Fur In The Paint

Finally the long awaited giclee posts. (Or at least the first one.)

In this first post we will discuss what Giclee is and how it differs from the most widely used reproduction method, Offset Lithography.

In upcoming posts, additional reader questions will be answered as to what to look for when choosing a printing company, the proper handling and storage of artwork and a few miscellaneous technical questions.

What is a Lithograph?
An offset Lithograph is the most common form for reproduction of artwork, (though giclee’s are gaining on it every second.) These in large part are the type of prints you would find in print galleries and produced by major printing houses like Hadley House. (Though even Hadley House is offering some giclee’s now.)

It is a mechanized process where the image to be reproduced is printed photographically to a metal plate, that is mounted onto the roller of a printing press. Ink is applied to a plate, transferred to a rubber roller called a “blanket” and from the blanket onto paper. Offset Lithography is one of the most widely used methods of printing.

So then what’s a Giclee?
Giclee is pronounced zhee-clay (urm . . . think Zha-zha Gabor, only with an “e.” Instead of Zha say Zhee. It might help put you in the mood, if you attempt to fake her accent. Yes, that’s it my daarlings)

“Oh la la, I feel like I should be sitting at a Cafe, while wearing a beret and smoking a cigarette.”

Giclee is the type of printing we do at Wild Faces Gallery. The most simple explanation is, it is a digital process of high resolution scanning, color correction and storing of information. The prints are then created using a large format inkjet printer that produces high quality prints, using archival inks and acid free papers.

The term Giclee was coined in 1990’s and has it’s origins from the French word gicler. The literal translation is “to spurt or spray”

I have a story about the origins of the term but since I cannot find or remember from whence this story comes (I think perhaps Decor magazine though I also checked wikipedia to no avail.) you must consider it gossip. The reason they came up with the word giclee is that the guys who were going to introduce this printing method at an expo in the 90’s, wanted something more exotic to call the process other than what is it, an inkjet print. And so the Giclee printing process was born (or rather coined.)

I think they succeeded admirably. I mean when you say Giclee, it sounds so mysterious and exotic. Now say it with me, only slower this time. “ggiicclleeeee.” Oh la la, I feel like I should be sitting at a Cafe, while wearing a beret and smoking a cigarette.

In the early days, giclee prints didn’t have the best lightfast quality and the prints were delicate to handle (they would run if they got wet and they scratched easily) But the technology has improved dramatically. And now depending on which printer you have, as well as ink and paper combinations, most prints will outlive you if cared for properly. In upcoming posts, we will talk about longevity and archivability.

So, as discussed in Part 1, the big benefit of doing art fairs is that you get out there and get seen by the people who love art and those who have an art related business. All of the opportunities listed below, happened over the course of several years and from being in several locations.

Now I want to be clear that art fairs are not the only way to bring these things into your business. In fact, there may well be easier methods. What I like about doing art fairs is that it allows me to work on earning an income, while getting opportunities presented to me, that I in no way have to go after.

Okay, so after an entire summer of me talking about being rained out, stormed on and losing big $$$ at Omaha Summer Arts Festival, as well as saying repeatedly that the older I get the less I like all the hauling and toting, some of you may be thinking how can I say “all good things come from art fairs.” Well because in regards to my business, it’s true.

I want to be clear that I am not promoting doing art fairs as the best way to grow your art business, (though it is certainly a viable one.) In fact, in my recent post “In this Economy” I described why making a living doing the circuit is getting harder all the time.

“art fairs for me was a way to make some money without really having to know what I was doing.”

On the other hand, when I started out I knew nothing of promoting my art. I had worked in the art business at a museum and gallery. But running a major frame shop is completely different than becoming a successful artist. In fact my lack of knowledge is exactly why I chose the art fair path. My degree is in Veterinary Technology, and I have no training in the arts. Back then I had no solo gallery exhibits to my credit, no awards, no portfolio of quality work and no idea of how to talk with galleries.

