Tag: photographers

Choosing your Print size for Giclée Printing

Choosing your Print size for Giclée Printing

When giclée printing whether you’re an artist, illustrator or a photographer, the same principles apply when choosing print sizes of your art and photo images.

It is important when choosing sizes for giclée prints that you make decisions around the artworks and photos you create and consider your brand and image as part of this.

To begin you need a digital file of your artwork or photograph

For photographers and digital artists, you need to use software that allows you to scale up or down your image, to avoid pixelation and you need to make sure your file is saved as a tiff, psd or good quality jpg.

For artists you need to ensure your artwork has been digitally captured to a high standard, preferably photographed by a fine art photographer. Photographing art is highly technical. By ensuring a high quality digital file, you’re protecting the quality of your giclée prints.

 

Technical Considerations

Firstly the major factor having an impact on the size of giclée print that can be ordered, is the size of the digital file you have of your artwork or photo. Typically the file needs to be 300ppi high resolution, with an embedded RGB colourspace. So a wider range of colours and definition can be achieved in the giclée printing process. 

If you’ve created a digital file of your artwork using your Iphone or similar, it looks great on the screen, but the odds are the actual file will only print to the size of a beermat. A Fine Art Giclée Printing company have ways and means of enlarging this file, but this will be limited by the quality of the file. If there is any out of focus or blurred sections to the digital image, these will only be magnified by enlarging the file. These imperfections will also appear in the giclée print.

So as a general rule of thumb, the larger the print size you choose, the sharper the digital image needs to be, unless artistically you want an out of focus image. Also there is always a slight discrepancy allowed for viewing distance.

Please check out our Digital File to Print Size Calculator to help you

Giclee printing same size as original

The simplest giclee printing option is to create a fine art print the same size as the original photograph or artwork, but this might not work for you.

One of the first issues is, what if you paint different sized originals, you could could end up with several print sizes, with varying price points for your customers. Which will not only be difficult for you to remember and keep track of, but your customers may feel overwhelmed too.

When it comes to photography giclée printing, the final image after editing and cropping may mean as a photographer you have several sized images too. Again this can lead to a complicated pricing system, that in the end no one can make sense of. 

Your customers will love the original, so you might not want to stray too far from the original look. Therefore it might benefit you to class a range of sizes within a range of small, medium and large. You’ll be offering your customers a choice of size and budget to suit them. This will also allow some movement in what is classed as small i.e you’ll be able to have a discrepancy of a few inches within the size, to suit several giclée prints. This applies to medium and large as well.

Knowing your Target Audience

Artists, illustrators and photographers need to know their target audience. This will be based partly on the type of images and artwork you create. For example if you create landscape images for the hotel or corporate world, they are more likely to buy large giclée prints. The more unique and specific your original images are, the more niche your target audience becomes.

First and foremost you need to identify who your target audience is. You’ll have a better understanding of their budget and what sizes they are most likely to buy. You also have to consider your international market too. Some countries live in larger houses, apartments and so will be more inclined to buy larger giclée prints. The opposite can be said of other countries. 

Keep it Simple
giclee print from The Artists Print Room
Fine Art Giclée Print

So you need a system that works for you. By thinking ahead and getting used to the various size options and ratios, means you may think before you crop that photograph or put paint to paper.

An experienced fine art giclee printing company will be able to offer you great advice about how you can choose print sizes. At the Artists Print Room we offer a bespoke giclée printing service, giving you a greater freedom of choice. We print up to 1117 mm wide and 2400mm length on rolls. We have 19 genuine fine art giclée papers and canvases from Hahnemühle, Canson-Inifinty, Ilford Imaging and St Cuthberts Mill.

Know Crop Ratios 

Some artists and photographers choose print sizes based on what frames their customers can readily buy. Again you have to consider who your target audience is and what their expectations are. Also don’t forget large giclee prints can be great, but by the time you’ve added a mount and a frame, it could be very large indeed. 

Before you decide on the size of your giclée prints, you need to know about crop ratios. They relate to the original size of your artwork or photograph. Then you can see how to  scale up or down from the original size. By using a crop ratio chart you can see what sizes large or small can be achieved, without losing or cropping any of the original image.

See our crop ratio charts for help.

