Quicker and Cheaper?
For some years now I’ve been selling my work in local galleries and from a ‘fisherman’s hut’ in Whitstable harbour market.
For many traders in the harbour market, sales seem to have been down over the last year, and I’ve noticed that people are frequently buying smaller and cheaper things from everyone, like smaller pictures, or prints rather than original pictures. Sales in the galleries have held up a bit better for me so far.
I decided to see if I could produce some felt pictures more cheaply without compromising on quality.
I wrote here last September about having to make a lot of pictures for a big exhibition. I developed a new line of work that I could produce at speed. https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2024/09/05/the-mother-of-invention/
I decided to take my nuno printed tree pictures one stage further to make them a little smaller (less felting time, fewer materials) and offer them unframed (lower material costs).
I’ve realised that using recycled silk or fine wool scarves is a quick way of creating patterns within a felt picture. It can significantly reduce layout time as your fabric does a lot of the work for you. I then thought that I could cut down on fulling time as well if I made two pictures at a time.
I then had a presentation question. I normally have my frames handmade by a local maker. Would I go down the mass-produced frame or the no frame route? I decided to start with the no frame option. I found a provider of inexpensive but good quality picture mount kits that include a back board, mount and cellophane bag.
I made the felt for four pairs of pictures; cutting them apart before printing a different tree on each. I took these photos as a record rather than to present so they’re not the best, sorry.
Do you have a favourite? I think the one top left is mine.
I had 5 weeks of sales / exhibitions in June (one of two weeks and one of three, overlapping – I know, poor planning) and sold 4 of the 8, so I’m pretty happy with this experiment. What next? I will probably make a few more of these and I might source some sample frames to go along with them. Maybe I’ll get my local frame-maker to make one then buy a couple of cheaper mass produced ones so people can see what the options are. Framing is much more expensive than many people realise. I’m also offering photos of some of my bird felt pictures, and prints of some of my (non-felt) photographs in the same unframed format. I’ve sold three of these so far so will see how they go.
I thought I’d finish with a follow up to my sample making blog from March. https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2025/03/09/auditioning-fabrics/
I made each of the samples into cards and here they are.
20 thoughts on “Quicker and Cheaper?”
Of your tree pictures, counting from the top, left to right, I like No 6 best. I do like all of your cards, but especially the cat.
I think that your way forward will mainly be with your printed felt pictures as money is tight generally at the moment. So your beautiful sea shore pictures will be out of reach for many. I have to say that generally I have also bought smaller pieces or cards/prints, since I have never been able to afford to buy the pieces I really liked.
When I was trying to sell my work in our local Artisan “supermarket”, 1855 https://www.1855sturminsternewton.co.uk/, I also found that people preferred to buy smaller, cheaper articles. I did manage to sell a couple of small pictures which I had made by stitching needle felted tattoo-type cat silhouettes onto nuno felted backgrounds. I mounted these on to card and put them into frames which I had purchased from a charity shop. When I first started making needle felted pictures, simple versions of Chinese Brush Paintings on a white wet felted background and then landscapes, I mounted these on fabric covered foam board (or thick card when I couldn’t get any off cuts of that) by lacing the fabric across the back and then covering the lacing with a piece of old sheeting. For hanging, I stitched plastic rings to the back and strung crochet cotton between them. This was getting on for 25 years ago and I was charging £25.00 for them. Most of those sold. When I could get artists’ canvas frames I would cover those in a fabric of a colour chosen to enhance the felted picture, and then stitched the felt to the fabric. Charity shop canvas frames were useable too since they were covered in fabric, hiding the image printed on them. Some of those sold too. Now of course I frame my work, mainly to keep the dust and moths out, and I can’t sell them.
I hope that you can find a way to sell your work.
Ann
Many thanks for your comments and suggestions, Ann. Lots of great ideas. I am still selling the big coastal pictures but I’m trying to extend the range of my pricing to make some things more affordable. Glad you agree this is a good way to diversify.
