Artists and galleries, you’ve been working hard. And one day a writer is going to call you. That writer might be someone like me. Someone calling to interview you for a feature article in a newspaper or magazine. That writer will schedule an interview to talk about your art and will take the next day or two to write up a thoughtful intelligent article promoting your work. That writer is also going to ask you for high resolution print ready images. Will you be ready? You had better be, because there is a great chance that you may lose an opportunity to show your best work to a wide audience if you don’t have goods.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve interviewed an artist or gallery and they aren’t prepared with high resolution quality print images to accompany the article. Not only will you need these images in case of fame, but you’ll also need them for advertising, direct mail marketing, postcards, and portfolio and exhibition requirements.

I write this post because just recently I interviewed an artist. I was assured that she had high res photos of a certain piece of work which was to be mentioned in the story. I wrote up the story while waiting for the images only to find out that the artist only had low resolution images. This puts the artist/gallery in a poor marketing situation (because low res images look like hell in print) and it endangers the writer of missing deadline if the writer has to wait for you to prepare imagery. “Can’t you take the image off my website?”  Answer: NO!!  Here’s why…

Images prepared for the web are low resolution images. They are usually compressed to 72 dpi and about 1000×1000 pixels in size at the most. Images for the web are not suitable for print publication because they are teeny tiny or will display with those nasty jagged edges. You need images which are at least 350 dpi and approximately 8×10 inches in size. (Smaller photos such as 4×6 will also work but just in case that writer wants to splash a BIG photo of your work for a page spread… well, you know where I’m going with this, so just in case, keep those 8×10’s handy)

Here’s how to prepare your photos for print:

Selecting images.

You’re a professional artist or a professional gallery and these images should NOT be snap shots. You are selling high end ART… show your art to it’s best advantage and show that you are a professional. If you can’t take the photos yourself, hire a photographer. (Just a little plug here… yes I’m available to photograph your work.) It’s well worth the money to show your work in it’s best light. A professional photographer will provide you with gorgeous detailed imagery. The photographer will crop out any unnecessary background chaos and use post processing to ensure the color pops and that the image is crystal clear and color accurate. Also that photographer will take high resolution photos and will also usually provide low resolution images if you need them for the web as well.

Select images which are interesting, compelling and marketable. Quality content and clear bright images are essential. Ensure that all horizon and vertical lines are level and that the art sits straight and proud. Crazy angles, unless it’s a fine art photo, are not the best choice for publication. Photos of your art opening should include people… lots of people. But if the people don’t look their best, skip the photo and select another. Again I emphasize quality quality quality and HIGH RESOLUTION.  If you have a photo on your hard-drive and are not sure if it’s high or low res, look first to it’s size to give you a clue. If it’s size reads something like 620KB… This is most likely a low res image. Start looking for images that are maybe 3, 5, 10mg. From there you can weed out the low res from the high.

Creating photos on your own.

There are two things you need to be aware of here. First is the image size (dpi = dots per inch) and the image’s dimensions (1000×1000 pixels or 8 x10”). Your camera setting will provide you with a couple of options for this. Select the largest or highest quality setting. You can always make a large photo smaller but you can’t make a small low resolution photo bigger… or at least you can’t do that and expect a solid successful print.

You’ll need some photo editing software and there are several great ones available. Make sure to crop your photo and depending on your Lightroom or Photoshop skills you can tweak the photo for clarity, vibrance, brightness, contrast and more.

When you have collected a variety of shots for your promotion needs put those in a folder for marketing and promotion. Keep the high resolution images in one folder and the web ready images in another. This way you will be ready to go in a moment’s notice when that special writer comes calling.

Oh… and one more thing. Very Important. Don’t forget to include the title, size and medium if you are submitting photographs of artwork. The publication is going to want this information to include in a caption or in the copy.

In the case of the artist I wrote about above… well, she had a new work which she very much wanted to promote. However, because she didn’t have the image prepared, we had to change the copy and display an older image. What a shame and what a lost opportunity. Don’t let this happen to you.  So even if you have images… spend some time organizing them into folders and subsets so you are not hunting around your hard-drive looking for the ONE photo that you know you have somewhere.

Good luck.

Did you like this article or do you know a friend who might benefit? Please feel free to comment and to share.

Phyllis Theroux’s The Journal Keeper – A Memoir is a delightful read. Like having a relaxing sitdown with an older more experienced writer, like talking with your mom or a beloved friend on a spring morning with a cup of tea. In fact, I find her words to be so inspiring that it’s difficult for me to read the book . . . each time I start, I’m inspired to rush to my laptop to jot down words of my own.

On page 40, Theroux writes about a trip to Charlottesville:

We walked around the University of Virginia quad designed by Jefferson. It is winter now, stacks of wood lie by each student’s door. The ivy on the serpentine brick walls is withering, the garden, laid out in pie-shaped triangles, are bare. Something in me doesn’t like to take the time to describe what I’m looking at: the slender student bent over her book in Starbucks, the little snow-suited baby waiting patiently to be scooped up by its mother in the restaurant, the bundled-up Tibetans downtown sitting before their table of trinkets and prayer flags. But another part of me wants to develop a more physically observing eye. This sabbatical from writing has given me the space and time to cultivate my eye for its own sake.

Sustainability. Go Green! Living Principles. These keywords and concepts have been circulating the news, business communities, and social media sites. But what do they really mean? And what do they mean for you? How can these concepts affect what you do and how you practice your life and career choices as artists, designers, photographers, business people and members of society.

Terms such as Going Green may sound merely like buzzwords, perhaps a passing trend . . . but I think it’s become apparent to the majority of us that people need to work together to make a difference for a collective good. I believe that most agree, we can no longer stand idly by and hope for the best without investing our own hard work and initiatives. We are the ambassadors of our planet.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AIGA CONNECTICUT

CONTACT:
Lisa Mikulski – Director of Communications and Public Relations
Email:  communications@connecticut.aiga.org
Web:   www.connecticut.aiga.org
Phone: 260.227.5472

Calling all designers, artists, entrepreneurs and students . . . check out our upcoming events at AIGA Connecticut. From a warm breakfast to Living Principles, we’ve created a blizzard of activity to inspire your winter days. All events are open to the public.

Nearly every Sunday, my friend Casey would send me an email to say hello. Attached was always a photo of something wonderful and extraordinary. Now Casey’s blog, artandcolour, has been nominated for a Blogger’s Choice Award. Please visit and enjoy artandcolour (and maybe even vote). Casey shares with us his thoughts on book design, photography, wildflowers, cars, his family history and his life. Well written and executed, you’ll love this site.? Simply beautiful!

IS A WEBSITE STILL REALLY NECESSARY?

How many marketing tools do we need? There seems to be thousands, maybe millions, of social media outlets, third-party portfolio sites, creative community endeavors and they all seem to be screaming about why they are the ticket to make your online marketing arsenal complete.

We are told that we need a website, a blog, a Facebook account, Twitter, Linkedin and don’t forget the other myriad of sites that add to the mix. We are told we need self branding (a logo and ID), SEO functionality and that we should network, network, network!! Good lord, who has the time? Do we really need all this to sell our product and services? Well, yeah we do. We’re in business and as such it’s expected that we put in more than the pre-requsite 9-5pm work day. So, no more complaining about Facebook or time limitations.  Don’t wanna hear how you’re an artist and all you want to do is make art. Marketing is a part of what needs to be done. It’s like paperwork, administration, taxes and brushing your teeth . . . you need to do it, so let’s figure out the best way to handle all these reigns.

Do you keep a journal? As a kid, I always had what back in little-girl-world was called a diary. My earliest creative memory was one where I stood in my backyard composing thoughts and ideas on paper pretending to be a news reporter. I think it was that particular moment when I knew I would be a writer when I grew up.

Despite that fact that I did grow up to be a writer, I no longer keep a journal. I’m not entirely sure why that is, but I spend so much time typing on a laptop that the very act of handwriting has become foreign to me.

You could do it online. Or you could go to Walmart, Macy’s or Saks. But this year I propose a happier idea for your Christmas shopping pleasure. This year it’s more important than ever to give your loved ones the gift of buying something truly special from your local merchant or gallerist. Let me paint you a christmas picture with words.

Now I’m not saying go out and buy your sweetheart a $5,000.00 piece of art, although you certainly can if you want to, but what about the rest of those people on your Christmas shopping list? They might want something special, something unique and inspired too. They might better appreciate something which doesn’t come from Walmart.

I’ve worked with artists and galleries for over 10 years and I can promise you that if you walk into a gallery or artisans shop this Christmas, you will be most warmly welcomed. Galleries and local shops have treasures to offer you this year and besides being economically wise, it can be such a romantic experience from start to finish.