Does Size Matter to YOU?

[Miltz]

After being beaten sensless by Milt about my work's size, both here and in othe forums, I thought I would ask everyone "what size do you work?" What sizes sell better? Which sizes are sufficient to make an impact in a gallery setting? What sizes have sold best for you at various points in your careers?
In a related area, does it matter from a marketability standpoint what substrate you paint on? Here specifically I am interested in oil/acrylic/multimedia as in Masonite or wood panels vs. canvas; linen vs. cotton; stretched vs. mounted etc. (though comments on the market effects of quality archival materials vs less expensive or downright cheap alternatives would be welcome for any media).

I have pretty much decided on an avg. 36"width by 36"- 48" height for my upcoming series (5 pieces), after trying to balance cost, shipping and portability concerns. I am hoping this is big enough to make a major statement without being so huge that no one can afford the wall space or price tag to buy one....

Thoughts from you well established people would be most appreciated!

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-Mark
"The painter and the canvas are alone, and if the canvas does not fight back, it is meaningless."
-Edward Millman

[This message has been edited by Miltz (edited July 12, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Miltz (edited July 12, 2000).]

[cagathoc]

<FONT face="Impact"><FONT COLOR="red"><FONT size="5">Of course, size matters!</FONT f></FONT c></FONT s>


Oh,... you were talking about paintings... carry on then...

cindy

[This message has been edited by cagathoc (edited July 11, 2000).]

[oleCC]

OMG Cindy.........only you......rofl

[arcitect]

In both instances, SCALE is what really matters.

Now, focusing mostly on painting...large venues tend to prefer large works, as small works are quickly swallowed up by the space. These large spaces cost more to maintain, and large work tends to sell at higher prices. It also seems to draw more attention from the institutional sector (magazines, museums, etc.).

The downside to large works is they command high price tags which can deter sales. They often take longer to create and involve more expense on your part as regards to materials, shipping and storage. Many people can not fit large works in there home, thus will not buy them regardless of how much they care for the work.

Smaller works show well in cozy galleries -and there are many more small galleries than large! They tend to sell for less but more often, require less time and expense, and are more suited to the average buyer's living space.

The downside is that these works demand a regular and steady work ethic, as many more must be sold to make the same amount of money. Larger venues, the art-media, and institutional / corporate buyers often overlook smaller works and venues.

No one is really is better. Larger scale work is more suited to those interested in the risky "international" art world. Small scale is more suited to the career minded artist who requires a reasonable certainty of financial reward. The exceptions to this rule are many.

It is important to consider that different people are inclined to work at different scales. Different subject matter and approaches require their own handling -and scale is a major element in the creation of any work.

Always feel free to change your mind, experiment, and challenge yourself anywhere you feel you are holding back.

Do what works for you, and investigate the commercial viabilty and potential obstacles related to this preference. Advice is nice, but often leads one off course. Educating one's self through research, interaction with the market, and experience is the best way to decide the proper course of action.

Well, that, and going with your gut instinct!

[Miltz]

...my gut is hurting a little after Cindy's irreverant comment!

Just curious what scale you are planning on for your nonrepresentational pieces, Arc? are you done with your CD project yet?

It seems that for institutional venues, nonrepresentational and highly abstracted work has a better chance of success; as does landscape parodoxically, as opposed to figurative work. You can tuck a nude into a corner and hope not to offend, but not if its 10 feet tall.

I would like to hear about your personal experiences in this area, Arc, inaddition to the well stated but general comments you just made.

------------------
-Mark
"The painter and the canvas are alone, and if the canvas does not fight back, it is meaningless."
-Edward Millman

[bruin70]

miltz,,,you know, of course, that you were playing right into cindy's,,,,er, hands. when i saw the thread, i said to myself that this is something cindy would jump on. and she certainly seems excited. i anticipate that she will come,,,,,,,,,,,,,,back, that is. then get off. then come,,,,errr, return. and go. then back,,,and forth. and back. and forth. we haven't seen the last of her. she'll be coming,,,,,,,,,,,,,here, again.


i think you are painting "impact" paintings, and that is why i think they deserve larger canvases.....{M}

[Miltz]

Gee, I think I am afraid to respond to that, Milt... and so, sidestepping, do you feel 36"X 36" is big enough to be an "Impact" piece?

I am sometimes contraire, for some reason the idea of a cozy little still life done huge is kind of appealing..

