How to Make a Print of an Art Piece

I recently had prints created for a scattering of my paintings. It was a catchy process, but I'one thousand pleased with the outcome. The prints are most-perfect representations of the originals. I'chiliad sharing my experience in instance yous are interested in having prints created for your ain artworks.

I'll cover:

• Why Prints?
• Finding a Local Printer
• Photographing Your Art
• Print Type
• Aircraft Your Prints
• Flattening Your Prints
• Framing Your Prints
• Selling Your Prints
• Other Ideas for Using Prints
• Limited Impress Run
• Resource

Prints are not a substitute for the original artwork, merely they tin extend their value and reach. Hither are some of the key benefits:

• They provide your fans with a more than affordable alternative to originals.
• They are flexible, with many dissimilar types, materials, and sizes.
• They are scalable. The more than y'all sell, the more than profitable it becomes. With an original, one time it's gone, it's gone. They also leverage your time and endeavor. Every new artwork you lot create is a new print you tin sell over and over over again. Artists are fourth dimension-poor. Then any leverage is worth exploring.

The downsides are:

• They may diminish the perceived value of your originals.
• At that place'south niggling do good at depression volumes. The cost of getting everything fix might non be worth the try for a few actress sales a twelvemonth.

The dream for nearly artists is to have a catalog of prints that sell on autopilot day-in-mean solar day-out. But this is a rare case. For most, prints form more of a supporting role in an creative person'due south career. They allow you to expand your reach, get into the hands of a larger audition, create upsell opportunities for your originals, and bring in a piffling more income. They are too a fantastic gift for friends and family.

There is some interesting discussion on prints versus originals in this Wetcanvas forum post.

The first footstep is to notice a local printer. Talk to whatever lensman or artist friends virtually who they utilise and recommend. I was referred to my printing company, Streets Imaging, by a local photography workshop.

Otherwise, Google effectually. Look for (legitimate) reviews.

Annotation: An alternative is to use 1 of the many print-on-need companies to create and send your prints. I'll embrace that option in a dissever post.

Prints require Loftier-quality photos of your art. The more pixels, the amend.

If you are skillful with a camera and editing software, and then you could do this yourself (refer to this commodity on photographing your fine art). Otherwise, I would wait for a printing company that can handle it for you. That's what I did. I took my paintings to Streets Imaging and they did all the photographing and post-processing for a pocket-sized fee. And that freed up time for me to exercise what I like doing—painting.

You have many options regarding the print type. Fine art newspaper, canvas, smooth, sleeky, textured, torn edge, border, etc. I used fine fine art paper (rag photographique) with a 1-inch border. Information technology has a lovely texture and the border gives room to sign at the lesser.

The main things to consider when deciding what print type to become with are:

1. Is information technology archival? Exist careful of cheap materials.
2. It is true-blue to the original? A smooth, glossy print might not be suitable for a rough, textured landscape.

If in dubiety, ask the impress company. They should be able to guide your decision. You could also explore what similar artists are doing. Await on their website. Are they selling prints? What blazon of prints are they selling? Canvas or paper? Framed or unframed?

You take two options:

1. Ship information technology yourself.
2. Exit information technology up to a 3rd party.

I went with the latter. Streets Imaging tin can ship the prints straight to the customer. All we need to practise is give them the shipping details.

If y'all go this route, make sure y'all vet the company. Ask about shipping times, processes, and packaging. It is your brand on the line. Yous don't want information technology compromised by a third party'south poor business organization practices.

Aircraft the prints yourself gives you full control over the process. You can decide the packaging, timing, and branding. You could even add together a nice "thank-you lot" alphabetic character to customers. But information technology is time-consuming and plush. If you go this road, be careful not to get wrapped upwards in the day-to-day processes. You should spend nigh of your fourth dimension creating art, not making trips to the post office.

I received my prints rolled upward in a tube. This is standard practice. To flatten the prints, here's what you need to do:

Step 1. Wash your hands.

Step ii. Find a make clean, flat surface. Careful of whatsoever intends or cracks in the surface. Drinking glass is ideal.

Step 3. Carefully unroll the impress face down on the flat surface.

Step 4. Grab five of your art books and place them at the corners and middle.

Step v. Wait a few hours.

Pace 6. You now take flat prints ready to be framed.

If y'all are aircraft tubed prints to customers, feel complimentary to share the to a higher place procedure with them.

Information technology'southward ok to sell prints unframed. Information technology keeps aircraft costs down and allows the customer to pick a frame of their choosing.

To become a print framed, simply take it to your local framer and sort it out with them. Framing is a craft and there's much more to it than meets the heart. With that being said, you tin can do information technology yourself. There are many affordable practise-information technology-yourself framing options hitting the market.

At present for the difficult office: selling your prints.

I won't get into the marketing and sales function of information technology (I cover this topic in more particular in my Marketing for Artists email class). I'll just run over the logistics.

You have two options:

1. You tin can sell prints on your own website. This gives you the well-nigh control, but you accept to practice all the marketing; or
2. You can list your prints for sale on online marketplaces, like fineartamerica.com. You give up control for the benefit of getting your piece of work in front of a built-in audition.

For well-nigh artists, the latter choice (online marketplaces) is unlikely to yield more than a few odd sales. There's simply too much competition.

To stand out, you need something that cuts through the noise. Erin Hanson's work comes to mind. She paints stunning landscapes in a distinct, van Gogh-like mode. It'southward eye-catching and plays well in the commercial market.

The improve selection for virtually artists is to retain command and handle the marketing yourself. Focus on building your name and brand. Call up, competition doesn't be if you lot are the product.

• Sell small prints with cypher or low margins to accomplish more people.
• Put your art onto merchandise. Bags, hats, postcards, etc. Only make sure this fits with your overall brand and epitome. If you are going for portrait commissions, then having your art on a mug or postcard may detract from your brand.
• Gets prints washed upward of your favorite paintings that yous previously sold or no longer have.
• Use prints equally gifts for friends and family unit.
• Sell limited edition prints.
• Buy prints from your favorite artists if the originals are out of your price range.

I'll exist doing a limited print run later this year with a few paintings that are of item importance to me. If you would similar to option upwardly a signed print, please annals your interest here. The proceeds will be used to create more posts similar this and other fine art education resources for you.

Thanks for Reading!

Thanks for taking the fourth dimension to read this post. I appreciate it! Experience free to share with friends. If yous want more painting tips, check out my Painting Academy course.

Happy painting!

Dan Scott

Draw Pigment Academy

thomsonadvigul.blogspot.com

Source: https://drawpaintacademy.com/art-prints/

Share this post