One question that occasionally comes up with my clients is related to offering reproduction prints (often called "giclee" prints) of their artwork on the web. I think it is generally a good idea to have lower-priced alternatives to original artworks because the average person viewing art on the web cannot afford the prices of original artworks. Does this cut into sales for original artworks? Maybe, but not likely. Most people realize that an original and a reproduction are not comparable. Generally, people who can afford to buy an original and like your work enough, will be interested in buying the original and will not settle for a print of the work. People who cannot afford originals (most of your web traffic) will buy a reproduction print because it is less of a risk to their pocket-book. Lets face it. Selling original art on the web is not an easy thing. It will happen occasionally, but not often. I personally find that having a website to showcase your artworks is more valuable for the opportunity of showcasing your portfolio. It does not take the place of a real "stones and mortar" gallery, or face-to-face meetings with your clients. It's the easiest way to spread the word about your work to potential clients across the globe, however. You can easily give your card with web address to people you meet and they can check out what you do from the comfort of their own homes, in their own time. If they are interested enough, they might call or email you to set up a meeting to view your originals. There is no better advertising opportunity than to have a good website.

Q: Will I need to hire a photographer to create images for my fine art prints?

A: Whether or not you need to hire a photographer or not depends on how adept adept you are with a camera, and how difficult your work is to photograph. For most people, I would suggest hiring a professional photographer to ensure that you get the best quality image possible. For those of you who have a fair amount of photography experience, and need to save money until you start generating sales, here's some general guidelines for photographing your work:

~ use a digital camera, which reduces the number of steps to get it to print form (otherwise you would need to get print photos scanned to digital form)

~ use a tripod (even the steadiest of hands often shake a little when photographing work)

~ photograph your work outdoors or near a window where you get lots of natural light (using artificial light discolors images into the blue range whereas natural light is warmer)

~ to prevent long shadows, photograph when the sun is closer to the ground, i.e., rising or setting (shadows of light are especially important in my work since I paint on multiple layers, that cast shadows... it might not be as important in your case. Its a good idea to experiment with different kinds of light until you find the perfect set-up for your work.)

 

Q: How do I get the photograph turned into a fine art print? Is it expensive?

Again, this question depends on how skilled you are with graphic imaging equipment, and how much income you can generate in the sale of your prints. Most people will need to hire a graphic designer to clean up the photos and optimize them for print. If you are good at doing things on a computer, you can improve the photographic quality through an image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop or Macromedia Fireworks. Generally, I crop out any outside content, and add a notch for brightness and contrast. If you don't have either of these (expensive) programs, you can download free software from Picasa which will work well enough.

If you don't have the technical knowledge, or a printer of sufficient quality to create fine art prints, then you will need to hire someone to make the prints for you. If you live in a city that has craigslist.com listings, you can put out a post looking for them in the artists section, or look in your city phone book under "graphics design services ". The range in pricing and quality will vary, so do your homework by researching all those that are available in your area. Ask for a client list and either look at samples of their work, or call previous clients to get recommendations. Most giclee printing agencies will charge you a separate fee for each image that they have to set up, then have a fee that reduces as the quantities increase for each print. Consider the quality of paper and inks used when comparing prices. Whatever price they charge you for each print, you will need to at least double for your resale price. Consider whether or not you think the print still be saleable at that price. Start with small quantities of each until you know how well a print is selling.

For those of you who ARE pretty technically savvy and want to try to save some money by printing your own giclees, you should do some research on the different printers that are within affordability for you. When I did my research a few years ago, I decided to get an Epson Stylus 1270, which can print up to 13"x19". I believe that Epson has the best ink dispersal system in residential printers for the money. It's well worth the investment, as I've made hundreds of prints over the last few years. You can buy good quality, matte paper for this printer, and archival inks (this is optional, since it's pricey). If you cannot afford the archival inks, make sure you price your prints low, and suggest that your customers use conservation glass when framing.