I swear you have a direct connection to my thought process at times. I’ve been mulling over going the limited edition route with some of my works, not all. This video pretty much put an end to doing that. As you stated there could be some ethical issues involved and I do not want to cross over that line.
I believe you can do both with integrity, as long as you’re open about it and show the range of what you’re offering. You can have an open run on the paper you normally use for prints, in the regular sizes you offer but also have a larger format on a higher end cotton rag paper which is quite expensive and if you’re using a wide format printer that uses 12 cartridges or more it’s also quite expensive and increases the range of colour accuracy. That way wether you want to call it a giclee print or not at least more investment went into the limited edition prints, also there’s the scarcity factor so collectors do get more for their money. An other option would be to add hand embellishments which then adds extra exclusivity with a personal touch. Great video!
@ that’s smart. I don’t offer any yet because I prefer to print in my studio and that’s a juicy investment I’m not ready for yet. From a business perspective those prints need to make sense financially since they are quite a lot more expensive which is why I’m thinking limited edition with hand embellishments potentially just for those with open edition smaller sizes as options for my collectors who aren’t interested in spending more than a certain amount.
@@magnoliannaart I don't have the space nor the outlay to risk investing in a big printer. Nor to store any prints. Just get a specialist who has this equipment to do them. I did my homework & found someone who uses pigment-based inks & quality papers. Not a home office type printer with dye based ink. Getting prints done aren't really that expensive. Not as much as I expected.
Good info! The idea of limited editions, of course, goes back to the old days of lithographs, etchings, and relief prints, where the stone or plate would wear out, eventually. In modern times, you're right that it's a marketing strategy. I think your current method is the right way to go.
yeah as a printmaker ie etching maker, to me, original print means a print made by a printmaking process eg an etching or a woodcut, with the "original" part distinguishing it from a reproduction of a painting or a digital piece etc. the handmade nature of it making it "original" as opposed to printed by a machine. but i get that colloquial usages are gonna differ
Thanks for the insight. I think the basic type of customer has changed from the 1970’s (or so) Art buyer. It seemed that people were more into ‘collecting’ art because it was the thing to do and it was becoming more available to the general public. I feel that the majority of my clients are just wanting fun/inspiration art to decorate their space with and are more interested in living with the painting than collecting it. I think really that is my purpose for creating art. I want folks to enjoy it and have an every day type of pleasure from it. 🤔
Me too! I want more people to enjoy my work so I like to make it affordable. It's cool if they wanna collect it too, but I really make art so that it can spread happiness and joy in the world :)
Have you thought of making greeting cards collector packs or bookmarks? Your audience age for your prints might be a good fit. It looks like you do t-shirts, so probably mugs too. For greeting cards you could use digital and put Santa hat on, or new years hat, and embellishments like that, that match the color scheme a bit, and print out. Would love to see a video on swag/merch items
I have never tried bookmarks or greeting card collector packs. I have sold single greeting cards and postcards. They always went over well, but the problem is in my art fair booth if I don't stock everything I have in every type, so all 300 animals as 8 x 10 prints, and all 300 animals as postcards, etc. If I don't do that, then people will always want something I don't have and will end up leaving my booth disappointed. So I've discovered that if I don't wanna lose sales, it's best just to have one type of item like art prints, and then carry every animal that I have in it. So that every customer comes in and finds what they're looking for. Basically, if I don't put the idea in their head that postcards or bookmarks are available, they don't ask for them. They just buy a print.
I sell both- a few limited edition, which tend to be of larger works, as well as open edition prints. I do sell both- but how well depends very much on the audience/location. At a craft fair or smaller local event, the open edition do best. At art festivals, or higher scale markets, limiteds sell. My profit margin is better for the open edition. I only started making the limited because some events/group shows - open edition are not welcome on the print table/in the bins.
Yes unfortunately there other shows that don't allow open edition prints, I know you're not supposed to bring them to those shows, but I've brought my open edition prints to shows that say they don't allow them on occasion and never had a problem, always been able to get into the show to sell again. So I'm not sure how firm those rules are...not suggesting to break rules because that might get you not invited back, but I've risked it on a few occasions and everything turned out fine.
