How we choose the winner:
Well I had to come up with an really awesome way to choose the winner. So here is how we did it.
1..Each entries name was written on a piece of paper.
2.Then each paper was folded into indentical squares.
3.Then after getting Nika's attention and telling her to pick a winner for us. She in very excited fashion watched as I threw the papers on the floor where she hopped down and picked the one at random, and after careful consideration, that she wanted. Of course I had a bit of a struggle getting it away from her to see the name. She is now batting that very paper all around the studio and hall. She is a cat that really likes to play with paper.
So the winner is:
Assemblagequeen!
Congraulations!
Remember you have until March 25th 2010 to use your miniature pet portrait. Contact me through convo in etsy please.
Everyone have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving! Thanks for participating!
~Linda
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, November 02, 2009
My Very First Giveaway! Details below
My Very First Thanksgiving
Game and Give Away!
And This is perfect timing too because Christmas is just around the corner.
This is very exciting!
All you have to do to qualify is play the game.
You will automatically have your name entered in a drawing.
The Winner of the drawing receives a
Miniature Pet Portrait Watercolor Quick Study
of the Pet of your choice.
*****
How to Qualify:
Step 1. Go to my facebook page: Linda L.Martin Affordable Animal Portraits and Art.
Step 2. Read the Description for the 11in by 8.5in Etsy Prints for November and find the 2 misspelled words in the text.
Step 3. When you have found the 2 misspelled words in the "Etsy Prints for Novermber" post then go to my etsy store: http://LindaLMartinArtist.etsy.com Convo me the 2 words.
Step 4.Your name will automatically be entered into the drawing for a free 2.5 by 3.5 inch Quick Study Watercolor Pet Portrait.*
*****
November 1 through November 21. 2009 Midnight Pacific
**Drawing will be made on Wednesday November 25th
Rembember to read the directions carefully and follow them to the letter, or you will be disquallified from the Game.(You can try as manytimes as you like in order to qualify, but only one entry per person will be in the drawing.)
Winner will be announced on:
SunnyMondays.blogspot.com,
Directly to the Winner through ETSY convo.
Discount Only applies to items and conditions listed above for this Game. *The winner must use the Pet Portrait By February 25th, 2010 or the offer becomes null and void.
"This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to LindaLMartinArtist and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for this game and for possible other promotions in the future and will not be shared or sold to outside parties."
Any Question Can be directed to me via contact@llmartin.com
Office will be closed for Thanksgiving from Wednesday Nov25th through Friday Nov28th
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Finding our Market in Etsy: Whether we want it or not Change is what We Have
Finding our Market in Etsy or anyplace else for that matter.
Whether we want it or not, Change is what We Have.
I know how much the market has changed just since February 2009. The truth is people are being very careful how they spend their money. They are buying not out of surplus, like they were two years ago, but out of what they actually need. Those who have taken the handmade pledge understand that not only are people looking for something unique but something that will fill a void.
My problem is: how can I possibly sell a $100+ miniature for $5. The choice is: do you devalue your original work? Sell prints? or just change mediums until you find a way to feed the shrinking demand. Or do you box up all of your ACEO's and put them away until the economy gets better?
This morning I read something on Twitter that hit home: "I find what the general population needs and then I make it."~Henry Ford
The key to our success is not going to be giving up on what we are good at, but it will be finding a better purpose and diversifying our lines of products so they actually meet a need. (I’m still searching that out myself.) One of the greatest things about Etsy is this whole idea of repurposing. Of course I’m always shocked when somebody comes on here and spends 2 minutes sewing a little material puff ball then attaching it to a bobby pin and makes 100 sales in two months( saw that last night on Etsy too)
That same seller might double her sales if she
1. is using old goods she is recycling for the product and
2. is selling for a cause (and I mean a popular cause).
3. And by promoting that in key words she wins the search engine roulette and might even make it to the first page.
So what are we doing this for? To make a living? put our kids or our self through school? to meet a need of someone else? Because we are greedy capitalists? Surely not the last (especially if you saw my electric bill last month.) For most of us this isn’t a hobby. Its a desire to be self-sufficient and to create, then share that creation with someone else. This for us is a way of life.
Its so easy to know what our own needs are but one of the keys is going to be finding our market and meeting the needs those buyers have. Im not going to make suggestions as to how to change anyone's direction. I think we each need to search it out ourselves.
It might be that the answer is not in the format but in the subject of our art. If you paint flowers.. search flower in “All items” on Etsy and see what comes up. Or go in a different direction if the market is saturated with little tiny art work maybe someone should come up with an idea to sell display or decorating ideas for those tiny works of art. ( you ever try to find frames for a ATC/ACEO?)
I can give you two clues right up front. Whatever we do
Our items have to be well done and Our items have to be unique.
On ETSY average usually does not sell well.
ETSY is probably never going to be the ultimate selling venue for everyone. However ETSY is an important tool in getting a well thought out program of salesmanship, craftsmanship and "needs met sales" in places to sustain us, enrich other people’s lives and in my case, I hope what I do blesses people too.
We should never put all our eggs in one basket, either with what we sell or where we sell. It’s too co-dependent and doesn’t give us enough options in case one or the other has slow sales for some reason.
Personally, I’m in a state of change. I’m even questioning my own ability to make good art, not because of the economy, but because of the stress it causes in not knowing what kind of income will be available in the next day, week, or month. Its distracting and crushes the creative spirit. Lets face it disaster is immediate but living after the disaster is moment by moment. We all feel it but we are doing our best to adjust to it.
