Leanne from Minnesota asks: “Is it frowned upon by gallery owners for artists to sell prints of their work at fairs and online, or to be represented by a gallery? Also, is it frowned upon for artists to sell gift items with their artwork on the product cards, scarves, T-shirts, etc.?”
I’ll share my insights on the ins and outs of reproducing your work for mass market sales when you are also seeking to work with galleries.
Do You Sell Prints and Merchandise Based on Your Art?
Are you selling prints and lower-priced merchandise based on your art? What benefits have you seen of selling reproductions of your art? Have galleries commented negatively on these items? What advice would you give to an artist considering reproductions? Share your experience and thoughts in the comments below.
I tend to agree with all you have said here. Now my art is digitally done on a wood panel with quality pigments on a gessoed birch panel. Not a canvas. People seem to enjoy this as new even if it’s always been available as well. Also personally I limit the edition of these wood panel prints. The quality is high and quite nice. Now I also do plan to get chroma luxe prints done which are even more dramatic visually as a custom option if people decide they prefer this as well but it’s quite early for chroma luxe. Now I do lower-cost paper-sized reduced editions when it is a good option. Also, we have many new clothing companies approaching us to use our art as wearable art. Le Galariste in Montreal is a fine company and example of this. So to me, a gallery should support the artist on all fronts. So I am very pleased Jason you agree in your opinion here. I simply believe it’s a progressive choice and it helps the artists in all of our variations to be productive and successful. All the best! Jeff
Thank you for your input, Jeff! I agree that galleries should support artists in all aspects of their work, and I think that offering different print options is a great way to do that. I’m glad to hear that you are offering both traditional and digital prints, and I think that the Chroma Luxe prints sound like they would be really beautiful.
Do you know of any “wearable” art producers other than Le Galeriste? I tried them for one year. It was one problem after another with their equipment, fulfillment (6-8 week delays), poor color reproduction, items lost in shipping, etc. and they don’t accept returns. But they’re nice people!
Hi Mira, have you tried Art of Where, also in Montreal. I’ve worked with them for several years and appreciate the quality of the work they produce.
Wow, how timely is this article?
I do not usually do prints anymore, other than cards for specific events. A couple of days ago, I was asked by a group to send them a digital file so that they could create 14 prints from a painting of mine as prizes for their event participants. I sent them a note back saying that I would be happy to work with a printer in their area to create 14 prints but I could not send a digital file as it would be a way that I could possibly lose control of the production quality part of it and it would, of course, be a copyright risk.
They sent me the link for a printer in their area and I contacted him with the file info and he was preparing a quote for me.
Today they sent me a note saying that they decided to go with another artist in their area. (I live 5 hours away)
It was all on the up and up as the group is large and known for this annual event but I don’t think they understood the whole reason I would not send the file directly to them. I think that by protecting myself, I lost the job but hey, for a few hundred dollars, I still think it was not worth the risk. They said they would keep my work on file for future consideration. Ouch!
Could I have handled this differently?
You raise important points, and these are certainly justified concerns. I suspect that the group would have provided a contract that would offer reassurances about your ownership of the copyright, etc., but you would want to feel very confident about the partnership before taking the risk.
With that said, my bias has always been toward action and opportunity. I would have taken the job and worked with the group to create a contract that would protect my interests. If they had refused, then I would have walked away. But by taking the chance, I would have had the opportunity to develop a relationship with the group, which might have led to more work down the line.
There’s no easy answer here, and ultimately it’s a decision you have to feel comfortable with. But I would encourage you to err on the side of taking the opportunity when it’s presented. Gladly, there will always be other opportunities!
I agree with Jason. Build relationship. Besides some payment, this large company and their well known event could have given you great exposure for your art. However, it’s good you made a decision and stuck with it
Yes, I think I was overly worried about protecting my rights and they were not interested in taking my work and would have fairly compensated me. Lesson learned, some people really are honest and just want the work.
Hi Jason, I agree. Also, people who buy prints, etc. are “usually” different customers. An art business model that provides a variety of income streams for artists is a very good thing, imo. With economies going up and down this provides some stability which helps artists continue to create. As time goes by, as artists age, they also have to remain healthy in order to continue creating. Being a creative individual is very demanding. I think of my original artwork copyrighted property as money in the bank. It takes time and effort to establish this aspect of an art business, but in the long run I believe it can pay off. … recently I had inquiries about a particular print. Long story short, the woman decided to purchase the original artwork. So even the idea that you have prints available can make your art more accessible to a wider variety of people. This idea is important to me. I’m also learning to market my work… it’s not easy, but I had a recent breakthrough. Thank you, Jason; your blog and words of encouragement are greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your kind words and insight, Roxeanne! I completely agree that having a variety of income streams is important for artists. It can provide stability and help them continue to create new work. I also think it’s important to market your work and make it accessible to as many people as possible. I’m glad you had a recent breakthrough in marketing your work and I hope you continue to have success in the future!
