El Anatsui’s shimmering echoes of a pain
El Anatsui’s shimmering echoes of a painful past http://ow.ly/31YKg
Anne-Laure Djaballah’s painted pileups d
Anne-Laure Djaballah’s painted pileups depict sparkly urban landscapes http://ow.ly/31YJB
In Vancouver, a revolutionary look at Ma
In Vancouver, a revolutionary look at Man Ray http://ow.ly/31YIq
Visual artists seek a percentage of resa
Visual artists seek a percentage of resale riches http://ow.ly/31YHv
How the Stars Are changing LA's Museum
How the Stars Are changing LA's Museum Picture http://ow.ly/31K6x
Suit Dropped That Sought To Challenge Wa
Suit Dropped That Sought To Challenge Warhol Authentications http://ow.ly/31CJ1
Art To Dream On
“ We are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded with a sleep” William Shakesphere, The Tempest
When dreaming, the body, mind, and spirit are unified. Dreams provide us with insight into ourselves and a journey of creativity, magical thinking, and exploration of the unconscious; a journey into a world where the rules of reality do not apply.
People in primitive societies were unable to distinguish between the dream world and reality. They not only saw the dream world as an extension of reality, but that the dream realm was a more powerful world. Artists connect with this realm though their creativity and so, via them, do we.
Choose your art to choose your dreams.
Mixing Old And New
The idea of mixing the old with the new can be hard to get your head around but when done right you are left with a unique space with tones of personality...
The shock of the new: vibrant modern artwork hung on a sombre dark panelling interior produces a joyful, sensuous and surprising effect. The shock of the old (above): this dated oil landscape creates impact on the white wall in this otherwise modern livingroom.
Cool interiors, big super modern art. That's one look. Another look of distinction and personality is to do the unexpected. Work with opposites in the way vintage clothing can work with Chanel. So don't dismiss that inherited oil painting that you like but don't think will "work" (above) and similarly, play around with contrast and the same for if you live in an old house but want to include modern art.
The shock of the new: vibrant modern artwork hung on a sombre dark panelling interior produces a joyful, sensuous and surprising effect. The shock of the old (above): this dated oil landscape creates impact on the white wall in this otherwise modern livingroom.
Cool interiors, big super modern art. That's one look. Another look of distinction and personality is to do the unexpected. Work with opposites in the way vintage clothing can work with Chanel. So don't dismiss that inherited oil painting that you like but don't think will "work" (above) and similarly, play around with contrast and the same for if you live in an old house but want to include modern art.
Packaging Tips
As your career expands you will need to learn more about proper packaging and shipping techniques to get your artwork to its new home safely and across geographical areas.
When unframed graphic work is shipped, be sure to mark it clearly. Works on paper could be mistaken for packaging materials and discarded.
Mark the exterior of the box, "FINE ART", "FRAGILE", "HANDLE WITH CARE" and if applicable, "GLASS" to make the shippers aware of what they are handling.
If you are sending it to a gallery or exhibit make sure you mark the inside of the box with the name of the gallery/exhibit it will be showing at, the date of the show, your name and the name of the piece. Sometimes the organizers or curators of the gallery may be handling more than one show and things can get mixed up so you want to make it as easy as possible for everyone.
Place a small label on the back of your artwork with the title of your piece, your name, address, and phone number in case it gets separated.
Make arrangements for return shipping and notify the curator of these instructions. I would also suggest you include instructions for return shipping in the box with packaging materials.
If you package more than one piece in a carton, put them back-to-back or front-to-front with a piece of cardboard in-between. Also, take note of protruding screws or sharp edges as they can damage the other piece. Either remove the object or be sure to cover it well.
Flat prints should be placed on a foam board and shrink-wrapped. Package the foam board with heavy cardboard so the piece can not bend, have the edges torn or the piece be punctured.
When in doubt head over to a UPS, CanadaPost or another shipping store and ask what they suggest I have always found the clerks to be very helpful.
When unframed graphic work is shipped, be sure to mark it clearly. Works on paper could be mistaken for packaging materials and discarded.
Mark the exterior of the box, "FINE ART", "FRAGILE", "HANDLE WITH CARE" and if applicable, "GLASS" to make the shippers aware of what they are handling.
If you are sending it to a gallery or exhibit make sure you mark the inside of the box with the name of the gallery/exhibit it will be showing at, the date of the show, your name and the name of the piece. Sometimes the organizers or curators of the gallery may be handling more than one show and things can get mixed up so you want to make it as easy as possible for everyone.
Place a small label on the back of your artwork with the title of your piece, your name, address, and phone number in case it gets separated.
Make arrangements for return shipping and notify the curator of these instructions. I would also suggest you include instructions for return shipping in the box with packaging materials.
If you package more than one piece in a carton, put them back-to-back or front-to-front with a piece of cardboard in-between. Also, take note of protruding screws or sharp edges as they can damage the other piece. Either remove the object or be sure to cover it well.
Flat prints should be placed on a foam board and shrink-wrapped. Package the foam board with heavy cardboard so the piece can not bend, have the edges torn or the piece be punctured.
When in doubt head over to a UPS, CanadaPost or another shipping store and ask what they suggest I have always found the clerks to be very helpful.