I am inspired by what I see in the trends and the focus of young crafts people coming up. But I also realize that I must change my own perspective to adapt. What people wanted last year is so different. We will succeed if we figure it out. Search it out, Pray about it, read some good Etsy or online marketing books that show you how others adapted and succeeded. Don’t give up on what you do, repurpose it to meet a need no one else has even though of. But be frugal about your change. Don’t just throw everything you have behind a new idea.. Add to what you already have little by little. Sometimes its going to mean stopping what you are doing and taking a good look at what everyone else is up to that works.
Actually, I think we have to be patient and proactive and very flexible. We each have to make that choice though. Its easy to rush in head long and do the wrong thing that puts our self out of business. Its harder to be patient, but flexibility is the hardest because it makes us put aside our ego. The challenge is to have victory, not only over our situation, but over our preconceived notions as well.
Yes we can! We can make Etsy and our other combined business avenues work for us. But our philosophy might have to adapt to the times. Hang on Ladies this is going to be a wild ride!
Whether we want it or not, Change is what We Have.
I know how much the market has changed just since February 2009. The truth is people are being very careful how they spend their money. They are buying not out of surplus, like they were two years ago, but out of what they actually need. Those who have taken the handmade pledge understand that not only are people looking for something unique but something that will fill a void.
My problem is: how can I possibly sell a $100+ miniature for $5. The choice is: do you devalue your original work? Sell prints? or just change mediums until you find a way to feed the shrinking demand. Or do you box up all of your ACEO's and put them away until the economy gets better?
This morning I read something on Twitter that hit home: "I find what the general population needs and then I make it."~Henry Ford
The key to our success is not going to be giving up on what we are good at, but it will be finding a better purpose and diversifying our lines of products so they actually meet a need. (I’m still searching that out myself.) One of the greatest things about Etsy is this whole idea of repurposing. Of course I’m always shocked when somebody comes on here and spends 2 minutes sewing a little material puff ball then attaching it to a bobby pin and makes 100 sales in two months( saw that last night on Etsy too)
That same seller might double her sales if she
1. is using old goods she is recycling for the product and
2. is selling for a cause (and I mean a popular cause).
3. And by promoting that in key words she wins the search engine roulette and might even make it to the first page.
So what are we doing this for? To make a living? put our kids or our self through school? to meet a need of someone else? Because we are greedy capitalists? Surely not the last (especially if you saw my electric bill last month.) For most of us this isn’t a hobby. Its a desire to be self-sufficient and to create, then share that creation with someone else. This for us is a way of life.
Its so easy to know what our own needs are but one of the keys is going to be finding our market and meeting the needs those buyers have. Im not going to make suggestions as to how to change anyone's direction. I think we each need to search it out ourselves.
It might be that the answer is not in the format but in the subject of our art. If you paint flowers.. search flower in “All items” on Etsy and see what comes up. Or go in a different direction if the market is saturated with little tiny art work maybe someone should come up with an idea to sell display or decorating ideas for those tiny works of art. ( you ever try to find frames for a ATC/ACEO?)
I can give you two clues right up front. Whatever we do
Our items have to be well done and Our items have to be unique.
On ETSY average usually does not sell well.
ETSY is probably never going to be the ultimate selling venue for everyone. However ETSY is an important tool in getting a well thought out program of salesmanship, craftsmanship and "needs met sales" in places to sustain us, enrich other people’s lives and in my case, I hope what I do blesses people too.
We should never put all our eggs in one basket, either with what we sell or where we sell. It’s too co-dependent and doesn’t give us enough options in case one or the other has slow sales for some reason.
Personally, I’m in a state of change. I’m even questioning my own ability to make good art, not because of the economy, but because of the stress it causes in not knowing what kind of income will be available in the next day, week, or month. Its distracting and crushes the creative spirit. Lets face it disaster is immediate but living after the disaster is moment by moment. We all feel it but we are doing our best to adjust to it.
I am inspired by what I see in the trends and the focus of young crafts people coming up. But I also realize that I must change my own perspective to adapt. What people wanted last year is so different. We will succeed if we figure it out. Search it out, Pray about it, read some good Etsy or online marketing books that show you how others adapted and succeeded. Don’t give up on what you do, repurpose it to meet a need no one else has even though of. But be frugal about your change. Don’t just throw everything you have behind a new idea.. Add to what you already have little by little. Sometimes its going to mean stopping what you are doing and taking a good look at what everyone else is up to that works.
Actually, I think we have to be patient and proactive and very flexible. We each have to make that choice though. Its easy to rush in head long and do the wrong thing that puts our self out of business. Its harder to be patient, but flexibility is the hardest because it makes us put aside our ego. The challenge is to have victory, not only over our situation, but over our preconceived notions as well.
Yes we can! We can make Etsy and our other combined business avenues work for us. But our philosophy might have to adapt to the times. Hang on Ladies this is going to be a wild ride!
Monday, September 07, 2009
Little Squirrel Came to Visit.. A teaching moment in my Backyard.
Well today was a lesson in life or death that I didn’t expect. And one with a very important lesson I never anticipated. This morning I was 
photographing the crochet hats I make. I thought I would try to sell some on etsy in My Wild Side store.
