The Art Career Benefits of Working on Collections
Hello Moonbeams,
Welcome to another Waxing Moon Session a monthly post I like to do that discusses ways in which we can learn and grow in our creativity with topics ranging from organization, inspiration, mental health and work methods.
Last month I talked about the creative side of creating my Voices of Neon collection and this month I wanted to get into some of the business details and how collections factor into my career.
Of course, remember that these are my own experiences and there are many variations on how to do things.
Exploration and Connection
I actually really enjoy working in series and themes as it gives me a chance to fully explore an idea and process it. Not only do series allow you to work through an idea, but it can give your audience a way to connect with your ideas, through many different variations. In that way, viewers can find themselves in your work which is a wonderful thing!
I have also noticed that people really enjoy things that relate to one another. Whether it be by a matching colour scheme, or loose them, even if it is as small as a two piece set. I personally am a huge fan of Dapper Mouth's sign series. Whenever they come out with a new one, I immediately want it! Neon signs, especially motel signs, are a "passion"...? of mine so seeing that the artist has multiple pieces with the same theme, gets me excited to collect them all!
Beyond the original piece
A big part about creating collections for me does not come from the original painting itself selling but rather, what can come from that original painting. Remember that your original, while an amazing gem, can also become prints, tapestries, apparel, etc. If I only counted on selling originals I would not have a career that I could easily sustain because they take quite a lot of time and often require a group of collectors willing to buy everything you make which, while lovely, takes some time to build.
Thinking beyond the original piece is also excellent if you create digital content. Although many digital artists have found ways of releasing a special one off "master print" as their original, being able to release other prints and merchandise based on your work can open it up to so many more buyers.
But what if I create sculptures or other one-off pieces that I cannot make prints or merchandise from?
Similarly to how I might create some small and therefor less detailed paintings that might be more approachable for some buyers, I have seen sculptors create smaller, less detailed sculptures, or cast in either bronze or resin so that they have multiples of the same design. I have seen apparel makers create smaller accessories on the side, ceramicists create simple items such as tiny plates to set jewelry on, etc. There is almost always a way to create a somewhat more accessible item to go alongside your big show stoppers and releasing collections that feature both can be super smart!
The details
I wanted to briefly mention some details not only to keep in mind for collections, but for showing work you intend to sell in general.
Quality to the highest degree that is reasonable for where you are at
Photography It can be tempting to take a really rough picture on your phone and hope someone buys it. While this has worked for some people, I often find that many of us have to put a bit more effort in. Use good lighting when photographing work. It is okay to use your phone, just make sure you are capture clear images that reflect the quality, and accurately represent your work. Colours, etc. Should be as close to the original as possible. I would not recommend phone photos for making prints of actual art however.
Packaging is another thing I think of. Make sure that if your pieces find homes, they are safely packaged. It is totally okay to use sustainable materials to package with, but I do recommend keeping the presentation as tidy as possible, This is something I have personally had to work really hard on over time.
Presentation of the final work: When posting the final piece on Etsy, social media or your website, a combination of good photography, and confident writing about the piece is going to go a long way in helping viewers to connect with it. It amazes me how much time the prep work around a piece takes. Planning to spend several days to weeks on the prep work (depending on the size and type of collection) is going to save you a ton of stress. I really recommend doing a basic schedule of when you need to have things done by, and giving yourself lots of extra time for those unexpected delays that life likes to throw at us!
Do not hesitate to regularly talk about the collections you are creating. Unfortunately social media relies on a lot of regular content but collections give you the opportunity to make many posts showing off the new work both while it is in process, and once it is finished. Even if your collection does not sell out, you may attract new followers and future collectors just by creating it, which is so valuable.
I wanted to share a few really well put together collections some friends from my peer group released this year. It has been amazing getting to know artists who all have such different styles and I think their presentation is amazing!
Final Encouragements
Although we did just discuss some of the benefits of working on series and collections, I wanted to chat about some of the woes as well.
Oftentimes there can be an unrealistic expectation that collections are going to sell out instantly. It can be easy to compare oneself to other artists who do happen to sell out, and wonder why you are not the same. Just keep in mind that finding your collector base does take time. And for many people (myself included) my personal collectors love to court work. I have a collectors who write to me now and then telling me that they are still awaiting the piece that speaks to them enough to bring it home. Then there are those rare times when things get snagged immediately. This is why not counting only on selling big originals is helpful for me.
I hope this was helpful and as always, feel free to ask me any questions!
~Aria ☾