Editing your image for Giclée printing

As a rule of thumb giclee prints generally match the original artwork or photograph. Though creativity doesn’t have to stop there. You may want to change colours, edit the layout or change the overall tone. Maybe you want to create a special edition, which is slightly different from the original image. There are no hard and fast rules on what your final giclée prints have to look like. The only problem is, if you make drastic changes for each new giclée print, your collection of prints won’t look cohesive. They could confuse your target audience.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, generally any print size can be achieved with giclée printing. Though bear in mind there are technical factors affecting what you can actually print. Including the actual size and quality of digital file you have of the artwork or photograph. Also don’t forget about assessing crop ratios, knowing your target audience and remembering to keep it simple. 

Get in touch  if you’d like to discuss your giclée printing options.

 

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

How printing greeting cards can be a powerful marketing tool for artists and photographers

How printing greeting cards can be a powerful marketing tool for artists and photographers

“Printing Greeting Cards for Christmas. It is the biggest and best time for selling greeting cards of your art and photographs. Don’t miss out on this vital opportunity for marketing and sales”

For artists, illustrators and photographers printing greeting cards can feel more of an add on, than a great marketing tool, but they can become part of a great marketing strategy to connect with your target audience.

Firstly artists and photographers are always looking for cost-effective ways of promoting artworks and photographs. The ideal marketing strategy is being able to reach a wider audience to introduce them to your artworks and what you have to offer. In the case of photographers, it’s about introducing your potential buyers to the art of your photographs, rather than the commercial aspect of your photography work.

Both artists and photographers have to identify and consider different revenue streams from their artworks and images. One of the most budget friendly is having your art and photos turned into custom printed cards. 

So how do greetings cards become a powerful marketing tool and how do you achieve this?

Getting organised and creating a greeting card collection

When you first decide to print greetings cards, it forces you to look at your art or photographs as a group. Seeing you artwork and photo images in a smaller format helps you to visually group them together and assess what looks good as a collection. You will be able to see if there is a common theme, do the images flow together? Basically you will get an overview of your artwork images and start to see which ones will work as a collection. Also this perspective helps you see what your potential buyers, collectors see. 

Overall by printing greetings cards you should be able to clearly see what is unique about your images and if they work cohesively as a collection. This is the start of making sense of what you have to market and who is it most likely to appeal to (your target market).

Trial and Test

For a small budget you get to trial and test your potential buyers reaction to your work. So rather than having to spend money on prints of each artwork or photograph to create a collection to show. Why not have greeting cards printed of these images, to show first. Especially at fairs and events. You’ll be keeping your costs low and gaining some essential market research. There are usually local crafters/ creatives markets where you can trial your art and photographs. It may be a trial, but have plenty of information for potential buyers to take away and have those trial cards for sale. 

Also you can approach independent retailers and galleries to gauge their response, without having to carry large artworks or photography prints with you. You’ll be showing how your images look from a commercial aspect for businesses. It also demonstrates you’re more serious about your creative business, especially if you have good quality greeting cards, with great colour, professionally printed and where you can demonstrate consistency of look and that quality can be maintained.

Good and bad feedback is important

Usually independent gallery, gift and card shops are happy to trial a few of your printed greeting cards and see which appeal to their customers. This means there is no large cost outlay for you or them. This is a great way to gain important market research and great feedback. 

While it’s wonderful to receive positive feedback, it’s good to get genuine feedback, even if it’s negative. Let’s face it a retailer has to make a living, so if something doesn’t sell you will know instantly. Bear in mind though it could sell somewhere else, certain styles and subjects sell better in different environments. Do your research on retailers, see what they already sell, will your style make a good fit. It doesn’t have to be the same, but never forget retailers know their customers, so they are a good source of advice. Remember to be polite, they are busy people, with a business to run.

Printing greeting cards with a professional finish and Consistent Reliability 
printed greeting cards of photos
Gorgeous Photographs turned into greeting cards

Using a professional fine art printers for printing greetings cards can make a big difference in how retailers and potential customers respond to your cards. You don’t want your cards to fade from sunlight and you don’t want flimsy cards to start curling after being handled a few times. You need a fine art printers that actually prints cards with pigment inks, so you don’t have fading cards after a few displays at art fairs. Also they can advise on what important contact details need printing on your greeting cards. They can also print your art and photographs onto heavy weight card stock, tell you which card will suit your image best and able to offer short volume print runs. Very cost effective when you are using greeting cards as part of your marketing strategy.