------------------
-Mark
"The painter and the canvas are alone, and if the canvas does not fight back, it is meaningless."
-Edward Millman

[bruin70]

36x36 sound good, but please don't let me sway you. there is the issue of whether or not you're comfortable with figures of a larger size. you may, for instance, be very comfortable with the proportions of the figure at the scale you paint now. when you paint larger, you might find the brushes you use now may be inadequate. the canvas you now use might be too fine for an area twice as large. all in all, there are reasons why you paint the way you do.....and i might be out of place to say bigger is better....{M}

[arcitect]

[quote]Originally posted by Miltz:

Just curious what scale you are planning on for your nonrepresentational pieces, Arc?

Well, I do alot more than nonrepresentational [nr]. My work runs the gammut from hyper-realism to nr, installation, construction, public works, and conceptual -and I am entering into web based and guerilla art. Writing and "music" should be included -as well as art criticism!



are you done with your CD project yet?

PEGGED is done and has gone to press. I am not on it, as I pulled my tracks to make room for better work. I am not certain when we will recieve our "merchandise", but should know shortly.

I am working on a DSP re-mix of the d/form album to be called RE:form which will be released on CDR. I have an experimental soundwork which should be done soon and I am also working on some D & B tracks which may be dropped onto wax late this year.

It seems that for institutional venues, nonrepresentational and highly abstracted work has a better chance of success;

Yes, we do quite well. I often bump into the notion (here at WC) that abstract artists are somehow whining because they do not get enough recognition. The opposite is true -we do REAL well. We have reigned tyranically over world art for a long time now. I apologize for my compatriot's seeming lack of compassion for figurative work. Most of us were at some point pyschoticly representational and act out against our prior impulses!


as does landscape parodoxically, as opposed to figurative work.

Landscapes are low in narrative. When you tell a story, people have to buy into that story to appreciate that work. When you strip the narrative, they need only appreciate the æsthetic elements of the image to appreciate it.

You can tuck a nude into a corner and hope not to offend, but not if its 10 feet tall.

Say what you have to say. People are easily offended. I say f*** 'em -you were obviously not talking to them anyway! Never try to second guess the market. They will like you, or they won't, regardless of what you do.

I would like to hear about your personal experiences in this area, Arc, inaddition to the well stated but general comments you just made.

My nr works are typically done at 20"X27.5". They are that size because I made a goof that I work around to this day!

I never show the same work twice in the same city. I am not to concerned about showing or not-showing, or being famous, etc. I guess I should be, I am not. It makes me a pain the gallery's *ss.

I occasionally sell works to corporate accounts. They are typically 5'X6' or larger.
They net considerable sums because co. accounts pay well.

Much of my new work will be drasticly different from my older works -and it is making my "people" nervous. I really can not talk about all of it .

It should be fun.

Beyond that, you will have to be more specific.

[cagathoc]

Originally posted by bruin70:
miltz,,,you know, of course, that you were playing right into cindy's,,,,er, hands. when i saw the thread, i said to myself that this is something cindy would jump on. and she certainly seems excited. i anticipate that she will come,,,,,,,,,,,,,,back, that is. then get off. then come,,,,errr, return. and go. then back,,,and forth. and back. and forth. we haven't seen the last of her. she'll be coming,,,,,,,,,,,,,here, again.


i think you are painting "impact" paintings, and that is why i think they deserve larger canvases.....{M}

Good thing I have central air conditioning...

cindy


can't a girl express herself round here? LOL

[Miltz]

Arc, you lead a busy life, don't you? This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping for, though now I wanna know about that goof!

------------------
-Mark
"The painter and the canvas are alone, and if the canvas does not fight back, it is meaningless."
-Edward Millman

[Miltz]

Of course you can Cindy! Anytime, anywhere, you are always a breath of fresh air

------------------
-Mark
"The painter and the canvas are alone, and if the canvas does not fight back, it is meaningless."
-Edward Millman

[This message has been edited by Miltz (edited July 13, 2000).]

[Miltz]

I'm real comfy in the 30x40 range, Milt. It's those 5 and six footers that make me wonder, my supply of high quality house brushes is low...

------------------
-Mark
"The painter and the canvas are alone, and if the canvas does not fight back, it is meaningless."
-Edward Millman

[Shriner]

I am new here, but I get from this thread that the Cafe Guerbois is the place to get weird (I love it!)

My tiny work sells much better then my big expensive work, but then, I don't live in a big city where people have lots of $$$

[Miltz]

Hi Shriner!
So how tiny is tiny? I seem to have done a number of 8x10s while I wasn't looking, even one 5x7 (I hacked the only passable part out of a 20x24), but they are really a little to small for my available brush sizes...