Going big with your art work

Comment by David Hipwell on August 31, 2010 at 8:30am

There may be some truth to this.....but I would rather see a scientific study than your general impressions.......

Comment by Larry Berman on August 31, 2010 at 9:46am

It's not just going bigger. It's what is the optimum size that your work sends a message to the viewer or convinces the viewer to purchase. The artists that have been selling work design the work for the size they are selling, not just make smaller things larger.

Larry Berman
Digital J u r y Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

Comment by Robert Leuallen on August 31, 2010 at 12:24pm

I agree with all of the above comments, David, I'd love to see a scientific study on this topic, not sure we'll ever get such a thing in the art show business, seems so much decision making in this business is by gut instincts, talking to other artists and learn by doing.

We moved into making larger pieces when my wife continued to hear customers say "love your work, but I have this large wall space and it would swallow it up." Thus, she has made larger work comprised of sections that all work together. But, we've also stayed with all her multi-price point work from $20 to $650 or so, and sales of that work has kept us going.

We continue to be encouraged by the interest and "near buys" of her larger works, providing photos with measurements for potential buyers, consideration of delivering and installing, etc. I suppose a next step is to get potential buyers phone numbers and do a follow-up call.

Another possible benefit of larger work is that folks may like and be impressed by a larger piece, but it's outside of their budget, so they buy something smaller, as I suppose photographers and painters experience with selling reproductions of their big stuff.

Seems most of the art shows we do in the Rocky Mnt. region have a nice mix of customers, both high end and upper middle to middle, so our range of prices seems to be working. Before too long, I'll hopefully be doing a yippy chi yaa announcing the sale of a big piece.

Comment by bonny hawley on August 31, 2010 at 2:37pm

This article is funny to me as I have always worked only large and with this recession have started a new line of small pieces. I have been doing a few local shows in the last 3 years after not doing the shows for 10 years, with both large and small and the people go for the small pieces at the shows over and over again. I have tried to show only large pieces and had "no sales" and the people seem to be afraid to even walk into my tent. Then I mixed large with small and the people will either go straight to the large or to the small and never even look at the other. I have also tried doing just one wall with small and the people will go straight to that wall and never even look at the large pieces. I live in Naples Florida and believe me we have alot of large walls here but I really feel that the people who have those big walls are not coming out to these art shows. I seem to do better with the large pieces selling through galleries or through designers. The clients at the shows seem to want art work that is more moderately priced or to get a "deal." Pricing is hard for me as i have alot of old clients coming to the shows and I want to remain loyal to my gallery pricing. One trick that I learned last season was to never price my large artwork. Then the clients who are really interested in the large pieces will ask the price and that opens me up to a conversation with them. Another funny thing that happened last season is that I went and purchased an extra tall trimline tent with 9 foot walls. All of a sudden my large pieces did not look so large anymore as they did in a smaller tent. People even commented that my artwork had gotten alot smaller!!!!!!! LOL Bonny Hawley Naples, Fl.

Comment by Patricia Hecker on August 31, 2010 at 4:47pm

Good dialog here- I feel certain I am the veteran artist Holly referred to above. For 24 years I did predominantly large scale works and gave collectors the white glover service. 75% of my work was done as commission pieces, site specific. That worked for a long time and we were more than satisfied. For the last year and half I have moved to the under 100.00 item. Has it worked? No, not really. I hope to return to larger works once I can and redirect my energy that way.
I will keep my under $100.00 line and apply to smaller shows and holiday giftier shows with it. This will work when clients are not looking to buy art but craft. I don't mind having more than one body of work in play if that's what it takes. I currently am juggling 3 right now.
Anything to keep afloat.

Patricia

Comment by Robert Leuallen on September 1, 2010 at 3:10am

Patricia, "I don't mind having more than one body of work in play if that's what it takes. I currently am juggling 3 right now. Anything to keep afloat." I know the feeling, I used to be a Water Safety Instructor, floating is good. We've been in the same state, poking around with what the public will/can buy. We call our lower cost items "gas and food money."

Comment by Patricia Hecker on September 1, 2010 at 9:10am

So understand that one Robert! I may not have explained my decisions to make the changes I did. I chose to move away from my high end work for a variety of reasons. When I spoke to Holly about it, I was doing okay with that work in the economy we had then. Shortly thereafter, my sales became too erratic. I either had a great show or nothing at all. Left too many shows with nothing after trying to close many a sale unsuccessfully. I could have added lower price points to the work, but I felt it would diminish the presentation and message I had worked to convey. At the same time, I felt I needed a new challenge artistically.

With that decision behind me, I expanded on the body of work I'd been selling on etsy. I began jurying to shows with it and let it become our mainstay. Added some larger piece$ such as tables and beaded screens.

So, long story short, in doing shows with this body of work, I'm now appealing to people perhaps most hard-hit by the bad economy. Hmmm........what to do now?
What we always do- regroup and begin again.
I've learned a lot about myself with this body of work and that, in it's self, is of value.
My hope is that when I have a new body of larger pieces ready, the economy will be rebounding as well.
I have hope.
As an artist, that may well be my greatest tool!!

Safe travels all!
Patricia

Comment by Warren Townsend on September 1, 2010 at 12:21pm

Well at first I was question of what is meant by going large, than it also discusses about more expensive, confusing. I make a few large items and because they are larger you are committed to more time and resources, which makes them more expensive (one is $5100.00). But then again I have some smaller items that are over the $1000 price range that would fit in a shoe box. With the larger items there are quite a few draw backs of selling at the art fairs. First is how are you going to transport (note I make metal art) and how are you going to move around. Then the fact that they take up more space in your booth and if you bring too many then you are crowded or you need a double booth, more expenses. Also if one of these larger pieces gets a little damaged from transporting (don’t you hate it when that little scratch shows up) it takes more time and effort to repair.
Now trying to sell the larger pieces is a pain in the butt. I do not push them because most of the folks looking at them are more interested in asking how much time it took to make, instead of how it is made and your inspirations. Yes they draw a crowd and they ewe and ahh but it does not put money in the pocket. By the time you sell a larger piece it has been shown at quite a few shows to find that person looking for what you have. Now I will continue to make large pieces and in fact in looking at making a couple that will almost be impossible to move around by myself. I still make some $20 items and most items selling this year are under the $100 range. Yes it is easier to sell the smaller items but I ask myself all of the time how many $20 items do it take to pay the $300 booth fee. And on the other hand how many hours have I spent lugging around the large pieces.

Comment by Michael Reimer on September 1, 2010 at 1:46pm

I ask myself all of the time how many $20 items do it take to pay the $300 booth fee.

15 :-)

Comment by Robert Leuallen on September 1, 2010 at 2:16pm

Indeed Warren, there sure are downsides to selling, let's say "larger work," as there are some good questions on what "big" means. The double booth dilemma is one we are facing now with a 10 day show we are doing in AZ in Feb. Our larger piece shows better in a 10 x 20, but, will it be worth the increased cost?

Transport of larger work is a challenge, fortunately ours is in 5 pieces, so it all fits in a large plastic trunk. I've seen the contortions artists with large single piece work go through in unloading and setting up. Does not look fun.

Good question on if the "draw" of larger work actually puts money into your pocket.

We'll keep poking at it, and having experienced a number of serious interested potentials, keep at it until either it sells or we do the "this sucks" admission.

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