Get in touch see how we can help or place your order here.

Christmas Custom printed cards, connecting on a personal level with your potential buyers and supporters

Everyone says your first potential buyers of your art and fine art photography are your family and friends. So imagine how many people you could advertise too. By sending Christmas cards of your works to everyone you know, including your dentist and local post office. It is amazing how many businesses will be pleased to put up a greeting card on the counters and walls, for all to see and it didn’t cost you a penny in advertising. Don’t forget the all important hand-written message inside too! You never know who will see your cards and turn into a regular customer.

We all love to see the package unveiling’s on youtube. So too do we still love to receive a greeting card in the mail. Being able to physically open the envelope, hold and see a beautiful card with a personal message still outweighs the feeling you get from an email greeting. Your buyers will still have your card on their mantelpiece, as a reminder, long after an email greeting has been forgotten.

Think outside the box

Greeting cards are a low cost marketing tool, you just have to think outside the box a little. Even sending a thank you to your local wildlife charity centre can lead to an opportunity. Venues and retailers are usually happy to trial a small batch of your cards. You also get great feedback on which images are popular. This could make you re-think your art or photography subjects.

Overall greeting cards are small for sending and transporting. They are great for a small budget and are great at sending a positive feel to whoever receives one. You can’t lose, by printing greeting cards, it’s about how you use them. Think of lots of ways you can get those images in front of lots of people, without the high expense. Including sending a card with a lovely message and a few sample cards to magazines and publications. Don’t be corporate in your wording, be personal, because you are selling you and your abilities. That extra care and attention will stand out amongst their business mail.

Get In Touch 

So what are you waiting for, start putting a collection of your images together. Get in touch and let us help turn your art and photos into printed greeting cards, to a professional finish. 

Here at The Artists Print Room our custom printed greeting cards are printed with archival pigment inks and trimmed, creased and packaged by hand.

Please click here to place your greetings cards order

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

Selling Art Online – Website

Originally posted 29th July 2019 – Updated 2nd July 2020
Selling Art Online

As an artist or a photographer, there are many ways to sell art online. Many decide to sell through third parties, however, there are a number of steps you can take to sell directly and take back some control of your work. Here we will give you our tips and advice on how to get started and what you can do to increase awareness of your work by selling directly.

Website

As an artist or photographer, one of the most important things you should have is your own website. A website is your little space on the internet and provides the best place to showcase your work. Creating a website can be daunting, however, there are many online platforms and packages (such as Wix, or Weebly) which provide an easy step-by-step builder which makes it simple to put together. Furthermore, websites are relatively inexpensive to build and run. If you’re still feeling slightly worried about undertaking this work yourself, you can always outsource and have a professional create your site on your behalf. It is well worth the investment and you can then run and maintain from there.

A website provides an opportunity for potential customers to see your work easily from their own home whilst giving you full control about the message you want to portray. It is also the best opportunity for your personality to shine and for people to learn more about you and your work. It is also a very good idea to give information on your style and how you work (include photographs of ‘behind the scenes’ too!) People like to learn more about who has created the piece and the stories behind the work but keep it simple at the same time!

Things To Consider

There are a few very important things to consider with your website to create the best experience (and not turn people away!)

  • Ensure your images are of a high quality and show the full piece of work you’re selling. If someone is considering a purchase, they like to be able to see in full detail what they are purchasing. If you feel necessary and are concerned about people stealing your images, include a watermark.
  • Your images also need to load quickly, a slow running website puts people off. Furthermore to this, websites are seen more favourable by search engines, such as Google, if they run quickly.
  • Ensure your spelling and grammar is correct throughout! This helps build trust and again, doesn’t put people off.
  • Check out your competition! Take a look at other artist and photographer websites, what are they doing well or not so well? It’s worth spending a fair bit of time doing some market research to understand what you are up against to really improve your chances of selling your art online.
  • Update your site regularly -perhaps through blogging online. Let people know what you are working on or how you work. It helps build a great connection between yourself and potential customers.
  • Offer a mailing list sign up. This is a great way to capture who is truly interested and provides further opportunities to market your work. You can also encourage visitors to share your work through their social media to reach an even bigger audience.
  • If you want to sell directly through your website, ensure you have a web package which offers an online shop and can take payments. PayPal is a great and simple to use platform for processing payments when selling art online.
  • In order for your website to appear high up in search engines you need to implement some keywords. Large companies spend thousands of pounds each year on doing this, however, it is something you can manage yourself. Have a think about what people would search for in a search engine to get to your website. Use these words and phrases throughout the written content on your site. Keyword optimisation really pays dividends and makes your website more obtainable.
  • Set up social media accounts for your work (we will look at social media marketing in our next post). However, in the interim, link your website to these social media accounts. Again, it’s a great and simple tool for ensuring search engines pick up your website.