Is there a plastic bag sleeve with a coating designed to distort or disrupt photography? Perhaps a coating that reflects or refracts light to make images blurry or distorted when photographed, providing a way to protect your work while on display.
Open edition all day long! From my experience most ppl don’t really care. To make the scarcity I simply don’t print too many at a time or just take a few of each print to a show. When ppl see that you only have say 3 to 5 left that makes them want to buy it at that time. I never even have to try and convince anyone to buy. They shuffle and look through the available prints themselves.
Me too! Often times people will come into my booth and to create scarcity I tell them when they find one that they like that there's only a couple of them available. If they want it, they better get it or otherwise someone else might before they come back. Usually, this is enough to get them to purchase right away. Plus, after they've looked through all of the prints in my bins, they don't wanna have to look through them all again to find the print, they want later on if they come back. It's just easier for them to get it right then.
IMHO limited editions work only for artists who have a secondary market for their work. That is, the artist's buyers are selling prints they bought to other buyers. The reselling buyers can demand higher prices for a print when there are only a few of them forever. That raises the charted prices of the artist's work so that the artist can sell new art for more. But for nearly every one of us, that will never happen. So chill and sell your work to buyers who are enthusiastic because they can afford something they love and who may have never bought art from an artist before. If you treat them like your partners in art instead of getting all hoity-toity exclusive and lecturing them on limited editions, they're more likely to buy from you again and praise you to friends.
I sign my digital paintings when I make open edition prints, but my reproductions have the signatures already on them in the painting, so I do not sign them again.
It's so wonderful to see your channel grow, with more and more likes and comments on every new video. Good for you, you deserve it! 🌼
Thank you so much! I’m happy to see it grow too, feels like all the hard work is finally getting somewhere 😁🎨
I swear you have a direct connection to my thought process at times. I’ve been mulling over going the limited edition route with some of my works, not all. This video pretty much put an end to doing that. As you stated there could be some ethical issues involved and I do not want to cross over that line.
I'm happy this video helped you make a decision!
I believe you can do both with integrity, as long as you’re open about it and show the range of what you’re offering. You can have an open run on the paper you normally use for prints, in the regular sizes you offer but also have a larger format on a higher end cotton rag paper which is quite expensive and if you’re using a wide format printer that uses 12 cartridges or more it’s also quite expensive and increases the range of colour accuracy. That way wether you want to call it a giclee print or not at least more investment went into the limited edition prints, also there’s the scarcity factor so collectors do get more for their money. An other option would be to add hand embellishments which then adds extra exclusivity with a personal touch. Great video!
I like the idea of adding hand embellishments, this could definitely add a more personal touch and exclusivity. Something to keep in mind :)
@ yeah for sure ☺️
I get open edition done with the high quality printer. Ordered on demand so I don't need to store any.
@ that’s smart. I don’t offer any yet because I prefer to print in my studio and that’s a juicy investment I’m not ready for yet. From a business perspective those prints need to make sense financially since they are quite a lot more expensive which is why I’m thinking limited edition with hand embellishments potentially just for those with open edition smaller sizes as options for my collectors who aren’t interested in spending more than a certain amount.
@@magnoliannaart I don't have the space nor the outlay to risk investing in a big printer. Nor to store any prints. Just get a specialist who has this equipment to do them. I did my homework & found someone who uses pigment-based inks & quality papers. Not a home office type printer with dye based ink.
Getting prints done aren't really that expensive. Not as much as I expected.
Good info! The idea of limited editions, of course, goes back to the old days of lithographs, etchings, and relief prints, where the stone or plate would wear out, eventually. In modern times, you're right that it's a marketing strategy. I think your current method is the right way to go.
yeah as a printmaker ie etching maker, to me, original print means a print made by a printmaking process eg an etching or a woodcut, with the "original" part distinguishing it from a reproduction of a painting or a digital piece etc. the handmade nature of it making it "original" as opposed to printed by a machine. but i get that colloquial usages are gonna differ
Thank you for this video!🥰That ‘s what I was suspecting about selling limited edition. Thank you for all your honest videos from experience.
You are so welcome!