I actually did everything I was capable of and in my power to help that little squirrel. However, the little squirrel being a wild thing had free choice. And because there were certain barriers to our communication such as him, not knowing how to communicate with me and me not being fluent in squrriel. He didnt know that I was not abandoning him. Had he understood that I was coming back and bringing him what he needed, he would have waited. He made the decision to not wait on me to bring him what he need. And then he went looking in the wrong place at the right time and came to the wrong end.
In the coming years, maybe even days, some of us are going face some very difficult things. We might be in a position that we don’t have resources for food, companionship, housing, family, medical care. If we do not learn how to trust God when we have these things, we will become prey for those who would devour and enslave us.
Linda L Martin©2009 All electronic and world rights reserved.
photographing the crochet hats I make. I thought I would try to sell some on etsy in My Wild Side store.Part 1:
When I walked out the door on my deck I saw the old black and white cat sitting there. He is always out there someplace so I didn’t think too much of it. I noticed that all the bird baths were empty so I set my ph
oto equipment down and went back into the house and came out to fill up the bird bath I keep on the porch.
oto equipment down and went back into the house and came out to fill up the bird bath I keep on the porch. Then I set to work photographing the first hat. When I was setting up the second hat something brushed past my leg. I looked down thinking it was the cat but nothing was there. I looked around and that cat was sitting in the bushes at the fence line. So I thought I dropped a hat. I looked down under the table and sitting there looking at me was a little baby squirrel. 
I have seen them that small before. But I was concerned that he was a bit overly friendly and not fearful of me at all. He went over to the water. Then came over to me. Sometimes he would jump at me like he was playing with me. Then he would lay down on the deck and rest. We had a grand conversation. I wondered about his mother. This was her second litter this summer. She lived in the tree next to my deck. Sometimes she and her husband would leave me partially eaten walnuts on the deck rails.
I went into the house several times while he was there. I brought out a hand full of bird seed and put it there. He didn’t eat it. He just kept trying to get me to pick him up. I didn’t. He went 
over to the hose and would crawl in and out of it like he was playing. After a while finally he went over to the hose and started nursing it. That’s when I knew we were in trouble.
over to the hose and would crawl in and out of it like he was playing. After a while finally he went over to the hose and started nursing it. That’s when I knew we were in trouble.I told him to wait right there I would go get something for him to eat. I went in the house and since I haven’t a clue what baby squirrels eat, I thought maybe sugar water would be the safest until I could get him to a vet. When I came out of the house this time he had gone down off the deck and back to the tree. I put the plate down and slipped on my shoes. Instead of coming back to me he had given up on me as a food source and was considering his options. He could see the cat sitting there. He started over to the brush near the cat. The cat saw him. I shouted no . But the cat was being a cat. And by the time I got there it was too late. Bummer.
Part 2: The Lesson
So here is the lesson. In desperate times we search out help. We search out what we need to survive. Finally in the end we come to God. But the trouble is we get impatient. We want to take short cuts because we are afraid and desperate. We have no communication skills mostly because we haven’t been taught them.
I have a feeling that that little squirrel knew that I was a food source because probably in his mother’s squirrel way she had let him know. For two season’s now I had been providing food for that family including the little squirrel's spring sibling. Maybe she said “if you get hungry 
because we’ re gone too long go to the lady at the wood and flowers” or something like that .
because we’ re gone too long go to the lady at the wood and flowers” or something like that .Haven’t you heard your grandparents and sometimes your parents say it.. all nonchalant, like you aren’t going to use it really.. but just in case. They say “go to God”.
So they go to God when things get tough. They have never had a relationship with him. Never learned what he likes or dislikes; they just demand help, like little squirrels jumping at my legs “shouting feed me now “ in squirrel language.
So they go to God when things get tough. They have never had a relationship with him. Never learned what he likes or dislikes; they just demand help, like little squirrels jumping at my legs “shouting feed me now “ in squirrel language.
I actually did everything I was capable of and in my power to help that little squirrel. However, the little squirrel being a wild thing had free choice. And because there were certain barriers to our communication such as him, not knowing how to communicate with me and me not being fluent in squrriel. He didnt know that I was not abandoning him. Had he understood that I was coming back and bringing him what he needed, he would have waited. He made the decision to not wait on me to bring him what he need. And then he went looking in the wrong place at the right time and came to the wrong end.That’s what we do. Many of us have never been taught to wait on God. We have not been taught to understand him, we have not been taught to rest, we have not been taught to trust. And we have not been taught to hear his voice. We go in, demand what we want without having any sort of relationship or friendship with him and then we get impatient for him to act on our behalf. If he doesn’t move when we want him to, we just do it for him. And then we blame him because the desired outcome isn’t what we wanted. We always have really good excuses too. We go to God and get scared and don’t trust and then bam!
God ‘s word says they who wait upon the Lord shall rise up on wings, like eagles … rest in the Lord and wait for him to act, trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding… God even knows the little sparrow and what he needs, he knows the lilies of the field.. he dresses them.. and he has said we are more important and more loved than one of these.
In the coming years, maybe even days, some of us are going face some very difficult things. We might be in a position that we don’t have resources for food, companionship, housing, family, medical care. If we do not learn how to trust God when we have these things, we will become prey for those who would devour and enslave us. Those who do not learn to trust God will become like Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of porridge because he was too weary to make it himself. He made a deal for his own comfort and sold himself in to a life of hardship. For some it will be death.
God loves us and wants us to come to him. He wants us to know him, to have relationship with him, so that when he speaks we can understand. So we know his promises to provide and return and can rest in those promises while we wait. When the waiting time is over, we will know it and be obedient to act because we know his voice.
