tips or hints for posting artwork to CAF?

[gfb-migration]

hi, everyone, i had sent an email to mr.notsonice for some help, so just wanted to let him know, i'm asking here just in case he doesn't get my email

 

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for posting your artwork to your CAF gallery? I've got a very nice digital camera, but can't seem to figure out the best angle/lighting/approach to get it to look like most of the galleries on there. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance

gfb

 

[Enforcer]

I'm assuming that you don't have an 11x17 scanner. Mustek makes a very affordable model which comes in handy. If not, you can go to Kinkos and use their large format copiers and reduce a copy down to fit on a normal scanner. That should do well enough to display on CAF. In fact, I sometimes will make a full size 11x17 copy at Kinkos and use a cheap poster type frame to hang it on the wall so I can safely store the original and I don't have to pay for archival materials to do a proper framing job on the original. Personally, I've found it hard to take pictures of the art with digital cameras, but that is just my opinion.

 

Enforcer (thumbs u

[gfb-migration]

no just a regular letter size scanner. do you have a model number on that mustek 11x17?

some of my art is 2 up size and is much bigger than 11x17, i guess on those the only option is a kinkos?

thanks for the response!

 

[mister_not_so_nice]

Guy,

I haven't read the email since I'm at work.

 

For art that is too big for my scanner I have taken photos. For this I put the art in a well lit area and take the pic from directely overhead. I did this for my Bill Ward Contes and Dorian Cleavenger painting which is WAY too big for my scanner. Using this method I could crop the pic, slightly rotate is needed and still have an image I was happy with. This method may take a little more time than simply scanning, but you can take multiple pics and use the best one.

 

I have the Mustek scanner and a search on eBay for "Mustek A3 11X17 USB Scanner" or any combo should bring up multiple. I've had mine for quite a few years and it has done thousands of scanns and has only recently shown signs of fatigue. Well worth the under $100 I paid for it.

 

Mike

 

[mister_not_so_nice]

In fact, I sometimes will make a full size 11x17 copy at Kinkos and use a cheap poster type frame to hang it on the wall so I can safely store the original and I don't have to pay for archival materials to do a proper framing job on the original.

Enforcer (thumbs u

 

What's the average cost for doing this?

How does the print look next to the original?

 

Mike

[Enforcer]

In fact, I sometimes will make a full size 11x17 copy at Kinkos and use a cheap poster type frame to hang it on the wall so I can safely store the original and I don't have to pay for archival materials to do a proper framing job on the original.

Enforcer (thumbs u

 

What's the average cost for doing this?

How does the print look next to the original?

 

Mike

 

It costs around $10. You can get the poster frames at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. They are just the cheap black plastic frames with clear plastic covering over the "art", but it is fine for a xerox copy. They look fine on the wall. If you get up close you can tell it is a copy, but there are only certain pieces that I am prepared to spend the money in order to frame the actual art properly. There are others that I would like to hang up, but I can't justify the expense to frame it right. Therefore I found a cheap alternative. I hope that helps.

 

By the way, you had much better luck with your Mustek than I did. I used mine off and on for about two years and it went kaput on me. I probably scanned 200 plus things on it in that time. I'm still debating on whether or not to get another one. I've found that with B&W art, a xerox copy is fine in order to get a scan posted on the net and kinkos only charges 17 cents each for an 11x17 copy. It is even cheaper to reduce one down to 8.5x11 which I can scan on my normal scanner.

 

Chris (thumbs u

[Enforcer]

In fact, I sometimes will make a full size 11x17 copy at Kinkos and use a cheap poster type frame to hang it on the wall so I can safely store the original and I don't have to pay for archival materials to do a proper framing job on the original.

Enforcer (thumbs u

 

What's the average cost for doing this?

How does the print look next to the original?

 

Mike

 

I just realized that you both might be talking about artwork in color. I know that Kinkos has a large format color copier, but I can't vouch for how it would look with something like a painting. I used it once to make a copy of a watercolor piece and it turned out ok. I think the color copies were a little over a dollar each though, but it has been awhile since I used it.

 

Chris

[mister_not_so_nice]

Chris, thanks for the info. I was just asking about B/W or inked pieces. I already framed THESE TWO PIECES before I decided I was only going to frame painted art. I am deathly afraid of fading a piece (and losing my investment! ! ). So since I already have the frames and placards made I was just going to replace the originals with a print, if it looks good. I'll check out kinkos this weekend and see what they can do.

[mister_not_so_nice]

O.K. I finally got some prints made for some OA I have. The blue and red pencil doesn't come through on the print(I know it's not supossed to, that's why they use it) But I am happy with the results. And if anyone gets close enough to inspect and says, "Hey, these aren't originals. They're prints" I have the originals in a portfolio thye can look at.

 

Get the prints on a medium stock gloss paper(the gloss makes the blacks darker) set me back about $1.26 for all four.

[mjacobs8]

O.K. I finally got some prints made for some OA I have. The blue and red pencil doesn't come through on the print(I know it's not supossed to, that's why they use it) But I am happy with the results. And if anyone gets close enough to inspect and says, "Hey, these aren't originals. They're prints" I have the originals in a portfolio thye can look at.

 

Get the prints on a medium stock gloss paper(the gloss makes the blacks darker) set me back about $1.26 for all four.

Looks good Mike.