Thanks for the insight. I think the basic type of customer has changed from the 1970’s (or so) Art buyer. It seemed that people were more into ‘collecting’ art because it was the thing to do and it was becoming more available to the general public. I feel that the majority of my clients are just wanting fun/inspiration art to decorate their space with and are more interested in living with the painting than collecting it. I think really that is my purpose for creating art. I want folks to enjoy it and have an every day type of pleasure from it. 🤔
Me too! I want more people to enjoy my work so I like to make it affordable. It's cool if they wanna collect it too, but I really make art so that it can spread happiness and joy in the world :)
Wow! A lot of thought has to go into this, huh? Good info to have. Thanks for sharing ❤
Thanks for watching!
Have you thought of making greeting cards collector packs or bookmarks? Your audience age for your prints might be a good fit. It looks like you do t-shirts, so probably mugs too.
For greeting cards you could use digital and put Santa hat on, or new years hat, and embellishments like that, that match the color scheme a bit, and print out.
Would love to see a video on swag/merch items
I have never tried bookmarks or greeting card collector packs. I have sold single greeting cards and postcards. They always went over well, but the problem is in my art fair booth if I don't stock everything I have in every type, so all 300 animals as 8 x 10 prints, and all 300 animals as postcards, etc. If I don't do that, then people will always want something I don't have and will end up leaving my booth disappointed. So I've discovered that if I don't wanna lose sales, it's best just to have one type of item like art prints, and then carry every animal that I have in it. So that every customer comes in and finds what they're looking for. Basically, if I don't put the idea in their head that postcards or bookmarks are available, they don't ask for them. They just buy a print.
I sell both- a few limited edition, which tend to be of larger works, as well as open edition prints. I do sell both- but how well depends very much on the audience/location. At a craft fair or smaller local event, the open edition do best. At art festivals, or higher scale markets, limiteds sell. My profit margin is better for the open edition. I only started making the limited because some events/group shows - open edition are not welcome on the print table/in the bins.
Yes unfortunately there other shows that don't allow open edition prints, I know you're not supposed to bring them to those shows, but I've brought my open edition prints to shows that say they don't allow them on occasion and never had a problem, always been able to get into the show to sell again. So I'm not sure how firm those rules are...not suggesting to break rules because that might get you not invited back, but I've risked it on a few occasions and everything turned out fine.
Hello Krystle just want to say thank you for everything since the day I’ve subscribed. I hope you and your family have a magical new years be safe!
Thanks so much! I hope your new year is amazing!
Is there a plastic bag sleeve with a coating designed to distort or disrupt photography? Perhaps a coating that reflects or refracts light to make images blurry or distorted when photographed, providing a way to protect your work while on display.
It’d be cool if there was such a thing, I don’t know of it though.
Open edition all day long! From my experience most ppl don’t really care. To make the scarcity I simply don’t print too many at a time or just take a few of each print to a show. When ppl see that you only have say 3 to 5 left that makes them want to buy it at that time. I never even have to try and convince anyone to buy. They shuffle and look through the available prints themselves.
Me too! Often times people will come into my booth and to create scarcity I tell them when they find one that they like that there's only a couple of them available. If they want it, they better get it or otherwise someone else might before they come back. Usually, this is enough to get them to purchase right away. Plus, after they've looked through all of the prints in my bins, they don't wanna have to look through them all again to find the print, they want later on if they come back. It's just easier for them to get it right then.
IMHO limited editions work only for artists who have a secondary market for their work. That is, the artist's buyers are selling prints they bought to other buyers. The reselling buyers can demand higher prices for a print when there are only a few of them forever. That raises the charted prices of the artist's work so that the artist can sell new art for more. But for nearly every one of us, that will never happen. So chill and sell your work to buyers who are enthusiastic because they can afford something they love and who may have never bought art from an artist before. If you treat them like your partners in art instead of getting all hoity-toity exclusive and lecturing them on limited editions, they're more likely to buy from you again and praise you to friends.
I have only offered & sold open edition, reasonably priced prints. Get them professionally printed & drop shipped.
Thx for this advice
Happy to help
Do you sign your open edition prints?
I sign my digital paintings when I make open edition prints, but my reproductions have the signatures already on them in the painting, so I do not sign them again.