Art Print Issues by Barney Davey

How to Price Art Prints

Knowing How to Price Art Prints and Giclees Is Essential to Success.

Last week, the How to Price Digital Fine Art Prints e-book was introduced to my readers.

The announcement indicated it was being used exclusively as a promotion for buyers of my popular book, How to Profit from the Art Print Market, 2^nd Edition. It also was mentioned the e-book would be available for purchase as an individual product at a later date.

At the time, I thought it would be less confusing to stagger the book bundle and the e-book separately. In retrospect, it seems simultaneously offering the e-book individually, and as an incentive for new book buyers might have worked better.

There is insight from this process for me. Perhaps some of you will gain something from it, as well.

When You Are In a Hurry, Take Your Time!

Just like many of my readers, I work full-time outside the art business. This is so I can provide affordable, reliable health care for my family. As such, everything I do for Art Print Issues, or new projects like the "How to Price Prints" e-book project, are done in overtime hours.

I was proud of going from concept to the finished product in just over a month. But, I also was eager to get it to market. Given there were ten contributing authors, there were many details to attend to bring this e-book to life. The intensity of the producing the project left little time and energy to design the best way to introduce the e-book.

There Always Is Time to Do It Right the Second Time

Because I was too eager to publish the book, I did not reserve enough time to reflect and solicit opinions on the what to do about launching the book. Normally, it's not that big of a deal. You have a product, and you put it out there. But, because this one had complexities such as being offered free in a bundle, and as an individual download, it required more time to finesse it than I put in.

It's not the end of the world. The book is available to purchase and download. Click Here to Order Your Copy Today!

Questions were asked whether the "How to Price Art Prints" e-book was available as a free download to previous buyers. Considering readers have freely benefited from nearly 500 blog posts here; it seems normal this issue would arise. 

The reasons previous book buyers should buy this e-book are:

1. There is no affordable way to fairly distribute retroactive free downloads. 
2. I am confident the book alone provides far more value than the purchase price to artists. 
3. Given there have been thousands of hours spent publishing posts to help artists be more successful, it seems previous book buyers who need the "How to Price Prints" e-book should not mind making a small purchase to receive highly valuable information.
4. It's an easy affordable way to show support for the practical advice and art marketing content published in nearly 500 free Art Print Issues blog posts over the years.
5. Giving back - see below

The NAEF Is My Cause!

A minimum of $2.00 from every sale, whether from the bonus book bundle, or from individual downloads will be donated to the National Arts Education Foundation.

Children are our future. Arts programs and budgets in our schools are under siege. When you buy the e-book, part of your purchase price goes to one of the most worthy organizations to support the arts in schools. You will soon see a sidebar link that will show you the progress of our donations.

Exploring Open Edition Art Print Market Opportunities

Art World News Reports on the Fine Art Print Market

The article here is reprinted with permission from the September issue of Art World News. The publication is must reading for visual artists, fine art photographers, art publishers and galleries. This is the first of two articles I wrote on the subject of how artists can benefit from working with open edition prints.

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Exploring Open Edition Art Print Market Opportunities

Reviewing the history the art print market reveals its growth has been fueled by both limited edition and open edition prints. In recent decades, the market divided into camps of limited edition and open edition print publishing models.

Whole cottage industries of art print publishers matured around one model or the other. When managed properly, both models have proven to be successful. This is due to mainstream art buyers rarely favoring one model to the exclusion of the other. Such openness fueled opportunities for both limited and open edition print business models.

Limited editions were borne from necessity.

When the first prints were made, printing techniques forced small print runs. For instance, because etching plates degrade with each press pass, only a small number of high quality prints are possible. The practice of numbering prints was a natural evolution. Art sellers instinctively realized numbered limited editions created a powerful marketing tool, one still used in modern fine art print marketing.

Although there are no limitations to producing very high quality digital prints, many artists and publishers, who have grown their business with limited edition prints, continue to use them to market gicleés. It is easy to understand why these marketers reject upsetting a profitable working model to move into open edition prints. Nevertheless, there are untapped prospects for them in the open edition market.

Massive Change Creates Chaos and Opportunity

Changes in the art print market over the past decade mirror other industries. Major factors include worsening economic conditions, changes in both wholesale distribution and consumer buying habits. Big box retailing, foreign imports, and the growth of e-commerce with its comparative shopping power and purchasing ease compounded the deviations. The speed of changes and widespread acceptance to them completes a picture of chaotic market disruption.

Changes such as these have closed the doors on old business practices while creating new ones. The swift shuttering of 135-year old Decor magazine and its once dominant Decor Expo Atlanta tradeshow is a prime example of how quickly a business can become irrelevant and obsolete. On the upside, artists and publishers are finding new ways to use the significant advantages of print-on-demand (POD) technology, social media, online galleries, personal websites, blogs and more to create new marketing opportunities.  

Print-on-demand Technology Forever Altered the Music, Book Publishing, Film and Art Industries

Smart art marketers use POD technology to meet consumer demands as never before. Although adopting the idea of offering open editions that come in multiple sizes has not come easily to some limited edition art publishers and galleries, it’s time they take note. The future is calling.