Hi Jason!
Thanks for answering this question of mine. I am currently doing art fairs and just joined in with a wholesale rep. I have learned from the past I need to diversify my offerings along with my originals to fill in the gaps financially and doing well with it. Your advice gives me the confidence to go a head with approaching galleries.
Leanne (from Minnesota)
Thanks for the question Leanne!
First of all, thank you for speaking on this topic. I sell both originals and prints as well as art notecards, but in different settings. I sell originals in galleries and directly to collectors, and sell prints and notecards online. There hasn’t been any problem with that arrangement so far.
To Sharon: I recently had someone contact me about getting a digital file of one of my paintings so it could be used to create wedding announcements and other stationery. I also had to explain the reason for refusing to send a digital file, even for a fee. I had no reason to doubt the integrity of the person, but wanted to help them get the look they desired. The result was a commission for a small, casual watercolor based on the original larger oil painting. I did have a digital file made of the watercolor and included that at cost for the customer, who was very happy.
Excellent sound quality in this video.
I’ve been in this business for over 35 years and have always sold my originals through galleries. At the same time, I produced offset lithos and later giclees from my own publishing co. ,later switching to a nationally known publishing house. My images are now licensed to manufacturers of various products around the world. None of this has hurt my gallery sales- if anything it has made my work accessible to a huge market and brought in another income stream besides the originals. No gallery has ever complained about my production of prints- nor should they as it is a different market.
Since I started to have my art recoginized in the fashion world, it seems to be helping me get noticed in the art world. I’m very glad I tried it. It is a lot of extra work but, if you can’t seem to get into galleries because you don’t have any “name recogination” try to get “in” from another angle. The fashion world, was looking like another wash out for me until I really stepped “out of my comfort zone” and made contact with a completely different culture than mine.
Doesn’t it depend upon the venue and demographics of the intended audience ? Some art fairs draw interested collectors willing to entertain the purchase of expensive original works. Some art markets are rife with lookers who dream, know what they like, but can’t afford the original artworks. Galleries with their own policies not withstanding, an aspiring artist vending at market style venues might find more sales by offering a little something for everybody.
After being blessed with a fairly decent large format printer where quality and price is controllable (more or less), I have found that by exhibiting a few original artworks at the markets, many folks are drawn into the booth to converse and view my portfolio in the print reproduction bins. And while printing and packaging prints does take a bit of time and energy, the dollar value of print sales easily equals that of my much more expensive original works sales.
So yes, offering both original artwork and print reproductions has broadened my reach, availability and appeal to both demographic groups of lookers and collectors.
I have sold through galleries and outdoor shows in the past and also sold giclee reproductions. You’re absolutely right about selling reproductions/art on products as being a separate business that has to be marketed. Not having a lot of extra time, I decided to concentrate on marketing my originals and leaving it at that. Even selling through platforms like Fine Art America required quite a bit of time marketing and getting eyes on my page there. Wasn’t worth the effort for me – I didn’t enjoy it.
I have sold only originals for many years. I will be in a large local crafts fair this year with several originals, a portfolio of larger originals available on my website, but a lot of art cards, fabric collage bags, and some monoprints and book plates as well. It will be interesting to see how I fare.
Great conversation topic once again Jason. My rule of thumb…I only sell prints, note cards, or calendars of SOLD artwork. Any originals still in one of my galleries or available on my website, will not be available for prints and other items.
Good idea!
I mainly sell my former husband’s art and have done so for over 40 years. We have had our own gallery plus have distributed through other galleries for decades. About 15 years ago, I decided to do digital prints on canvas to achieve lower price points. I was vigilant about informing the clients who owned the originals, which is extremely important to do. Some of them were okay, and some did not like the idea at all. When they did not, I chose other works. In the subsequent years, I found that the prints really didn’t sell much. My buyers wanted originals, or the handprinted original multiples made by the artist. Perhaps I could have separately promoted them, but due to their lower price points, they never seemed worth that trouble. Last month I destroyed all my inventory of them and am removing that section from my webpage. Just not worth the time and trouble. The originals offer much better payoff for money and career. That’s my experience. Thanks, as always, Jason for your exploration of excellent topics.
