Illustration Fair - any tips

[thisnorthernboy]

Hi folks,

I'm thinking of exhibiting at a small illustration fair (approx 4000 visitors over 4 days, so not tiny), and wondering if anyone had advice as to what to product to exhibit and sell? I think numbers of stuff is the main worry, wouldn't want to run out after a couple of days if things went really well, but if things are slow - don't want to be left with a shed load of prints unsold.

Currently thinking:
Screen prints A3 & A2 - high quality, low numbers
Prints - A4 & A5 - lower quality, larger numbers
Postcards, single and in sets of four or six
Badges - single and sets
A book of sketches - online printing, soft back, black and white.

I'd probably do some hand finishing/colouring of postcards on the day for people who bought a certain amount of stuff.

The theme would be robots, using the work I built up over the last year on my Droid A Day project.


Any thoughts welcome.

Rob

 

[Paul Murray]

I've attend a fair few print fairs, both as a buyer and as a seller, and what sells and what doesn't is entirely up to who is browsing on the day. I'd focus on quality and pick out a few of your 'signature' pieces that you can sell in a variety of sizes.

Get them printed really well and price them accordingly. Cheap work often puts people off. I sold some work for a friend at one fair. He wanted £10 for an A1 4 colour screen print. I looked around and other people were selling similar work at that size for between £20 and £50 depending on quality and who they were. I priced it at £25 and sold both copies before the end of the day. Like a lot of things, a higher price implies a higher quality.

Badges and smaller stuff like stickers seem to sell pretty well though too, as a lot of people go to just browse, but buy things they like if they're cheap enough.

From a buying perspective, If I'm looking to buy a print for my wall, I tend to favour A2 or even A1 as the frames for these are relatively easy to find and cheap to buy, though I also buy smaller works (A3) plus 'nik naks' I can keep on my desk (postcards, etc).

Print what you can afford to pay for and what you have space to store. Don't forget to factor in the price of printing, paying for an exhibit space, extra stuff like bulldog clips, rubber band, wrapping paper etc, when you're pricing up. Something simple like wrapping up a print in brown paper and adding a rubber band around it can make buyers feel their getting something extra special.

 

[Moominbaby]

If you wanted a cheap way of printing with a really great feel this place was recommend to me via a friend Hato Press
Just thought it might be helpful and the Risograph creates a great nostalgic feel good luck!

 

[Moominbaby]

Oh Yes wrap it up like Paul said I try to go to the Pick me up Fair every year and buy prints there. If you have to carry them around on tube etc its essential and nice to unwrap when you get back also some people there had odd sized print available with frames, very handy if you want to put it straight up.

Maybe check out the pick me up exhibition for ideas, its a very well done fayre with some cool things and clever ideas

I've attend a fair few print fairs, both as a buyer and as a seller, and what sells and what doesn't is entirely up to who is browsing on the day. I'd focus on quality and pick out a few of your 'signature' pieces that you can sell in a variety of sizes.

Get them printed really well and price them accordingly. Cheap work often puts people off. I sold some work for a friend at one fair. He wanted £10 for an A1 4 colour screen print. I looked around and other people were selling similar work at that size for between £20 and £50 depending on quality and who they were. I priced it at £25 and sold both copies before the end of the day. Like a lot of things, a higher price implies a higher quality.

Badges and smaller stuff like stickers seem to sell pretty well though too, as a lot of people go to just browse, but buy things they like if they're cheap enough.

From a buying perspective, If I'm looking to buy a print for my wall, I tend to favour A2 or even A1 as the frames for these are relatively easy to find and cheap to buy, though I also buy smaller works (A3) plus 'nik naks' I can keep on my desk (postcards, etc).

Print what you can afford to pay for and what you have space to store. Don't forget to factor in the price of printing, paying for an exhibit space, extra stuff like bulldog clips, rubber band, wrapping paper etc, when you're pricing up. Something simple like wrapping up a print in brown paper and adding a rubber band around it can make buyers feel their getting something extra special.