fall under the area of art marketing that you can begin to do to self-promote your art and your career:

• Comment on designer's or galleries blogs, or other important folks who can influence your careeer. Making nice with other artists and commenting on their blog and Facebook is great for your ego, but it is not nearly as important as making nice with people who can buy your work or help your career. Find influential people and comment on their blogs or write them personal notes congratulating them or offering meaningful tips, insights or ideas. Lather, rinse and repeat.
  
• Make friends with a local media person who covers culture, entertainment, or even politics. Don’t try to approach them for a story. Approach them to try and help them and to get to know them just to know them. If you do, the residual effect is bound to be positive and worthwhile for you.
• Do something outrageous that you would never do. A great brainstorming technique is to take a large piece of paper and write as many ideas as you and your family and friends can think of to do. I guarantee you will come up with some good ideas to promote yourself.
• Start an art event for charity. It does not have to be elaborate. It can be in your living room, or at a local coffee shop. All you need is an idea, a few fliers and a little gumption.
• Print your art large on some unusual substrate such as metal or wood, clothing. Make it twice as large or twice as small as you have ever made. Then challenge yourself to find a way to promote what you have done.
• Seek help in high places. I wrote a post titled Six Degrees of You. Think about someone who, if they took an interest, could seriously help your art career. A museum curator, a top interior designer, a magazine editor, the head of your state cultural organization. If you can’t think of someone like this, especially after getting clues offered, then question yourself about how much being successful really means to you.
• Collaborate with another artist. Lori and I collaborated on this blog post series. Yes, we know many of the same folks, but there were many others who came to know more about us by doing the series. There is no reason you can’t do the same with other visual artists, or performing artists, poets or musicians. Learn to be inspired by someone and do likewise and look for ways to explore how to channel that inspiration to new work and new vistas for your art marketing efforts.
• Get a .com domain with your name on it. Your name, if it is at all common, is probably taken. So, get one with mynamestuidio.com or mynameartist.com, or mynamefineartist.com. Then start using it. Your name is your brand. People will remember your name far more than some amorphous company name.
• Write articles, or have them ghost written for you on entertainment, design, travel, dining, wine collecting, playing poker, or anything that interests you. Or, write about an art experience that is profound to you. Make sure it is clear you are an artist with a website and/or a blog.
• Use social media. Do I really need to tell you to get a website and blog and Facebook fan page? If you haven’t do not fret, there is still space available on the Internet and Facebook for you.
• Pay it forward. Get involved in ways to promote other artists. The good karma that will come from it will easily be worth the effort.
• Market Locally - Grow Where You Are Planted. Use the Internet's power of local marketing. Network. Get involved in your area, become part of the local chamber. Many chambers have social memberships. Volunteer at a local charity. Visit every picture framer in 50-mile radius. Ask each one how you can help them or if they have ideas how you can promote yourself.
• Use handwritten and hand-drawn marketing pieces. I’ve seen a terrific marketing piece that was printed to look like an elaborate brainstorming session that led to a great idea. Use a series of sketches to illustrate an idea that leads to a suggestion to contact you or visit your website.
• Believe in yourself. If you lack self-belief how can you expect others to believe in you?
• Be driven, no can want success more than you. Do not rest until you have the success you want. You are the captain of your ship. It will go where you steer it. You your own true North Star to guide your careers. It won’t all be smooth sailing, but if you persist the end result will be like a day at the beach.

Mid-Summer Repost Asking If You Are Pressworthy

I don't know how it got to be mid-summer already because I feel like the year just began a short time ago. Nevertheless, I find myself in the Phoenix summer heat to be unmotivated to crank out new posts.In other words, it's time for summer reposts.

I do intend to publish a final note to the series between fine artist Lori McNee and me discussing whether artists should work with a gallery, go it on their own, or do both. That post will offer tips on self-promotion. If you haven't seen the posts in the series so far, here they are:

Visual Artist’s Challenge: Should I Work with Galleries, Go Direct to Collectors or Both?

Visual Artist’s Challenge II – Balancing Self Promotion & Gallery Representation

More Thoughts on Artists and Galleries Working Together

3 Tips for Artists to Promote Themselves & Their Galleries

Are You Press Release Worthy?