These are just a few important factors to take into consideration when starting your website. All are very important and it’s easy to skip such factors.

Is there anything you think we have missed? Share with us your top tips too through our Facebook page!

 

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

Selling Art Online – Social Media

Originally posted 6th August 2019 – Updated 25th June 2020
Selling Art Online

It’s more important than ever to increase awareness and find new ways of getting your work in front of new people – potential clients. Here we will look at how you can use social media to your advantage. Most of us have an account on at least one platform, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram or another. But how can you use that to your advantage?

Selling art through social media

There are many different platforms available; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to name a few. However, you need to select wisely. Possibly the most common and popular for artists and photographers would be Facebook and Instagram, however, you need to consider your target audience. In 2018 there were over 44 million social media users just in the UK (and these people regularly used their social media accounts too!) Therefore, social media platforms provide a great audience to present your work to.  It’s also worth delving into the demographics of each site a little further too. For example, Facebook users are mainly female and fall within the 25-34 age category, whereas the Twitter user base is pretty much a 50/50 split between male and female. Alternatively, LinkedIn is a much more ‘serious’ platform mainly used for targeting other businesses. Consequently, the first and most important thing to consider is who your target audience is when selecting which social media accounts to set up.

Things to consider

Here are a few top things you need to consider when setting up and selling or promoting your work through social media platforms.

  • Less is more! Don’t try to have accounts on all social media platforms. Just select a couple to run with for example Instagram and Facebook (possibly the best options for artists and photographers). Creating and posting content takes time and you need to keep time free to actually create work! A couple of channels should be manageable.
  • More is less! Yes, contradictory to the above! However, you need to post regularly. In 2016 there were 95 million posts each day to Instagram alone! It’s easy for your posts to get lost in that so post regularly to keep your followers engaged. If it helps, dedicate a couple of hours throughout the week to post on social media and make sure you stick to it!
  • Set up a page on Facebook and keep it strictly business! A ‘page’ is different to your own personal profile, more like a shop front on the internet. A page makes it much easier to gain followers and it’s viewable to almost everybody. It is also vital to keep content relating to your work. Nobody wants to know what you had for dinner last night or see your holiday pictures (unless they are work related!) However, do let your personality shine through, but just remember the aim is to promote and sell your artwork or photography.
  • Interact with others. If someone leaves a lovely comment about your work, take the time to say thank you. Good manners pay dividends! It also makes you more approachable if someone would like to ask questions or understand your work further.
  • #Hashtags. Use them sparingly but still use them! A post with just one hashtag linked to it, is said to receive 12% more interaction than a post without. Write down a list of hashtags that link to your work and style that you can use regularly. Some examples may be; #watercolourartist or #landscapephotography.
  • Join other groups and do some research. Social media is a great tool for checking out other peoples work and keeping an eye on the competition. It’s also brilliant for networking by joining groups relating to the industry and receiving peer to peer reviews of your work.

These are just a few important factors to take into consideration when setting up and maintaining your profiles, however, all are very important and it’s easy to get lost and confused when starting out!

Is there anything you think we have missed? Share with us your top tips too through our Facebook page!

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

Textured Fine Art Papers

Originally posted 2nd July 2019 – Updated 21st May 2020

Some may think that textured papers are just for artists, but this is not the case! Textured fine art papers can really add something a little special to your photography work too. However, with so many paper options to choose from, it can always be a difficult decision of which to go for. Here we are going to look at and give you a run down of the textured fine art papers we offer.

Textured Fine Art Papers

When paper is produced in the paper mill, textured fine art papers are created with a much more coarse felt, this then produces the texture on the finished product. The surface of these papers can then highlight any texture within your image, whether that be photography or an art reproduction. These papers tend to more closely represent traditional watercolour papers with a pleasant feel, adding more tactile qualities to your work.

