Is giclée printing right for you?
If you are an artist trying to increase income it is hard not to look at the
opportunity to make more sales by selling reproductions. The fact is, if you are
selling your original artwork and have many people loving and complimenting you
on your images, the answer is a resounding yes.
Case in question. I was at an artist' s show at a local gallery: beautiful work
but expensive. The paintings, all landscapes of Italy, France and the US were
mostly over $1,000. The painter offered giclées at about 1/5th to 1/10th of the
price of the original. He sold about 3 originals and around 20 giclées while I
was there. He made the decision to cater to different budgets and expanded his
customer base.
On the other hand I am uneasy to recommend giclées to anyone who has not tested
the market for their work. Try first to create interest in you art. Have shows.
Listen to people by talking to them and even "spying" by gathering reactions
while they view your work. If you have family and friends have them stay at the
viewings "incognito" to collect more information. Not many people will say in
front of you: "I LOVE your work but it is too expensive". They are afraid to
offend the artist. A comment such as this is a very good telltale sign that a
limited edition signed print will sell.
Finally, if you decide it is time, find a giclée printing company with low
startup costs. I see companies charging a set up fee even if a digital image is
provided. Nothing wrong with this but I have always thought that the price of
color correcting and setting up something already in digital format should not
be charged to the client.
Other companies call "set up fee" the cost of scanning and color correcting
original art. This is a common and justified practice because of the price of
the hardware involved and the time spent to capture the image.
Try to stay away from printer' s contracts which bind you and your art. They may
be a cheap way to start giclée printing but it may affect your wallet in the
long run. These "printer contracts" essentially tie the artist into allowing the
printer to sell some of the artwork. It may seem a good deal but what happens is
that you are giving control to someone else in exchange for a discount. The
third party can do whatever they deem fit to market the giclees, including
lowering the price and going to places the artist may not find fit to show. If
you are a digital artist, a photographer or a traditional artist with ready to
print files, a high quality direct inkjet print
service that does not charge set up fees is the most financially sound
choice. Be advised though that if you need a printer who will adjust color and
possibly manipulate files before printing, you will need a full service company.
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