I am thinking to offer all my photos in double mat for art shows. I will order in bulk - I am wondering what you guys generally do in terms of color. It seems to me white/off-white top mat with a blabk inner mat (1/4 reveal) is ideal for most landscape/nature shot. Am I right? As I will order in bulk, I will not have the flexibility to have many combinations - what other combinations have worked for you?
Thanks for the help
Posted by Mitch Erwin on August 19, 2010 at 12:02 PM
Arnab, overall I'd recommend you keeping your matting color as neutral as possible. What you suggest would work, as well as white on white. Others I have seen even try and color coordinate the inner or outer mat to a prevalent color in the image. To keep costs down, use the KISS method.
Over the past several shows I've done, several purchasing individuals have inquired about me taking the matted print apart, so they could just purchase the print, or if they've purchased the matted print have stated they were going to take it home and have it re matted to another color of their choosing. So..............it is really up to you on that!
Posted by Jim Sabiston on August 19, 2010 at 12:14 PM
Arnab,
I'll echo Mitch on a couple of points. I go for the simplest, cleanest package possible: single layer, white conservation quality mats with an acid free foamboard backing. Most sales for me are of unframed, matted images. The purchaser has the option of either using the mat or not, depending on their needs. I haven't gotten the request in a while, but if some one asks for the price without the mat, I tell them the mat is free. - which in effect it is, as I sell my prints for the same price on the web or at a show and web orders do not include a mat.
People who purchase a framed print are more likely to use it 'as is', so a white mat is more generally acceptable in various decorator settings. I keep at least one matted print of each framed print in stock to avoid the 'how much without the frame' issue.
Posted by Mike Moats on August 19, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Hey Arnab, people have enough problems with the colors in most images not matching up with the drapes, carpet, wall color and whatever. As soon as you add a color matt it just causes more confussion for them if now the matt color doesn't work with the drapes, carpet, wall color. Stick with white as your cutomers will have enough problems with just the colors in the photograph. Also it's nice that you are offering double matt, (as I did when I started) but you soon find most every photographer on the art show circuit is offering single matts to keep cost down. I elimianated the matt and just print with a large white border in the print which has the apperance of a matt, The customers are fine with it and save me lots of money and time and keeps my price on the print lower.
I am getting ready to start showing some of my photos around were I live, I am statring small, this venture will be new to me. For me, I am going to matt and frame just one of some of the pictures to show what they look like framed and matted. They will be for sale though. The rest of the same pictures I am going to have them in clear bags and backing boards for sale leaving the framing and matting option to the buyer in which they will have to take it to someone who does this. Taking on matting and framing pictures for customers is not for me, plus I want to keep my cost down and be able to spend more time in the field!
I am hoping to be able to make more sales being able to sell prints lower, hopefully more prints this way. Way to often I have seen pictures I would love to have bought but the cost of it being framed and matted put it out of my budget.
The commit made in one of the other post about a customer asking if the print could be removed from the matting and I assume so they can buy the print by itself makes me want to try what I mentioned first.
This is my opinion and I will see how it turns out, live and learn?
Dave
Posted by Mel Ladewig on August 23, 2010 at 4:01 PM
All kinds of color are possible to match up. Pick up a color wheel and go to town. But you will definitely be increasing your overhead unless you can find a vendor that does bulk cuts of mixed stock. In that situation you'll probably still end up with trouble when you get unusable colors in the mix.
To be honest, I don't think double matted is a value add for bin work. It can make sense for framed work, but I really don't think you'll get you money back doing it on bin work.
However, I think a backed, matted and bagged is important for showing prints in bins. Prints just don't hold up well on their own.
I did a test 11 years ago when I first got into doing shows. I did every image that was in my bins with a double white mat and also double color mats that complimented the print. To make a long story short, the color mats out-sold the white 10 to 1 easily. If you really want to increase sales, go with the suede color mats and increase the price accordingly.
As far as loose prints, I have a couple of loose prints of every image in the booth stored in boxes under the tables. On the price tag, I don't just list a single price. I list the price for loose print, matted, or framed. This shows the customer they have options. It will also increase your sales dramatically.
Years ago I did a workshop on doing art shows. Here's a link to some info that might be helpful:
Posted by Edward Mendes on September 6, 2010 at 7:15 PM
I've found that neutral tones generally display the best. I would recommend simple white mats, weather you'll be single or double matting the images. I've found many buyers that really like your images prefer a simple display and most of them that would like an accent mat or a custom display have no problem having the image rematted by a local framer.
Discussion
7 repliesThanks for the help
Over the past several shows I've done, several purchasing individuals have inquired about me taking the matted print apart, so they could just purchase the print, or if they've purchased the matted print have stated they were going to take it home and have it re matted to another color of their choosing. So..............it is really up to you on that!
I'll echo Mitch on a couple of points. I go for the simplest, cleanest package possible: single layer, white conservation quality mats with an acid free foamboard backing. Most sales for me are of unframed, matted images. The purchaser has the option of either using the mat or not, depending on their needs. I haven't gotten the request in a while, but if some one asks for the price without the mat, I tell them the mat is free. - which in effect it is, as I sell my prints for the same price on the web or at a show and web orders do not include a mat.
People who purchase a framed print are more likely to use it 'as is', so a white mat is more generally acceptable in various decorator settings. I keep at least one matted print of each framed print in stock to avoid the 'how much without the frame' issue.
I am hoping to be able to make more sales being able to sell prints lower, hopefully more prints this way. Way to often I have seen pictures I would love to have bought but the cost of it being framed and matted put it out of my budget.
The commit made in one of the other post about a customer asking if the print could be removed from the matting and I assume so they can buy the print by itself makes me want to try what I mentioned first.
This is my opinion and I will see how it turns out, live and learn?
Dave
To be honest, I don't think double matted is a value add for bin work. It can make sense for framed work, but I really don't think you'll get you money back doing it on bin work.
However, I think a backed, matted and bagged is important for showing prints in bins. Prints just don't hold up well on their own.
As far as loose prints, I have a couple of loose prints of every image in the booth stored in boxes under the tables. On the price tag, I don't just list a single price. I list the price for loose print, matted, or framed. This shows the customer they have options. It will also increase your sales dramatically.
Years ago I did a workshop on doing art shows. Here's a link to some info that might be helpful:
http://colorado.naturephotographers.net/events/2005-02-artshow/index.shtml