Fine Art - distributing

BigDoor

Grumbler
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Posts
32
Loc
Canada\'s west coast
We just launched www.bigdoorart.com our online gallery/website for selling fine art reproductions and art cards. I've been looking for distribution channels or any information to help get our artwork out there and into the market place besides our website/online gallery. I'm not sure were to start. All the artwork I have is original non-commissioned artwork. It's beautiful work and different from other publishers. Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated.
shrug.gif


[ 06-07-2004, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: BigDoor ]
 
For a starter, your web site is difficult to read, the light blue with white letters just found me not reading all of it. You say you are selling fine art reproductions and at the same time all artwork is original. I assume what you mean is that you are not hiring artist to paint certain objects. Regardless of how it starts out reproductions are still just that.

Sorry for the soap box attitude but I hope it helps.
 
I have wondered for a long time why so many people use light or white printing on web sites with a darker background. If the daily newspaper was printed on a dark or black background and the printing was in white, no one would buy the paper.

Why do web site developers feel they can promote sites in white printing that are so hard to read. If you are trying to sell a product make it as easy as possible to read about it, not difficult. I cannot count the number of sites I have gone to and backed out of when I started to read the light or white printing.

Alan
 
My question to you is do framers and art publishers work/distibute their products together? I'm new at this side of the art world and am wondering how it works? If I should just find a framer and market the artwork framed or if there is someone who distibutes framed artwork already? My last posting seemed to generate more interest in the way my website looked rather than answering the question I intended. My fault, I'm new at these forums, but I appreciated the comments.
 
Originally posted by BigDoor:
My question to you is do framers and art publishers work/distibute their products together?
I'm sure there may be some that do.

Originally posted by BigDoor:I'm new at this side of the art world and am wondering how it works? If I should just find a framer and market the artwork framed or if there is someone who distibutes framed artwork already?
Do a search on the internet and you will find several who do this.

]Originally posted by BigDoor:My last posting seemed to generate more interest in the way my website looked rather than answering the question I intended. My fault, I'm new at these forums, but I appreciated the comments.
If you are going to be selling from the website that is maybe just as important as the other questions. It is nice when a newcomer gives us all of his profile. Did you do your own site or hire it done? Welcome to the grumble.
 
Thank you for your input. I have done some research online and found some great connections.I found some framers who also sell artwork in house to help bring interior designers and higher end clientele (developers/resorts)in to frame the artwork. Both the publisher and framer promote each other and it works. It seems that those who do are in a win/win situation. As for the website, my wife and myself designed it and hired a programmer to get it to work. It's a side venture we do occasionally. Thanks for your help.
 
You might want to proof read your site.
On the home page it says
"Welcome to <font size=4>Big Boor Fine Art...</font>"

Somehow I don't think that is what you meant to say.
 
Thanks we are in the process of fixing all the little things such as typos. Our name is Big Door Fine Art, they say it is better to go with a smaller easier to remember domain name. Thanks for pointing it out though.
 
BigDoor,

Welcome to the Grumble. You will find that these people are very helpful and willing to give of their time and ideas to help you in your business. (This is called online Grumbler networking, ..... my own term). One word of advice though, please don't take whatever critical points come to light as a personal affront to you or your business. You are exposing your business to over 3000 professional framers from the new to the old veterans and they have more combined experience and knowledge about what we do than you will ever hope to have.

When I look at a business that is based online as yours appears to be, I wonder why you are distracted by the corrective comments that are made about your "cyber-store building"? For that is exactly what your website represents to your business. I would hope that you wouldn't mis-spell your outside sign on your brick/mortar publishing company nor would you fail to keep your floors clean or your windows washed.

One of the major considerations of a working website (or informational website for that matter.) is its readability. And your doesn't read easily, not to me nor to a few others that have visited your site. That should give you a clue as to the initial impression that other visitors who are looking for a publisher may form from their first visit.

You have to consider that a customer that walks into your building may not have a good first impression for whatever reason, maybe simply the color of the walls doesn't appeal to them. But, you are there to greet them, find out what they are looking for, and build a relationship with them and sell yourself and your services/products to them. But a website business doesn't afford you many of these luxuries of personal involvement and first impression "adjustment". You MUST, MUST, put forth the very BEST first impression to those visitors because you aren't there to smooth over any concerns they may have and you don't have the time nor the opportunity to change their first impression of your business as they head towards the door. One click of the mouse button and they are GONE!! No excuses, reasons for leaving, nor opportunity for YOU to intercede and change their first impression of your business.

Therefore, it is imperative that you put forth the most appealing image of your business in one glance or you are just providing a pause in their search for an online source for their printing/art needs. I would have gone IMMEDIATELY into your source code and fixed that typo that was earlier mentioned! That typo isn't hidden in some obscure text, it is right there in your business NAME!! How many people have visited your site and left when they saw that your business name was mis-spelled?? "Big Boor Publishing"? I didn't bother to go to all of your pages based on the small type and the lack of contrast between the script and its background. I found it a strain to my old eyes. That may be a trivial thing to you but it is an important aspect of having a successful website.

The point of this is to impress upon you that your website IS the only online employee that you have! And that employee can't even respond to the initial impressions that your new potential customers may display as they "walk" through your front "door"! A website is a potential timebomb that is totally passive but can still do much damage to your intentions for that online business.

So, get into that source code NOW, my friend, and get at least that glaring typo on your first page corrected! It could be potentially damaging to your dreams and goals for your online business.

And good luck to you.

Framerguy
 
I couldn't agree with you more and I really appreciate your comments and insight. The Big Boor typo only happened as of yesturday as my web developer made the mistake when fixing something else, to which I have quickly gotten on them about. I don't take the comments personally at all and if it seems that way I apologize. More peoples eye's and thoughts always make for a more effecient and streamline product and service. I have only just started in this forum and it already has been very usefull and positive. I appreciate every bit of advice, those who have gone through some of the trials and tribulations are all he wiser and their input is invaluable. So I thank you again.
 
Back
Top