Posted by Luke Tingley on February 6, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Just got my first gallery opening, and I'm finding I have a lot of questions I hadn't thought about. I will basically have 2 walls to display images on and then baskets for loose images directly beneath the framed ones.
How is everyone displaying their loose images/bagged images?
I was thinking about using foam baord and putting the print in a plastic bag. How does everyone mount their mages to the backing for this type of display? Any of you use the mounting corners? Or do you just size the backing board to the identical print size rely on the plastic bag to hold it in place?
Thanks for any insight,
-Luke
Posted by Don George on February 6, 2008 at 3:53 PM
HI Luke,,,I drymount and mat my images and then order bags that fit them according to size.
A friend of mine cuts foamboard to the size of the print and then places them in bags made for the size he is selling.
Speaking of dry mounting and matting...Anyone get customer feedback after the sale? Are they getting custom frames? For show and tell, I get frames for 8x10 print images which use an 11x14 frame. If I am using double matte, then these things sometimes barely allow the slides to hold the backing in without alot of trouble (some are better than others). These are $25 - $30 frames by Bainbridge and Maulden (two companys). I could not imagine trying to add foamboard, too. Of course, I might have missed the point that you are not actually mounting the image on to the foamboard...if so, then nevermind!!
If I was going to use the plastic bags, I would buy the "bags" that have the sealable fold-over top. And get them to just fit the image and matte or foamboard. That way they stay tight and sealed. No hands can get in them! They look like what good quality mattes come in. They look professional, too. And if you open them carefully, they can be resealed. You could also get a stationary company to make you some "seals" with your name on them that you put across the sealed edge to prevent people from opening the bag and sliding the image out for a look-see.
Congrats, Luke, on your first gallery opening!
Troup
I have always dry mounted with mat, and then purchased sealable bags. More and more, the folks around here are using a slide show on the "Picture Frame" devices or on their computer to show more choices for ordering.
I also dry mount with mat and mat board, not foam core, and I use Bainbridge archival exclusively. It's a personal decision, but I don't like foam core since it makes the print so "thick" and more difficult to frame. For matted, bagged prints, I use only standard sizes (8x10, 11x14, 16x20, etc.). This way I can tell folks, "This print drops into a standard-sized frame and doesn't need to be custom framed." Since I've been pushing that as a selling point, I'm selling a lot more bagged prints - not many folks want to go out and spend $$$$ on custom framing. I also use the sealable bags which are great.
Ditto what Patricia said about slide shows on your laptop. I see more and more of this at the galleries and shows and am working on a slideshow for myself now. Another idea if you don't want to go the laptop route (or in addition to) is to have a nice, three-ring portfolio book with a wide sampling of your work. I've been using this for a couple of years. People seem to enjoy browsing through a wider selection, and I've had many orders from the sample book. I will keep this even after I get the slide-show thing up and running.
Congrats, Luke, on your opening and good luck!!
Posted by Sandi Winton on February 7, 2008 at 9:48 AM
For Gail Diane Yovanovich - Do you single mat or double mat your standard sizes? (8x10, 11x14 ect...)
Luke - I'm getting ready for my first showing in March and have tons of questions too. I understand what you're going through. Good Luck!!
Posted by Don George on February 7, 2008 at 11:22 AM
I have done shows for over 20 years and have tried everything at least once or twice. Once I knew I could sell my work and make a profit I purchased my own matting and drymounting machines which have paid off . And of course as time went on I also purchased my own printers starting with the Epson PRO4000. I started taking a lot of special orders and then found out it was too time consuming especially with the amount of shows we were doing. I order my frames from a company called Timberline in Colorado. As far as I know they only deal in Oak, but since the new owners tookover maybe that has changed. Very reasonable prices and they sell well. There also made so that they fit a double matted photo on foamboard 3/8".
Several of us have talked about bags for matted pieces they can be bought through Impact Images. West Coast 800 233-2630 East Coast 800 328-1847. they carry over 200 sizes.
If anyone has a question on shows please feel free to E-mail me. I'm sure I don't have all the answers but I might be able to help.
It finally came down to doing standard sizes such as 8x10, 11x14,16x20,20x30etc.As mentioned above I would hang a sign above the mat bin stating that the matted piece fits a standard frame and does not require specialized framing. Best Wishes to those of you doing your first show. I remember mine it was an exciting event
Posted by Steve Foss on February 7, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Luke, congrats on the show.
The only bagged prints I offer for sale are mounted on foamcore and matted and ready for framing. I'll typically put a 5x7 in an 8x10 mat or an 8x10 in an 11x14 mat, and so on, but offer some prints that require a custom frame job.
My lab offers mounting, so they come to me ready to place a mat on, then sign and insert into the clear bag. Makes things very simple because the only mounting I have to do is spray adhesive on the back of the mat and lay them together and press.