Hahnemühle Museum Etching

Hahnemühle Museum Etching - The Artists Print Room

This paper is mould-made and 100% cotton with a natural white colour. The etching paper features a distinct textured surface which gives a special touch, feeling like a genuine artists paper. A heavy 350gsm fine art paper which meets the highest industry standards and producing excellent colour sharpness. Due to it’s very beautiful texture, it is similar to traditional etching papers and is a great option when reproducing these prints.

Hahnemühle William Turner

Hahnemühle William Turner - The Artists Print Room

The William Turner paper from Hahnemühle is heavily textured albeit a much finer texture when compared to the Museum Etching paper.  A 310gm mould-made paper which is made from 100% cotton. The William Turner has a natural white colour and is ideal for reproductions of traditional artworks and expressive photography reproductions. This paper also offers a water resistant coating.

Canson Infinity Arches Aquarelle Rag

Canson Infinity Arches Aquarelle - The Artists Print Room

This 310gsm textured paper from Canson contains no optical brighteners. Again a mould-made paper which is 100% cotton and a natural white colour. A traditional watercolour paper with a unique surface texture and an inkjet coating. Canson Infinity Aquarelle Rag gives a unique and unrivalled character to the fine art reproduction of traditional artwork and photographs.

St Cuthberts Mill Somerset Velvet Enhanced White

St Cuthberts Mill Somerset Enhanced White - The Artists Print Room

Once again, a 100% cotton paper, however, this time from the St Cuthberts paper mill. A 330gsm paper with a velvet, textured surface. The texture of this paper will lift images, giving them a beautifully elegant fine art feel and ideal for both artists and photographers alike.

Hahnemühle Hemp

Hahnemühle Hemp - The Artist's Print RoomHemp is one of the world’s oldest and most versatile natural fibres and this paper is made from 60% hemp fibres and 40% cotton rag. This paper’s base has a bright white natural tone, and thanks to the bright white colour of the hemp fibres, no optical brighteners are required. The lightly textured surface gives the paper a pleasant, silky feel.

Hahnemühle Agave

Hahnemühle Agave - The Artist's Print RoomAgave is a plant which is also known for making tequila! This plant is native hot countries including Mexico. The base material (sisal fibres) stand out with a bright white natural tone and this fine art paper does not contain optical brighteners. The rough, yet delicately defined surface texture gives the subject a captivating sense of depth and impresses with a pleasant, soft feel. Hahnemühle have created this interesting and alternative paper from 70% agave fibres and 30% cotton rag.

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

Technical Support

This post was originally published on 27th August 2019 and updated on 29th April 2020.

Did you know that we also offer bespoke technical support services alongside our fine art giclée printing? So, if you’re at home and looking to learn some new skills in Photoshop or Lightroom, why not check to make sure your settings are correct before getting started?

From the comfort of your own home and abiding by social distancing guidelines we can provide a support service to help you ensure your image processing programmes are set up correctly and accurately. Alternatively, we can help run through some of the most common settings and tools you would need as either an artist or photographer. We can cover both Photoshop and Lightroom, whichever you require; or both!

Additionally, we can provide services to assist you in calibrating your monitor and installing or embedding ICC profiles. This is particularly useful when you are planning on printing your artwork as you will be able to see a more accurate representation of the final colours, tones and hues to be expected in your prints.

Talking and showing you through each step, we can answer any of your technical questions. We want to help make your life easier so you can have more time and freedom to create your art or photography without having to worry about the technical issues which can be all so time consuming.

Our technical support services can be provided through Skype or by telephone and remote access whichever suits your needs.

Lightroom

Lightroom - The Artists Print RoomThis programme offers you the full set of tools for you to edit your image files to exactly how you would like them to look. You can find more about Lightroom here. We can take you step-by-step through the set up process and show you how to save your preferences and ensure that everything is running smoothly so you can take control of the image editing process.

Photoshop

Photoshop - The Artists Print RoomPhotoshop is an extremely powerful tool used for image editing and image manipulation which is used by many professional photographers and artists. We can ensure that Photoshop is set up correctly for you and show you how profiling and colour management works through this programme. More information about Photoshop can be found here.

Technical Support

All of our technical support is bespoke to your individual requirements and questions.