Thanks for the excellent answer, Jason. I couldn’t agree more, based on my experience as an artist as well as a former gallery owner. Having my originals on the walls of the gallery with various products displayed below the originals worked well for me. The variety of price points ensured a steady income between sales of originals and the reproductions didn’t seem to be an issue to the buyers of originals. I have continued to sell my reproductions on canvas, metal, paper and cards both wholesale, retail and online. After closing my gallery, I stopped producing items such as mugs, pendants and other tourist items that sold well on Main Street in my small coastal town.
Thanks Jason for taking the time to answer our questions. I live the Indianapolis, IN area and have had trouble finding a print shop that does giclee prints for me. Can anyone help me out? I’ve sold some prints of my watercolors just printed on canvas but don’t know how those hold up over the years.
I and many other fine artists are thrilled with the quality, attention to detail and extremely personal service of Picture Salon in Madison, WI. My reproductions look as good or better than the originals. Most of their clientele is national, so they make the process easy for distant customers. I can’t praise them enough.
Jason,
I do fairly large-scale acrylics on canvas, generally from 3ft to 6ft in dimension. I do the high-end art fairs in the Valley, Scottsdale, Carefee, Wigwam, Keirland, etc. My originals range from 3k-7K and as soon as I complete a painting, I get it proofed with my amazing local printer for a limited edition of 100 giclee prints on canvas. When an original sells, I have the prints to offer, in fact some originals that I haven’t sold I have sold numerous large prints of. Overall, original pieces account for roughly 35% of my sales, prints 65%. My giclee prints sell in the $800-1200 price range. I order the prints a little at a time for inventory, and as they are purchased, being able to custom size them for my clients is a huge advantage. The quality of the prints is absolutely top notch, they are all gallery wrapped canvas on stretcher bars ready to hang, with varnish, no framing needed. Basically, the prints are as close as you can get to the original without owning it. If you are going to get into prints, get an excellent photographer, and an excellent printer, that is key. Fortunately, I have both and it has been a huge boon to my business.
Jason this is just great! And timely in my world! We met online during a critique of my work. I have a print line and a gallery where I represent 35 Canadian artists and sell prints of their work! The sales of originals is still steady! We like to say that the art is accessible to all. My partner wrote this: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1raoiEhzoxIJTb0u6HEzgFytg_FDejw05h7dCXVjiW7M/mobilebasic
It’s a new era isn’t it. And I thank you for your sound wisdom.
I would like your thoughts on selling originals and prints side by side. At this time, I only sell prints after an original piece has sold with a couple exceptions. If I have an original in a gallery, I will take prints of those pieces to art festivals. Thanks.
Thank you, Jason and to all who have shared their experiences on this!
This video was spot on target. I did some scratchboard artwork a few years ago. I felt like I was in a rut and decided to try a different medium. I loved it, for a while. I’m still a pastelist. At any rate the scratchboard showed off my drawing skills. That was a boost to my ego. I had coffee cups made of some of the artwork and actually ended up giving them away to the patrons that bought the artwork showing on the cup. I had not initially intended to do that but that’s how it ended. I never did get any of them in the galleries. They sold during one summer festival. I still have one or two of that artwork. But I’ve left that part of my journey be in the past. I enjoy these small videos and pass them along to my artist group. Thanks.
I see prints as an appropriate form of merchandise but slapping images on mugs, t-shirts, etc is tacky. If you want to be taken seriously as an artist you need to really think about how these products reflect the value of your work AND you as an artist despite the extra stream of revenue, which I can’t see being worth the effort of diluting the impact of the artwork.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good company that does giclees, prints etc in Toronto? Thanks in advance.
One of the galleries that I’m in have a few of my original paintings. I also do digital art as well, which means there really no originals. I’ve tried both open and limited editions with the digital art and I’ve found most people that buy them don’t care much if they are limited or not. They buy because they like the subject matter. In addition to the smaller flat prints and cards, I sell these in large framed canvases, but not anywhere near the price of one of my originals paintings. This particular gallery has no issue with the framed canvas prints and actually prefers them as they can sell, let say one image many times before selling an original. They have started to ask for framed canvas prints of my originals, and with the option to the sell the original if one of their customers wants to go that route. As far as other merchandise, when I first started as an artist I turned my art into stickers and created other sticker designs. Now days, stickers are hit or miss, yet I still offer them as people still seek them out. I use to offer mugs and t-shirts on my website, but after two years and selling only one mug, I discontinued that option to create a cleaner look for my website.