Episode 132 - What It Takes to Create, Print, and Ship Fine Art Prints

We discuss all of the research and decisions it took for Jessie to create fine art prints of her paper flowers. Learn what it takes to sell digital art.

******

Branching out your paper flower business can bring more financial stability and keep you excited creatively. The world of fine art prints can open an entirely new world of possibilities.

In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted about how Jessie has expanded her business from paper flower commissions, to writing a book, and now offering fine art prints. The amount of work that went into digitally creating the art, choosing a printer, and figuring out how to ship to customers is quite staggering. But that’s why we’re sharing what Jessie learned along the way so that you can more easily explore how to offer prints of your work.

Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation:

► All about Jessie’s new limited edition print collection.

► How to work with and select printing and shipping companies for fine art.

► What to think about when expanding your product line.

► How Jessie created her digital artwork from photos of her paper flowers.

► Tips for the best frames for Jessie’s art if you purchase prints.

If you can’t listen right away, here are some tips that apply to expanding your paper flower business in any direction.

Research the Unknowns

As Jessie shared on the podcast, she did a lot of research for her new venture. Which size should she choose? Which paper? There are a million options and they all make the art look a little different. Which company meets the right quality standards for printing fine art? Do they ship directly to the customer?

If you’re looking into creating your own prints, this episode is the perfect place to start your own research! Jessie shared so much useful information about these questions.

We’ve also covered many other topics on this podcast about areas that many paper florists explore. Learn about building a YouTube channel in Episode 112, what it takes to run a brick and mortar shop in Episode 110, or creating digital magazines and writing books in Episode 102. Search our archives for a plethora of topics that can get you started.

Whatever new direction you’re contemplating, start researching now!

Learn New Skills

Paper flowers are a fairly new industry. That means you’re probably really good at experimenting and learning new skills as you grow as an artist and business owner. We wear many different hats, and as you expand your horizons, you’ll wear even more.

“That’s where your creativity grows, when you push yourself to those limits, when you challenge yourself with doing something more.” -Jessie Chui

Jessie shared in the episode about how she had to learn new things in Photoshop as she created her digital art. It took time. That’s okay! What’s fantastic about this new skill is that Jessie can definitely use that knowledge again.

This could be an important consideration when deciding which direction to push yourself. Which skills would you need to be successful? Will those skills be useful for other projects? If you’re not sure, it can still be worth it to pursue your idea. If your new knowledge will help you in other areas of your business, that’s even more incentive to put in the time and effort to learn.

Share Your Work

Putting yourself out there can be scary, especially if it’s art you’ve put your heart and soul into. Will anyone buy it? Will anyone even like it? Is it worth the time, energy, and money?

You should weigh the pros and cons of any decision. You should make sure that you’re not pouring so much into a new venture that it will make it impossible to recover if things fail.

All that said, go for it! If fear is holding you back, take a leap of faith. Maybe no one buys your work, but you’ve learned something new and put your art out into the world. As Jessie shared, even if no one buys her new work right now, they now know that she offers that product. It can open new doors later. You never know what will happen, so try!