The success of Artaissance.com, a publishing company owned by picture framing manufacturing and distribution giant, Larson-Juhl, demonstrates how to take full advantage of POD technology. It encourages buyers to choose canvas or paper. Artaissance understands the importance to buyers of being able to order their art in the size they need to fit their unique spaces. This is a consumer benefit and sales and marketing opportunity rolled together. It’s no surprise the company uses www.ArtThatFits.com to promote its offerings.

Many of Our Most Revered Artists Have Leveraged the Art Print Market

There is a rich history of artists whose works made the case for the open edition print market long before the advent of digital printing. Imagine how the estates of such print market giants as Maxfield Parrish and Ansel Adams would have suffered, as would have millions of their art buying fans, had either chosen to sell strictly limited editions of their images.

The huge success of Art.com verifies art can effectively be sold via e-commerce. Since its business model is nearly all open editions, it also proves strong buyer demand for them. Interestingly, if you research top selling prints on Art.com, you find a mix of classic works by artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso and Monet along with contemporary pieces. This illustrates the interest in quality, both old and new and eclectic buyer tastes.

It's About the Art - Open and Limited Editions Both Sell Well

These observations confirm that quality compelling work, whether old or new, and whether an open or a limited edition, can always find a market. And, they further demonstrate consumers are less concerned about open versus limited editions than wanting to own and live with an image special to them. Limited edition digital prints are not driven by consumer demand. While limiteds offer sales support in a closing room, it is the art itself, whether original, limited or open edition that brings buyers and sellers together.

The achievements of Jen Bekman’s 20x200.com limited edition print online gallery attests to efficacy of the limited edition model.  An April 12, 2010 article on the FastCompany.com website reports, “Since its launch, 20x200 has sold more than 65,000 prints by both emerging and established artists, and in 2009, 20x200 received $885,000 in funding in a Series A round led by True Ventures.”

Marketing Decisions Are Personal Business Decisions Only the Artist Can Make

These are impressive results, especially given recalcitrant market conditions. Such success aside, the question remains whether the site’s accomplishments come at the expense of profits left on the table for those artists whose work would sell well for years to come in open editions.

Given there is ample evidence of potential success with both limited and open edition models, artists frequently ask if they can use the same image both ways. There is no consensus about this question. It’s an ongoing debate leading to a personal decision only the artist can make.

Why Should Visual Artists Be Saddled with a Business Model That Limits Their Income?

I believe visual artists should not be forced to accept artificial caps on the potential income from their works. There is no model in any of the other arts where artists’ works are limited. You don’t find it in films, books, music or theatre. Nor is there any “sold out” backlash when a book, film, or record sells millions of copies. Visual artists should not have artificially imposed limitations on their income when more profitable options are available.

Given digital printing dominates the print market, and has no constraints on endlessly producing pristine reproductions, the idea of using only limited edition digital prints seems arcane and not the best model for the print market in the 21^st Century. I believe artists can succeed with the same image in both limited and open edition prints, if done with honesty, integrity and transparency.

A Workable Model to Sell Both Open and Limited Edition Fine Art Prints

A limited edition of 100 prints in one size on one substrate, hand-embellished by the artist is suggested. This would serve gallery or collector demand for limited editions with full disclosure about open editions. Such an exclusive edition would create a collectible print edition and potential secondary market for the image.

Open editions of the same image could then be offered on a variety of substrates and sizes. They would be of stated lesser quality than the limited edition. Because there are no industry standards on how to manage such practices, artists and publishers need to be transparent with their actions, including publicly posting notices of their publishing practices. 

Reputation Management is the Key to Success Building Repeat Buyers.

How a publisher or artist manages providing full disclosure to all buyers of availability of both limited and open editions is crucial. Treating your buyers, prospective buyers, galleries and dealers with honesty, integrity, and consistency is how to succeed in the print market with open and limited editions.

Savvy consumers have easily available powerful research resources, leaving no room for shabby marketing practices. By the same token, if artists conduct their business in a way that exudes high quality and high integrity, they can build a business model that will allow them to profitably sell their images in both open and limited edition markets without losing sleep or collectors.

A second part to this series will appear next month. It will cover how open editions can affect an artist’s career and legacy. Readers will learn about the hidden costs in limited editions, and get details on artists who have had success being in both limited and open edition print markets.

How to Price Digital Fine Art Prints & Giclees

Art Print Pricing Is Used as a Tool by Successful Visual Artists  

There is powerful strategy in knowing how to price fine art prints and giclees. Visual artists who employ effective techniques in pricing their art careers create an advantage for themselves.

Having a proven plan to value your fine art reproductions is vital to profitably managing your art business. A problem for artists, up to now, is they did not have access to the best ideas and techniques for what to charge for their fine art reproductions and giclees.

A Brand New e-book Answers, "How to Price Art Prints?"

