Galleries and Internet based artists.

To a large extent I'm an internet based artist. I create certain works with a view to selling them online.

I’ve come across a bias against artists/work on POD sites recently among galleries. It seems like many gallery owners have decided to take a common stance against anyone with a substantial presence on POD sites. I think this is short sighted. The whole online selling thing has developed so far and so fast.. my view is that in order to survive galleries really need to adapt to this changed world.

So here are some arguments I've developed to deal with this entrenched "head in the sand" position.

First if I sign works for a gallery.. then surely the work signed has a greater value than unsigned POD’s sold via Red Bubble ? It may not be the way many galleries have operated in the past but I would honestly expect a commercially savy organisation to grasp the basic idea... that signed works are more valuable.

I’m uncompromising when it comes to this argument.. I say “if a gallery can’t see the potential in selling signed works on the back of POD popularity then I don’t think they are the sort of organisation I will have confidence in”. My view is that many galleries still think they can turn their back on internet art sales.. and survive. They should be using internet popularity as a way of establishing which artists works are selling.. as part of their decision to sell an artists “signed” works.

I support this argument by pointing out, I have no control over the final quality on a POD site.. and this basically puts POD prints into the same bracket as unsigned “wholesale” prints sold through IKEA or any other national store. Would they reject signed prints of a work that became popular through high street sales.. no they wouldn’t. So why should it be any different with POD’s ?

I also argue strongly that sales of POD’s will ultimately increase the value of signed prints, and any gallery owner worth their salt should be able to grasp this. For example if a POD image sells tens of thousand (I wish).. and is found to be very popular online then surely a gallery is going to benefit from selling the same work signed on the back of this already established popularity ?

As an example I have a POD print based on Manchester that sells pretty well.. so I am actively seeking an outlet for signed prints in Manchester. Its not rocket science is it ?

I also tell them that my marketing efforts will continue (including online marketing) even if they agree to sell my signed works, and that I see my them benefiting from my marketing efforts. I will often include the following “this work consistently sells well online as a POD” in my communications with galleries.

I have and will agree deals to withdraw specific images from POD sites with galleries.. but will try and argue against it. (politely)

I’m genuinely surprised so many don’t get it.. I suspect there is “control freakery” in all this !

I have also made progress with galleries by offering to embellish prints that I sign for them.. this can often be an area of extra colour or a few more lines added to a work. I don’t find this very difficult because quite often I get further ideas after I have finished a work.

Part of the reason I’m posting this is in the hope that gallery owners monitor blogs like this, and it gives them something to think about. Gallery owners should be getting smart and cashing in on the success of artists selling via the Internet.

I want to build up trust with those galleries I sell to.. so its important artists maintain a consistent approach. I also think it sounds good to tell a prospective gallery.. “I’m sorry I can’t do as you ask because it would unfair to my buyers and other galleries to change my policy at this stage."

I had a heated discussion with a gallery owner about POD sales a month or so back.. I stuck to my guns and a couple of days later she rang back and said she’d thought abou it.. and we made a deal. My thinking is that many gallery owners want you all or largely to themselves.. which is fine and dandy if they can provide a good income but in these difficult times we all (galleries and artists) need to be adaptable and try different things.

Think of one or more USP’s (unique selling points) ! Things that make you and your work different from the rest.. and push that at them.

But if a gallery hasn’t got the basic confidence to point out to a potential buyer the differences between a POD and a signed, authenticated and numbered print. Then I really don’t think they know their business… and I’m not sure they are right for me.

As for internet based artists all we can do is keep chipping away at it. if gallery owners are going to make restrictive demands on artists, then artists really need to have a common response.

There really is no benefit at all to an artist in agreeing a bad deal… if you don’t like the deal move on.

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The Future for POD sites ? (Part 2)

As a lot of my recent work has been digital, I've been including a message in the image description about the availability of limited edition prints direct from me.

I've kept my POD prices low.. simply because I think they are unsigned reproductions. I would hate one of my unsigned POD buyers to contact me in the future and ask me to explain what the difference is between their unsigned POD they paid $100 for and the unsigned print they have just seen in Walmart for $15. (Ok I don't sell through Walmart but stranger things have happened)

I get a steady stream of Limited Edition sales from several POD sites.. and have made more money from selling LE prints online than POD's in the last 12 months.

I get quite a lot of contact from people thinking of buying POD's who maybe want to know which paper I recommend.. in my experience these people can often be persuaded to buy LE prints.

But I know other artists have different pricing strategies.. and I really don't think there is just one route.

I think traditional artists really do have to get over their reservations about online and computer generated art sold as prints. In my opinion it can only a good thing that new buyers are buying POD prints and IMO this expansion of interest can only add value to traditional forms of prints.. like lithographs etc. With print sales it is very obvious that there is a correlation between rarity, artists approval and the amount a buyer will pay.. at the moment there is no limit on the number of POD's a site could sell of any artists work and this makes them more like Walmart and less like a way of buying genuine ART print with a long term value. If an artist sells a million POD's and makes $100 per print essentially these POD's will be worthless to collectors... you may be happy artist.. but your likely to have a lot of not very happy buyers.

I think that many buyers on POD sites are not "savy" art buyers.. just people who like a work and want to buy it. Crazy as it seems I don't think that many YET understand that the authetication and a signature adds hugely to the value. But I do think they will learn, so for me its important they don't feel in the future they have paid too much for what are basically unsigned prints.

I think the question is "how can POD sites effectively add value for the buyer.. and provide extra income for both artists and POD sites ?"

I think POD sites are missing a trick in simply selling basic POD's.. they have generally settled for a relatively low cost low margin product. I do believe if a POD sites became a supplier of "authenticated, numbered and approved reproductions of an artist" it would have some extra value for the buyer in the long term. This authentication and numbering could all be done in house. I currently provide authentication written on a small b&w art print.. and many buyers say they are delighted to get two art works for the price of one and all this could be set up via POD sites. The signature is the only problem. I wonder if artist signing tours might be possible in the future.. in the same way that authors have book signing tours.

I think the following would be worth trying for both POD sites and artists..

The POD site becomes "an approved print reproduction supplying site for artists" and in addition to normal POD's offers.. a numbered and authenticated POD which are essentially the same but with a certification of authenticity. The artist could then decide how many of these "authenticated prints" to offer for sale. None of this prevents artists from offering signed limited edition prints as well. I just see it as a way of adding value for buyers.. and extra income for artists and POD sites. I think the POD site would have to make it very clear they are supplying "artist approved prints"

Online art sales are here to stay.. and we want POD's to be collected.. and traded. I think the next stage for sites like this will be need to start adding value for buyers.. and making more money per print for artists and POD sites in the process. I'm less interested in making $10-500 dollars on a single POD than building a relationship with a potential collector who I want to help build up a valuable collection, I want to profit from this long term relationship but I also want the buyer to profit from this relationship both in terms of accrued value and enjoyment. At the moment POD sites simply don't provide anyway of acheiving this.. POD's need to become approved online print sellers providing a complete service.

Anyway that will give everyone something to think about over Christmas..

Seasons Greetings to all creatives everywhere.

Andy Mercer

http://www.andy-mercer.co.uk




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