Comments on: on buying art http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm Watch behind the scenes as fine art nature photographer Daniel Sroka tries to make a living from his art. Blow-by-blow excitement! Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:00:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mark Stadsklev http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm/comment-page-1#comment-28245 Mark Stadsklev Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:26:00 +0000 http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm#comment-28245 I think there are two mind-sets. That of creator and that of marketer. It is frustrating to have to wear both, switching back and forth doesn't come naturally to most and I think there is a lag time too, getting back in the swing of either role. I have noticed that lowering the price does not increase sales. If they want it, they will pay $150 as easily as $50. Someone who will only buy if it's cheap isn't really collecting or supporting you with repeat sales. I have both a book and a DVD. The DVD does well with my captured audience ( my passengers on my charter airplane), but the book costs so much for each print that unless you get it done overseas forget about mark-up profits. If you want to make money with art then enter the commercial side. If you want to make art, then the best thing you can do is focus on your own voice and let the dollars fall where they may. I should take my own advice, but like most ... I do not. I just did my taxes to prove it. I think there are two mind-sets. That of creator and that of marketer. It is frustrating to have to wear both, switching back and forth doesn’t come naturally to most and I think there is a lag time too, getting back in the swing of either role.
I have noticed that lowering the price does not increase sales. If they want it, they will pay $150 as easily as $50. Someone who will only buy if it’s cheap isn’t really collecting or supporting you with repeat sales. I have both a book and a DVD. The DVD does well with my captured audience ( my passengers on my charter airplane), but the book costs so much for each print that unless you get it done overseas forget about mark-up profits.
If you want to make money with art then enter the commercial side. If you want to make art, then the best thing you can do is focus on your own voice and let the dollars fall where they may.

I should take my own advice, but like most … I do not. I just did my taxes to prove it.

]]> By: Big J http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm/comment-page-1#comment-27751 Big J Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:07:56 +0000 http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm#comment-27751 Interesting post, Daniel. "We are quite comfortable with going into a bookstore to buy a book..." So put your art in a book! hahaha... I've thought about putting my own photos in a book in the past, but just can't find the motivation. If you put out - let's say - a leaf book, I'd buy one. I do appreciate your work, but i won't buy *one* either :) ...but a book? Interesting post, Daniel.

“We are quite comfortable with going into a bookstore to buy a book…”

So put your art in a book! hahaha… I’ve thought about putting my own photos in a book in the past, but just can’t find the motivation. If you put out – let’s say – a leaf book, I’d buy one. I do appreciate your work, but i won’t buy *one* either :) …but a book?

]]> By: Mindy Stricke http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm/comment-page-1#comment-26684 Mindy Stricke Fri, 20 Apr 2007 22:03:22 +0000 http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm#comment-26684 A friend recently told me about the <a href="http://www.fineartadoption.net" rel="nofollow">Fine Art Adoption Network</a> (www.fineartadoption.net)--it's a pretty radical concept, because the work is given away by the artists as a part of the "gift" economy, but what I think is very cool is that it allows people to own works of art who might not normally take the leap to buy. The more people see the value of owning an original piece of art as opposed to a poster, perhaps more people will be willing to pay. A friend recently told me about the Fine Art Adoption Network (www.fineartadoption.net)–it’s a pretty radical concept, because the work is given away by the artists as a part of the “gift” economy, but what I think is very cool is that it allows people to own works of art who might not normally take the leap to buy. The more people see the value of owning an original piece of art as opposed to a poster, perhaps more people will be willing to pay.

]]> By: cynthia http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm/comment-page-1#comment-26672 cynthia Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:29:31 +0000 http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm#comment-26672 Interesting post, Dan! I do some trading, and was actually thinking the same thing just this morning. I had bookmarked some other artist's sites to go back to when I felt flush. I think that art purchases are either impulse buys or well thought out ones that take time. I remember last year when I had a booth at the Summer Art Market, this couple came into my booth 3-4 times over the course of the day. Each time they came in they would hold one of my pots, talk quietly. Put it down, stand back, look at it from afar, leave and then come back again. They finally purchased it, but it took them all day. I think the immediacy of the event put pressure on them to make a decision. I had all I could do, not to just give it to them because I could tell how much they wanted it, and knew that money had to be tight. And, what was one of the tenents of Alyson's class? People buy the relationship with the artist as much as the art. That takes time as well. Interesting post, Dan! I do some trading, and was actually thinking the same thing just this morning. I had bookmarked some other artist’s sites to go back to when I felt flush. I think that art purchases are either impulse buys or well thought out ones that take time.

I remember last year when I had a booth at the Summer Art Market, this couple came into my booth 3-4 times over the course of the day. Each time they came in they would hold one of my pots, talk quietly. Put it down, stand back, look at it from afar, leave and then come back again.

They finally purchased it, but it took them all day. I think the immediacy of the event put pressure on them to make a decision. I had all I could do, not to just give it to them because I could tell how much they wanted it, and knew that money had to be tight.

And, what was one of the tenents of Alyson’s class? People buy the relationship with the artist as much as the art. That takes time as well.

]]> By: paula http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm/comment-page-1#comment-26670 paula Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:27:39 +0000 http://blog.danielsroka.com/business/on-buying-art.htm#comment-26670 Hi Dan, forgive me if this isn't your kind of thing.... Congratulations, you won a Thinking Blogger Award. Check out this link for what it means. http://www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/02/thinking-blogger-awards_11.html I've written about your blog here: http://selftaughtartist.blogspot.com/2007/04/thinking-blog-award-with-grimmace.html Paula Hi Dan,

forgive me if this isn’t your kind of thing….

Congratulations, you won a Thinking Blogger Award. Check out this link for what it means.
http://www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/02/thinking-blogger-awards_11.html

I’ve written about your blog here: http://selftaughtartist.blogspot.com/2007/04/thinking-blog-award-with-grimmace.html

Paula

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