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
" For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
" For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Linda L Martin©2009 All electronic and world rights reserved.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Alternative Venues for Artists and Crafts people: Antiques Malls.
Figuring out Pricing and Sizes
for Art in Antiques and Craft Malls.
Ive been an Artist vendor in Antiques malls since 1994. Before that I knew other artists who leased spaces at these malls, painted there on the weekends, and eventually went on to own their own galleries.
Antiques and Crafter malls present a great opportunity for people who want to go into business for themselves mostly because they can start out small see what will sell and have a show case space to market their work.
Most of these malls require a lease and take a percentage. Usually they handle all of the money and collect taxes. Sometimes they require attendance to annual or bi-annual dealer meetings and participation in one or more publicised events per year, usually around Christmas time. Once you have fulfilled your contract obligations you receive a monthly accounting off all you have sold and are responsible for your own promotion and inventory. It can be amazing for someone starting out or someone like me who just likes the freedom.
Sizes that sell well:Size and price.. When you first go in to the perspective mall, walk around and see what other people are selling that is similar to yours and try to keep your prices at or near theirs. Of course if they are selling original Art for $5 or $10 dollars then that would be a problem. Of course I am assuming that both you as the perspective seller and the person selling have credible talent that will develop a following that will have their needs met by your creations.
There are sizes that usually sell well at a reasonable price for you to make money in this venue.
These are standard sizes:
2.5 by 3.5 inches ( Art trading card size) frames to 4 by 6 with a matt
4 x 6 inches frames to 5 x7 inches with a matt
5x7 inches. Frames to 8 by 10 with a matt
8 by 10 inches or 9 by 12 inches frames to 11 by 14 with a matt
Other sizes are with canvas or board you can rarely get a good price for larger paintings in this type of venue because everyone is looking for something inexpensive and hopefully cheap.
These are standard sizes for larger works: ( in inches)
11 by 14
16 by 20
18 by 24
24 by 30
30 by 36
Please keep in mind these sizes are expensive to frame but you can find used frames generally in these sizes then paint to fit the frame. I would keep these sizes to canvas or board because matting and framing a watercolor under glass in these larger sizes is really expensive.
There are also gallery wrapped canvases you can buy now that don’t need framing. You simply paint around the edges. These are great for keeping it simple.
If you want to matt your work for easy framing. You can sometimes find inexpensive matts at Wal-Mart to fit standard size frames. You can also find matts sometimes at places like the Dollar Tree ( if you have those where you are) at 2 matts for a dollar . If
Matting is too expensive and makes too much over head then you can use these alternatives. Try to always get acid free matts and coverings. These will prevent a world of problems in the long term and protect the value of the painting
Make matts from
1. poster board ( white , black or other neutral colors ( you cant always get acid free poster board)
2. Watercolor paper : this makes a nice heavy alternative matt and you can paint it using inexpensive acrylic paint that you find at Wal-Mart or a craft store. ( almost all watercolor paper sold today is acid free)
*****
Inventory:
You should keep an inventory of unframed but matted and backed art to sell in sizes 5 by 7 and 8 by 10. Some People love to look through little boxes or bins to see what inside. Its like a treasure hunt for them
An easy way to protect them is to use acid free Page protectors. You can get a package of them
from Wal-Mart or Staples for a reasonable sum of money . A page protector will cover an 8” by 10 “easily. You can use clear packing tape to tape it closed. Along with the matted work of art you can also slip a piece of cardboard the same size as the matted art to keep it from bending when people look at it. You can slip your business card in side and a price tag taped to the front or back with seller id and everything. There is also shrink film you can get from an art supply store for larger works. The idea is to keep the elements off the painting so it doesn’t discolor it or allow humidity or oil from hands from devaluing the work.
Framed work:
Variety is the ticket and something unique that people won’t find anywhere else is the best way to go. I'm a great one to try to find great frames in odd places.
Sometimes dollar stores like Dollar Tree has tons of small frames. You can find them as small as 1” by 2” and up to 9 by 12. Sometimes they even come with matts for a dollar.
You want to have a selection of frames that can hang on the wall, as well as table top frames. The more unique the better. Remember to scour yard sales and flea markets for frames too.
Tips on frames:
* check the front and make sure there are not chips nicks or scratches. Unless the frame is old barn wood or from an old boat plank they won’t buy it if it looks damaged. That goes for chips in frame glass as well. It won’t sell if its broken.
* it’s better to get wood frames when possible .. there are lots of frames that you pay good money for that fall apart or you can’t put a wire on the back of because they are either hard plastic or they are pressed sawdust. It’s hard to put a good hanger on the back of one of these as they tend to break the frame.
* The preferred method of hanging a painting is using wire. That means putting screw-eyes on either side of the back of the frame and stringing wire between them. When done correctly the painting will always hang level ( sometimes even if the room isn’t) Always put little stick-on acrylic tabs to protect the walls on frame back bottom corners when they are made of metal or are over 8 by 10 in size.
When you get some money ahead, I would take a class at the local craft frame store to get some tips on things that will improve the professionalism of your display. This training is a legitimate business expense. Sometimes the way a painting is framed will sell it when no one is buying from other people.
Display to sell:
One of the things I have noticed is that these venues have a lot of repeat business. Sometimes they are just killing time, sometimes they are very serious buyers, and sometimes they are on a mission. You want to target the serious buyers and the trinket hunters. When I was selling a good deal these are things I learned:
1. Redo your entire space every week to 10 days. Its an old antique dealers trick I learned from a church friend in the antique buiness. It makes it look like you have completely
new inventory.
