Need some advice on labs offering finishing services.

[dustinbise]

<p>Ok, I have been struggling in this economy, between seasonal work, unemployment, high gas prices etc. I studied photography in college, and have been shooting for years for my own personal pleasure. I have been waiting to have what i feel is a strong base of images before I ever considered presenting my work professionally, and I am still working to that goal. Right now I have been forced to sell some of my lenses and have made the decision to adventure into my passion finally help me, and at the same time provide people with a quality product that they will cherish and enjoy for a long time.<br>

I have been fortunate to meet an indivdual who does custom screen prinitng and art as a traveling vendor to festivals and events here in the Northwest USA, things like barter faires, hempfests, concerts, and he does decent at these events making sales of the products he takes. Our both will be a large mixed media area with handmade clothing, paintings, photos, and more. This is just some background for you, now on to a few questions.</p>

<p>First of all, I need to be clear about my budget restraints here. I have 600 dollars to work for my printing and finishing costs. Its not a , oh ok I can get 1k if I really have to , situation.</p>

<p>So I am wondering what advice you can give me on the best use of the 600 dollars to present a great product. I do own a matter cutter, but I do not feel compent matting and framing prints from an online lab myself. Because of this I have been considering services like MPIX and printing gallery wraps, standouts, etc.</p>

<p>http://mpix.com/Mounting.aspx<br>

Does anyone have any experience with these services?<br>

Do you recomend anything in regards to price structure based on these printing costs? For example, and 8x10 is 25 flat, so I could sell these for 40? Do you think that is to high of a price point at this sort of event? When I go to local art festivals I often see photos being sold for 400-500 dollars, but I have never done this before so I would like to hear your experience and opinions.</p>

<p>Am I better off spending 200 on 2 very nice large standouts for eye catches and price these high, then sell smaller matted images?</p>

<p>Do you think I would be better off printing images and then framing them myself with frames from a craft store?</p>

<p>Thanks for any and all advice! Chow</p>

[dave_redmann]

<p>For my own personal use, I have gotten mounted prints from Aspen Creek and Mpix and put them in frame kits from Dick Blick. This is really easy. With Mpix, if you want, say, an 11x14 print mounted for framing in a 16x20 frame, you need to go ahead and set up the file as a 16x20 with an 11x14 image and a border. The price works out about the same, Mpix is probably a tad cheaper but maybe a tad more limited. Putting the mounted prints in a frame kit is easy.</p>

<p>Now what, if anything, will sell and where you're best spending your money, I have no clue. But producing an 11x14 image mounted and framed 16x20 with an overmat in this manner costs about $75+/-.</p>

 

[randallfarhy]

<p>My experience selling prints stems from gallery presentations, portrait and model portfolio work, a majority of which was done a long time ago.</p>

<p>Bottom line, you have to make money on what you offer. $40 for an 8x10 that costs you $25 to PRINT might seem ok, but that doesn't sound very profitable unless you are in the business of bundling sales (portraits/team shots etc). Only you can decide what is and isn't profitable based on your time, transportation, overhead and equipment considerations.</p>

<p>As for presentation-given your budget constraints, I'd go with one larger headliner, nicely matted and framed, surrounded by several smaller (assorted 5x7-8x12) matted and framed pieces. If you are capable and have the space/tools, by all means M&F your own work, otherwise the information Dave offered sounds reaonable.</p>

<p> Emulate what you see other vendors doing. Put +profitable+ pricing on your presentation pieces. A higher price actually tips the scales toward the sale on a piece of artwork in how it's percived. If you value it higher, so will your potential customers. You can always bundle for discount later.</p>

<p>Price for the actual buying customers, not ones you hope to lure into purchase by selling for breakeven (after all considerations) or worse, a loss. This takes market research and understanding.</p>

<p>Flea markets generally won't attract the same buyers as a gallery etc etc. It's not going to be easy, in the environment mentioned, you will be up against others who are not as savvy, don't need the income, are doing it for a hobby etc etc. Their pricing practi ces may affect you ability to price profitably. Do the research and decide if you can potentially make money on what you plan to offer.</p>

<p>In your situation, I might rather consider an online portfolio tied in with vendor production and delivery (only up front cost considerations are equipment, website fees and your time to set it all up and get your work in front of potential buyers.) Again, not easy and full of competition but at least you won't be trekking all over and there is no need to produce prints which are prone to damage/loss.</p>

<p>best of luck, Randall</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<blockquote>

<p>But producing an 11x14 image mounted and framed 16x20 with an overmat in this manner costs about $75+/-.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yeouch! A $75 cost price will never work for prints for resale.</p>

<p>You're better off buying pre-cut mats and backing boards from matcutter.com or similar and mounting them in inexpensive frames from your local Michaels. That should allow you to produce an 11 X 14 print, single-matted in a frame for less than $30, which allows you to sell it for ~$100 and maintain a 3X markup.</p>

<p>The 3X cost price point is not sacred, but seems pretty prevalent when people start talking print sales prices. I typically sell a 10 X 15 print, single matted in a simple black aluminum frame with glass for $150-$250 depending on the market. Higher prices for private sales, lower for coffee house-type exhibitions.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[dustinbise]

<p>thanks for the feedback. I did some research yesterday and I have decided I will be purchasing rolled canvas prints and stretching them myself (gallery wrap style) and then handpainting the sides to produce a finished product. My display is gonna be....</p>

<p>1 30x40 (85 dollars to produce) priced at 175<br>

2x 16x20 (32) 50<br>

2x 22x28 (50) 100<br>

4x 11x14 (22) 40</p>

<p>then have single mats printed and ready to frame of<br>

15 8x10 (4.50) for 15<br>

15 5x7 (3.50) selling @ 10<br>

5x 11x14 (10) selling @ 20.</p>

<p>Do you think the markups for the canvas pieces should be higher. The idea to keep them lower (around 2x markup) would be to help compete. The events im going to are not flea markets. They are all over night camping style fesivals with music, art, and more. More of a faire setting really. main one in October is around 10,000 people.</p>

[dustinbise]

<p>oh and the overmath on it is 600 in, 1100k if i were to sell it All. if i sold the 30x40, half the mat prints, and 2 11x14 i should break even.</p>