Visual artists and fine art photographers, will find the How to Price Digital Fine Art Prints e-book by Barney Davey an invaluable resource. It is a reference they will regularly use for guidance on to answer the puzzzling question, “How to price digital fine art prints and giclees?"

Small Business Owners Routinely Make Critical Decisions.

As with all entrepreneurs, you make daily decisions on numerous business-crucial questions. Properly assessing art values requires a confident decision on your part. Since it is one of your most important decisions, get your giclee fine art prints in the “sweet spot”  where they are neither “too high” nor “too low.” is essential. Dialing in the right numbers keeps you from losing sales at the high end and losing profits at the low end.

You will find this e-book loaded with insights from art marketing experts. When you tap into their knowledge, you will profitably begin to price your digital fine art prints and giclees for your greatest success.

Currently, This e-book Cannot Be Purchased. It Comes As a Bonus.

Your How to Price Digital Art Prints e-book is a free with your purchase of Barney Davey’s bestseller art print marketing book. It comes as a bonus download with purchased copies of How to Profit from the Art Print Market, 2^nd Edition.The book bundle can be purchased at www.BarneyDavey.com/bonus

Rather not buy the book bundle?

The How to Price Digital Fine Art Prints e-book is available for $14.99 now. 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER HERE FOR INSTANT DOWNLOAD!

Art Print Market Gaining Momentum

The June/July issue of Art World News carried a positive outlook for the art print market in a cover story titled, "Today's Print Market Gains Momentum." It is "must reading" for artists seeking to understand what is happening in the marketplace.

The article interviewed a number of top industry professionals including artists, fine art giclee printing atelier operators, including Joyce Kaspryzk of MFA Talon, and Alan Blazar of Blazing Editions.

The article included quotes from Greg Bloch of Triad Publishing, one of the top fine art print publishers in the business.  A number of leading gallery owners are quoted in the extensive piece.

Things Are Better, But Not All the Way Back

The general consensus was business is improving. It still has a long way to go to get back to where it once was. That sounds a lot like our economy in general.

There is advice to keep edition sizes smaller. This goes hand-in-hand with the suggestion to work on making prints unique with such things as hand-embellishments that help to make each piece stand out to collectors.

Collectors Are Savvy Shoppers These Days. Don't Fall Prey to Having Your Worked "Shopped."

The discussion of how big editions were "shopped" online by collectors, which in turn made galleries reluctant to carry them. This then caused the whole print market to go on tilt to some degree, and just at the time the market could least afford any distribution disruption.

Treat Your Galleries with Respect and Expect the Same

My advice to artists is when you work with galleries, give them exclusives. Don't compete with your galleries. Check your gallery's pricing to make sure they are low-balling your prints to the harm of your other galleries. When you sell prints that are similar in size, subject and so forth online, make sure your prices are equivalent to what is being sold in galleries.

Avoiding the Temptation to Make Low-ball Sales Is Good Practice in the Long Run

It is tempting to lower your giclee print price to get the sale, but if doing so harms your reputation, lowers the value of your work, and causes distrust between you and your galleries and dealers, is it worth it? In the long run, your reputation and integrity are worth more than a low-ball sale. The few dollars from it will be long gone while the ill wind that comes from such activity will remain for a long time to come.

Seriously, if it comes down to the only way you are making it is by selling at steep discounts, then perhaps you need a full-time job so you don't have to put so much pressure on making sales at any cost. Try looking for arts opportunities so you can smooth out your fine art print sales.

Working for the Man Has Its Own Benefits

There is nothing wrong with working full-time for the man. If it is a good job, you will have benefits and time off to work on your art. These days, I see this happening more and more. That is, we put off chasing our dreams full-time by taking a full-time job.

There is going to be plenty of time for your career to blossom, just take care of it and your reputation now. Take advantage of renewed interest in the fine art print market and get a bit more aggressive with what you are doing, but within reason.

Own Your Distribution

There has never been a time like this. And, I'm taking good times for artists. That is because visual artists today have the opportunity to control the direct distribution of their work as never before. You can't count on anyone but yourself. Whether it's dawned on you or not, it's a fact of life.

I think working with galleries is grand. I do not advocate avoiding galleries. I do advocate for artists to setup and control as much direct distribution of their work as possible. It's the future. In the future, it may be the best thing you have going for yourself and your art career.

Create New Art Print Market Opportunities

You have the power to completely control how your fine art print reproductions are produced and marketed. You can use this power to capitalize on art-career marketing opportunities in ways unknown to previous generations of visual artists.

All the information you need to create an enviable art print market career is at your fingertips.

Knowledge is power. Using it wisely gives you a sure shot at success! When you apply dedication and desire to organizing and executing believable, workable plans, you raise your odds for success. By applying the straightforward advice you find here, you will start to take systematic small steps that will build to large returns on your art print marketing efforts

Choose Success! Make Smart Career Decisions.

Use this information for motivation to boost your art career, fulfill your goals, surpass your competition and avoid the typical traps and snares that throw so many unaware artists off the path to prosperity.

Do Not Let Tough Times Dictate the Your Art Career Trajectory.