The question posed above and in the title of the original post asks you to consider if you are working at things worthy of preparing and sending a press release. Since this content also is apropos to the idea of self-promotion for artists, I am running with it and its two companion pieces while I take a mid-summer break from writing new blog posts. Enjoy! And, take some time off yourself, if you can.

Stop now! Think back to what your immediate reaction to the question of whether you are press release worthy was. Examining your self-perception and reaction will be quite insightful for you. There is no wrong answer. There are just three basic ways to respond:

1. You immediately agreed you were press release worthy.
2. You stopped to assess if you were worthy.
3. You instinctively felt you were not doing anything to make you press release worthy.

How you perceive yourself is one aspect of this challenge. And, your concept of the value of a press release and what they do could easily color your decision. There is not much, if any training on how to use a press release, and not much exposure to them for many visual artists. The lack of exposure could easily cause the activity be filed away as intimidating, mysterious, or bothersome; all leading to inactivity and improper assessment in answering the question.

While you are a product of many things, your self-perception nevertheless is your choice.

If you believe you are press release worthy, good for you. It's a shows a bit of confidence and self-awareness that undoubtedly helps you in other aspects of your career. Having a healthy ego is a good thing for artists. It's much easier to convince others about the value of your work if your persona portrays confidence and self-esteem. We might root for the underdogs, but we buy the winners.

Learning from American Idol, who'da thunk it?

Last year in an admission to a guilty pleasure, I posted Art Marketing Lessons from American Idol. Visual artists should take note of the implied advice the show offers. This year, comparable examples for visual artists are obvious. British judge, Simon Cowell, continues to make the point to those who don't portray confidence that talent alone will not win the contest. Artists need to exude self-confidence. It doesn't have to be done in a swaggering braggadocio style. Confidence can be shown in many ways. Whether it is an outgoing or quiet style is irrelevant.

In social settings, we all have radar for how someone feels about themselves.The manner of how it is expressed doesn't matter. We read the person and evaluate them on the subtle clues we observe. This is why the kids with the good voices who come off as not quite believing themselves ultimately will be voted off American Idol.

There practically is no reason for any artist not be press release worthy. If you thought you weren't or were not sure, I hope to help you change that perception. It will come in learning more about how press releases work, what their real value is and how to get a good one written and submitted. Look for information on press releases in subsequent posts here soon. I believe it will be a confidence booster for you to come to realize you are press release worthy.

Paralysis by Analysis - Stop Sabotaging Your Art Career

Timing is Overrated

A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. ~ George S. Patton

Proper timing is overrated. There's always a reason not to do things – it's too expensive, or it's not the best time, or this, or that – but I believe there are wonderful opportunities sailing by, and you have to be ready to grab them. ~ Mary Engelbreit.

Planning is good. Planning is useful. Proper planning makes efficient execution possible. Too much planning and not enough action will wreak havoc on your art marketing plans.

Yes, jumping into an art business project too soon can create problems. But, never jumping in because you are waiting for the right moment, or until you get those never ending last details done, is far worse than starting too soon.

The above quoted Mary Engelbreit started her art licensing business when she was six months pregnant. Her $100 million in licensing sales later attests to her wisdom. Henry Luce started Fortune magazine in 1930 in the midst of the Great Depression. Eighty years later it remains a top global business magazine and information source.

Four inches to success

The distance between success and failure in your art career is about four inches, which is the space in your cranium that holds your brain. In other words, if you are endlessly planning and worrying over minutiae instead of taking action, by over thinking and underacting you are sabotaging your fine art career. If this is the case, you may need to stop and figure out why this is happening

The dread is worse than the do - you can unlearn being fearful

Arguably, fear is the primary cause of stalling tactics. Whether you are afraid of success or afraid of failing doesn't matter. You have to learn to overcome it because it is irrational. It is in your mind. As long as you allow fear to keep you from action, you will be blocked from reaching your goals and from achieving those things of which you are perfectly capable of doing .

The good news is this is fairly normal behavior. Some of us are naturally aggressive and do not filter our thoughts with worry about outcomes other than the ones we are pursuing. Others of us, by nature, nurture or both, have to learn to overcome and suppress irrational fears. It is a matter of learning how to get out of your own way.