On the front of the clear bag I fasten adhesive labels (printed on my own photo printer) with the title of the image and the price, as well as the words "ready for an 11x14 frame," or "ready for custom framing."
On the back, over the flap on the clear bag (so it's harder for customers to actually open the bag and take out the print), I adhere a printed label with my business and contact info, which is essentially the same return address label I use when mailing materials to clients.
I want to make it hard for customers to open the bags because it's plenty easy to get a great look at the print through the bag and because all it takes is one or two times carelessly opened and the flap gets all bent and ratty and I have to re-bag and re-label, or the vendor has to do that. Best to save the hassle. Some customers will get the flap open anyway, but putting that label over it cuts down on that.
Posted by Luke Tingley on February 7, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Thanks for all the great info so far. I appreciate it.
I keep getting hung up on the standard frame sizes. I simply don’t like them. By the time I either crop or matte my pieces to fit standard sizes I either don’t like the crop or I don’t like the uneven amounts of matting around my images. Yet everyone says to use standard sizes so you will sell more.
Here’s what I’m thinking about doing for my unframed images:
-Loose prints with foam board back approximately 1” wider than the print, secured by the plastic corner holders and tight fitting plastic clear bags. These would require custom matting & framing.
-Matted prints sealed in clear bags at a standard size ready for non custom framing.
I’m torn because I think the presentation looks better when they are matted in a custom size matte, but have a few concerns based on what everyone says about custom sizes. I’m tempted to forgo the standard sizes and go with what I think looks the best, and shoot for the market segment that would be spending enough they wouldn’t even consider going to Wal-Mart or Target to buy a frame. But maybe I’m delusional. I’ve only sold a handful of prints, and they have always been from my website and framed. So this is the first time I’ve had to deal with the potential of selling non-framed prints.
One other thing I will mention is that the gallery also does custom framing. So customers could pick up one of the loose prints and have it framed right there at the gallery.
Posted by Steve Foss on February 7, 2008 at 11:24 PM
Luke, don't be torn.
Do both standard sizes and custom sizes. That's what I do, which I already mentioned.
By and large your standard sizes will outsell custom crops, but there is a definite subset of customers who will respond to unique crops and the framing requirements they demand.
Offer some standard sizes to please the majority, and offer some custom sizes to please yourself and that other subset. Frosting on the cake that the gallery offers custom framing.
Or ignore sales trends and crop to please yourself. As an artist, you have the total say over your form of expression. You can take the approach that this is your art and customers can take it or leave it. Or if you need the money from sales, you may find yourself giving in on a few things to get those sales.
Your call. You're the one who has to sleep at night.
I display/sell all my prints mounted, matted and bagged... they look better and don't bend/fold/damage as easily that way.
I use Light Impression's materials http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com
Good luck
Posted by Blaine K Owens on February 22, 2008 at 10:39 PM
A few thoughts on standard vs non standard size images:
I don't want my customers to pay $100.00 to frame a $40.00 photo. On the other hand, I don't want my customers going to a "big box" store to put a $20.00 frame around a $200.00 photo. Remember, the work you sell will be hanging in someone's home or office so you want the overall presentation to be appealing. Unless you sell only framed images then you lose control of that overall presentation.
Customers will also have a higher perceived value of your work if they are required to have it custom matted and framed.
Generally, for images up to 8x10 I print to standard sizes. For my higher end images, which usually start at 11 inches wide, I print to whatever size best suits the composition.
Posted by Pat Warfield on February 25, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Question for Don George,
Would you submit contact info for Timberline Picture frames? Can't get search engine to find them.
I have the regular sizes plus many odd sizes (8 x 12, 9 x 16 , 20 x 24. 20 x 20) and this is not a problem to me as I do my own framing and matting. Actually I have taken odd sized prints and mounted them in common size frames by adjusting the top and bottom of my matts as well as adjusting the width of my innter double matt. These sell well. Heck, they are my photographs so I matt to please only me and my customers. So far I have had no problems with this method. You will also find that expense wise, you best bet is to have a backboatd plus a window view matt for your photographs then insert them in clear plastic bags from clearbags.com. This way you don't have bent, crumpled prints.Good luck with your shows. My last one got blown away by very high winds. I will not show again outside in March.
Discussion
13 repliesHow is everyone displaying their loose images/bagged images?
I was thinking about using foam baord and putting the print in a plastic bag. How does everyone mount their mages to the backing for this type of display? Any of you use the mounting corners? Or do you just size the backing board to the identical print size rely on the plastic bag to hold it in place?
Thanks for any insight,
-Luke
A friend of mine cuts foamboard to the size of the print and then places them in bags made for the size he is selling.
If I was going to use the plastic bags, I would buy the "bags" that have the sealable fold-over top. And get them to just fit the image and matte or foamboard. That way they stay tight and sealed. No hands can get in them! They look like what good quality mattes come in. They look professional, too. And if you open them carefully, they can be resealed. You could also get a stationary company to make you some "seals" with your name on them that you put across the sealed edge to prevent people from opening the bag and sliding the image out for a look-see.