You don’t have to accept the norm. You can take charge of your career by choosing to learn new ways to market your art. It’s obvious many artists and galleries are on hard times due to our tough economy, evolving market conditions, changes in technology and consumer buying habits. Yet, despite such conditions, there are informed ambitious artists who are thriving in today’s print market. The difference is desire translated to ideas in action.

All the Art Print Marketing Help You Need to Succeed Is Right Here.

My name is Barney Davey—you might know me as the author of How to Profit from the Art Print Market, 2nd Edition. It’s a bestseller on the Amazon.com “Business of Art” category list. The first edition was on the list for six straight years. It also was a selection in the North Light Book Club and has been excerpted in The Artist’s Magazine.

Or, perhaps you have read some of the 500 blog posts I’ve published about the business of art and the art print market on Art Print Issues, my highly trafficked and respected  business blog for artists. Since 1988, I have helped thousands of visual artists succeed in the print market though my blog, books, webinars and workshops.

Seven Reasons You Should Buy This Book!

1. Diversify your income and price points with fine art print giclees.
2. Grow your own loyal collector base — learn new ways to sell direct to them.
3. Get useful tips and techniques to sell art online, through galleries, alternative spaces and other sources.
4. Learn to coordinate your marketing using social media, e-commerce, websites, email and publicity to create your own loyal customers.
5. Employ best practices when working with giclee printers.
6. Find print and poster publishers and effectively negotiate with them.
7. Get the lowdown on penetrating the licensing, healthcare fine art and hospitality design markets, and much, much more.

Bonus Business Resource Directory!  As a visual artist you will love the book’s expanded Art Business and Art Marketing Resources section. It offers nearly 500 listings of marketing companies, products and services to help take your artist career to new levels.

Testimonial  ”I recently was offered a contract from McGaw Publishing (Bruce McGaw) for 13 of my photographs. Your book helped!” — Derek J.

Enjoy 30% Discount Savings with the Book, Webinar & Bonus Package

Besides my book, with the package, you get the downloadable 120-minute Art Print Career Opportunities: Mastering the Art of Selling Fine Art Giclee Prints webinar.  You can use it to enhance your learning and gain a deeper grasp of the knowledge in my art print marketing book by studying both together.

Yes, you can order the book and webinar separately, but you will enjoy substantial savings by taking advantage of the generous discounted combination offer. Plus, it’s the only way you’ll get the hundreds of dollars worth of extra bonuses.  Watch the short  intro video below for more details on what you will learn in your webinar. Use this link to watch the video on a separate page:

 

Testimonial “I thoroughly enjoyed the webinar last night. I have been out of the business for many years and it has changed immensely. Although a little overwhelmed, I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself. It was very encouraging to hear that people with a passion and ambition can thrive at any age. Just wanted you to know that you are doing great things and I can’t wait to learn more.” — M. Conley

Check Out These Highly Valuable Fine Art Giclee Print Bonuses!

	From Digital Arts Studio — 50% off printing costs on any Giclee Paper Print (fine art papers only) any available size from 11″ x 14″ to 40″ x 60″. Valid for up to 5 images, 2 copies of each (maximum of 10 prints).*Must be redeemed within 14 days of your purchase. (Up to $1000 value).
	From Ariane Goodwin, the smARTist Telesummit founder — A 60-minute mp3 download titled Giclee Printing: The New Frontier For Artists. Presented by Stanley John Bowman a full-time, professional artist, and fine art giclee printer. Bowman taught photography and digital imaging at Cornell University for 28 years. The insights into the giclee making process he provides are matchless.  ($45 value).
	From Breathing Color — industry leading designer and supplier of inkjet canvas, fine art paper, photo paper, and print varnish for fine art and photographic reproduction. A $20 discount off any order.  ($20 value).
	From Image Wizards — 20% off any order of an AluminArte metal print. Sizes range from 16″ x 24″ to 48″ x 96″ and come with a variety of framing and hanging options. There are certain fine art and photographic images that look spectacular when printed on metal. (Up to a $200 value).
	FOR THE FIRST 50 BUYERS ONLY! An exclusive 60-minute Q&A call-in session with Barney Davey. You will get the answers to your burning questions. You will have ample time to study the book and watch the two-hour webinar before we schedule the session. That way, you’re sure to come up with your best, most meaningful questions. ($30 value).
	50% off your first workshop download from the soon to be announced Art Marketing / Art Business Webinar Workshop for Visual Artists, a new digital download learning service from BarneyDavey.com/Workshops. *In development, classes available early 2012. (Up to an $80 value).

Get Started Now!

Take the first step towards including fine art prints into your art career.

 Thousands of copies of How to Profit from the Art Print Market 2nd Edition have sold on my website, and by booksellers such as Amazon.com for about $30, including shipping. The live 2-hour webinar sells for $37. You can purchase them individually on my website for a total cost of $67.  Your 30% discount with the bonus package saves you $20!