How do you do that? First, you have to learn to accept you have this behavior. Second, you have to think through what is the worst outcome if you should change your behavior. When you do, you will realize there is really nothing to be afraid of. Releasing fear will help you to start doing things instead of planning to do them. You have to accept and unlearn the paralysis by analysis that is holding you back. Finally, you just need to do it.

First things first - keeping the main thing the main thing

The worst thing you can do is nothing. Planning is not action. Useful prioritizing your activities is the best planning you can do. Understand you are not getting closer to your goal by dwelling on those things that are unimportant. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, uses a quadrant analogy to describe activities and how to address them. The four components are:

1. Urgent - Important
2. Urgent - Not Important
3. Important - Not Urgent
4. Not Important - Not Urgent

Urgent Important Matrix

If you read the information in the graphic below, you realize your key to being effective is managing your time to work on Quadrant 2. When you learn to do this consistently, you will stop managing by chaos and have fewer fires to put out. You will find the number of things in Quadrant 1 gets smaller.

Just for balance, I will say all action and no planning is also a prescription for failure. Take enough time to learn what is important, both urgent and not urgent and start acting on them. Just do not fall prey to old habits and over plan your actions. Keep the words and wisdom of Mary Engelbreit and General George S. Patton in mind, keep taking action and watch your success grow!

For Some Artists, Marketing Limited Edition Giclees Makes Dollars and Sense

In the art business, when it comes to the subject of limited edition giclée prints, there are those who feel as strongly about using them as I do about not. While I remain opposed to the practice for most artists, I fully understand the argument for using limited edition prints from those who rely on them to complete their business.

I do not wish for my opinions on not limiting giclee prints to stand in the way of anyone who is being successful, or to deter them from doing those things that help them get to market. Rather, I applaud those who make it work. Certainly, history shows there are innumerable successful visual artists who exclusively market their work using limited editions. Still, I believe there is a better way today.

A year ago, I wrote a post titled Five Opposing Thoughts on an Art Career. and used a famous quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald to illuminate it. I find the same quote apropos to today’s post. And, once again, with apologies to F. Scott Fitzgerald, I offer you this thought:

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless yet be determined to make them otherwise.
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

To be clear, while I have not softened my stance on using marketing giclees, or digital fine art reproductions, as open editions, I merely welcome other voices. To that end, I have summarized a thoughtful insightful retort regarding my posts on this subject and present it to you here.

The reply comes from one of the industry’s most well regarded giclee printers, Gary T. Kerr of Fine Art Impressions LLC in Davidson, North Carolina. Let me know if you have your own opinions to add to this lively conversation.

---

Hi Barney,

I am always in alignment with you on your writings, but this one I would like to influence you on as follows:

We have a case study where one of my artists sold a giclee for $33,000. It has a 10 page contract stating how the buyer can hang the piece and that they have licensed only one hanging position and that the other 3 ways it can hang are considered derivative uses and not allowed. The artist attends the installation of these diptychs which are 10 x 16 feet. Now comes the edition issue... these prints are editions of 13. Question, do you think the buyer would write the check for $33,000 in these were "open" editions?

Galleries drive the decision to use limited edition giclees

The facts are it is galleries that have pushed us toward limited, not our artists. The galleries want "exclusivity." I agree it is a coercion of value. But in this world of marketing, they (galleries) need some sales pitch for the floor, limited editions have given them that hook (albeit a weak hook today).

Regarding later made prints being better... Not necessarily so, not in the vast majority of cases. This is due to the fact that the quality of a reproduction stems from the capture process not the quality of wide format printer technology. Files coming out of our studio can be printed on a $99 inkjet from Officemax and blow away many marketplace prints. That's because our capture process is second to none -- I've got the magazine articles and white papers to prove that (but I'm sure you already know).

The pace of progress on improvements in digital fine art printing has slowed

I also think we are seeing the end of era with pushing printer improvements. Getting more ink channels, DPI, and color gamut is not happening at the pace of 5 years ago. Although improvements will be made, it will be at a far more gradual pace and meaningless when it comes to improving quality greatly. The quality of my prints has barely changed in 10 years! And we have been through every generation of printer technology here. Why? Because the capture determines 90% of the quality, not the printer make and model.

