Way of the web: here is a list of great online resources to help you on your way to selling your art!

Expression, March-April, 2005 by Kathie Gillaspey

FINE PRINT IMAGING

www.fineprintimaging.com

The difference between reproducing your art work on your home printer or at your local copy center and having it professionally reproduced can determine if you will be considered an "artist" or a "crafter" by prospective venues and customers. This company produces archival giclee reproductions of painted, collage or photographic art. An added benefit, and what originally brought me to this site, is that they have a nice resource page--a listing of artist organizations, along with an informative newsletter with tips on marketing yourself and your art.

STARVING ARTISTS LAW

www.starvingartistslaw.com

This Web site does a good job of trying to help you decipher the legal ins and outs of selling your art. I suggest you start here to get the answers to the ever-emerging copyright discussions that occur in every artist group. You find things you thought were true are not!

ARTISANS MARKET, INC.

www.ArtisansMarket.com

Like most artists, Virginia Curry just wanted to create. She came up with the idea for a fully functional, e-commerce marketplace where many artists can sell handcrafted items without having to devote excessive time, energy and money to go it alone. A per-month membership fee and a 20-percent commission on sales gives members the benefit of their own URL (Web address) at ArtisansMarket.com, regular accounting reports, all online and print marketing materials, customer and artist support, and cash membership commissions for referrals of other artists. Members make their own pricing decisions and ArtisansMarket.com is responsible for all hosting and Web site maintenance issues.

CRAFT COST CALCULATOR

http://home.iximd.com/~carousel/CraftCalc1pt6.htm

Figuring out how to price your work for sale is one of the two most talked about topics in artist groups--copyright is the other. This Web page gives you access to a nifty cost calculator that takes all the math out of determining how much you should sell an item for. You do have to know the cost of the materials you use to produce a piece, and determine what your time is worth (labor), but after that, it's all calculated for you.

CRAFTLISTER.COM

www.craftlister.com

After registering for free, this Web site will keep you updated on art and craft shows in your area or throughout the country. It's a great resource for someone looking for shows to participate in, as well as those of us who love to shop for handcrafted items and other works of art.

YOUR CRAFT BUSINESS.COM

www.yourcraftbusiness.com

Myra Anson Nicholas is a mixed-media artist who has put together a comprehensive Web site for those who are looking for answers on how to turn your hobby into a business. Included are the basics (budgeting, pricing, record keeping), selling retail (picking the right show, displays), selling wholesale (gift and wholesale shows, how to handle returns), making your craft (quality control, photography, storage), managing the creative process (sources of inspiration, discovering trends), managing your craft business (legal concerns, cash flow and finances, licensing, and business insurance) and a resource page with links to places to know about.