The discounted bonus package price is only $47

($42.05 + $4.95 for shipping)

Testimonials Just Don’t Get Better Than This! “After 18 years as a ‘print artist,’ I was confident I knew just about everything in respect to selling art and annually growing my business. Based on my commercial success, I was approached to help launch a new poster publishing business. The line was to feature vintage collegiate sports scenes. Market tests suggested it would have instant national appeal. The selling of the line would differ from my typical marketing practices. It would operate strictly on a wholesale model. It did face some significant licensing hurdles. I accepted the challenge, but felt great pressure to know absolutely all I could about: selling wholesale, building a solid dealer network, working with national sales reps, trade shows, and printing and framing on a massive scale. I sought advice from art industry experts. A number of books and websites were recommended to me. I devoured every oral and written word I could find. All in all, I found Barney’s straightforward solid advice second-to-none. I’ve never highlighted or dog-eared more pages of a book. Today, based on many principles and suggestions from How to Profit from the Art Print Market, my Historic Football Posters.com is an extraordinary success and my personal business has grown smarter and even more successful. In a word, “How to Profit” is the single best business book ever written for artists. It contains more than just great tactical advice. The book interjects confidence that artists with an intelligent plan and good work can absolutely be a success. What’s humbling is by the time I discovered Barney’s book I had sold over a million dollars in art and thought I knew all I needed about the marketplace. I quickly realized “How to Profit” was a treasure chest of knowledge I did not possess. I truly regret the book wasn’t available 20 years ago. — Michael Geraghty, Laurel, Maryland

 Table of Contents

Chapter One	Goals and Vision
Chapter Two	Understanding Art Print Media
Chapter Three	First Things First
Chapter Four	Traits and Attributes of Self-published Artists
Chapter Five	Economics of Self-publishing
Chapter Six	Exemplary and Successful Self-published Artists
Chapter Seven	Finding and Working with a Publisher
Chapter Eight	Copyrights and Certificates of Authenticity
Chapter Nine	Trends and Inspiration
Chapter Ten	Business Marketing Basics for the Self-published Artist
Chapter Eleven	Publicity, Promotion and the Power of Self Belief
Chapter Twelve	Websites for Artists
Chapter Thirteen	Online Marketing and Social Media
Chapter Fourteen	Galleries, Dealers and Alternative Spaces
Chapter Fifteen	Licensing
Chapter Sixteen	Giclees and Digital Prints

Satisfaction Guaranteed!

You Can Learn to Use the Information Here with Your Talent, Desire and Drive to Create New Art Marketing Opportunities.

If you can’t find enough motivation, information and inspiration in the book and webinar to help you understand what actions you need to take to be successful in the print market, I’ll give you your money back! You can return the book as new within 30 days for a full refund. You can keep the webinar and bonuses.

To Recap, your bonus package includes:

• How to Profit from the Art Print Market 2nd Edition — a 300-page Amazon.com “Business of Art” bestseller
• The 120-minute webinar, Art Print Career Opportunities: Mastering the Art of Selling Fine Art Giclee Prints.
• Bonuses worth many times over the cost of your minor investment in this offer.

Testimonial “The reproduction market gives an artist increased exposure and the potential for a natural stream of additional income. Every artist should consider the fine art print market and Barney’s book is an indispensable guide to navigating the print world. Barney gives you an unvarnished look at what it takes to make it and how to avoid unrealistic expectations and expensive pitfalls. This book is a must-have for the serious, professional artist.” — Jason Horejs, owner Xanadu Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ.  Author of  Starving to Successful: The Fine Artist’s Guide to Getting into Galleries and the his new book, “How to Sell Art!”

P.S.  If You Feel Unsure, You Are Not Alone — Especially These Days!

It’s Normal to Feel Unsure About Your Career. If you have experienced the uneasy feeling of not knowing what steps to take to get your career on solid footing in this strained economy, you are in the good company of many, if not most, visual artists who for justifiable reasons share the same anxiety, especially in the tumultuous times we live in now.

While gaining success has never been a walk in the park, it’s agreed evolving market conditions have made it very difficult to know how to forge a successful career as an artist in the print market. Nevertheless, by putting your anxieties aside, you will find favorable opportunities to sell art in new ways have sprung up. You don’t have to be a marketing genius or pioneer to take advantage of them. You just need to be willing to do things in different ways than before.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — hockey great, Wayne Gretzky.

DON’T HAVE ANY REGRETS.

Take aim on the art print market today.

When you start selling your fine art prints on a regular basis, you will be delighted you did.

The Double Entendre of the Visual Artist Selling Out Redux

Are Limited Editions Digital Art Prints Passe?

It's summertime and the living is easy. Hah! I wish. I've had a nasty summer cold all week and am still not fully recouped. So, I am taking a break from posting fresh content until next week.

What this means is it's time to pull something from the vault for another look. Here is a gem from four years past.

The Debate Goes On

Lately, I have been advising artists to get on one side or the other and make peace with their decision and then get on with robustly pursuing their marketing plans whatever they choose.