We charge a standard hourly rate for these services and you can book using our simple to use online booking form. When you book, please feel free to give us a brief description on what you would like to discuss or require assistance  with and we will then be in touch to discuss further and arrange a suitable time and date for the technical support to take place.

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

 

Copyright for artists and photographers

Copyright is often a daunting word, in where not a lot of people truly understand how it all works. However, as an artist or photographer, it is worth getting a basic grasp of who owns what and what your rights are. Here we will give you some basics to get you started.

UK Copyright

First and most importantly, you should be aware that in nearly all cases, copyright will be with the artist or photographer, regardless of who owns the actual piece of work. There are of course some exceptions to the rules and you can find out more here.

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 is the main statute that governs copyright law in the UK and you can find the full act on the UK Intellectual Property Office website. Copyright will tend to last for the whole of the artist or photographers lifetime, plus an additional 70 years on top of that. It is also worth noting too that if you have a third party photograph or scan your artwork for reproduction purposes, they will then hold the copyright for that digital file.

Reproduction Rights

With you holding the copyright of your work, this means no other individual can reproduce your work in the same or any other format including promotional items such as mugs or greetings cards. Individuals can seek your permission to use your work and reproduce this in different formats but we would recommend explicit, written consent for this supplemented by a formal arrangement with a contract. Any sales of your copyright must be done so in writing to make them legal and withstanding. When looking at the possibilities of reproduction pieces, it may best suit you as the artist or photographer to sell on reproduction rights and this will allow you to maintain the original copyright but still sell on further licence agreements.

Artists Resale Rights (ARR)

There is a wealth of information available online regarding the specific rights of artists and this includes the Artists Resale Rights (ARR). This entitles creators of original works of art to a royalty each time one of their works is resold through an auction house or art market professional. To find out more information about the rules and exclusions, visit the ARR section of the gov.uk website.

For further information, contact details for the Intellectual Property Office are available here. Alternatively, if you are having an issue with your copyright, contact a solicitor who specialises in the industry.

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

Why you should keep records….

Are you a self-employed artist or photographer? If so, you should understand how vital to your business accurate record keeping is. Record keeping is one of those things that can be fairly time consuming and monotonous, however, by setting aside a little time each week, it can really help in the future and save you a lot of work all in one go!

What should you keep records of?

Ideally there are three main things that you should keep up to date and safe;

  1. Your artwork
  2. Financial Transactions including sales
  3. Customer details and a client list

Artwork

We are all guilty of it… saving digital files under any old name. However, this can cause a nightmare when you know you have a file but you are shifting through hundreds or perhaps thousands to find one image you needed to send over to potential client 10-minutes ago! To save yourself this potential time consuming problem, you should name files accordingly. Set up your own system that you can stick to and use each and every time you save a new piece of artwork. It is always a good idea to include the date too, perhaps just the month and year and the title of the piece for example, something simple such as ‘January2020_ArtworkName‘ would suffice. By naming your files accordingly, this can also assist when discussing them with someone else, to ensure you are both discussing the same piece of work. It would then be useful to record these file names in an individual spreadsheet too so you can record your sales against this.

Financial Transactions

By recording all of your income and expenses, you will be saving yourself a lot of time and stress, particularly at this time of year when the dreaded self-assessment return date approaches! Of course, you should be doing this already, however, if you feel like you need help with this, perhaps contact a local bookkeeper or accountant.

Not only does recording financial transactions make it more convenient when it comes to submitting your tax return, it can also give an insight into your business which you may not have noticed. By recording all of your expenses you can check where you are spending your money. Perhaps you’ve purchased a lot of material recently, by checking records you can identify this and it may help you assess where you can save some costs. On the other hand you should also record your sales and other income. This can assist in identifying best sellers – and the worst sellers, which can then be a great tool when developing your work (although of course, trends and preferences change). Obviously, recording sales is also identifying any income you are making which is most likely the main outcome of your business!

By record keeping your financial transactions it can also help with your cashflow forecasting and setting prices of your artwork or photography.

Customers and clients

You should record all those that you come across. This includes customers and suppliers. Do you have a massive pile of business cards hanging around that you don’t know what to do with? Why not set up a simple spreadsheet and record those that may be interested stakeholders. By noting details next to each person, for example, where you met them, what you discussed or how they could benefit you and your business, you will be making your life much easier long term. By jotting this information down and storing it somewhere safe you can immediately remove this information from your head and focus on something else! This can be a daunting task if you have a large amount of information to record but by setting aside a little time each week, you’ll really notice how easy it can be!