2. Change out a quarter of your store space once a month. If something hasn’t sold in 6 months bag it up and store it away or put them in a different venue. But take a good look at them first, if they are really nice and no one Is buying then maybe you aren’t drawing the right market. If you have a huge following on FB, don’t forget to get a fan page together and a blog. Promote those items online and make special events happen even if the Mall isn’t having any. Its not what you are doing, but what you are seen to be doing that draws attention to your work. Social networking is really important these days because people now seem to buy because of relationship not just because of the quality or popularity of the work. Good work will sell its self, but you have to get the people there to see it first.
Sometimes putting an item away for 18 months and bringing them back with a completely different mix of items will sell them. I have one painting that I sold one or two prints from and could never sell the painting. Its an awesome painting. That painting keeps increasing in value and everyone who sees it raves about it. That’s the painting I need to keep until the right buyer comes. Every once in a while I will exhibit it. But I’m quite happy to have it in my living room until that time. You cant afford to have a lot of inventory like that. Don’t keep trying to ride a dead horse. If it isn’t selling, even if it is the best work you have every done, try changing subject matter to something else. Keep in mind too that the puppies that sold last month may not sell this month because you might have saturated your market. Its important to keep generating new clients as well as keeping the ones you have.
3. Have a huge piece art that draws attention and might be outrageously priced. Maybe a banner or poster one month, then a
painting a couple of months later. Keep the patrons guessing.. it’s the drawing card that gets their attention. What ever you use try to look at what your neighbor vendors have and use something so different than what they have that people will be attracted to your space first. You may not sell your show case focus art in this venue, but if people like it, they will buy your smaller art. The big one pays for itself through the sales of the little ones.
4. Make your booth an adventure in discovery. The longer you can keep people in your space the more likely they are to buy something. The more of an adventure they find there the more likely they are to return for the thing that impressed them the most. Before the economy started going bad.. I could sell to 1 in 10 people that saw my work for the first time. 1 in 50 were repeat buyers. 1 in 100 would buy consistently and over a period of about 18 months would spend $500 or more dollars. That is a larger than average rate for most retail. I found out later that one framing shop in town attributed about 5% of their overall business to framing my little paintings that people bought. Remember also that an adventure does not mean it’s cluttered and too busy. If people can’t see it they won’t buy it.
Pricing
Remember that an Antiques or Crafter Mall is on the same level as A Regional Art Show. The difference is that you have people coming to see your work everyday rather than just for a festival or event of one or two days.
In pricing their are rules:
::A painting is only as valuable as the price people are willing to pay.
::You can lower your price, but you can’t raise it once you put it in a venue.
So before you get in too deep study to see what other people in the mall are pricing the same type of things you want to sell . So that means look around and see what other people are selling things for. For instance if you are seeing original watercolor that is 8" by 10", then look at the quality.
Don’t be tempted to under price your work simply because another dealer is putting low prices on theirs. Their reasoning might be that they can’t sell it after two years, so they mark it down. It might be reasonable to put a $85 price on a 8 by 10 watercolor study, and even more reasonable to put a $200 price on a watercolor that has a lot of detail in it. But it might not be reasonable to put a $1,000 on the same painting, unless say, the Prince of Wales painted it. It would be just as foolish to put only $20 on the same painting because that wouldn’t cover your expenses and over head, not to mention your time.
In order to stay in business you need to make a profit. Any profit you make should go to investing back into the business until it stands on its own. Out of that profit you pay yourself, make improvements, buy new equipment, replace things.
Another thing to keep in mind is that an original painting should always be worth 5 to 10 times the price of a reproduction or print of that same or similar item. So when you are pricing things price them in relationship with both other items you are selling in your space and make them competitive with those around you.
Be sure you know the difference between a serious art seller and someone who hasn’t a clue. In this business you are going to be bringing people in from the outside so they need to see you are serious.
An amateur and high school students sells a 16” by 20” painting on canvas for under $50. An artist who knows the value of their work, someone just starting out, would sell the same painting for $400 to $600. An established artist with regional recognition would sell it for $800 to $3,000. A person with national recognition might sell the same painting for $5,000 and up, A person with world wide recognition would sell it for $10,000 and up. Remember though, the higher the price the fewer buyers there are that can afford to buy it.
It might be right to think at $10,000 you only have to sell 4 or 5 paintings a year but the thruth is you sill have to eat , pay the rent and buy art supplies while you are waiting to make the sale.
There are several layers of pricing I use:
Quick STUDY PRICING: these are simple paintings done quickly like loose watercolors usually in smaller sizes
My quick studies fall into this category. Its also the highest selling group.
You may want to start a little lower in price than mine are at first to build up your business.
I price watercolors like this: ( add 10% for acrylic and 20% for oils, for drawings I drop 1/5 of the price)
size:
2.5" by 3.5" at $12.50 to $25.00 ( depending on the details)
4” by 6” is $20.00
5” by 7” is $30
8 by 10 is $45( I don’t usually paint quick studies in this size)
STANDARD SQUARE INCH PRICING: Work priced by the square inch and are usually actual paintings or drawings that have all the elements of a master work of art.. including a background, foreground interaction of subject with its surroundings, such as shadows, highlights, reflections etc, and sometimes even direct interaction with the viewer. If additional elements and subjects are added to the same painting then 30% of the base price is added for each element added.
