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Author Topic: Displying framed prints for sale question.  (Read 2204 times)

Bill Koenig

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« on: February 22, 2010, 05:06:00 pm »

The owner of a local hair shop (I get my hair cut there) has asked me to display some of my matted and framed pictures for sale in her shop. She likes my work and isn't asking for anything in return, other than having my art on her wall, all sales go in my pocket. This place is pretty busy so my work will get a lot of exposure .
When I've been in some of the local Gallery's each picture has a small card with info about the print for sale.
Question, I've noticed not all cards have the same info, wanting to do this right, what info should a include?
I've looked but haven't found, is there a template somewhere on the web that I can download and just print out the cards?
The next question, price. I only have two frame sizes 18x24 and 32x24 and the prints are 13x19 and 25x17 with 1/2 boarder, everything is double matted, and acid free (rag mats) and foam core, I print on a Epson 3800, I'm very particular about my framing, so if it isn't perfect it doesn't go on the wall.
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Bill Koenig,

ghaynes754

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2010, 05:44:35 pm »

Bill you will generally find that 6x your costs seem to get you in the ballpark.  After that it is all up to what the market will bear.
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Geoff Wittig

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2010, 05:46:27 pm »

Quote from: Bill Koenig
The owner of a local hair shop (I get my hair cut there) has asked me to display some of my matted and framed pictures for sale in her shop. She likes my work and isn't asking for anything in return, other than having my art on her wall, all sales go in my pocket. This place is pretty busy so my work will get a lot of exposure .
When I've been in some of the local Gallery's each picture has a small card with info about the print for sale.
Question, I've noticed not all cards have the same info, wanting to do this right, what info should a include?
I've looked but haven't found, is there a template somewhere on the web that I can download and just print out the cards?
The next question, price. I only have two frame sizes 18x24 and 32x24 and the prints are 13x19 and 25x17 with 1/2 boarder, everything is double matted, and acid free (rag mats) and foam core, I print on a Epson 3800, I'm very particular about my framing, so if it isn't perfect it doesn't go on the wall.

Just my practice-
I print a short "C of A" (certificate of authenticity) note that identifies the title of the photograph, followed by the paper, inkset and printer used to create the print. I also note the use of acid-free mat board & framing materials. This amounts to a short paragraph. I print it on card stock in a classy typeface (font) with a laser printer.

I don't generally say much about the subject beyond a straightforward title. It's fun seeing what people read into the image when they're not being told what to think about it.
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bill t.

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2010, 01:51:39 am »

Name and price and contact information.  Keep it simple.  In regards to archival blah blah blah that we regurgitate endlessly here on the forum...the average barber shop art buyer hasn't a clue what all that is about.  If they love your image, that's all that matters to them, put the specs on the back somewhere.

And BTW the barber shop is probably not a bad venue at all, especially if you present images that appeal because of local interest rather than by being merely pretty pictures.

Although it is somewhat declasse, in those kind of venues I usually tape my title cards to the lower right corner of the frame.  Make a stub at the top of the card so you can tape it conveniently to the back of the frame, with the information part sticking out at the bottom.  Mention to the proprietor that you are doing that to spare their wall from little potholes of peeled-off paint generated by the sticky glued-to-the-wall type of title cards.  That kind of stuff gets you invited back, or even asked to stay forever.  Also it keeps things neat and symmetrical when the frames get jostled.  Don't neglect your pictures once they're up, check back weekly to straighten and clean.  Proprietors like that, too.

And unless you live is Aspen, be realistic about your prices.  Which means veeerrrrry carefully controlling what you spend to make those things.  My general gut feeling is, you're not gonna sell a lot of stuff over $200 in a barber shop, but you might sell a great deal of stuff if you can manage a perceived "resonable" price point (and also have strong local interest) and that ain't easy.