Do you have anything else you think is important to keep a record of when it comes to your photography or art business? Let us know, we would love to hear from you!

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

12 Fine Art Papers of Christmas

Did you see our 12 days of fine art paper posts over Christmas on Instagram or Facebook? If you missed them, head on over and take a look! We’ve also listed our top 12 papers here for you to check out, featuring Hahnemühle, Canson Infinity and St Cuthberts Mill…

1. Hahnemühle PhotoRag Bright White 310sm

Hahnemühle Bright White Paper Texture - The Artists Print RoomOn the first day we have a customer favourite, the Hahnemühle PhotoRag Bright White. This paper is based on the well-known PhotoRag 308gsm, however, it has a stronger white tone which can really make your images pop! Also a great choice for black and white photography

2. Canson Infinity Platine Fibre Rag 310sgm

Canson Infinity Platine Fibre Rag Paper Texture - The Artists Print RoomOnto day 2 and we have the Canson Infinity Platine Fibre Rag 310gsm. This fine art paper is 100% cotton with no optial brighteners added so your prints will truly last. The microporous coating of this paper gives a wonder satin finish to your artwork or photography

3. Hahnemühle Agave 290gsm

On day 3 we have the Hahnemühle Agave which forms part of their Hahnemühle Agave Paper Texture - The Artists Print RoomNatural Line of papers. This paper is made from 70% agave fibres and 30% cotton rag making it a sustainable choice for your fine art #photographic or #artreproductions. The fibres of this paper give a stunning natural white tone which adds great definition to your work.

4. Hahnemühle PhotoRag Satin 310gsm

Another Hahnemühle paper is featured on day 4! The PhotoRag Satin is Hahnemühle PhotoRag Satin Paper Texture - The Artists Print Roomanother adaptation of the famous PhotoRag 308gsm. However, this paper has a subtle satin finish which can really add something extra special to your work. This paper provides a lovely smooth surface in addition to a natural white tone.

5. Canson Infinity Museum ProCanvas 385gsm

On day 5 we have a canvas! The Canson Infinity Museum ProCanvas is the Canson Infinity Museum ProCanvas Texture - The Artists Print Roomperfect choice if you are looking for canvas wraps to be produced. Just check out that incredible texture that this substrate can give you! Other benefits of this canvas include water resistance and it’s made from 100% cotton!

6. St Cuthberts Mill Somerset Enhanced White 330gsm

St Cuthberts Mill Somerset Enhanced Paper Texture - The Artists Print RoomDay 6 features a St Cuthberts Mill paper. The Somerset Enhanced White 330gsm has an outstanding heritage. In addition to this, not only is it 100% cotton but it’s also acid free. The paper with its natural felt texture gives a fine art feel to any artwork reproduction or photography print.

7. Hahnemühle PhotoRag Metallic 340gsm

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Metallic Paper Texture - The Artists Print RoomOnto day number 7 and we have some shimmer! The Hahnemühle PhotoRag Metallic 340gsm is one of their more recent papers. The specially formulated coating to this PhotoRag paper gives a shimmer to your fine art print, guaranteed to attract attention! This fine art paper is most suitable for prints that won’t be behind glass so you can benefit from it’s finish.

8. Canson Infinity Arches Aquarelle Rag 310gsm

Back to Canson Infinity on day 8. The Arches Aquarelle Rag 310gsm has anCanson Infinity Arches Aquarelle Rag Paper Texture - The Artists Print Room outstanding texture. Perhaps most popular for watercolour reproductions due to the texture, this fine art paper is 100% cotton and has a matt finish.

9. Hahnemühle Bamboo 290gsm

Hahnemühle Bamboo Paper Texture - The Artists Print RoomDay 9 features the Hahnemühle Bamboo which forms part of their new Natural Line of papers. An excellent choice for those that are keen on using more sustainable materials in their artwork and photography. This fine art paper has a warm natural tone and is produced with 90% bamboo fibres (which is fast growing when compared to other paper making materials) and 10% cotton.