Matting and framing are not added to the cost of the painting and would usually be the responsibility of the buyer if the work were a commission. I use this rule of thumb for framing. The cost of the frame should not be more than 1/5 the total cost of the painting.
***
SQUARE INCH Pricing (..no frame and no matt..) just the painting .
This is a real painting.. meaning not a study, it has a background, a fore ground and 1 subject that interacts with either the viewer or its surroundings , shadows, reflections, highlights etc etc:
Drawings: $1 a square inch (graphite or ink or watercolors on lighter weight paper)
Watercolors or colored drawings: $1.50 a square inch ( must be on heavy paper to last)
Acrylic or Gauche paintings: $2.00 per square inch ( on heavy paper 300lb or more)
Acrylic or Gauche paintings: $3.00 per square inch ( on canvas or board)
Oil on gessoed paper: $3.00 per square inch
Oil Paintings: depending on the skill and experience of the artist $3.50 to $5.00 per square inch( canvas or board)
***
MINIATURE PRICING
Miniature pricing is the exact opposite of standard pricing. The smaller and the more detail the more price it commands. And the pricing includes the frame as it is also considered part of the work of art. A true Miniature may not be framed larger than 5” by 5”
Example: 2.5” by 3.5” priced at $25.00; 2.25” by 3.25” will be priced at $50; 2.00 by 3.00 will be $75. For every quarter of an inch you go down add $25.00 then add the cost of framing.
Just so you know established Miniature artists get about $100 to $300 for a 2.5 by 3.5 original watercolor or oil painting so you can imagine what the price would be if it was 1” by ½ “ plus the framing
***
I hope this information helps some of you just starting out. Please feel free to post questions or email me at contact@llmartin.com
All rights to this or anypart of this blog are strickly reserved by the artist. Please do not use without permission.LindaLMartin,Artist Copyright©2009
for Art in Antiques and Craft Malls.
Ive been an Artist vendor in Antiques malls since 1994. Before that I knew other artists who leased spaces at these malls, painted there on the weekends, and eventually went on to own their own galleries.
Antiques and Crafter malls present a great opportunity for people who want to go into business for themselves mostly because they can start out small see what will sell and have a show case space to market their work.
Most of these malls require a lease and take a percentage. Usually they handle all of the money and collect taxes. Sometimes they require attendance to annual or bi-annual dealer meetings and participation in one or more publicised events per year, usually around Christmas time. Once you have fulfilled your contract obligations you receive a monthly accounting off all you have sold and are responsible for your own promotion and inventory. It can be amazing for someone starting out or someone like me who just likes the freedom.
Sizes that sell well:Size and price.. When you first go in to the perspective mall, walk around and see what other people are selling that is similar to yours and try to keep your prices at or near theirs. Of course if they are selling original Art for $5 or $10 dollars then that would be a problem. Of course I am assuming that both you as the perspective seller and the person selling have credible talent that will develop a following that will have their needs met by your creations.
There are sizes that usually sell well at a reasonable price for you to make money in this venue.
These are standard sizes:
2.5 by 3.5 inches ( Art trading card size) frames to 4 by 6 with a matt
4 x 6 inches frames to 5 x7 inches with a matt
5x7 inches. Frames to 8 by 10 with a matt
8 by 10 inches or 9 by 12 inches frames to 11 by 14 with a matt
Other sizes are with canvas or board you can rarely get a good price for larger paintings in this type of venue because everyone is looking for something inexpensive and hopefully cheap.
These are standard sizes for larger works: ( in inches)
11 by 14
16 by 20
18 by 24
24 by 30
30 by 36
Please keep in mind these sizes are expensive to frame but you can find used frames generally in these sizes then paint to fit the frame. I would keep these sizes to canvas or board because matting and framing a watercolor under glass in these larger sizes is really expensive.
There are also gallery wrapped canvases you can buy now that don’t need framing. You simply paint around the edges. These are great for keeping it simple.
If you want to matt your work for easy framing. You can sometimes find inexpensive matts at Wal-Mart to fit standard size frames. You can also find matts sometimes at places like the Dollar Tree ( if you have those where you are) at 2 matts for a dollar . If
Matting is too expensive and makes too much over head then you can use these alternatives. Try to always get acid free matts and coverings. These will prevent a world of problems in the long term and protect the value of the painting
Make matts from
1. poster board ( white , black or other neutral colors ( you cant always get acid free poster board)
2. Watercolor paper : this makes a nice heavy alternative matt and you can paint it using inexpensive acrylic paint that you find at Wal-Mart or a craft store. ( almost all watercolor paper sold today is acid free)
*****
Inventory:
You should keep an inventory of unframed but matted and backed art to sell in sizes 5 by 7 and 8 by 10. Some People love to look through little boxes or bins to see what inside. Its like a treasure hunt for them
An easy way to protect them is to use acid free Page protectors. You can get a package of them
from Wal-Mart or Staples for a reasonable sum of money . A page protector will cover an 8” by 10 “easily. You can use clear packing tape to tape it closed. Along with the matted work of art you can also slip a piece of cardboard the same size as the matted art to keep it from bending when people look at it. You can slip your business card in side and a price tag taped to the front or back with seller id and everything. There is also shrink film you can get from an art supply store for larger works. The idea is to keep the elements off the painting so it doesn’t discolor it or allow humidity or oil from hands from devaluing the work.
Framed work:
Variety is the ticket and something unique that people won’t find anywhere else is the best way to go. I'm a great one to try to find great frames in odd places.
