DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> Another Art Show Question
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 15 of 15, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 04/29/2022 08:37:19 AM · #1
Ok -- still working on getting a decent setup for artshows.

I now have much better looking walls for the booth, but I'm struggling with how to display/print/sell the artwork.

So many places just put a white mat and a black frame on the all photos. But it seems like, if you're buying art, you'd want to mat/frame it yourself? So in order to hang the work, I've been getting prints mounted on black styrene, so they could be hung as is or framed.

But I don't know if that's going over well. And when it gets to 90degrees, the styrene/photo combination is warping. Though once I brought it back inside, it's evened out. But you can't be having 20"x30" pieces hanging at an art show that are curling a bit.

I would love to do metal, but I haven't sold any larger metal prints, and it's just way too expensive to get an inventory of them.

Should I stick with the styrene? Should I do a foam core? Right now I've just been placing the adhesive saw tooth hangers on the back. Can you put an inset metal frame on the back of styrene?

The guy I bought my walls from does Epic prints through bay photo -- they looked incredible, but it's way beyond my price range. Though that's the type of thing I'd like to be doing: some way of hanging with a wire.

Thanks! I need to figure this out, because I've sunk too much money in already, and my last two shows were just breaking even on the booth fees. :(
 04/29/2022 11:08:40 AM · #2
I've been using black gatorboards for my prints in the last I don't know how many years, buy them from Coda. They have a self-adhesive surface, so I glue my prints to them permanently, because I like the look and just prefer my prints displayed like that, but if you want to display them like that only during the shows, I'm sure you can find a temporary way to attach. They are very flat and sturdy, of course more expensive than regular foamcore, but certainly worth it.
 04/29/2022 11:41:54 AM · #3
if I were buying art for myself I would NOT want to frame it myself. I would want to buy something that is ready to hang.

04/29/2022 01:38:20 PM · #4
I'm looking for a permanent, not temporary, but something that still works if they want to frame it.

So Don, if you want it ready to hang, would you want it just mounted on something and ready to be
hung that way or actually framed?
 04/29/2022 02:11:14 PM · #5
I know how they sell them down here at the street fairs etc when we hit 115-120f. The photos are all permanently framed, then the inventory is basically in a bin that you can pull out. The prices range from just a plain big photo in 3 different sizes, then they can order backing ((or they have it on hand to do it right there)), and or frames from the website they have. The have cardboard sleeves and wrap. We get really hot here and so curling, distortion, fading, shrinkage, sagging is everything and the photos get affected too ;)
 04/29/2022 03:09:25 PM · #6
Originally posted by vawendy:
I'm looking for a permanent, not temporary, but something that still works if they want to frame it.

So Don, if you want it ready to hang, would you want it just mounted on something and ready to be
hung that way or actually framed?


I want the frame to go with the art. Some art is modern looking and looks good on a black or white mat. some art looks great on a wooden frame. some frames have a color that bring out the color in the art. framing is an art in itself.
 04/29/2022 03:11:19 PM · #7
and yes some people want to frame it themselves. some want to frame it and resell it. some want to collaborate with you by framing your art. i think it's good to have something for both audiences, but don't listen to me. i've never made back the rental fees on an art show.
 04/29/2022 04:46:03 PM · #8
Originally posted by posthumous:
and yes some people want to frame it themselves. some want to frame it and resell it. some want to collaborate with you by framing your art. i think it's good to have something for both audiences, but don't listen to me. i've never made back the rental fees on an art show.


And I can't trust myself, because I don't buy artwork. So I have no idea what works. :/
 04/29/2022 04:47:07 PM · #9
Originally posted by LevT:
I've been using black gatorboards for my prints in the last I don't know how many years, buy them from Coda. They have a self-adhesive surface, so I glue my prints to them permanently, because I like the look and just prefer my prints displayed like that, but if you want to display them like that only during the shows, I'm sure you can find a temporary way to attach. They are very flat and sturdy, of course more expensive than regular foamcore, but certainly worth it.


Is that archival? And is the self-adhesive surface easy to use, or is it difficult to apply to your prints? I have to come up with a cheaper option.
 04/29/2022 05:58:16 PM · #10
Originally posted by vawendy:
Is that archival? And is the self-adhesive surface easy to use, or is it difficult to apply to your prints? I have to come up with a cheaper option.
I don't know if it is certified as archival, but I have prints mounted this way for 10-12 years, hang in the open, and I don't see any deterioration. It is easy to apply, just peel off a protecting paper sheet and gradually spread the print over yhe board starting from one edge towards another. I usually make the pring slightly bigger than the board, and cut off extra stuff flush with the board. And these boards are only 1/4" thick, so in principle you can put them in a frame.

Message edited by author 2022-04-29 18:02:47.
 04/29/2022 11:47:56 PM · #11
What Juliet said. The shows I've been to have fully framed "samples" or metal prints, with the printed inventory in a bin, by size, usually matted. The framed prints are also for sale, with the corresponding price difference for the framing. If someone buys the framed piece, they usually allow the artist to keep it up until the end of the day, with a red dot indicating it's been sold.
 04/30/2022 10:47:00 AM · #12
Originally posted by LevT:
Originally posted by vawendy:
Is that archival? And is the self-adhesive surface easy to use, or is it difficult to apply to your prints? I have to come up with a cheaper option.
I don't know if it is certified as archival, but I have prints mounted this way for 10-12 years, hang in the open, and I don't see any deterioration. It is easy to apply, just peel off a protecting paper sheet and gradually spread the print over yhe board starting from one edge towards another. I usually make the pring slightly bigger than the board, and cut off extra stuff flush with the board. And these boards are only 1/4" thick, so in principle you can put them in a frame.


So you just do it by hand? You don't use any of the machines they sell?
 04/30/2022 10:48:38 AM · #13
Originally posted by JulietNN:
I know how they sell them down here at the street fairs etc when we hit 115-120f. The photos are all permanently framed, then the inventory is basically in a bin that you can pull out. The prices range from just a plain big photo in 3 different sizes, then they can order backing ((or they have it on hand to do it right there)), and or frames from the website they have. The have cardboard sleeves and wrap. We get really hot here and so curling, distortion, fading, shrinkage, sagging is everything and the photos get affected too ;)


Thanks! Good to know how to handle heat. We don't get that got, but we definitely get into the upper 90s/low 100s
 05/01/2022 05:48:46 PM · #14
Originally posted by vawendy:
So you just do it by hand? You don't use any of the machines they sell?
No. I don’t. Easy enough to do by hand.
 05/01/2022 09:08:26 PM · #15
Originally posted by tanguera:
What Juliet said. The shows I've been to have fully framed "samples" or metal prints, with the printed inventory in a bin, by size, usually matted. The framed prints are also for sale, with the corresponding price difference for the framing. If someone buys the framed piece, they usually allow the artist to keep it up until the end of the day, with a red dot indicating it's been sold.


This is what I would do, too, but I suggested it initially and you've already pretty much decided against it. Inventory will eat you alive in this business, unfortunately.

Many people will just frame the white mat. Others will use the white mat for a second mat with just 1/4" showing and then do a second, custom mat of their own choice.

It doesn't have to add that much to the cost of the print to have a backing and mat so even if someone wants to "discard" the mat and start from scratch, it's affordable. I'm thinking people buying your art are paying well and they are paying for the art, so they probably won't give the idea of "throwing the mat away" a second thought.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 04/25/2024 05:07:02 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/25/2024 05:07:02 PM EDT.