And if you have all the latest gear and the artist doesn't like what they see, who cares how good the printer technology is! The music is in the pianist, not the piano. I have the same set of golf clubs as Tiger Woods, how come I'm not in the PGA?

Again, I always find your articles and blog amazingly accurate and informative, but my response today should provide some nuance that only the guy doing it for a living may see -- hope you can reasonably parse my view.

---

My reply went like this:

Hi Gary,

Thank you for your informative reply. In my estimation, by virtue of your stellar reputation, you are one of the premier master giclée printmakers in the industry. As such, your thoughts carry great weight with me.

I am not the Pope of Prints

The one thing I am not is the Pope of Prints, which means I am far from infallible when it comes to my opinions. While I make my case for open editions, I also realize there are many who still use limited editions as a viable way of getting to market and making a living at it too.

As is the case in the art business, there is no one size fits all formula for making a booming career. In the many years I worked for Decor magazine, I marveled at how top selling artists could approach their marketing in vastly different ways and still manage to be successful.

Of course, I realize the collector who bought a $33,000 limited edition giclée would not have ponied up such a princely sum for an open edition. One can only imagine if the print sells for that price that the artist’s originals are well in six figures. These price points make the exception, not the norm. I would not expect any artist who commands such prices taking much interest or heed in my advice or opinions. It is emerging and mid-career artists who are most likely to benefit by following my advice. If an artist is already established, they most likely have their very strong opinions about open vs. limited editions.

Championing Unlimited Editions Is Foremost a Financial Decision

To my way of thinking, most artists will make more money from prints in the course of their career if they offer them in open editions. That is the rationale for my pressing the case of open edition prints. I want artists to be more successful and make more money. If they can be more profitable in the long run by selling more open than limited edition prints, then printers, reps and galleries also will benefit in the success.

There are those rare artists, such as with Terry Redlin, who are able to print open, limited, and mega-editions and make it all work. But, like your artist mentioned above, Terry Redlin is beyond the pale for most artists who might try to approximate the success he has enjoyed. He was there at a time when limited editions on paper were sold in the thousands upon thousands.

A New Era Calls for New Ways to Do Business

Terry Redlin's heyday of selling 10,000+ editions is a bygone era. Today, we are dealing with a new paradigm and new market realities. The trade publications and shows are on life support. Galleries are struggling to meet the new challenges coming at them from all sides, and artists are trying to figure out what they need to reliably get their work to market and keep their sales repetitive in the process. If there ever was a time to shake up the status quo, it would be now.

With your permission, I would like to publish your email as a guest post on my blog to make your case. I always will welcome a differing perspective on important issues and think it would be healthy if others chimed in as well.

Getting more voices in the conversation can only enrich the process and make everyone think a little harder about how to utilize this wonderful print-on-demand technology to advance the careers of visual artists. Not just at the cash register, but with respect towards how they and their legacy will be perceived by their actions and decisions to employ fine art reproductions in their business.

Related posts:

Milton Glaser Post Goes Viral - A Lesson for Not Limiting Giclees

The Case for Open Edition Digital Prints - Part Two

The Case for Open Edition Digital Prints - Part Two

This piece started out as a reply to the comments on my previous post, Milton Glaser Post Goes Viral - A Lesson for Not Limiting Editions.

When I realized it was more than a couple of thoughts or a quick reply, I decided to publish it as its own post so more readers would see it.

So here goes with more thoughts on why I am against limiting digital fine art prints.

Thanks to Alan, Maria and Daniel for commenting here. Alan, I'm glad you agree. Maria, yes, I am advocating against limited editions of digital fine art prints, aka giclees. I totally agree with your husband, Drew. Other than marketing gimmick, there is no justification for limited edition giclee prints.

It is not always easy to take an unpopular or controversial stand on an issue, especially when those pitted against you really get the knickers in a knot. However, I believe this issue is too important to ignore and will continue to champion open edition digital prints because in the long run every body involved will do better as this way of thinking gains traction. The change is underway, it is not whether, but when limited editions of giclees becomes passe.

Limited editions arose out of necessity

That necessity became a tradition in the art business. Now some dealers and artists have it in their head it makes their art "more elite" or "more marketable" or "more collectible." REALLY? Do the research. For every limited edition that makes it to the secondary market and sells for greater prices than originally offered, there are thousands of limited editions that never sell out. Why bother?