I think you’re on a winner, I can see these small pieces being very saleable Lindsay. They have a beautiful simplicity, look very classy and their size is perfect for those with a small budget or lack of available wall space. Buyers with a larger budget and more wall space might be tempted to buy as a set of four🤩
Many thanks Karen. It’s good to have a range of price points for people to choose from. And they can lend themselves to multiple purchases if someone wants original pieces and has the right space.
Oh yes – this is the way to go!
Love all the cards – they are gorgeous!
Favourite small picture? Second row down, right hand, the colourful leafy silk scarf with the tree with its branches upwards. It’s a happy picture 🙂
Our best wishes for lots of future sales.
Many thanks, Lyn & Annie. Yes, I can see you being drawn to the more colourful pictures.
I’m glad you like the cat. That’s taken from a picture my mum painted / drew – I think it was in pastels.
The cat is amazing – I wonder who you inherit your talent from then? 🙂
Those smaller pieces are so lovely, Lindsay. I bet they’ll continue to be a great hit among buyers! Loving how you incorporate scarves into the design, how clever.
Your samples are super lovely too! They’d make great book markers 🙂
Thank you, Leonor. I know some people cut the felt part out of the cards to make bookmarks.
I enjoy the Nuno felting elements though it means I spend a lot of time in charity shops!
Great idea all round to help your sales and offer your work to all your public by matching their spend point.
My favourite tree, if i have to choose, is bottom left. That said, they and your sample cards are all lovely with a contemporary simplicity.
As Karen said….I too can see sets of these being bought.
😉
Yes I definitely agree that your simple single tree prints lend themselves to becoming sets. Perhaps you can lean that way with some of them – same tree different season maybe, or same tree – 1 in one picture, 2 in the next and 3 in the third?
Ann
Thanks, Antje. Glad you like both the cards & the pictures. I’ll put a bit of thought into sets of pictures. The one drawback is if you make a set of 3, the price is quite high or you sell one and the other two don’t work so well together. It must be surmountable, though.
Thanks, Antje. Glad you like both the cards & the pictures. I’ll put a bit of thought into sets of pictures. The one drawback is if you make a set of 3, the price is quite high or you sell one and the other two don’t work so well together. It must be surmountable, though.
These are all wonderful Lindsay. Such a great way to diversify so that you have a range of prices. How big are the tree pictures? Glad that they are already selling for you.
I agree with you on the top left being my favorite too. I do like the elegant simplicity of the trees and of course, trees are my favorite subject as everyone well knows.
The cards are really great too. I think the similar ones would be wonderful framed as sets. But of course, people can do that themselves after purchase.
I love all the tree pictures, and I would have a hard time choosing a favourite, because I would keep changing my choice!
I prefer to buy a picture that just has the mount board – like your tree pictures are in your post, then I can choose my own style of frame. The artist’s choice of mount board colour/tone is usually better than mine.
I really like the simple tree pictures on the Nuno fields. Where do you get the tree images? If they are stamped, what medium do you use to make such a crisp image on the felt?
Thanks for your comments. The tree images are from copyright free online sources which I the manipulate in photoshop to get the right size etc. I did a printing on felt course with Lindsey Tyson – if you search Lindsay Wilkinson Artwork in the blogs search box and scroll down the results you will find a blog I wrote about the course. (Sorry I can’t just provide a link, I’m on a train with patchy service).
Unfortunately Lindsey isn’t doing any more “Transfer Printing onto Felt & Other Fabrics” online courses. She advertised the closing date for enrollment on her last course as 31st December 2024. A great shame I think.
Ann
Love all the tree pieces Lindsay! I was curious how you got the images onto your felt too. They are so clear and precise! Lindsey Tyson’s class sounds like it would have been fun to take.
All of your work posted is quite lovely! Nice use of recycled scarves.
Tesi
I love them all but of the trees I like the one with some green on it the best. It picks up the green form the bottom half. I think the small artworks is a great idea. Most of the artists I know who sell also have smaller prints and cards made as well as the big expensive ones and the originals. The big sales are nice but the little ones pay the rent. I am not surprised you some some of them already. I am not sure why but putting them in cellophane makes them seem more valuable but it does.