Everything You Need to Know About Prints
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ARTISTS: Prints! Should you create prints for collectors? How do you create prints, package them, and sell them. Here's all the time tested wisdom from dark arts masters, Chet Zar and Mike Correll.I found this Dark Art Society Podcast to be rather helpful filling in all the details if you're getting started offering prints. I knew some of the details, but there's a lot of little things and insightful tips that even seasoned artists and collectors don't know, that goes into creating prints. I am currently looking to create more of my artwork on prints. I want to do high quality, hand signed, limited edition, prints so I can proof each and every one of them. To sum it up, if you are not selling prints. You may be missing out on potential revenue & getting your art out there!
ART COLLECTORS: If an artist is selling prints, ask if they are printed with archival inks. Ask if they are signed and numbered. If you aren't worried from an investment standpoint and you just like the artwork, that's fine. Pay $5-$20 for a copy of their work printed onto paper. However if you want something that will appreciate in value, look for quality. I currently offer open edition small unsigned prints, via Society6. The quality is there as far as their printing services and paper go. But these are not signed or numbered prints that my hands have touched. So for that reason I have stopped putting my newer artwork on there. Stocking prints proved not to be a worthwhile endeavor for me because I insist on high quality the upfront cost is quite high for my work. I'd like to offer high end giclee edition prints in the future. Currently I am not able to get prints the way that I would want to do them, it costs me $120 per print to have my work photographed and due to the neon, high key colors, I have only found one printmaster who has the ability to capture my original work as brilliantly as the original and even then printers are not running the range of colors that I am happy with. It's close, but not up to my incredibly high standards. For that reason I recommend purchasing the original rather than settling for a paper knock off. If you opt for a payment plan you can pay it off over time and get to see my brushwork up close and personal. You know that my hands actually created it and it will increase in value over time. That's worth more than a paper knock-off in my opinion. When I do decide to run prints, they will not be at low $20 price ranges, due to the upfront cost of having my art photographed. I will likely do limited edition high end, signed and numbered giclees or lithographs. They will cost what my original artwork prices are at now, and my original art prices will likely double. It's ultimately what I will have to do to sustain myself as an artist. Over the years my art prices have increased. They will only continue to do so as I increase in skill. I suggest you buy my artwork sooner, rather than later if you enjoy it.
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