Selling Art/Prints to Galleries & Gift Shops
Discussion
Good Morning,
My younger sister is fairly handy with pencils, paints etc and has developed a range of Animal drawings that we hope to retail in Galleries and Gift shops.
Does anybody have any experience in said field, as I dont...
So far she has only sold original work and this has always been on sale or return basis with the gallery wanting 40-50%. However we are now looking to sell prints in much higher volume... One of the shops who currently displays original work is happy to also sell prints to increase their range, but wants this stuff sale or return too - but obviously we want them to buy stock...
Also not sure whether we limit the prints to X amount of pieces...
Thanks in advance..
My younger sister is fairly handy with pencils, paints etc and has developed a range of Animal drawings that we hope to retail in Galleries and Gift shops.
Does anybody have any experience in said field, as I dont...
So far she has only sold original work and this has always been on sale or return basis with the gallery wanting 40-50%. However we are now looking to sell prints in much higher volume... One of the shops who currently displays original work is happy to also sell prints to increase their range, but wants this stuff sale or return too - but obviously we want them to buy stock...
Also not sure whether we limit the prints to X amount of pieces...
Thanks in advance..
Have you looked at Artfinder? (www.artfinder.co.uk) - it is a good on-line gallery selling artist's work across multiple media types and there's plenty of both original and prints. I've purchased a fair amount via the site and, obviously speaking only from personal preference, one of a kind or at best limited editions are more interesting...
If you want to sell to retailers then you are going to have to at least match the deals they are getting from other suppliers. What is the standard markup for such items?
If you don't already know, you need to find out. Once you know that, you will then need to know what credit terms they get. Armed with that info you will then know what you need to do to offer them to compete, and can have a think about whether it's worth bothering with at all.
She might do better offering to paint pet portraits. It's something my wife (who specialises in cats) is thinking about too, although she doesn't really want to be in the position of not choosing her own subjects.
If you don't already know, you need to find out. Once you know that, you will then need to know what credit terms they get. Armed with that info you will then know what you need to do to offer them to compete, and can have a think about whether it's worth bothering with at all.
She might do better offering to paint pet portraits. It's something my wife (who specialises in cats) is thinking about too, although she doesn't really want to be in the position of not choosing her own subjects.
Edited by singlecoil on Monday 20th March 22:17
singlecoil said:
If you want to sell to retailers then you are going to have to at least match the deals they are getting from other suppliers. What is the standard markup for such items?
If you don't already know, you need to find out. Once you know that, you will then need to know what credit terms they get. Armed with that info you will then know what you need to do to offer them to compete, and can have a think about whether it's worth bothering with at all.
She might do better offering to paint pet portraits. It's something my wife (who specialises in cats) is thinking about too, although she doesn't really want to be in the position of not choosing her own subjects.
She already does this and has done for a while... it's a good earner but you can only sell each piece once (and there are a lot of people doing it). We're aiming to sell a range of product that can provide a base income and then top this up with commissions.If you don't already know, you need to find out. Once you know that, you will then need to know what credit terms they get. Armed with that info you will then know what you need to do to offer them to compete, and can have a think about whether it's worth bothering with at all.
She might do better offering to paint pet portraits. It's something my wife (who specialises in cats) is thinking about too, although she doesn't really want to be in the position of not choosing her own subjects.
Edited by singlecoil on Monday 20th March 22:17
My partner does ceramics which she sells via / to galleries, as well as direct at craft fairs. Those margins are about what she pays. She is starting to get s few that buy up front though and prioritise supplying them. Getting 100% selling at fairs feels nice but all the stress and sitting around means your hourly rate is not that different, at least for us.
She's done a few decent trade fairs now which always results in bringing a few more galleries on.
She's done a few decent trade fairs now which always results in bringing a few more galleries on.
I know nothing about the sales side of this area, but I'd suggest that she makes her prints more saleable by offering them mounted so that they'll fit common ready-made frame sizes such as A4, 40 x 50cm etc. If she adds a little sticker to the plastic wrapping pointing out which size frame the print fits it might encourage people to buy it as they'll know they won't have to have it custom framed at greater cost. The shop or gallery may sell suitable frames in which case everyone wins.
Not sure what style her drawings are, but the following may give her some inspiration of ideas of things to do with prints http://www.wrendaledesigns.co.uk/
A range of gift cards being a good place to expand to as well as selling prints - As you say, you can only sell an original once but options almost endless for slapping the print onto items!
A range of gift cards being a good place to expand to as well as selling prints - As you say, you can only sell an original once but options almost endless for slapping the print onto items!
Timja said:
Not sure what style her drawings are, but the following may give her some inspiration of ideas of things to do with prints http://www.wrendaledesigns.co.uk/
A range of gift cards being a good place to expand to as well as selling prints - As you say, you can only sell an original once but options almost endless for slapping the print onto items!
Ive spent much of the last couple weeks on that website and my wife actually has the house kitted out with the stuff. But yes, they have done a very good job... Her drawings are similar in that they feature animals but are slightly more arty and not so classic..A range of gift cards being a good place to expand to as well as selling prints - As you say, you can only sell an original once but options almost endless for slapping the print onto items!