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Dick Roadnight

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2010, 06:49:14 am »

Quote from: bill t.
Name and price and contact information.  Keep it simple.  In regards to archival blah blah blah that we regurgitate endlessly here on the forum...the average barber shop art buyer hasn't a clue what all that is about.  If they love your image, that's all that matters to them, put the specs on the back somewhere.
I would have thought that, if you are asking people to pay real money for a quality product, they will want to know that the picture is archival (fade-resistant).

There are hairdressers and hairdressers - some ladies (or females) spend a fortune on their hair, and would not bat an eyelid at £400 for a decent photograph, (and 6 times the cost would be £500 to £600)

... but I am talking about image sizes of 24 * 18 or 24 * 32, printed on a 7900, from 60Mpx files, nicely framed and mounted.
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EBBS

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2010, 01:20:24 pm »

I would agree with Dick, depending on the place.  My wife is a hair stylist and the clients she has would not balk at spending several hundreds to thousands for a good piece of art.    It amazes me what some people will spent to get there hair cut.  My wife’s business has not been hurt one bit by this economy.  I always joke that I couldn’t afford her haircuts anymore so I had to marry her.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2010, 01:21:27 pm by EBBS »
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wildstork

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2010, 01:39:07 pm »

Hi Bill,
You might want to consider the toxicity of these environments before sinking a lot of money into exhibiting art there.  I'm speaking primarily of women's hair salons where chemicals used in hair sprays and permanents are super toxic to art.

Several years ago I was in Barcelona and was checking out art in some neighborhood hair salons.   The work had been up for less than a month and prints looked like they had been sitting in direct sunlight for a year.  These were both C prints and inkjet prints.  I was told by a salon employee that this was normal as the chemicals were in the air and it would get behind the glass covering the prints and fade them.

One option might be to use 1" archival artist's tape and tape the glass all around to the back of the matt, in essence sealing the print.  1/8" overlap on the surface of the glass would keep the tape from being seen (behind the frame rabbet) and the rest could be wrapped over the foam core.  It would provide some protection for the prints.

Just a thought.
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bill t.

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2010, 01:52:35 pm »

Well good luck with the hairdresser.  Maybe this girl will show up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmyGJC5h4DM...PL&index=30
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Craig Murphy

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2010, 03:12:35 pm »

Ha.  All those Harry and Paul videos are great!
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CMurph

Bill Koenig

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Displying framed prints for sale question.
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2010, 03:33:46 pm »

Quote from: bill t.
Well good luck with the hairdresser.  Maybe this girl will show up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmyGJC5h4DM...PL&index=30

Good one Bill, I hope she shows up before the prints fade.    
WS, thanks for the heads up on the chemicals. They do that stuff in the back, but it is something to think about. These prints are framed with black anodized aluminum frames, I could seal the back with paper, but wonder how easy it is for anything to get through the foam core? Yes, around the glass is a possibility, I'll have to take a look at that.
Just a side note, this whole thing got started almost two years ago, I was out after a snow storm just after Xmas taking night shots of the snow on the Xmas decorations, I took one of the front her shop, it really looked good. I gave her a small print hoping she'd buy a big one, that didn't happen. I started framing shortly after that. The next time I came in, I brought in a framed 13x19 print, and made a sale. That print is still on her wall, and still looks just like it did the day I brought it in. So if there's something in the air, it doesn't seem to be affecting that print, and its been on the wall for over a year and half.
Bill, what I've been shooting lately is local architecture at night. The town I live in only has a population 13000.
My first pano is a picture of City Hall and the new fire station. Printed 16x24 and framed 32x24 looks good, and should sell. I like your idea of shooting local stuff, and I'm planning to do series of local architecture at night. We have some really cool old architecture in are town. See link below to the recently refurbished opera house which is the same building as City Hall.

http://www.cityofstoughton.com/index.asp?T...EF7974C78272%7D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoughton,_Wisconsin
« Last Edit: February 23, 2010, 03:47:30 pm by Bill Koenig »
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