Do you know you have to comply with the laws of 14 states when you sell limited editions, including sales made over the internet? Who needs that for something you might otherwise be able to sell many more of at a slightly reduced price without the bookkeeping headaches of managing limited editions. This extra bookkeeping is annoying and is a hidden cost that puts a drag on the profitability of print marketing.

Buyers buy art they like, not limited editions

I believe most art buyers make the purchase decision on the fact they want to live with the art in their home or work place and that being limited is not a huge buying factor. I also believe there are many dealer and galleries addicted to the notion without realizing it is costing them money in the long run. Does anyone believe consumers are not fully aware that digital prints can be reproduced endlessly and perfectly? Then why in the 21st Century are we trying to pull the wool over their eyes with limited editions?

You can still sequentially number open editions

If you want to number them, fine. Just don't limit them. I believe there would be some prints that were open edition, but numbered, that would still find the lower numbers collectible. If you look at the crazy things that are in plentiful supply, but numbered somehow, and how the lower numbers are worth more, it says it all about the collector's mentality. Low number license plates in Delaware go for half a million. Does that make sense when you can get a brand new one for rack rates? No, but collectors don't care.

Give your buyers what they want

One of the greatest advantages, besides no inventory, to giclees is they can be made to order to suit the customer. This is a first for the art business and the industry has not picked up on the fact more art would be sold if you allowed people to order the size they want. We are completely missing a huge opportunity to fill the needs of buyers in ways never before possible, and it is easy.

Show me any other art form that artificially limits how many will be sold. You would laugh at recording artist who limited sales to 1,000 copies of their CD, or film makers who only let 10,000 people see a film, or a Broadway play that closed in two weeks when the demand for tickets was still high. Yet, this is exactly what artists do when they artificially limit the number of pieces of their work.

What if Maxfield Parrish only sold 1,000 copies of Daybreak?

Other than blindly sticking to hidebound tradition and being fearful of not being capable of getting good prices for open editions, is there any viable reason for dealers and artists not to favor open editions? What if Maxfield Parrish or Ansel Adams had put all their works into only limited editions? Can you even imagine what a loss to mass culture and art appreciation that would have been?

I can understand an artist creating a limited edition of a print that is also open with the difference being the piece was handworked by the artist after the printing. In such a case, the artist would probably not want to make more than a 100 or so prints that way. This would be a way to make a small limited edition that makes sense and is worthy of the effort. And, can be done without sacrificing the ability to sell open editions of the same image.

This brings up A/Ps (Artists' Proofs) for digital prints. What the heck is that about? A way to jack up the price on a more limited edition of the same print? If limiting giclee is a gimmick, then A/Ps take the notion to another level. It flies in the face of the original idea which was that the first prints off the press, which traditionally are Artist Proofs, would be the crispest with the greatest fidelity before the plates wore down, and thus more valuable. Explain how that works with digital prints.

Later made digital prints should be better than the first ones

This brings me to Daniel's excellent observation about improving and changing images to make them better. I have argued his point before as well. That is, digital printmaking is an evolving art form. It is most likely that by the time an artist makes the same print in the thousands, or for years to come that the process to make them will be better. Improved printers, substrates, dyes, inks and software help printmakers to continue to turn out better reproductions than the first in the batch. Not to mention the improved skills of the printmaker, too.

This evolving situation turns the whole notion of A/Ps upside down when later prints stand a greater chance of being better than the first. We are living in different times. Consumer tastes are changing, we need to keep up with or be in front of their desires. I don't see how limited edition digital fine art reproductions fit into the equation when the demand is for authenticity and transparency with a potential backlash against anything that doesn't meet those standards.

Limited editions limit the income of the entire pipeline

Why should artists, dealers, galleries and printers be forced to shut off their income stream when a print with viral potential gets shelved because we are beholden to an antiquated form of marketing that doesn't make sense for anyone?

I believe a well-made compelling great image can be sold as an open edition at a fair price that approximates what the price of a limited edition would be. Anyone who doesn't believe this is possible is not selling on the value of the artist and the work, but is instead selling on some perceived notion of  exclusivity and implied potential future value. Any truly good art salesperson should be able to easily transition to selling this way with no real loss of volume or income.

