Selling prints

hoghead · September 6, 2009

4038.1 I've rented some wall space in an antique shop that just started to show artwork. Most of my sales has been selling prints off my website online, www.hogwildphotography.com. My question is how much should I expect to spend on framing to make these prints show worthy? I don't want to spend so much that I have to overprice my work in order to cover cost but I want them to look professional. And do they have to be matted or will just a nice frame do? Will foambord be acceptable? Any and all advice will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Skibo

Cygnus Studios · September 6, 2009

One thing that I have found is that most people will buy the same image unframed before framed. The problem is that people tend to see the frame and determine if that frame works in their house. Even if offered for sale without the frame, most people will not think about how it looks without that frame.

What works best for me is matted images with empty frames/or frame corners placed near by for reference. Prices are offered for unframed and framed prints.

If you are going to frame them, stick with standard black frames.

Blaker · September 6, 2009

hoghead wrote:

4038.1 I've rented some wall space in an antique shop that just started to show artwork. Most of my sales has been selling prints off my website online, www.hogwildphotography.com. My question is how much should I expect to spend on framing to make these prints show worthy? I don't want to spend so much that I have to overprice my work in order to cover cost but I want them to look professional. And do they have to be matted or will just a nice frame do? Will foambord be acceptable? Any and all advice will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Skibo

If you've rented wall space, your photos should be matted and framed. Frame Destinations is a mail order place where you can buy frame kits that include everything you need to frame and hang your photo at a very reasonable price- check out their website.

hoghead · September 6, 2009

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I may do some both ways and see what works best.

fredjclaus · September 7, 2009

I recently had a conversation with a professional picture framer about doing the same thing. She told me two things.

1. Most people buy the print because they like the print. They don't really care about the frame. In most cases they will take the picture out of the frame and put it in one that better fits the room they will be desplaying the print in.

2. After learning about the #1 she told me if I was going to frame my work, to just buy standard black wooden frames to display them in. Black is universal and cheap. You will look professional with the black frame and some people may keep the frame. You are selling your images, not the frames.

She also suggested I take a look at a company called www.clearbags.com This site offers in their "photo Storage" section protective bags for prints. She said you can eithe mat them, or not. Just place the print and a stiff piece of cardboard in the bag and seal it. They have resealable flaps so if the client wants to open it up and pull the picture out, it can be placed back in the bag and closed up again. I find many artists in the craft show world that use these.

I hope the conversation has helped you in a way. Let me know if you have more questions. I am on good terms with this lady and can have any question answered for you.

Blaker · September 7, 2009

fredjclaus wrote:

I recently had a conversation with a professional picture framer about doing the same thing. She told me two things.

1. Most people buy the print because they like the print. They don't really care about the frame. In most cases they will take the picture out of the frame and put it in one that better fits the room they will be desplaying the print in.

2. After learning about the #1 she told me if I was going to frame my work, to just buy standard black wooden frames to display them in. Black is universal and cheap. You will look professional with the black frame and some people may keep the frame. You are selling your images, not the frames.

She also suggested I take a look at a company called www.clearbags.com This site offers in their "photo Storage" section protective bags for prints. She said you can eithe mat them, or not. Just place the print and a stiff piece of cardboard in the bag and seal it. They have resealable flaps so if the client wants to open it up and pull the picture out, it can be placed back in the bag and closed up again. I find many artists in the craft show world that use these.

I hope the conversation has helped you in a way. Let me know if you have more questions. I am on good terms with this lady and can have any question answered for you.

Firstly, the OP said he is renting * wall space *, which I think means he has space on the actual wall of the shop. If you are going to hang your photos, they must be matted and framed. This will give his work a professionally finished appearance, and the OP can choose an appropriate matt and frame to best complement the photo he is selling.
An archival white /off white matt cut in the right proportion with a plain black frame would work well in this situation, and if all of the prints were framed in this way it would present a pleasingly cohesive display of his work.

I think it is a bad idea to just bag an unmatted print for sale. It doesn't look professional, and I don't know many people who will buy just the print and then go to all the trouble of finding an appropriate matt and frame and having to make the time and effort to get it matted and framed.

If the OP has space for a bin, then he should at the very least matt the photos with archival matts and backing, and then protect them in the Clearbags.

The proper presentation of your art goes a long way.

Cygnus Studios · September 9, 2009

Blaker wrote:

Firstly, the OP said he is renting * wall space *, which I think means he has space on the actual wall of the shop. If you are going to hang your photos, they must be matted and framed. This will give his work a professionally finished appearance, and the OP can choose an appropriate matt and frame to best complement the photo he is selling.
An archival white /off white matt cut in the right proportion with a plain black frame would work well in this situation, and if all of the prints were framed in this way it would present a pleasingly cohesive display of his work.

I think it is a bad idea to just bag an unmatted print for sale. It doesn't look professional, and I don't know many people who will buy just the print and then go to all the trouble of finding an appropriate matt and frame and having to make the time and effort to get it matted and framed.

If the OP has space for a bin, then he should at the very least matt the photos with archival matts and backing, and then protect them in the Clearbags.

The proper presentation of your art goes a long way.

While I agree with your notion of presentation, I have found that it doesn't work. The presentation is for the artist not the consumer. They want what works in their house. Adding $70 + for a frame that more than likely the consumer will not want only causes less sales.

Now, I always mat the image, but have given up completely on framed images unless the gallery specifically mandates it.
For 2009 I have sold hundreds of prints, and the ratio is almost 70 to 1 when it comes to unframed versus framed. I have placed the exact same image side by side and sold the unframed over the framed.

Blaker · September 9, 2009

Cygnus Studios wrote:

While I agree with your notion of presentation, I have found that it doesn't work. The presentation is for the artist not the consumer. They want what works in their house. Adding $70 + for a frame that more than likely the consumer will not want only causes less sales.

Now, I always mat the image, but have given up completely on framed images unless the gallery specifically mandates it.
For 2009 I have sold hundreds of prints, and the ratio is almost 70 to 1 when it comes to unframed versus framed. I have placed the exact same image side by side and sold the unframed over the framed.

How do you hang unframed, unmatted prints on a wall?

angevin1 · September 10, 2009

Blaker wrote:

How do you hang unframed, unmatted prints on a wall?

3M my friend, 3M~ and it don't take much of the good stuff. 1/2 inch for an 11x14 matted and bagged onto drywall.

Cygnus Studios · September 11, 2009

angevin1 wrote:

3M my friend, 3M~ and it don't take much of the good stuff. 1/2 inch for an 11x14 matted and bagged onto drywall.

Exactly! Works beautifully.

Mohamed.Ghuloom · September 14, 2009

Why don't you use the Giclee Canvas board on smugmug itself?

Selling prints

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