Sometimes dollar stores like Dollar Tree has tons of small frames. You can find them as small as 1” by 2” and up to 9 by 12. Sometimes they even come with matts for a dollar.
You want to have a selection of frames that can hang on the wall, as well as table top frames. The more unique the better. Remember to scour yard sales and flea markets for frames too.
Tips on frames:
* check the front and make sure there are not chips nicks or scratches. Unless the frame is old barn wood or from an old boat plank they won’t buy it if it looks damaged. That goes for chips in frame glass as well. It won’t sell if its broken.
* it’s better to get wood frames when possible .. there are lots of frames that you pay good money for that fall apart or you can’t put a wire on the back of because they are either hard plastic or they are pressed sawdust. It’s hard to put a good hanger on the back of one of these as they tend to break the frame.
* The preferred method of hanging a painting is using wire. That means putting screw-eyes on either side of the back of the frame and stringing wire between them. When done correctly the painting will always hang level ( sometimes even if the room isn’t) Always put little stick-on acrylic tabs to protect the walls on frame back bottom corners when they are made of metal or are over 8 by 10 in size.
When you get some money ahead, I would take a class at the local craft frame store to get some tips on things that will improve the professionalism of your display. This training is a legitimate business expense. Sometimes the way a painting is framed will sell it when no one is buying from other people.
Display to sell:
One of the things I have noticed is that these venues have a lot of repeat business. Sometimes they are just killing time, sometimes they are very serious buyers, and sometimes they are on a mission. You want to target the serious buyers and the trinket hunters. When I was selling a good deal these are things I learned:
1. Redo your entire space every week to 10 days. Its an old antique dealers trick I learned from a church friend in the antique buiness. It makes it look like you have completely
new inventory.
2. Change out a quarter of your store space once a month. If something hasn’t sold in 6 months bag it up and store it away or put them in a different venue. But take a good look at them first, if they are really nice and no one Is buying then maybe you aren’t drawing the right market. If you have a huge following on FB, don’t forget to get a fan page together and a blog. Promote those items online and make special events happen even if the Mall isn’t having any. Its not what you are doing, but what you are seen to be doing that draws attention to your work. Social networking is really important these days because people now seem to buy because of relationship not just because of the quality or popularity of the work. Good work will sell its self, but you have to get the people there to see it first.
Sometimes putting an item away for 18 months and bringing them back with a completely different mix of items will sell them. I have one painting that I sold one or two prints from and could never sell the painting. Its an awesome painting. That painting keeps increasing in value and everyone who sees it raves about it. That’s the painting I need to keep until the right buyer comes. Every once in a while I will exhibit it. But I’m quite happy to have it in my living room until that time. You cant afford to have a lot of inventory like that. Don’t keep trying to ride a dead horse. If it isn’t selling, even if it is the best work you have every done, try changing subject matter to something else. Keep in mind too that the puppies that sold last month may not sell this month because you might have saturated your market. Its important to keep generating new clients as well as keeping the ones you have.
3. Have a huge piece art that draws attention and might be outrageously priced. Maybe a banner or poster one month, then a
painting a couple of months later. Keep the patrons guessing.. it’s the drawing card that gets their attention. What ever you use try to look at what your neighbor vendors have and use something so different than what they have that people will be attracted to your space first. You may not sell your show case focus art in this venue, but if people like it, they will buy your smaller art. The big one pays for itself through the sales of the little ones.
4. Make your booth an adventure in discovery. The longer you can keep people in your space the more likely they are to buy something. The more of an adventure they find there the more likely they are to return for the thing that impressed them the most. Before the economy started going bad.. I could sell to 1 in 10 people that saw my work for the first time. 1 in 50 were repeat buyers. 1 in 100 would buy consistently and over a period of about 18 months would spend $500 or more dollars. That is a larger than average rate for most retail. I found out later that one framing shop in town attributed about 5% of their overall business to framing my little paintings that people bought. Remember also that an adventure does not mean it’s cluttered and too busy. If people can’t see it they won’t buy it.
Pricing
Remember that an Antiques or Crafter Mall is on the same level as A Regional Art Show. The difference is that you have people coming to see your work everyday rather than just for a festival or event of one or two days.
In pricing their are rules:
::A painting is only as valuable as the price people are willing to pay.
::You can lower your price, but you can’t raise it once you put it in a venue.
So before you get in too deep study to see what other people in the mall are pricing the same type of things you want to sell . So that means look around and see what other people are selling things for. For instance if you are seeing original watercolor that is 8" by 10", then look at the quality.
Don’t be tempted to under price your work simply because another dealer is putting low prices on theirs. Their reasoning might be that they can’t sell it after two years, so they mark it down. It might be reasonable to put a $85 price on a 8 by 10 watercolor study, and even more reasonable to put a $200 price on a watercolor that has a lot of detail in it. But it might not be reasonable to put a $1,000 on the same painting, unless say, the Prince of Wales painted it. It would be just as foolish to put only $20 on the same painting because that wouldn’t cover your expenses and over head, not to mention your time.
In order to stay in business you need to make a profit. Any profit you make should go to investing back into the business until it stands on its own. Out of that profit you pay yourself, make improvements, buy new equipment, replace things.
Another thing to keep in mind is that an original painting should always be worth 5 to 10 times the price of a reproduction or print of that same or similar item. So when you are pricing things price them in relationship with both other items you are selling in your space and make them competitive with those around you.