Things are different now and they are not going back - Time to get with it

It seems to me if those who continue to rely on these outdated tactics are going to have an increasingly difficult time in the future. It was not that long ago that many people in the industry thought giclees and digital prints were the worst thing that happened to the business. Turns out print-on-demand was one of the best things in the past 100 years for the business. It's time now to move so the marketing of this wonderful technology catches up with the benefits the technical development have brought us.

Milton Glaser Post Goes Viral - A Lesson for Not Limiting Giclees

Back in February of 2008, I wrote to ask the incomparable Milton Glaser for permission to republish his seminal speech give in 2001. It was titled 10 Things I Have Learned.

I had stumbled across it somewhere and was moved by the straightforward candid advice he gave to an AIGA gathering in London. I heard back from someone on his staff who not only gave permission, but also sent along the splendid image you see here.

It was around the time that The Secret book and videos were going viral themselves. As such, the image was very timely and clever in many ways, which is a Glaser hallmark.

Two years later the Milton Glaser post goes viral

The post received an average amount of unique visitors and pageviews for the blog at the time. Fast forward to 2010 and it was picked up by a couple of influential and well trafficked illustration blogs and went viral getting thousands of hits.

Then just as things seemed to have returned to normal, it got picked up on Stumbleupon, which is a site developed to help you discover and share interesting websites. The post has had more than 9,000 hits on it just from Stumbleupon. This on top of the thousands that have come from other bloggers.

What you potentially limit the most with limited edition giclees is your income

The point is you never know what is going to happen to the work you create. Sometimes things can get legs and be in demand that you have never seen before. Knowing this dynamic works and is real is one of the primary reasons why I believe digital prints should not be sold in limited editions.

Just as I could not fathom more than 10,000 hits on a single blog post, you cannot judge how an image you reproduce as a giclee might sell. It is entirely possible you could create a print that would have enormous demand beyond your imagination. If the piece is limited, it can cost you and your heirs a tremendous amount of lost income. 

Related Links

• Limiting Success
• The Secondary Art Market - Bev Doolittle's Beyond Negotiations Sold Out & The Lunacy of Limited Edition Giclees
• The Double Entendre of the Artist Selling Out

 

More Thoughts on Artists and Galleries Working Together

Over the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of working with artist and fellow blogger, Lori McNee. She is one of those rare artists who is equally adept at marketing as she is at painting. In addition to being a full-time artist, she finds time to publish Fine Art Tips, a blog to help other artists.

We started with the idea of a guest blogging for each other on art marketing and ended up collaborating on a conversational style blog series about the evolving relationships between artists and galleries.

To get the gallery perspective for the second installment, we invited in Jason Horejs to join the conversation. To our delight and your benefit, he found time to add his wisdom and comments. Jason is a successful gallery owner of Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale. He also is a prodigious workshop leader, and an art marketing guru whose book, "Staving" to Successful: The Fine Artist's Guide to Getting into Galleries is "must" reading for artists who want to improve their odds of finding galleries to represent them.

I proudly promote Jason's book on this blog as it contains the best most straightforward advice available for artists seeking gallery representation. If you get a chance to attend one of his workshops, do it. It is an eye-opening and career boosting experience for visual artists.

Go to Lori's well read and respected Fine Art Tips blog to read the second installment of our collaborative effort, Visual Artist’s Challenge II – Balancing Self Promotion & Gallery Representation. You will find thought provoking insights offered there. If you have your own perspective, please comment here or on Lori's blog. We would love to hear more from you on this subject.

Here is the link to the first installment: Visual Artist’s Challenge: Should I Work with Galleries, Go Direct to Collectors or Both?

Stay tuned for another installment of this series coming to you soon.

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The Wit & Wisdom of Sonia Simone - Great Advice for All Creative Types

I became a fan of Sonia Simone's work the first time I read a blog post from her. To say she has a way with words would be an understatement. Lots of people have that talent. What she adds is a keen mind and a deep understanding of effective copywriting and Internet marketing. Two skills nearly all of us could be better at using.

