Boosting Artwork Value with Quality Materials: My Personal Journey

Introduction

Quality feels good. Quantity is always on the mind of bargain hunters or people looking for a good deal. However, as a personal preference, I prefer to spend my money on quality items. Adding a new favorite art print or enamel pin to your collection is always exciting, and we often gravitate toward what feels most valuable.

In this blog post I wanted to talk about some of the products I create and how I try to add some premium energy to them (I will also include links to my manufacturers I use so you can try them too! I have no affiliation to any of the attached companies so my opinions are not biased).

Understanding Quality Materials and its enhancement to our artistry

So what exactly do we consider quality in things? Is it the material that our furniture is made out of? Or perhaps the thickness of the text book we just purchased? As consumers and as humans we tend to attach higher price points and visual characteristics with an items intrinsic value.

As artists we have wonderful things to offer to the world! But would one of my supporters prefer my newest art piece to be made on a scrap of pizza box cardboard or Arches 400lb. Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper? While name brands don't necessarily equate to a better value it does help illustrate my point.

In my professional presence I like to feel as though I carry myself and my work to as high of a standard as I can within my budgets. You can easily catch the eye of new followers and your existing fan base just by having your work more durable and with presentation in mind.

Let me share with you some of the products I have made and the manufacturers I have used to achieve a step above in my offerings!

Products I make and the qualities I prefer

ART PRINTS

As a 2D artist one of my major products is... well prints of my artwork! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if I have sold an original artwork I want people to still be able to get one if they would like. When it comes to Art Prints I prefer a nice thick piece of paper.

Generally when I get my prints made I will opt to go with an extra heavy cardstock generally within the 100lb. paper weight and up. Depending on the art you make it will also be dependent on whether you want to utilize Matte paper stock or A Satin/Gloss for the extra shine.

• Catprint - This is currently one of my favorite printing companies I use for their versatility and options available! Not only do they have a lot of variety, you can also order a sample pack to see and feel their paper options available. If you look at my Zodiac Art Prints you can get an idea of how you can take advantage of their Foil options that make your art POP extra. They have also been very courteous and forward if my artwork has discrepancies. Did I mention you can also have them send you a sample before the full production takes place? Win win!

  
  

• PrintKeg - Before I discovered the above printer I utilized PrintKeg for my Art Print needs. When it comes to 11x17 artwork they have some of the strongest prices around. They also offer bundles if you have a specific artwork you wanted made at multiple sizes (11x14 + 5x7 + 8x10) as well as the option to order a ton of one size and seperate it into multiple files. While they do not have as many paper options as Catprint I can say for certain that their paper has a thick quality and is also archival!

  
  

• Local Print Shop - This will be dependent on your geographic location but when you are starting out or if you want to save on shipping costs it is a fantastic option to reach out to your location print shops! Typically they are also able to get ALL of the paper qualities you would like, however they usually need to order it or have a minimum order amount to get them in. They will be local for you and usually offer a better deal than online (no shipping/lower costs = Win Win!). Be aware, like in my case, they can be mom and pop shops who are used to doing flyers and business cards and rarely are approached about Art Prints.

Enamel Pins

I am a sucker for enamel pins. My obsession is definitely fueled by the wild world of Disney pins as well as Bungie with their Destiny pin releases. Collectability is so much fun and they feel like little badges of honor (I may have also been a boy scout at one point in my youth...).

All Enamel pin manufacturing sadly happens overseas so you can expect a long production time as well as some language barriers in the creation of your pins. I have been lucky enough to have had a good streak of work with a company that reached out to me.

• China Lapel Pin. There are a few adjustments that we go through from beginning to end of production, but they are very courteous and I receive my pins right to my doorstep! They offer a multitude of options and extras you can get included on your pins (You can see one of my Enamel Pins that has glow in the dark on it. How cool!).

While I have not had the chance to work with them directly, I do know another two reputable sources you can go through are Vograce and WizardPins. They offer pins as well as multiple other cool products to get your work on. Both Sites also offer the ability to purchase sample packs so you can find the quality you would like your design to become.

Stickers

Who doesn't love some stickers? These little bad boys, or big, are great statement pieces and ways to show off personal interests without worrying about taking it out and about. Unfortunately doing things at home can be extremely costly and manufacturers have access to a lot more capabilities. Quality definitely equals value in the sticker realm.

• StickerMule - One of my first attempts at getting manufactured stickers did not disappoint. Stickermule definitely have quality vinyl that their stickers are made on as well as the addition of buying more products will give you automatic deductions in cost! Their cost is a little high but they for sure are durable.

  
  

• StickerApp - When I needed some flair with my sticker options, Stickerapp definitely stepped up to the plate. While I know that some other manufacturers are offering more variety these guys had a nice selection of cool options as well as a visual idea of how they look on their designs. They also offer the ability to get a sample pack for a low price so you can get an idea of their offerings. Shipping is a little longer as they are produced outside of the U.S.A. but their quality still stands toe to toe with competitors. (You can see my cool zodiac stickers that have a glitter effect from them).

  
  

• StickyBrand - Finances can get tight sometimes when having a string of products that did not perform well. StickyBrand for sure is a great ally in this realm offering sticker deals every week that work perfect for one-off designs or even promotional handouts. These stickers have a strong durability like the others and their reliability is as good as the rest.

Release. Tweak. Repeat.

Is this a complete list? Not in any sense of the term, just a selection of the vendors I have personally tried and have experience with. There is even more minute details you can dig into with your products like the TYPE of prints you offer or the Enamel pin Styles available out in the world (but that is an article for another time!).

We as creators are enriched by the knowledge of value and how we share the information amongst our colleagues. At the end of the day we want our fans, old and new, to feel as what they spent their hard earned money on has presence that will maintain its value for their lifetime.

Try out what you feel is best for your work and see how it goes. You might find something you tried did not work, and that is ok. We learn through mistakes and grow to appreciate the wins we achieve. Just do not get discouraged if you do not get it right the first time.

Conclusion

Quality has been an important part of my released products and the value I feel I bring to the table. It is definitely not as important as the Artwork itself, but it does amplify its impact like a combo in fighting games. We feel good when we bring joy to others, creating a positive cycle.

I hope reading through this post has given you some insight into things I have gone through challenges on and maybe give you some things to try out. I am sure I will have new things to talk about in the future as I release more products and stumble on failed attempts.

Thank you for joining me and I look forward to helping you find more Quality options in your work going forward!