Be sure you know the difference between a serious art seller and someone who hasn’t a clue. In this business you are going to be bringing people in from the outside so they need to see you are serious.
An amateur and high school students sells a 16” by 20” painting on canvas for under $50. An artist who knows the value of their work, someone just starting out, would sell the same painting for $400 to $600. An established artist with regional recognition would sell it for $800 to $3,000. A person with national recognition might sell the same painting for $5,000 and up, A person with world wide recognition would sell it for $10,000 and up. Remember though, the higher the price the fewer buyers there are that can afford to buy it.
It might be right to think at $10,000 you only have to sell 4 or 5 paintings a year but the thruth is you sill have to eat , pay the rent and buy art supplies while you are waiting to make the sale.
There are several layers of pricing I use:
Quick STUDY PRICING: these are simple paintings done quickly like loose watercolors usually in smaller sizes
My quick studies fall into this category. Its also the highest selling group.
You may want to start a little lower in price than mine are at first to build up your business.
I price watercolors like this: ( add 10% for acrylic and 20% for oils, for drawings I drop 1/5 of the price)
size:
2.5" by 3.5" at $12.50 to $25.00 ( depending on the details)
4” by 6” is $20.00
5” by 7” is $30
8 by 10 is $45( I don’t usually paint quick studies in this size)
STANDARD SQUARE INCH PRICING: Work priced by the square inch and are usually actual paintings or drawings that have all the elements of a master work of art.. including a background, foreground interaction of subject with its surroundings, such as shadows, highlights, reflections etc, and sometimes even direct interaction with the viewer. If additional elements and subjects are added to the same painting then 30% of the base price is added for each element added.
Matting and framing are not added to the cost of the painting and would usually be the responsibility of the buyer if the work were a commission. I use this rule of thumb for framing. The cost of the frame should not be more than 1/5 the total cost of the painting.
***
SQUARE INCH Pricing (..no frame and no matt..) just the painting .
This is a real painting.. meaning not a study, it has a background, a fore ground and 1 subject that interacts with either the viewer or its surroundings , shadows, reflections, highlights etc etc:
Drawings: $1 a square inch (graphite or ink or watercolors on lighter weight paper)
Watercolors or colored drawings: $1.50 a square inch ( must be on heavy paper to last)
Acrylic or Gauche paintings: $2.00 per square inch ( on heavy paper 300lb or more)
Acrylic or Gauche paintings: $3.00 per square inch ( on canvas or board)
Oil on gessoed paper: $3.00 per square inch
Oil Paintings: depending on the skill and experience of the artist $3.50 to $5.00 per square inch( canvas or board)
***
MINIATURE PRICING
Miniature pricing is the exact opposite of standard pricing. The smaller and the more detail the more price it commands. And the pricing includes the frame as it is also considered part of the work of art. A true Miniature may not be framed larger than 5” by 5”
Example: 2.5” by 3.5” priced at $25.00; 2.25” by 3.25” will be priced at $50; 2.00 by 3.00 will be $75. For every quarter of an inch you go down add $25.00 then add the cost of framing.
Just so you know established Miniature artists get about $100 to $300 for a 2.5 by 3.5 original watercolor or oil painting so you can imagine what the price would be if it was 1” by ½ “ plus the framing
***
I hope this information helps some of you just starting out. Please feel free to post questions or email me at contact@llmartin.com
All rights to this or anypart of this blog are strickly reserved by the artist. Please do not use without permission.LindaLMartin,Artist Copyright©2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Updates on Teens Opposing Poverty Painting
I have been having so much fun planning out and painting "The Orchard". I must admit it is going a little slower than I expected, but I am hopeful to have it finished by September 1.
Two of the newest elements that turned out really very good is the middle pony licking his lips and the brilliant orange tabby sitting up in the shade tree.
You can see the entire progression of the painting from layout to current by going to "The Orchard"
Several people have inquired as to how they can comission a painting for their church or ogranization. Simply email me at contact@llmartin.com. Write " comission a painting" in the subject line.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Real Miniature Pet Art by Linda L.Martin
I've actually been working in the Miniature Art format on and off for about 7 years. I started in 2002 painting landscapes in small format of about 4" by 3" before ACEO ( 2.5 x3.5 inches) or Art Trading Card(ATC) sizes became so popular. The smallest I have ever painted and sold is about 1/4" by 1/2 inch. They were little watercolor horses. The smallest oil paintings were about 1" by 2 " landscapes.
These are two from a series of goldfish and canaries I did in the winter of 2007. The largest was 8 by 10 inches. The smallest gold fish was about 1/4Th the size of these. They are matted with painted watercolor paper up to a ATC size so they will fit into a regulation sized sports card PH balanced PVC sleeve.
I have so many paintings right now that I have to number them to keep track of them all. I just got the partially finished inventory back from my assistant this week. So far we have documented 1600 plus paintings not including what has been sold over the last three years.
Anyway a group of us artists on Facebook were discussing mini painting a few weeks ago and I just found these today so I thought I would share them with everyone. Yes, they are available at $20 a piece. I think they will be rematted before I list them .. perhaps on etsy.
~~~
About the Paintings.
Goldfish #3106 Price: $20.00 US
Watercolor
by Linda L. Martin
22-12/16" by 1-1/4"
2007
Canary #3085 Price $20.00 US
Canary #3085 Price $20.00 US
Watercolor
by Linda L. Martin
1-3/4" by 1-1/2"
2007
~~~
For more information email me at contact@llmartin.com or Artistllmartin@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