I'm sure her talents are why she is the Senior Editor for Copyblogger, one of the most heavily trafficked and highly admired business blogs on the planet. When I read her post below, it resonated with me to such a degree I asked her for permission to reprint it here. If you have already read it, I would not be surprised. It was tweeted 523 times, more than any other recent post on Copyblogger. Regardless, its pithy advice remains worthy of re-reading

The Three Surprisingly Simple Keys to Success

Back when I was writing novels and working on getting them published, someone gave me a piece of advice.

“You need talent, luck, and persistence. Pick any two.”

It’s probably been twenty years since I heard those words, but I still think of them all the time. They don’t just apply to getting book deals, of course.

Whether you want to paint, write, play music, raise a happy kid, design beautiful houses, or run an online business that makes you happy and rich, you can reach your goals with just two of those three.

At first glance it might seem like two of them are out of your control. But let’s look at that more carefully.

Talent

What most people call talent is usually nothing more than passion.

If you love it, you’ll do it all the damned time. And the more you play, the more you write, the more houses you design or symphonies you compose, the better you get.

Yes, there are a few “effortless talents.” There are people to whom the words come so easily you just want to smack them in the head. There are people who play music as easily and naturally as I eat ice cream.

But more often, that sense of ease comes from passion and nonstop, almost obsessive practice.

If you have absolutely zero talent for your chosen field, you’re going to have a tricky time. But usually, it’s a matter of fanning a spark of innate talent until you start to become quite impressive.

The more you work, the more talented you get.

Luck

I’m quite a lucky person. I was born in an extraordinarily wealthy country, at a time when women could do pretty much what we like, and in an era of vaccination and modern medicine that kept me from being carried off by some infectious disease at the age of 3 or 4.

Those are all massive strokes of luck. They had nothing to do with anything I did — I just lucked into them.

But what most people call luck is very different. It’s “being in the right place at the right time.” Having things just fall into place. Coming up with opportunities just when you need them. Knowing the right people.

This kind of luck comes from a few different places.

You can improve your focus. Just like you suddenly see red convertibles everywhere once you buy a red convertible, once you start focusing on luck and opportunity, they pop up like dandelions after a spring rain.

Nothing magic makes that happen. Those opportunities were there all along – you were just looking at something else.

You can improve your frequency. If you want to roll a pair of sixes, you’ll have much more luck doing that with 10 dice than you will with 2.

Pitch a guest post to 10 A-list blogs and you’re a lot more likely to get a spot than if you pitch 2.

Talk to 1000 prospects, rather than 200.

Audition for 10 gigs, rather than 2.

You can improve your likeability. Who “wins” the customer, the juicy contract, the retweet, the great job?

Sometimes it’s the one who’s the most “talented” — the one who’s producing the best output.

More often, it’s the one who’s better liked.

Be nice to people. Make yourself helpful. Don’t throw tantrums (public ones, anyway). Don’t build yourself up at another person’s expense. Make generosity a habit.

That successful raging jackass we all know? He may build some temporary success for himself, but everyone’s rooting for him to lose. His karma is gaining on him, in the form of a whole lot of people who would rather distance themselves.

The more you work, the luckier you get.

Persistence

This is the simple one.

Just don’t give up.

Keep writing. Keep making music. Keep blogging.

When something works well, do more of that. Learning from failure can work, but learning from success is even better. Big successes come from nurturing your little successes.

If there’s someone in your life making you feel dumb for your “pipe dream,” stop talking to that person about your goals. Possibly stop talking to that person at all.

Watch out for what’s sometimes called “inventor’s syndrome.” That’s what happens when you’ve invented some product or system or service that you think ought to change the world, but which, sadly, nobody wants.

Stay light on your feet. Find the story that you want to tell and that your audience wants to read. Find the intersection between passion and service.

Be too damned stubborn to quit, but not so stubborn that you won’t try new approaches.

And will you succeed?
Yes you will indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
~Dr. Seuss

Make your own talent, make your own luck, and activate your stubborn streak, and there’s nothing that can stop you.

Know what goes great with talent, luck, and persistence? Some first-rate marketing information. You’ll find it in the Copyblogger newsletter, Internet Marketing for Smart People. Lots of practical advice you can put into place right away, to make yourself so talented and lucky that you can’t help but succeed.

About the Author: Sonia Simone is Senior Editor of Copyblogger and the founder of the Remarkable Marketing Blueprint.