Two Sides to Every Coin with Limited Edition Giclee Prints

I use the highly successful open edition publisher ArtThatFits.com as one example and Jen Bekman's equally successful 20x200.com limited edition site as examples that both concepts of limited and open can move art prints. For most artists, I still believe open editions makes more sense, but it's an ongoing debate that is likely to never be fully resolved. What's your opinion?

Seems like visual artists carry more baggage regarding being true to their art than other genres. Sure the rockers with message music from the Sixties and early Seventies who later turned up sponsored by beer or credit card companies took some early criticism. They took the hit and laughed about it on the way to the bank.

Today, does anybody care if the likes of Bob Dylan and U2 sell travel packages to their concerts? Are film makers, actors, or other artists held accountable in the court of public opinion for being as successful as they can be? Does being a box office success mean the main players are not serious artists?

Do Open Edition Prints Equate to Less Prestige or Less Income?

Still, visual artists are left to worry about their reputation. Oh, he painted to make money, She made her work to satisfy her collectors. LIke that is a sin. I would agree that Andy Warhol did not have in mind that his "Green Car Crash" piece was created with the thought it would be so collectible it would later sell at a Warhol record auction price of $71 million plus. Nevertheless, he pandered to his collectors and the media in the most masterful of ways and his ability to do so helped create the aura that turned into the frenzy of buying for his work at the May 16, 2007 Christie's auction.

Somehow, visual artists still struggle with the notion of being true to their art. Many find themselves painting under aliases so to disguise their more commercial work. Heaven forbid it be revealed they painted pieces with the commercial market in mind. The concept lingers on in the digital fine art reproduction arena where artists continue to sell limited editions.

It Is Hard to Let Go of Tradition and a Certain Way of Doing Business

Yes, I realize galleries are addicted to limited editions as a marketing tool and I agree what is scarce is precious. But, I firmly believe that the idea that a piece of art is part of a limited edition is not the chief buying criteria for most buyers. They want to buy it because it fills some other need. Whether it's the proverbial couch piece, or more romantically because it stirs some emotions within them that compells them to want to own and live with the work.

Today, fine art digital printing has evolved to the point that we can now make the piece to the size most appropriate for the buyers needs. It can be reproduced endlessly with the reverse promise of previous technologies in that the likelihood is the later pieces will be better made due to improving techniques, substrates, inks, dyes, equipment and software. I will contend more money is lost selling limited editions than is made. Some will argue most artists rarely sell out their editions anyway, so what is the harm. Good point. I think every artist with his or her salt has at least one or two pieces that have the ability to sell well for years. Problem is, there is no way of knowing in advance which piece or pieces those will be. When the art is limited, the chance it will sell well for years is lost.

Do Limited Editions Also Limit the Potential Income for Visual Artists?

Here's an example. An artist creates an edition of 300 at $1,000 retail for a total of $300,000. If the same piece sold 1,000 pieces at $750 retail, the net is more than double at $750,000. I don't think artists have to discount 25% to sell unlimited pieces. Maybe 10%, perhaps 15% at the most. If the work has intrinsic value based on all the things people consider when they buy art, e.g., reputation, content, size, market and so forth, then it will sell at its "value" without the gimmickry of a limited edition. The mystique of the "giclee" monicker does not alter the fact that any reasonably sophistcated buyer realizes anything that comes out of a computer can be reproduced at will.

When you offer a limited edition digital print, you have to sell the veracity of the artist, the publisher and the gallery that the edition size will be honored. Why not sell on the intrinsic value of the piece? You can still sign, even number for that matter. Just don't limit. The numbering convention is yours to conceive. I suggest 1/oe, 2/oe, where oe equals open edition. The early numbers could still become collectible. Perhaps some other numbers such as the artist's birthday, the year the piece was made and so could make them collectible in later years. Who knows what aspects collectors will put on anything years from now. But if the work holds up, you can bet some of the signed open edition pieces will have greater value than others.

I have written about the limted edition giclee print debate before and promise to continue to work to engage the art print community in the dialog and discussion of the merits of unlimited digital prints. In thinking about this idea, it struck me as odd that "selling out" in the sense of following the money when creating art is a huge no-no for artists, yet having a "sold out" edition, or "selling out" an edition was something to strive for. Why she has four "sold out" editions. It becomes a comical twist of words, or an art double entendre, if you will. My advice is to seriously consider how to sell more art rather than concentrating on selling less in the form of limited editions.

All said, I do think there is a place for limiteds. If the edition is truly limited. For instance, an artist creates a small edition of hand-embellished (by the artist) pieces to sell in a low edition of 100 or less, that idea has merit. Even then, I would stipulate that an open edition of the same piece is available as an open edition piece available in the size most appropriate for the collectors needs.

Bottom line is the the bottom line, it's your money, your family and your future. If you are reading this, you very likely aren't thinking about how to get a show into MoMA. More power to you if you are, but reality for most artists who are full-time is they need to maximize their earning capacity without "selling out." I think by limiting digital print editions, artists are selling themselves out of being allowed to make as much money on reproduction as the market will bear. If that' s the case, there is something wrong with this picture (pun intended) and it ought to be fixed.