Art fairs for me was a way to make some money without really having to know what I was doing. I mean if someone liked my work, they bought it. It can’t get much easier than that right? Of course the truth is you still need knowledge on how to sell your work, especially in these times of uncertainty. But doing art fairs allowed me to gain the knowledge I needed through experience.

” . . . doing art fairs allowed me to gain the knowledge I needed through experience.”

I started out in small events, made some sales, gained some confidence and moved to bigger events. That is still my path. I continue to keep challenging myself with bigger venues. The truth is, in large part it was participating in art fairs that gave me the confidence to deal with galleries and clients. Art fairs provided me with the opportunity to earn an income while in my spare time I learned the art business and more importantly continued to create better art.

So here is a brief overview of the ways in which my business has progressed because of my participation in art fairs over the years. I will go into more detail on these in tomorrows post.

Three reasons for slumping art sales.
It is not “new” news that it is getting harder to make a living selling art. Besides my gallery, my primary mode of sales is through art fairs. What once you could have earned in 12 events now takes 35. Overall sales may be going down but expenses are still going up.

“. . . there is something in the mind of a buyer (much like dogs, wild animals and children) they can smell fear. . . and it makes them nervous”

More and more of my artist friends are quiting the art thing and getting “real jobs.” At Riverssance I talked with 2 such artists. One has been earning his living doing the art fair circuit for 26 years. The other also had more than 15 years as an artist and now works as a teacher. Most artists I know are pondering quitting what they do for the comfort of a 9 to 5. And who can blame them.

• Fear and the news media. Anyone who listens to the news these days hears frightening stories about rising costs and bail out of major lenders. It seems the global economy is in no better shape than the local one. All of this talk has people scared and rightly so. Who knows what tomorrow’s news story may bring.
• For Profit Many events are put on as a “for profit” by promoters. This means they tend to “bulk up” on artists whose booth fees help make the profit. While a large size show has more appeal and may draw bigger crowds. It can also mean the sales get split between more artists. A show of 200 artists will draw as much attention as an event of 300, but the larger event may mean most artists go home with less.
• Too many events in one city. Also, I personally believe that more and more cities are hosting an ever increasing number of art or craft events. What this leads to is the lack of motivation to “buy now.” I mean why should they if there will be another event in a week or so. More art shows, much like too many artists per event, lead to a thinning of the sales because of too much competition.

Ebb and Flow
Now I am not really a “the sky is falling” kind of personality. (I would never have made it this far, if I were.) I believe life is ebb and flow. Things are going to be tight and then eventually they will get easier. And once you are floating along on easy street, undoubtedly they will revert to being tighter again. Being prepared for this means there is less fear when it actually happens.

And now for the good news:
Three things you can do to boost sales

Well it’s official. I signed my name to the bottom line. I now have my own licensing agent, Lowell from America Art Licensing As the ink is not yet dry on the contract (and in fact my cd with images goes into the mail on Monday) I am not yet on their website.

My agent . . . that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?.

This is a whole new arena for me. But as someone who makes the bulk of my income from artfairs I am constantly looking for ways to pay the bills while staying at home. The older I get the less I like all the hefting and toting that goes along with doing artfairs.

So now when I get approached by someone who say . . . wants to put my artwork on T-shirts, greeting cards, blankets, coffee mugs, tiles, metal or wood products or for their business logo, (yup, I’ve been approached at one time or another for all of those things.) I can say “Absolutely! just give me your information and I will pass it along to my agent.”

Ah, My agent. . . that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Saying my agent gives me almost as much of a warm fuzzy feeling as saying . . . my editor. (Big hug to you Carol Eilers! editor of Apples ‘N Oats magazine)

A Story In Three Parts.

Part 1
So I had a few free moments last week and went to check out Katherine Tyrrells blog Making A Mark. She is one of the few blogs that I keep tabs on for business purposes. One of her recent posts regarding the latest winner of the Gold Medal Award for the American Watercolor Society. Or rather the furor surrounding the winning painting which was a hyper realistic painting derived from two royalty free online photos.