Tips For Pricing Your Art
Often I am asked for help when it comes to pricing art. This is a tricky process because there are so many different pricing methods not to mention the emotional attachment to your creation that has to be considered. It is important to remember that your goal is to set a price that strikes the consumer as fair, at the same time enticing him/her to buy. Here are a couple of methods to consider for pricing your work, but I encourage you to do a little research and figure out which one is best for YOU.
Time and Overhead Pricing
In order to survive as a full-time artist with this method, the general rule of thumb is to create five pieces a month. This doesn’t mean you have to sell all five pieces each month but you need to build a stock so your clients have a variety to choose from. In this method you have to consider your costs and time required to create the piece and add a 10% profit margin. If it takes you a month of working on one original piece (eight hours a day) you should probably consider getting involved in the print market and not focus on selling the originals for this method.
Market-Value Pricing
Another method used to calculate price is to go into the actual marketplace and see what other artists with the same type of background and similar art (dimensions, media, content) are selling their art for. Make sure you check to see if they are actually selling, they may be charging too high and not selling a thing. The best way to do this is to go to an exhibition and see for your self.
Perceived-Value Pricing
Perceived value is based on the value in the minds of buyers and not on the basis of what it costs you produce the piece. This is harder to pinpoint but observation with trial and error (and a bit of patience) will get you to your price range.
My Notes
Consider combining all of the methods - covering your costs while meeting your market expectations and the buyer’s perceived value.
As a potential buyer, I might think something is wrong with a piece, or wont value it as much, if the cost is less than what I feel is its fair market value.
Before long, an artist who keeps labor records on each piece can learn to estimate quite accurately the approximate number of hours and cost of materials needed to produce any given work. This information can be useful for commission requests.
To study perceived value, you need to be on site at your exhibit. Study how people are reacting, what they are saying, prices, ect. What are they buying? Why are they buying? Why are they not buying?
Your prices should not vary from place to place (not just in your area but anywhere you are selling).
Do not sell anything you wouldn't want to be known as your work. It may reach the wrong hands and bring you bad publicity some day. Be proud of every piece you sell.
Gradual increases in price is the way to go. Collectors like to see a little movement in an artist's prices over the years.
Buyers expect that the larger the work is the more expensive it should be. I know a lot of artist do not understand this because miniatures require a lot of attention to detail but you have to always keep in mind the way buyers think.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: you have to feel comfortable with the price you set.
Time and Overhead Pricing
In order to survive as a full-time artist with this method, the general rule of thumb is to create five pieces a month. This doesn’t mean you have to sell all five pieces each month but you need to build a stock so your clients have a variety to choose from. In this method you have to consider your costs and time required to create the piece and add a 10% profit margin. If it takes you a month of working on one original piece (eight hours a day) you should probably consider getting involved in the print market and not focus on selling the originals for this method.
Market-Value Pricing
Another method used to calculate price is to go into the actual marketplace and see what other artists with the same type of background and similar art (dimensions, media, content) are selling their art for. Make sure you check to see if they are actually selling, they may be charging too high and not selling a thing. The best way to do this is to go to an exhibition and see for your self.
Perceived-Value Pricing
Perceived value is based on the value in the minds of buyers and not on the basis of what it costs you produce the piece. This is harder to pinpoint but observation with trial and error (and a bit of patience) will get you to your price range.
My Notes
Consider combining all of the methods - covering your costs while meeting your market expectations and the buyer’s perceived value.
As a potential buyer, I might think something is wrong with a piece, or wont value it as much, if the cost is less than what I feel is its fair market value.
Before long, an artist who keeps labor records on each piece can learn to estimate quite accurately the approximate number of hours and cost of materials needed to produce any given work. This information can be useful for commission requests.
To study perceived value, you need to be on site at your exhibit. Study how people are reacting, what they are saying, prices, ect. What are they buying? Why are they buying? Why are they not buying?
Your prices should not vary from place to place (not just in your area but anywhere you are selling).
Do not sell anything you wouldn't want to be known as your work. It may reach the wrong hands and bring you bad publicity some day. Be proud of every piece you sell.
Gradual increases in price is the way to go. Collectors like to see a little movement in an artist's prices over the years.
Buyers expect that the larger the work is the more expensive it should be. I know a lot of artist do not understand this because miniatures require a lot of attention to detail but you have to always keep in mind the way buyers think.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: you have to feel comfortable with the price you set.
Some Basic Information On Copyright For Artists
Copyright is your form of protection, provided by law, for the creation of original works. As owner/creator of your copyright, your have exclusive rights to do (and to authorize other to do) the following:
- Reproduce the work in copies
- Prepare derivatives of the work
- Distribute copies to the public by rental, lease, or sale
- Display the copyrighted work publicly (for example, on television)
Take Note
The sale of your art does not give buyers the ownership of copyright. If they want this additional benefit, they must have your written agreement. You should never, however, give up your copyright unless you are being paid very well. It is the most valuable asset for your business (the business of selling art) and for you as an artist.
You can sell rights – they are not usually “lifetime” or “complete” – to a copyrightable piece without selling the original. Each type of right of usage will require a separate legal agreement.
An international copyright that will automatically protect an artist’s works throughout the world does not presently exist. Protection against unauthorized use in a particular country depends on the country’s laws.
When you hire a photographer to take pictures of your artwork, the photos are his/her copyrightable images. You will need to get in writing that he/she agrees to relinquish this right.
**The above is listed purely as a guide and are subject to change at any time and vary by location. If you wish to have your work copyrighted, or want to report an infringement please contact an appropriate lawyer.
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