Prints of Paintings
In this day and age of print-on-demand, where we can self-publish high-quality books - physical quality that is, not necessarily content - there’s no real excuse for not making prints of your paintings available.
And when I say your paintings, I mean mine.
Since I decided to sell my paintings rather than continue to hoard them under the bed, I’ve sold the guts of 100. But I’ve never sold a print. Then again I’ve never produced a print.
When I showed my paintings at fairs and festivals, it used to tickle me that my unframed paintings on paper, that I displayed in bins to complement the paintings hung and framed, were refered to as “prints”.
People are great at giving you advice. When I came out as a painter - because I got tired of people assuming I was sitting in watching television every night - people showered me with advice on what to do with my paintings, it being lost on them that I had somehow managed to paint them in the first place without their advice. Do you know what you should do?
But of course that doesn’t mean the advice was all bad. And yes I have long wanted to offer prints but I have some bad habits you see. When I finish a painting I don’t think about selling it. And when I frame a painting I just think about how it looks, not about selling it. Which is all fine and good until somebody asks if they can buy a print of it. And I go, ah.
While I have photographed most of my paintings for my own documentation purposes, only a small percentage of them have been photographed properly in high resolution suitable for producing prints. I get requests all the time for prints of a painting of the Ha’penny Bridge (looking east to O’Connell Bridge and the Customs House). I still have the painting so it shouldn’t be a problem, but I framed it behind glass when I hadn’t even signed it - and while I know how to photograph through glass without producing reflections - it’s such a pain in the bum that I’d sooner dismantle the thing and reframe it again.
A lot of people who aren’t familiar with the world of selling images are unaware that when paintings are sold that is all that is sold. The copyright to the image stays with the artist. So even if you steal a painting you can’t legally sell reproductions of it on mugs or eBay.
Four Courts, No Trees is another I’ve been asked a lot for a print of (it’s the only painting that features in full on my Irish Paintings page), but I framed it behind glass before photographing it properly, and then sold it. Over 9 years I had access to it when it was in Dublin, Moscow, Kildare, and Kansas City, but I never got around to taking a proper-photograph. And now it’s gone.
Kinsale is another popular request that has suffered the same fate.
There’s more to producing prints than just making a good reproduction however. Even for printing-on-demand, it takes time. And time isn’t something I’ve had much of these last 6 years.
A few days ago I got an email about an old painting I did of some houses in Dublin. It was a commission for the owners of one of the houses. And the email was from somebody from the house next door. They were interested in a print.
This painting is long gone, but it is in the same city as me, and although it is framed it is not behind glass, so I’m hoping to be able to capture the quality image necessary to make the print.
I could of course just paint a new painting for them - but I wouldn’t do it for less than 500 euro, and I don’t think I’d do any commission for less than 400 euro. I’m happy to sell paintings here on Irish KC for $99 and other silly amounts, but that’s because they’re not commissions, they came out of me as easily as vomit. Commissions are beyond that natural scope.
Anyway, this is kind of an apology. Once I’m no longer of no fixed abode and am set up painting again (hopefully very soon - I’m working on it right now), I intend to build into my routine the production of prints for all new paintings.
Ideally I’d still like to offer many old ones as prints too. Yes I know that’s reminiscent of stable doors and bolting horses but what can I say - I’m slow. So depending on demand, if you ever bought a painting from me, one I didn’t photograph properly, there’s a vague chance that I may come a knocking some day in the next year or two. Put the kettle on; I’ll bring the Digestives.
More About My Paintings:
• My Favourite Paintings
• Things I Paint the Most
• So I Painted It
• Paintings in Progress
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
we’d be honored; do you insist on a Dublin blend of tea, or will Barry’s do ya?
Is your online shop now open? I’d love one of your street/water scenes.
And do you take Paypal?
I’d love a copy of Four Courts No Trees too.
Jeepers Sam, you’re a one-man comment machine. And you’re a woman.
Technically not open just yet, and as this is the busiest week of the year for Irish KC compounded by some offline matters it will be a few days yet - much as I need the money.
I’ve long been able to take credit cards, but yes I do also take paypal.
As things stand I’m unable to print Four Courts, No Trees on anything bigger than a business card, and I’m unlikely to be able to track it down for a better quality reproduction. Did ya want a business card?
Martha, Barry’s will more than do, Barry’s is the tea. Ideally Classic Blend, but Gold Blend is acceptable. And of course we’re talking leaves not bags.
Prince of Paintings (?)