Congrats, Luke, on your first gallery opening!
Troup
Ditto what Patricia said about slide shows on your laptop. I see more and more of this at the galleries and shows and am working on a slideshow for myself now. Another idea if you don't want to go the laptop route (or in addition to) is to have a nice, three-ring portfolio book with a wide sampling of your work. I've been using this for a couple of years. People seem to enjoy browsing through a wider selection, and I've had many orders from the sample book. I will keep this even after I get the slide-show thing up and running.
Congrats, Luke, on your opening and good luck!!
Luke - I'm getting ready for my first showing in March and have tons of questions too. I understand what you're going through. Good Luck!!
Several of us have talked about bags for matted pieces they can be bought through Impact Images. West Coast 800 233-2630 East Coast 800 328-1847. they carry over 200 sizes.
If anyone has a question on shows please feel free to E-mail me. I'm sure I don't have all the answers but I might be able to help.
It finally came down to doing standard sizes such as 8x10, 11x14,16x20,20x30etc.As mentioned above I would hang a sign above the mat bin stating that the matted piece fits a standard frame and does not require specialized framing. Best Wishes to those of you doing your first show. I remember mine it was an exciting event
The only bagged prints I offer for sale are mounted on foamcore and matted and ready for framing. I'll typically put a 5x7 in an 8x10 mat or an 8x10 in an 11x14 mat, and so on, but offer some prints that require a custom frame job.
My lab offers mounting, so they come to me ready to place a mat on, then sign and insert into the clear bag. Makes things very simple because the only mounting I have to do is spray adhesive on the back of the mat and lay them together and press.
On the front of the clear bag I fasten adhesive labels (printed on my own photo printer) with the title of the image and the price, as well as the words "ready for an 11x14 frame," or "ready for custom framing."
On the back, over the flap on the clear bag (so it's harder for customers to actually open the bag and take out the print), I adhere a printed label with my business and contact info, which is essentially the same return address label I use when mailing materials to clients.
I want to make it hard for customers to open the bags because it's plenty easy to get a great look at the print through the bag and because all it takes is one or two times carelessly opened and the flap gets all bent and ratty and I have to re-bag and re-label, or the vendor has to do that. Best to save the hassle. Some customers will get the flap open anyway, but putting that label over it cuts down on that.
I keep getting hung up on the standard frame sizes. I simply don’t like them. By the time I either crop or matte my pieces to fit standard sizes I either don’t like the crop or I don’t like the uneven amounts of matting around my images. Yet everyone says to use standard sizes so you will sell more.
Here’s what I’m thinking about doing for my unframed images:
-Loose prints with foam board back approximately 1” wider than the print, secured by the plastic corner holders and tight fitting plastic clear bags. These would require custom matting & framing.
-Matted prints sealed in clear bags at a standard size ready for non custom framing.
I’m torn because I think the presentation looks better when they are matted in a custom size matte, but have a few concerns based on what everyone says about custom sizes. I’m tempted to forgo the standard sizes and go with what I think looks the best, and shoot for the market segment that would be spending enough they wouldn’t even consider going to Wal-Mart or Target to buy a frame. But maybe I’m delusional. I’ve only sold a handful of prints, and they have always been from my website and framed. So this is the first time I’ve had to deal with the potential of selling non-framed prints.
One other thing I will mention is that the gallery also does custom framing. So customers could pick up one of the loose prints and have it framed right there at the gallery.
Do both standard sizes and custom sizes. That's what I do, which I already mentioned.
By and large your standard sizes will outsell custom crops, but there is a definite subset of customers who will respond to unique crops and the framing requirements they demand.
Offer some standard sizes to please the majority, and offer some custom sizes to please yourself and that other subset. Frosting on the cake that the gallery offers custom framing.
Or ignore sales trends and crop to please yourself. As an artist, you have the total say over your form of expression. You can take the approach that this is your art and customers can take it or leave it. Or if you need the money from sales, you may find yourself giving in on a few things to get those sales.
Your call. You're the one who has to sleep at night.
I display/sell all my prints mounted, matted and bagged... they look better and don't bend/fold/damage as easily that way.
I use Light Impression's materials http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com
Good luck
I don't want my customers to pay $100.00 to frame a $40.00 photo. On the other hand, I don't want my customers going to a "big box" store to put a $20.00 frame around a $200.00 photo. Remember, the work you sell will be hanging in someone's home or office so you want the overall presentation to be appealing. Unless you sell only framed images then you lose control of that overall presentation.
Customers will also have a higher perceived value of your work if they are required to have it custom matted and framed.
Generally, for images up to 8x10 I print to standard sizes. For my higher end images, which usually start at 11 inches wide, I print to whatever size best suits the composition.
Would you submit contact info for Timberline Picture frames? Can't get search engine to find them.
Thanks,
Pat