It is a stunning painting, and it is easy to see how it won. But once you have the knowledge that the painting was created using two photos from someone else. And though it is painted exquisitely, from what I understand all she really did was put them together relatively unchanged. The question then becomes should it have won?

I had one of those “Damn, I wish I had done that!” moments.

Part 2
When I first started working on my lambs painting I was uncertain what color palette I should work in. My reference photo was a cold blue gray and had no life. Finding contrast in black faced sheep is easy, but for two all white lambs . . . urm, not so much. So I went online to see how some other artists handled a similar situation. Turns out I got no help. It is apparently a rare thing to paint a close up of all white sheep.

But I did run across a sheep portrait done by a daily painter. It was stunning. The color and brush strokes, the cropping and sheep’s expression were all really well done. I had one of those “Damn, I wish I had done that!” moments.

Later on in my rummaging I came across the stock photo she had used for her painting. Her painting was exactly like the photo image. Yes, it was her color sense and brushwork but everything else, the composition and cropping were the same. She didn’t so much a flick an ear in a different direction. I suddenly lost a whole lot of respect for the artist.

Now I am not saying that she did anything wrong. She may well have gotten all the copyrights and stuff. What lost me was all she really did was copy something someone else had done. Yes, she infused her painting style but that was the extent of it. Even if it had been a photo of a full sheep and she then cropped creatively it would have then spoken more of who she is as an artist.

Part 3
One last story to drive the point home. Recently I signed a contract that said I was the legal copyright holder of all my artwork being submitted. And that any lawsuits raised in regards to copyright infringement were my responsibility. I signed it without a single qualm because every painting from long before I turned art into my profession, (with the exception of two) are derived from my own reference photographs.

I have spent decades building my photo library and fortunes on film and developing. But I rest easy knowing that if someone tries makes a claim against me, I have my own reference material to back me up. It does mean I am limited to what I paint, because I have to collect it. But I also get a sense of pride knowing that I participated in the process all the way through.

The moral of the story:
If you have not already done so, start to build your own reference library by taking your own photos. Old National Geographics or any other mag, (no matter how obscure) don’t count, except as illegal.

Also, if you feel you must use someone else’s photos, know the difference between royalty free and copyright free.

Note: Of the two paintings I created using someone elses photos. One was a fellow artist and friend who kept saying I should paint from a couple of shots she took. So I did.

And the other was a portrait of a horse that had passed away. I had used a professionally taken photograph for my primary reference. But before I agreed to use it, I got a letter from the photographer (which I still have on file) stating that it was okay to use his photo and any derivative works were mine to copyright.

Legalese is not my second language.
Some of you may have noticed the copyright overlay appearing on my most recent uploaded images to this blog. This was a first step in trying to protect my copyright of my images. Currently copyright is inherent. I don’t have to file anything with the government, pay any fees or really do anything at all. These golden days of copyright protection however, may well soon end.

I have been putting off writing about the Orphan Arts Bill for a very long time now. Partly because I was waiting for something decisive to come of it and partly because all the technical language that most of the information on the subject is written in, is way above my comprehension level. I really need things spelled out for me as if I am a small dull-witted child. But with some straining of the brain cells I think I have a grasp on the issue and I am going to share.

The bill (in a nutshell) was created so those who found stuff (like art, music, writing or your family photos) online, could use them for their own purposes (whatever that may be) as long as they put reasonable effort in finding the original owner to get permission for use. The Act will take away the automatic copyright currently granted and force artists (writers, musicians and maybe even your personal online photo album) to register everything for a fee. (Um Hum . . . thats right) And most importantly if the searcher doesn’t find you in the registry or you don’t reply in time, they can use the image (again, for whatever purpose) and you have absolutely no recourse. (scary huh?)

For More Information:
Two places you can look for more information on the Orphan Works Act as well as everything else for the art business are:

ArtCalendar.com I highly recommend this magazine and website for any artist. I’ve been a subscriber for over a decade now and find something useful in just about every issue. Also in regards to this topic they have email templates that you can use to send letters to your legislators as well as review progress reports.