I used to sell my photography, and would recommend going down the art\craft market route. If you can get work sold in shops or galleries they'll usually want anywhere between 40-60% commission\mark-up so it really knocks back your takings, plus most will only have a slowish turnover.
The markets are hugely variable depending on weather if outdoor and venue, even week\month to month. I know a lot of people selling various art\craft things, all top quality and we all have the same experiences. At a big market you might take nothing, but at a small one off minor venue end up selling £1000 worth. Market pitches tend to go from anywhere from £20 to £80. Closer to Xmas always better but you usually have to be booked by early summer and often won't get onto a Christmas art markets as a new trader, you'd have to do some of the quieter months first.Takings I've experienced from £0 to £500 a day so you're never going to get rich.
Facebook\Instagram can work and getting exhibitions at places is great to spread your name.
Use IKEA frames all the way, nothing close at the price and easily changed, as whatever you use customers will want something different!
The markets are hugely variable depending on weather if outdoor and venue, even week\month to month. I know a lot of people selling various art\craft things, all top quality and we all have the same experiences. At a big market you might take nothing, but at a small one off minor venue end up selling £1000 worth. Market pitches tend to go from anywhere from £20 to £80. Closer to Xmas always better but you usually have to be booked by early summer and often won't get onto a Christmas art markets as a new trader, you'd have to do some of the quieter months first.Takings I've experienced from £0 to £500 a day so you're never going to get rich.
Facebook\Instagram can work and getting exhibitions at places is great to spread your name.
Use IKEA frames all the way, nothing close at the price and easily changed, as whatever you use customers will want something different!
^^^ Yeah very variable on the markets, we've done 4 day extravaganzas at £600 for the stall and barely broken even, then done little half day £25 ones a few miles from home and made £300 in a morning. You spend the first year or two just finding out which ones work for you. The really good ones tend to pick and choose who they give stalls to.
raddog said:
I used to sell my photography, and would recommend going down the art\craft market route. If you can get work sold in shops or galleries they'll usually want anywhere between 40-60% commission\mark-up so it really knocks back your takings, plus most will only have a slowish turnover.
The markets are hugely variable depending on weather if outdoor and venue, even week\month to month. I know a lot of people selling various art\craft things, all top quality and we all have the same experiences. At a big market you might take nothing, but at a small one off minor venue end up selling £1000 worth. Market pitches tend to go from anywhere from £20 to £80. Closer to Xmas always better but you usually have to be booked by early summer and often won't get onto a Christmas art markets as a new trader, you'd have to do some of the quieter months first.Takings I've experienced from £0 to £500 a day so you're never going to get rich.
Facebook\Instagram can work and getting exhibitions at places is great to spread your name.
Use IKEA frames all the way, nothing close at the price and easily changed, as whatever you use customers will want something different!
Thanks for your response, been thinking about markets and might go talk to the gaff of the local one soon...The markets are hugely variable depending on weather if outdoor and venue, even week\month to month. I know a lot of people selling various art\craft things, all top quality and we all have the same experiences. At a big market you might take nothing, but at a small one off minor venue end up selling £1000 worth. Market pitches tend to go from anywhere from £20 to £80. Closer to Xmas always better but you usually have to be booked by early summer and often won't get onto a Christmas art markets as a new trader, you'd have to do some of the quieter months first.Takings I've experienced from £0 to £500 a day so you're never going to get rich.
Facebook\Instagram can work and getting exhibitions at places is great to spread your name.
Use IKEA frames all the way, nothing close at the price and easily changed, as whatever you use customers will want something different!
Ikea frames - yes that's what she has been using for all the commissions, can't go wrong with them.
I've done this with high volume prints. It has to be very worthwile for the retailer as there are many options for them. If you would usually sell prints for, say, £100, the retailer is going to offer you maybe £40 at best, probably nearer £30. If they sell at £100 they'll need to deduct VAT and make a decent profit from the sale to account for displaying and pronoting your work and the not inconsiderable cost of the retail space your work is occupying, as well as covering an element of staff wages, rent, rates etc. If it doesn't sell volume it's not worth it.
We had lots of artists and photographers wanting us to take 10% of the sale price but the numbers just don't stack up. If we did offer to sell prints for an artist we wouldn't usually buy stock until we were sure we'd sell loads of them so we'd display the product and pay a commission per sale. If the volume of sales is high then the rewards can be good but it's rare for specialist prints to sell in high volumes.
If you think the work is commercially viable why not look into your own retail space. The costs will shock you but it can work.
We had lots of artists and photographers wanting us to take 10% of the sale price but the numbers just don't stack up. If we did offer to sell prints for an artist we wouldn't usually buy stock until we were sure we'd sell loads of them so we'd display the product and pay a commission per sale. If the volume of sales is high then the rewards can be good but it's rare for specialist prints to sell in high volumes.
If you think the work is commercially viable why not look into your own retail space. The costs will shock you but it can work.
Gassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff