Laying Print-Making Foundations
Learning the ins and outs of fine art print-making and how to sell them.
I’ve never worked with a physical medium before. I love working digitally and have spent my entire life studying and practicing digital workflows. I also dislike having “stuff” cluttering up my limited apartment space. Perhaps if I had studio space where I could stock, store and effectively use supplies my attitude might be different, but for now it’s not attractive. And yet, I’ve taken the dive head first into producing fine art prints with a purchase of an Epson SC P900.
Why? Simply put, I want to see my art on walls. I’d love to participate in a group art shows alongside painters, photographers, etc. and I’d like to get out of my comfort zone, to challenge myself and see what I could create when a computer is only one part of my creative toolset. Learning the ins and outs of fine art printing felt like the most accessible first step towards those goals, with plenty of depth to dig into. Plus, I’m able to fit print supplies and the printer itself into a corner of my apartment, thanks to some great luck finding this beautiful flat filing cabinet.
What should I print?
As mentioned in my previous post, I’ve been busy working on my infrastructure so that I can reliably generate thousands of preview images or render high resolutions without crashes. As a result, I haven’t had the time to craft new print-focussed works.
But I do have released projects with a host of unexplored ideas. And given I would not need to make new work “long form” — a constraint that forces algorithms to always produce “good” outputs at the expense of occasional unexpected outliers — the new ideas could be pushed to extremes that would be fresh and exciting. In the past I felt aversion to doing this both because I wanted to try new techniques (I still do) and due to fears of diluting value of existing collections, but I felt right now it was worth giving it a try. I chose Erratic to be the foundation for a new exploration as I had many ideas left on the table. After a complete code overhaul and exploring it with fresh eyes, I felt convinced this was not just a good idea but one that could reshape my practice.
Series of Collections
Entropy is the first of what I intend to be several on-going explorative, print-focused series. Each series will be comprised of incremental collections, each exploring a new technique or design that builds upon the preceding collection to push the algorithm into new territory. I am likely to overhaul another existing project and bring it into this new practice then start a completely fresh design, once I have the headspace again.
At the heart of the Entropy series is my desire to show raw captures from infinitely chaotic systems that I handcraft in code, as part of an iterative process of curious experimentation. The work represents the property of our universe wherein a state of disorder is more probable than one of order; given enough time, everything will shift away from structures towards their basal components. It is this transition that gives life to everything we know. By crafting my algorithmic code to have the agency to make thousands of small decisions using pseudo-random values - distortions, tearing, reflections, layering - atop an otherwise stable scene depicting a torus, each piece in the collection yields a unique view of a universe rapidly trending towards maximum entropy. Observing the emergent qualities of thousands of captures, I judge the composition, palette, density, balance, etc. as part of my curation process, to decide which make it into the final collection.
I feel this practice will be more manageable because it reduces the pressure to always come up with “the next best thing” and have it be a wild success. Instead, once I have a few algorithms established, I can dig into each on a much deeper level with fresh ideas feeling more organic. Released work will also be more seasonal, with designs that may or may not resonate with collectors coming and going more casually. I will still do entirely new projects — I have a long list I’d love to explore — but they can sit alongside my regular work, instead of always feeling like they’re on my critical path.
Editions… Variable Editions
So what will people actually be able to collect? The code I develop, for all practical purposes, can infinitely generate artwork, unlike other mediums like photography or painting which can only create “one of something” that may be reproduced as a print.
Thus, I feel a strong desire to ensure every print is unique artwork regardless of the size or price paid. To borrow business terminology, this is my unique differentiator.
I want every collector to feel the same special experience of knowing that have unique artwork that no one else in the world owns. This privilege is typically reserved for the wealthy who can afford original artworks, but given the nature of code art offered as a print, it doesn’t have to remain that way. The challenge then, is how to segment my work into different sizes and price-points such that the unique experience is the same but the monetary exchange aligns with the overall perceived value of the package.
wrote an excellent post recently that is tangentially related, where he proffered that pen plots (algorithmic art drawn by robotic servos) could be valued somewhere between a limited edition art print and an original painting / artwork.
It’s a great read and it helped me come to a couple conclusions in how my artwork should be positioned. To make accessible artwork I would offer smaller sizes with an unlimited number being available. While a more premium offering would be larger in size, have a limited number per collection and come with a certificate of authenticity. The latter fitting similarly with how he views a unique pen plotted artwork.
But what to call these? An “edition” doesn’t work as it implies a duplicate copy of the same visual output. Once again, Daniel came to my rescue with a suggestion to use the label “variable edition” for work that uses the same underlying code but produces unique outputs. So here’s how I’m using that label for a given collection:
Variable Edition (Limited) — I will only produce N outputs at a high quality and physical size. They will be thoroughly curated and I’ll do post processing by hand to ensure the highest quality prints are produced. They come with certificates of authenticity and should be considered my “collectable” work. Each work will be listed individually and available to purchase. These are premium artworks.
Variable Edition (Open) — each artwork is unique and I will produce as many as are requested while the collection is being offered. They will be curated to ensure they meet my expectations of quality, but I will not pass judgement on the merits of their inclusion. They will be listed in packages where the default assumption is that you will receive prints blind, not knowing exactly what you will get. Though I will be open to email requests asking for particular types, aesthetics or colors if someone doesn’t want the fun surprise. These are my accessible artworks.
As of right now, I’m thinking of offering the following for Entropy Alpha print sizes, which have all been determined to fit common frames and matt options correctly.
6x8 art on 8x10 sheet — Variable Edition (Open) — $
11x14 art on 12x16 sheet — Variable Edition (Open) — $$
16x20 art on 17x22 sheet — Variable Edition (Limited) —
I still have to figure out things like how to effectively communicate this plan on a web store, where the UX is usually “I see the thing, I buy the thing, I get the thing”. Perhaps I’ll need to look at collectibles like Pokemon card packs to get some ideas 🤔
How should I package it?
I want to ship prints flat, rather than rolled up in a tube, both because I think it’s nice to not have to uncurl a print and because I frankly don’t have space to store tubes. I ended up finding this great article that gave tips on how to effectively package up various different print sizes and have purchased bags, glassine and mailers to match.
https://www.thebeastisback.com/blog/2019/1/2/how-to-ship-your-artwork-safely
I also spend time watching YouTube videos of experienced artists talking about how they include various items to help reinforce their artistic branding and give buyers a more personalized and/or special experience when opening. For me personally, just receiving the art is fine, but they convinced me that including these extras is worth the effort for some. This video in particular helped me think about all of the factors that weigh when crafting a good presentation.
I’ll be honest, I loved what he did so much that I pretty much just copied it. Except for the fancy box as it’s too expensive and again…takes up too much space. I designed a similar “thank you” card for personalized messages, a project specific explainer card that shares insights into the print and a certificate of authenticity that will be included with every limited edition print. Seeing them together really helped things feel legit.
When will prints be available?
I don’t have a timeline yet, but soon-ish? I want to finish mailing some test packages out using artist proofs and all the extras included, to ensure the entire flow works and no serious damages are encountered. I’ll likely do a soft launch with my open variable packages then strategize an “official” launch that will include an initial set of limited works to try and get some buzz. If you want to know about the soft launch, send me an email and I’ll privately contact you once it’s live. Otherwise, a future newsletter will have the launch date once I’ve decided what it will be.
hello@owmo.studio
Thank you for taking time to read this and for your continued support :)
Owen