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Author Topic: blurb for selling prints  (Read 4056 times)

Endeavour

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blurb for selling prints
« on: July 14, 2017, 09:33:42 am »

I am doing prints of my wife's fine art paintings for her to exhibit and sell.
I am printing with hp vivera ink and mostly Hahnemuhle papers.

I want, with each print, to include a little card with some handling instructions and information on the quality. Do any of you do this?

I can 'borrow' the handling/storage instructions from the Hahnemuhle paper's literature, but wondered if anyone has some thoughts on what to include to express the quality of the materials and how long they should last etc if looked after?

thanks
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DeanChriss

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2017, 03:15:14 pm »

I am doing prints of my wife's fine art paintings for her to exhibit and sell.
I am printing with hp vivera ink and mostly Hahnemuhle papers.

I want, with each print, to include a little card with some handling instructions and information on the quality. Do any of you do this?

I can 'borrow' the handling/storage instructions from the Hahnemuhle paper's literature, but wondered if anyone has some thoughts on what to include to express the quality of the materials and how long they should last etc if looked after?

thanks

This isn't exactly an answer to your question, but "we", that is people who make prints, care about such things. The vast majority of those who buy prints do not. Including such a blurb obviously cannot hurt your sales. I'd like to think it may do something to reassure a purchaser that they made a good decision after they have purchased, but I seriously doubt it. My opinion is that it makes no difference.

For about seven years ending a few years ago I made prints for a few painters. I've also sold my own prints through a couple galleries and at arts festivals for about 9 years. Like you, I have always used high quality materials. None of the painters ever asked about anything but color matching and surface finish of the paper. In all cases I told them more about the quality materials but that was obviously not a big concern for them. Only three others have ever proactively asked me about the materials. One was by a woman whose job is making photographic reproductions to guide restoration of classic paintings at a major art museum. Another was a person who collects paintings, was not very familiar with photographic prints, but wanted to buy one. These two are the only people I think would not have purchased if I was using crappy materials. Everyone else makes a purchase if they "like the picture", or if the colors go with a couch (or in one case the toilet/bathtub/sink color in a remodeled bathroom). Regardless, I don't think most prints hang anywhere for more than a decade, give or take, before being relegated to a closet or attic. This is only opinion, but having made a point of trying to determine what does and does not matter to customers and potential customers for quite a few years, I think it's very close to true.

I stopped including anything about paper types, etc., long ago. Where my prints are displayed I usually have a short bio in a small frame hanging near them. At the bottom there is a two sentence paragraph describing the prints: "All prints are made with archival pigments on archival fine art papers and are hinge mounted to allow future re-mounting without damage to the print. Prints are signed on the mat and on the print border under the mat." Quite honestly, that's more information than most buyers care about.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2017, 03:21:32 pm by DeanChriss »
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Endeavour

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2017, 04:44:35 pm »

thanks Dean
Appreciate those thoughts
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pearlstreet

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2017, 06:33:43 pm »

My experience is the same as Dean's. Most people take for granted that what they are buying will last. I have never had anyone but other photographers interested in material or process other than discussions about museum glass which most of my customers choose to add. If I tell them their print is dry mounted, I get a blank stare but if I tell them it is mounted so that it will always lay flat, they get that and like it. As they teach in sales, sell the benefit, not the feature.   
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trinhdinhha

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2017, 04:29:51 am »

For better you can find out if you know someone in the field of printing books. Otherwise, you can use photo paper and make RGB prints look better

patjoja

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2017, 01:19:14 am »

I am doing prints of my wife's fine art paintings for her to exhibit and sell.
I am printing with hp vivera ink and mostly Hahnemuhle papers.

I want, with each print, to include a little card with some handling instructions and information on the quality. Do any of you do this?

I can 'borrow' the handling/storage instructions from the Hahnemuhle paper's literature, but wondered if anyone has some thoughts on what to include to express the quality of the materials and how long they should last etc if looked after?

thanks

I attach a label to the back of our backing boards that has our logo, name, location, and what paper type we use (100% cotton rag), the type of pigment inks, and the longevity rating. 

For most people, too much information tends to put them to asleep.  They just want to know they're getting a quality product.

Patrick
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tim wolcott

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2017, 11:04:11 pm »

They know nothing about selling prints.  They make mediocre books.  They need customers who BUY prints.  So unless get out there and figure out how to find those potential buyers which I doubt.  They will not be selling fine art.  I've been selling prints for my living for the past 35 years, its not easy its hard.  They will have to figure out how to get people who would need and want to buy prints.  They don't come from that industry, just saying it does not make it so.

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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2017, 11:33:10 pm »

They know nothing about selling prints.  They make mediocre books...

Ahmmm...

Blurb = noun - a short description of a book, movie, or other product written for promotional purposes and appearing on the cover of a book or in an advertisement.

 :)

Box Brownie

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2017, 12:44:18 pm »

They know nothing about selling prints.  They make mediocre books.  .

I agree with Slobodan.......................as I read it, to me the OP was asking about blurb, as in a brief bit of text that summarises something pithy & informative.  Not Blurb the PoD book printer/publisher ;)
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HSakols

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2017, 08:07:51 pm »

I've seen a number of very good books produced by MagCloud now aquired by Blurb.
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tim wolcott

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2017, 09:01:26 pm »

Good is a relative term, The paper quality, print quality and binding is all mediocre.  Compare it to some books printed the real traditional way.  This is like comparing images printed by a lab or a person who knows how to print and makes their living selling their prints.  I'm not saying all book printers done the traditional way are great but best compared to best the traditional way wins every time.  I hope that one day their will be a place that really knows how to sell prints on the internet, because their are only so many walls and rents are high too high.
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digitaldog

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2017, 10:09:31 am »

Good is a relative term, The paper quality, print quality and binding is all mediocre.
+1. My experience as well.
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pearlstreet

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2017, 01:13:50 pm »

Good is a relative term, The paper quality, print quality and binding is all mediocre.  Compare it to some books printed the real traditional way.  This is like comparing images printed by a lab or a person who knows how to print and makes their living selling their prints.  I'm not saying all book printers done the traditional way are great but best compared to best the traditional way wins every time.  I hope that one day their will be a place that really knows how to sell prints on the internet, because their are only so many walls and rents are high too high.

He isn't talking about book printing, lol. He's talking about a card that goes with a print. You and Andrew need to reread his post.  ;D
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farbschlurf

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Re: blurb for selling prints
« Reply #13 on: September 05, 2017, 02:17:39 pm »

Just as it seems to fit here somehow: Few days ago I got a Copy of the "Portfolios" Book of Ansel Adams 2nd Hand. As you might guess he included quite a lot of blurb about development, and so on. What I find interesting is, the notes are getting briefer the later the portfolios are. Don't know whether it's just not reproduced in the book, though ...
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