Also you can look into Katherine Tyrrells blog Making A Mark. She’s a fabulous resource for many things art business oriented. She has commented several times on the Orphan Works Act and supplies numerous links to research the subject further.

This post is about going the extra mile when sending out communications to the patrons on your mailing list by writing a personal note by hand. (This is where recording comprehensive information about who you are contacting, is so important.) Whenever I send out notes for whatever reason, Thank You’s, Christmas Cards, or letting them know what booth I’ll be at during an artfair, I always write something by hand on the card, even if the bulk of the information is printed out.

For example: My name, the gallery name and contact information will be printed on the postcard mechanically. As well as the information that I will be attending the Rockbrook Art Fair in Omaha on Sept 7th and my booth number is 67.

Then I write: “Cathy, It was a real pleasure talking with you at the Omaha Summer Arts Fair. I hope all is going well with that new colt of yours.” (or perhaps “I hope you are enjoying your new painting”) “I am sending this note because you had requested I let you know when next I will be in the area. Thanks again for everything. Maybe I’ll see you there.”

It is simple, nothing too fancy. (Pretty much like me really.) I do tend to write much like I speak. I think this feels more authentic. The first part, the “pleasure talking with you at the Omaha Summer Arts Festival” serves two purposes. It not only lets them know you remember them but it may help them to remember you. You want to convey the thought that this particular patron is special and gets special attention. And they are. These are the people who are spending their hard earned dollars on you.

On the marketing side of things you could always include some sort of action they can take. (this would be printed) Like: “Bring this card with you and receive a free box of note cards” or “get 20% off your next purchase.” This may help you to have some idea as to how effective the mailing was. I tend to do this on bulk mailings to unknown contacts. Say for instance I sent out an invitation to all the equestrian centers, equine veterinary practices and horse tack shops in a city that I am going to an event in.)

Proper Names
The choice to use their formal names like Mr & Mrs Smith or refer to them more casually like Pat & John, is up to you and what your comfortable with. My target audience tends to be 25-45 and thinks that Mr & Mrs. Smith is their parents names. Generally what I do is use Mr & Mrs Smith on the mailing label and use their first names on the handwritten note part.

That is about all the wisdom I have on the subject. It isn’t rocket surgery. Umm . . that not right . . . brain science? Ah well you get the idea.

To sum up

• Handwritten notes on communications.
• Use their first names when appropriate
• Mention something that is unique to them. A handwritten note that is stone cold or canned is almost as bad as just printing out something entirely by the computer

Here’s my tiger so far. (10 1/2” x 13” on handmade paper) As usual she is looking a little harsh and the colors are off, but it will give you an idea. At this point I nearly have her done (will finish her today) so will post the completed painting tomorrow.

Organizing your list.
This post will deal with the actual list itself. The information you should collect and how to organize it for easy reference. Since you need to tailor your mailing list to fit your needs, it is impossible for me to know what those needs are. So the best way I can think of explaining it all, is to describe how I use mine.

Currently my mailing list is in a program that my husband wrote. It is very utilitarian, but I can search and cross reference to my hearts content. For me the key to using my mailing list effectively is to be able to search for the right folks to contact.

I have organized my mailing list searches in the following ways:

• By area This is mostly for artshows. If I am returning to Omaha I can search for all my Omaha address’s (and surrounding communities) and then mail them out a postcard as to when I’ll be there and what booth they can find me at.
• By interest Like horses, exotics, birds (sub-categories might include things like breed (friesians) or type (draft horses) I use these when I finish a painting and then send out a mailing to offer first chance to buy or promote a new print release.
• Lastly by Name I rarely search by name, but occasionally do when I know of someone who has a specific interest (like for my Rhino.)

So lets take my Rhino for example. I could go to my mailing list and search for rhino. If that only pulls up one name or two. I might extend my search to include exotics (one of my key search terms.) All those people with an interest in my exotics would be pulled up and shown. I could then go ahead an email a jpeg or send them a note by mail.