10. Canson Infinity Rag Photographique 310sm

Fine art paper number 10! The Canson Infinity Rag Photographique Canson Infinity Rag Photographique Paper Texture - The Artists Print Room310gsm is another firm favourite with our customers. This fine art paper has a smooth white matte tone which is created by natual minerals being added during the production process. Not only is it a brilliant choice for artwork reproductions but it can be used for traditional printmaking too!

11. Hahnemühle PhotoRag Baryta 315gsm

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Baryta Paper Texture - The Artists Print RoomWe are nearly at the end! But on day 11 we have the Hahnemühle PhotoRag Baryta. This paper has a high gloss coating which can really add contrast to your prints particularly if they are in black and white. A great alternative to traditional baryta paper used in photography.

12. Hahnemühle William Turner 310gsm

On day 12, last but no means least… the Hahnemühle William Turner Hahnemühle William Turner Paper Texture - The Artists Print Room310gsm. The texture on this paper speaks for itself!  If you’re looking for a heavily textured, matte paper, this is your perfect option!

You can always check out the other papers we offer too on our papers and canvas page. Which one is your favourite?

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!

How to sell your artwork or photography – Part 1

Following on from our last blog post; how to price your artwork, how do you actually go about selling artwork online?

Selling Artwork Online

As an artist or a photographer, there are many ways to sell art online. Many decide to sell through third parties, however, there are a number of steps you can take to sell directly and take back some control of your work. Here we will give you our tips and advice on how to get started and what you can do to increase awareness of your work by selling directly.

Website

One of the most important things you should have is your own website. A website is your little unique space on the internet and provides the best place to showcase your work in a way you want to. Creating a website can be a daunting thought, however, there are many online platforms and packages (such as Wix, or Weebly) which provide an easy step-by-step website builder which makes the process straight forward for even the biggest technophobe! Furthermore, websites are relatively inexpensive to build and run. If you’re still feeling slightly worried about undertaking this work yourself, you can always outsource and have a professional create a website on your behalf. It is well worth the investment and you can then run and maintain from there or have your web expert do this on your behalf.

Having a website provides an opportunity for potential customers to see your work easily from their own home whilst giving you full control about the message and image you want to portray. It can also the best opportunity for your personality to shine and for potential customers to learn more about you and your work. It is also a very good idea to give information on your style and how you work (include photographs of ‘behind the scenes’ too!) People like to learn more about who has created the piece and the stories behind the work but keep it simple at the same time to not overwhelm them!

Things To Consider

There are a few very important factors to consider with your website to create the best experience and get the best engagement from your prospective purchasers:

Images

Ensure your images are of a high quality and show the full piece of work you’re selling. If someone is considering a purchase, they like to be able to see in full detail what they are looking at and hopefully buying. If you feel necessary and are concerned about people stealing your images, include a watermark.

Your images also need to load quickly, a slow running website puts people off there are various ways of ensuring this – speak to your website developer and highlight this point. Furthermore, websites are seen more favourable by search engines, such as Google, if they run quickly.

written content

Ensure your spelling and grammar is correct throughout! This helps build trust and again, doesn’t put people off. Ask a friend or family member to read through your work before publishing online, bribe them with a cup of tea and a piece of cake if necessary! It’s very easy to miss spelling mistakes when you’ve been working on a written piece.

Research

Check out your competition! Take a look at other artist and photographer websites, what are they doing well or not so well? Pick out the things you see they aren’t doing so well and implement them yourself but better! It’s well worth spending a fair bit of time doing some market research to understand what you are up against to really improve your chances of selling your art online.

regular updates

Update your site regularly -perhaps through blogging online. Let people know what you are working on or how you work. It helps build a great connection and relationship between yourself and potential customers.

payment options

If you want to sell directly through your website, ensure you have a web package which offers an online shop and can take payments. PayPal is a great and simple to use platform for processing payments when selling art online. Paypal also offers some protection for sellers and buyers online. Find out more about PayPal and their business services on their website.

social media

Set up social media accounts for your work. Ensure you link your website to these social media accounts. Again, it’s a great and simple tool for ensuring search engines pick up your website and helps you reach a bigger audience of potential customers.

So there are our top tips when it comes to selling your artwork online. Do you have any top tips to share with us that we may have missed? What do you find works best for you? Share your thoughts and ideas with us on Facebook and Instagram!

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and a member of the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artists Print Room – just complete the form below.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram too!