.png)
How to pack your artwork, and how to present your artwork for sale. why presentation is important for art sales. Is it important you present professionally your artwork for a better sale?
Tips for Packaging, Branding, and Preparing Your Art
Whether it is to evoke a comforting nostalgia, ritualize an event, impart energy or serenity, playfulness, humour, irony, worldly sophistication, personal style, or a simple appreciation of beauty, the presentation can greatly enhance that aspect of the artwork that is important to the owner.
If you’ve watched any photoshoot in your life, you are fully aware that presentation is a big deal. Something that bad placement of beautiful things even looks like absolute garbage. Conversely, something that normal looking things looks esthetic when the present is good enough.
Disregarding Packaging and presentation your artwork can turn away customers or prevent you from raising your prices.
On the other hand Packaging and presentation can take art to the next level.
I have visited so many exhibitions of other artists from all over India in the last few years and I have seen the magic of presentation live through my eyes. some artists have beautiful artwork but they lack presentation skills and some have simple art with a good presentation which allows their art to increase its value among others.
From these experiences, I could say what not to do when selling your art.
When you are preparing to sell your art, you need to balance aesthetics and protection. You’ll want to make sure your art remains safe, while also making it look attractive to a customer. I know that funding is often tight when you start out, so don’t feel pressured to do everything on this list, but keep these ideas in the back of your mind as your art business grows:
How to prepare your art for sale
Presenting Canvases
Clean up the edges- Either paint the edges a solid color, extend your painting over the edges, or use painter’s tape to block off the edges before painting to keep them clean.
Clean up the back of the canvas-if you are a messy painter, consider using Kraft paper and painter's tape to protect the back of your canvas from drips and spills while working.
Varnish- Always seal your finished paintings. This will protect your work from fingerprints, and smudges. Some varnishes also include a UV coating to protect colors from fading. (My favourite varnish is Liquitex High Gloss Varnish from Amazon.
Resin- Resin is a huge trend these days. Both as a medium to create art, and as a protective finish for your canvas or wood panels. I personally haven’t tried it, as I prefer my usual gloss varnish, but resin can really take a simple piece to another level.
Presenting Paper/Flat pieces
Protective paper or sheet- when you are selling online or in person, a protective paper sheet is a great idea. Shipments can encounter moisture in transit, and customers walking around an art fair are likely going to stop for snacks and beverages as they walk around.
When I need a couple of items, I order my brown paper, air bubble roll, cardboard mailing tubes, and Fragile Handle With Care Tape, from Amazon.
Backing board-I highly recommend a backing board as an extra layer of protection for your finished art. The added rigidity protects your work while stored, shipped, and carried around events.
Frames and Matboard- Adding a frame and mat board to your work can take even a rough sketch to the gallery level of presentation. If you work with standard-sized paper, you can find plenty of precut mats and ready-made frames to fit your work. You can also make customised frames from your local frame shop.
Branded Details
Sign Your Work
A lot of artists believe your art is only finished once signed. Some artists stick with their full names in cursive. Some use initials. Some create a little symbol. Some use a logo. Some don’t sign their work on the front surface. Some don’t sign at all. Some include a date.
Whatever you decide to do, make it your own. Do what feels authentic to you.
Name Your Work
Naming is the last thing I think about with my work, but it can add more context to your art, and it shows the world that you’ve put more care into what you created. It holds more meaning when it has a name.
Add a Story/Meaning
Knowing what inspired a work of art or what the piece means to the artist can help a viewer feel even more connected to the art. With pieces of higher value, consider writing a few lines about the piece. You can use this in online inventory descriptions or include the story near title cards at shows.
Include a Certificate of Authenticity
In my opinion, certificates of authenticity are a little hoity-toity, but I do love the care that is taken to document the details of a piece. I created my own certificate using Canva. You can do whatever you want with a certificate. It doesn’t need to adhere to any art world standard, in my opinion.
If you want to include a Certificate of Authenticity, I recommend tracking details like title, size, date created, materials used, contact information, social handles, and anything else you deem relevant for your art.
Other details to consider using:
Include a Thank You card or sticker with purchases.
Use stamps with a logo or signature on the back of art or on shipping materials.
Use stickers (Branded logos, thank you, etc.)
Use tissue paper/colorful wrapping in packages or when wrapping items at events. (Secure with twine, ribbon, or stickers.)
***
Alright, that was a lot. Clearly, you can see, that the more care you put into your work, the more valuable it appears and becomes. This list can be added to, and not all artists will do everything on the list. If you can at least start by considering how you will protect your work while selling it, then you can slowly evolve all of the fun branded elements of your presentation over time.
***
Please leave questions and comments below while commenting is open or reach out to me directly through Instagram or email. I’d love to hear from you! Make sure to sign up for my email list below to never miss a blog post. New posts are published every alternate week (kind of). And if you’d like to see more content like this in the future, consider becoming a member of mine!
-Pinki
Comments