Digital Artists - Discover New Ways to Create Print Sales Opportunities

Want to sell more giclees and fine art prints of your work?

If you don't see the You Tube video above, here is the link: http://youtu.be/Hhp8Vp33fvM

Join me on Tuesday, June 28th for an art print marketing webinar.

The 2-hour program is packed with useful practical information designed to boost your career. It will run at 7 pm Central Daylight Time.  Click here to register now. There is limited seating, act now to claim your spot.

My friend and colleague, Tim O'Neill, contacted me about producing a webinar on selling digital paintings in the art print market. He is a wonderful supporter of digital artists and quite successful as one on his own. He is the publisher of Digital Paint Magazine and also operates the Digital Art Academy. His suggestion hit home with me as a great idea and I readily agreed.

I hope you can join and use the information provided to boost your giclee and fine art print sales.

Click Here to Register today!

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Phoenix Collage Artist Katia Von Kral - Art Print Career on a High Note

Recently, I had the pleasure to meet Katie Kral. She is an inspiring local artist here in Phoenix who specializes in collage art and mixed media art. She also publishes reproductions of her collage art as digital fine art giclee prints. 

Developments in artists' careers & technology arrest my attention

I am perpetually interested in learning how visual artists’ careers unfold, and how evolving technology and e-commerce continue to dramatically affect how fine art prints are created, produced and marketed.

It was at the intersection of those interests where Katie caught my attention. When I noticed she was a local artist with a listing on Groupon, for one of her giclee prints, I had to learn more and contacted her.

Is Groupon a suitable advertising medium for visual artists?

For those who don’t know, Groupon negotiates huge discounts—usually 50-90% off—with local businesses. It then sends the deals to thousands of subscribers in our free daily email, which results in new business for its advertisers. Groupon arguably is the hottest private company on the Internet. It  recently rejected a $6 billion buyout offer from online search giant Google. It was either a brilliant or boneheaded decision to pass on the offer. Time will tell how it pans out for the Groupon's founders and investors.

What I found in meeting with Katie and her business partner was that the Groupon offer for her print did not generate the sales she had hoped for. It didn't help that her offer was on a sidebar and not a featured item on the email I received. This had to have hurt her sales. The good news is there is no fee for participating. Groupon makes the sale and pays the business out of the proceeds.

Katie is on the cutting edge with her art on Groupon

If you can deliver your work nationally, as an artist you can arrange to have deals done in different cities, providing your work is acceptable to Groupon. It makes sense some cities are more likely to be responsive to an offer from an artist selling fine art giclée prints than others. Groupon is in 177 cities as of this writing and growing. Katie is going to continue to test the concept in other markets and hopes to be featured instead of on a sidebar with her future offer.

In general, generating sales success for giclee prints on Groupon will always be a challenge as art prints are not as universally popular as dining and entertainment offers. Nevertheless, there is potential for residual promotional value in participating. Katie, for instance, finds herself featured in a blog post here.

What I found when meeting with Katie and looking at her career was she was already doing many of things I regularly urge artists to do. She has created a line of images based on musical instruments. In fact, her "Ray the Guitar" piece was the one I saw in the Groupon ad.

Creating synergy is how artists can leverage their marketing

Being a fan of both blues guitar artists and of the late great Stevie Ray Vaughn, the giclée print reproducing her original collage art helped grab my attention on the Groupon email. Besides painting thematically, which is a cornerstone trait of successful print artists, Katie has managed to garner a number of high profile pieces in influential local magazines, including Phoenix Home and Garden. She has created custom artwork for local Google offices in Arizona, and corporate real estate giant Del Webb and Pulte Homes. She has also had the honor to work on restoring the 1926 Historic Civic Plaza in downtown Phoenix.

Getting one's work sold in museum is no easy trick

Katie’s latest and most prestigious honor to date is having her work being sold in the Musical Instrument Museum, which recently opened here in Phoenix. MIM is a world class facility devoted to displaying and showcasing musical instrument from all over the globe. It is well worth the time on your next trip to Phoenix.

Having such good fortune or creating it, (She sought the deal with MIM), to occur in one’s career can only help enhance it and set the stage for good things to come. This is what I predict for Katie. She has talent, ambition, more than capable full-time support, thematic work, marketing smarts and the drive to want to make a successful career in the print market. Adding in being willing to try new things like Groupon, and having the moxie to get her work sold in a museum are positive indicators of potential great success.

When you work for the greater good, the karma reflects back

Having a cause and a passion for a cause can not only help to do good things for the cause, the side benefits to the artist can be substantial. Having suffered for more than half her life from endometriosis, she champions for Endometriosis Research and Awareness. It affects 1-in-10 women, or approximately 176 million worldwide, which is a staggering number. It is hard to diagnose, causes great pain and can lead in infertility.

To her credit, Katie talks openly and freely about her experience and donates a portion of all of her sales to Endometriosis Research and Awareness. She is using her art career to help others who also suffer from this dread disease. A positive by-product might be greater awareness for Katie and her art career, which is a good thing. But, if you have the chance to meet her, you will know her passion purely comes from a true desire to help.

