A Small Change can make a Big Difference

As a professional artist and photographer, I’m constantly on the lookout for new and interesting things to capture – be it on canvass or paper. The things that fascinate me most are the rolling landscapes of the English and Welsh countryside along with the iconic buildings that are set in a much more urban environment. When I come to show my work I find that the contrast between the two creates a buzz amongst the buyers, and they seem to especially appreciate the use of the two art forms and the contradistinction that they bring.

I move around the United Kingdom a lot, not only to find new and inspiring images to reproduce and record but also to show off my existing work. Moving from gallery to gallery and art fair to art fair is exciting but exhausting work. However, I have recently been employing one trick that has made the whole affair much more productive and far more lucrative – in fact I wish I’d done it years ago. If I’m honest, it’s something that I should have done years ago, but I always believed that the art itself was the important thing and anything else was just secondary.

So, what is this great revelation that has changed my life and increased the takings from my art exponentially? Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that it’s really rather simple and something that anyone who is displaying artwork for sale can do – I have begun to pre-mount my work prior to exhibiting. Yes, that’s it, but it is something that so many artists and photographers, me included, neglect to do. By pre-mounting your artwork you are essentially giving your potential customers an extra service which saves them time and also allows you to mark-up your work slightly as they look much more professional than unmounted pieces.

By using a backing board and high quality picture mounts you are presenting the artwork to the buying public as a ready-to-go purchase. All that is left for them to do is decide on what type of frame would suit them best. Alongside this I also place each piece into an acetate bag/sleeve. Doing so helps to keep any grime or fingerprints off of the mount and artwork, plus it also means that I can stack the pieces for people to leaf through if I so wish. As many of you who have displayed work in the past will know, often the area in which you display your art (especially at art fairs) can be cramped, so being able to lay them against each other without fear of damage is a real help.

Just by employing this small change I have seen a real increase in the turnover that my business creates. Earning more at each showing means that I can cut back on the amount of time spent inside selling my work and spend far more of my time doing what I love, creating new art.