There are all sorts of software packages you can buy (and possibly a few shareware versions.) If investing in software isn’t a need or in the budget just yet, you can always do it the old fashioned way, by using a tablet or some index cards. No need for anything fancy, just something that gets the job done. I started off with a tablet for my mailing list. Eventually it got to be too cumbersome, but it served me well for many years.

Information to collect.
In Omaha this past weekend I gathered only two names to add to my mailing list. One was a woman who had both my flamingo images in print and really wants another. And the other was a woman who purchased 6 of my horse prints.

So the information I wrote down (at the event so I didn’t have to remember later) was:

• Where we met. At the event (or online, etc.) and the date
• The area of interest (flamingos, horses)
• Name and address (of course,) email (if I had it.)
• The amount of purchase and what they bought.
• Make note of any personal information (like they are a dressage judge or have been to Africa.)

Updating the list
I try to go through my mailing list once a year. At this point this is a huge undertaking so it doesn’t always happen that frequently. Because I spend so much time on the computer, (and don’t want to spend even more regularly working on my mailing list) I also print out a hardcopy for me to make notes on.

Ways that I update my list:

• Change of address or name
• Whenever someone adds new art of mine to their collection
• When I send out notes (like Christmas cards, Thank You’s, invitations.) and what, if any response I receive back.
• When someone hasn’t responded in years (they get removed)

Upcoming posts
I will post my completed tiger painting along with her story and later will finish out my mailing list posts by wrapping up with a brief discussion on communicating and engaging patrons via the list.

Blue Rhino on Hand Made Paper
Oil Pastel 10.5 x 13
Copyright by Mona Majorowicz

It was another good month for selling originals and surprisingly (or perhaps not so much if you’ve been reading my blog) all were sold out of the gallery. (as in not at art shows)

I thought I would go ahead and show how I framed my Rhino. Since last I talked of it I was unsure if I would be tearing it up (creative cropping) or boxing it (as in putting it in a box and ignoring it.) Once framed my opinion of him dramatically improved.

My rhino is going to his new home because I utilized my mailing list and sent out an email (with jpeg) to all those who have expressed an interest in my exotic animal work. He sold within a week. No matter where you are at, beginner or professional, a mailing list is at the top of the must have’s. Start collecting names now!

Why do I need a mailing list?
Well it goes back to the if you want to make a living selling your work, you’ve got to market it. Here’s what I use mine for.

• I send out postcards to patrons when I am returning to their area for an event.
• I send out new print release postcards
• I send out special invitations to gallery events
• I send out Christmas cards to all my patrons (yes, that is a big job)
• And lastly as mentioned here for the Rhino, I give first chance to buy originals to my patrons. Thats my way of saying “You’re special enough that you get first pick.” That kind of personal attention goes over in a big way. And of course I am appreciative of the fact that they are willing to pay for my art and keep me and my critters feed.

Where to begin
Gathering names is not so hard as you might think. Of course it does depend on how you sell your work but in general a good place to start is at the artshows or artfairs you participate in. You can put out an address book for your mailing list. Also from sales you’ve already had. Keep track of their names and address’s. It may take some time to build a list of decent size, but it willl grow as you do.

Qualifying
There are varying philosphies on collecting names. Some say put anybody on your list. Friends, family, coworkers. Just get something down and started.

I don’t know if it is just my nature but I rarely put out a mailing list book in my booth. This may well not be the best strategy. In the early days when I did put out a book, I got hundreds of names. These are people saying “Yes, please sell to me!” Which by the way, is exactly what your after.

For me, In the end most of the names resulted in no sales. Perhaps they would have given more time. But as you know I am a woman with limited amounts of time so I only market to my target audience. This is generally people who have bought from me before or have expressed an interest in some original work that I have yet to create. (for instance someone wants a rhino painting, but I don’t currently have one in my gallery. I put them on my list and contact them when I do.)

In an upcoming post I will discuss mailing lists a little more. Also I have started a new tiger painting and will post some wips of it tomorrow. (Forgot my camera at home today.)