A successful art print and art licensing career in the making

All-in-all, I rate Katie as having her career as moving on the right track and picking up speed. When you put all the things she is doing together, you create a prescription for success and a long prosperous career. Such is what I predict for Katie Von Kral. You can say read it here first.

How to Sell Fine Art Giclee Prints - An Art Career Success Webinar

Art Print Market Expert Barney Davey Presents a Live Art Print Career Webinar Sponsored by Xanadu Gallery

As a visual artist, you can learn to successfully create and sell reproductions of your original artwork as fine art giclee prints on canvas, paper, and other digital art print substrates.

The plentiful benefits for visual artists who create a successful art print market career include:

• Increased awareness for you and your work.
• Getting paid multiple times from the your original artwork.
• Diversifying your price points.
• Broadening your product line.
• Gaining entry to the lucrative licensing field.
• Selling art into the home furnishing, hospitality, corporate and healthcare markets.

Digital Arts Studio – a Giclee Printer Profile

All giclee printers know when it comes to reproducing their original art, artists understandably are picky. One does not create art and not care about color and fidelity in giclee fine art reproductions. This makes the job of operating a professional digital fine art giclee printing service, such as Digital Arts Studio, a challenging occupation

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Given the broad range of opportunities in the wide-format printing business, one can only conclude that those who decide to work in the fine art field do so as much for love of art and artists as it is a way to make an income. The bottom line is those who toil to make perfect giclee prints for visual artist could likely make more money with less hassle in a similar line of work.

Digital Arts Studio ranks among the best giclee printers

Fortunately for visual artists, there are numerous dedicated professional giclée printing services available to them. Digital Arts Studio ranks among the best of those in the field. Barry Glustoff, Robin Zelizer and Peter Leafman opened Digital Arts Studio in 2003. It was their desire to help artists take advantage of the growing interest in using digital fine art reproductions to grow their art careers.

These three partners each have many years experience in art related fields. Together they have worked more than 80 years in art reproduction, marketing and retail custom picture framing.  In addition, Barry, Robin and Peter have put together an outstanding team of technicians, including skilled photographers, professional artists, graphic designers and digital imaging specialists.

Using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques is essential

DAS uses the latest and best possible technology available to help its fine artists clients achieve superior quality, color accuracy, and consistency on every project. Color management is not only about technical expertise; it requires and artistic background and keen color sense to be able to make a winning collaboration with all artists, regardless of their technical knowledge and expertise.

The staff at Digital Arts Studio combines its technical expertise and marketing savvy to show artists how to enjoy increased profits for works created using the fine-art giclee printmaking process.  Whether artists are serious amateurs or seasoned professionals they find their images reproduce wonderfully as giclées with the technical quality to be museum collector items.

Digital Arts Studios uses the latest equipment and techniques in its giclee printmaking process. It specializes in creating archival prints utilizing affordable, state-of-the-art printing that produces true-to-the-original work in highly accurate full color. DAS furnishes related products and marketing support to artists and photographers nationwide. Its efforts are focused on providing new and established artists with the best possible technology, superior quality, color accuracy, and consistency on every project.

Providing full-service makes a huge difference in the level of service and trust

The team at Digital Arts Studio has earned a reputation in artist communities nationwide as a premium quality, full service, fine art giclée printmaker and custom picture framer. In addition to its traditional high-resolution image capture, large format giclée printmaking services, DAS is a one-stop resource for artists. It handles everything from printing and custom picture framing needs to order fulfillment services. 

As a fine art digital giclee printmaking service, Digital Arts Studio is unique among other printing companies. It goes the extra mile in helping artists get to market by offering graphic design, sales and marketing assistance. An example of its unique service is its retail gallery space is made available to clients to display and sell their work without any fees.

An online e-commerce enabled gallery complements the retail gallery services

The company is dedicated to providing proactive resources to assist visual artists with all their sales and marketing efforts. Its FineArtMarketplace.com proves the point. It is an e-commerce web site created for clients to use as their "sales portal." Artists benefit with complete fulfillment services for print orders, payment processing and direct shipping. 

DAS’ philosophy is that artists should spend their time creating art, and not having to deal with the mundane tasks of processing print orders. Their intentional action to help artists clearly demonstrates the company walks its talk when it comes to supporting its customer’s efforts in becoming successful artists.

Encouraging artists to learn about the business of art makes DAS stand out

Another example is it has routinely advised artists to read How to Profit from the Art Print Market. A book exclusively devoted to helping visual artists succeed in the print market. It has sponsored a live seminar with author Barney Davey and more recently a webinar with him, all in a continuing effort to educate its clientele and help them with their sale sand marketing efforts.

The company is a proud member of Adobe's Print Service Provider Network. It belongs to many other professional organizations. It also sponsors numerous local and national art and photography groups. It is a premier book sponsor advertiser in the Giclee Business directory, which contains listings from more than 500 companies with products and services aimed at helping visual artists operate their art businesses more successfully.