Secondly, a lot of the art fairs I've looked into have requirements for selling prints. One fair wanted 80% originals and another one said no reproductions at all. By the 80% rule, I could have 20 originals and only 5 prints!?! I would prefer to sell only originals but economically that seems like a bad idea for a painter at outdoor festivals.
I have a few more questions, but they will have to wait until later.
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The reason not to frame--everyone's taste is different. I frame all my pictures in a room or on a wall with the same color frames. Your brown frame is not going to work with my black-framed pictures. I do not want to absorb the cost of the frame you provided. (i have more art to buy)
Everyone has their own ideas how a piece of art should be displayed. I may love your work but I prefer you not frame it for me.
The backing should be as thin as possible yet still support the work. Some frames don't allow for the space of matting and it is difficult to secure the piece inside the frame. I have cracked glass by tightening a thicker mat.
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Allisonn said:
I'll add only that you need to determine what you'll use for backing board (foam core vs. matboard) BEFORE you order your ClearBags. The company offers two thicknesses; getting foam core-mounted prints in the thinner bags is almost impossible.
And this: I know that delivering your work to the client can seem like a pain. But you can make in an "event" that your customers will never forget, and they'll become repeat buyers. I bought a piece at Year 2 of Cherry Creek Art Festival. The artist and his wife delivered it the next day, along with a bottle of wine, and we spent half an hour talking about how he created the piece. Over time, I bought two more works from him.
I would never sell smaller prints framed. There's no percentage in it and it will only require extra expense and work on your part to prepare. I only offered my largest size framed and all sizes matted in browse bins. Given a choice and if priced correctly, people would probably prefer to purchase unframed about 90% of the time anyway.
To adhere the print to the back of the window mat, I recommend hinging using acid free framer's tape. Do a search for Framers Tape II.
Besides the hinged matted print, you also need a backing in the clear bag. http://clearbags.com
For a classier presentation, foam core is fine. If you need to put more prints in the bin, mat board as a backing takes up less space and allows you to have 50% more prints in the bin.
Some painters sell reproductions unmatted with just a foam core backing loose (not attached) in the clear bag. It's best to decide what you want to do before making an investment in inventory that you'll later regret.
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
I'm also at a point where I have to decide my print runs this week. I wanted to do primarily limited edition prints and keep the print run fairly low, however, I also would like one or two paintings to have an unlimited run, a few products that I could matte and frame for an 8x10" size and sell at a fairly reasonable price. My question is in two parts: First, what are some pros and cons relating to the above thoughts? Secondly, given the situation above, is it alright to use cheaper frames that from all appearances look nice, or would this devalue me? (keep in mind cheaper frames for unlimited 8x10print run)
As for the original vs. reproductions (not prints) policy, that's usually based on the amount of space on the display and most shows that allow it require reproductions to be labeled as such or limited to a browse bin and labeled as such.
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100