Tell me about your product!

So hopefully by now you've been following the tutorials and have taken at least a small handful of photographs / scans of your product(s). Today we're going to quickly go over all of the information you need to be able to describe when you write about the product. People want to know everything! The less people have to ask about, the better they feel about the product. On etsy there are some drop down options, when you list things, that have choices of "who made it?", "what is it?", etc. 

So first things first: What is it? 

If it's vintage/antique: When is it from?

So give a quick description of what your product is. And I mean this on an individual level. Each product / item you have is going to be different. Make sure you accurately describe things such as:

COLOUR 

MATERIALS USED

WEIGHT (if it's necessary)

SIZE / MEASUREMENTS 

It's good to measure the width, height, and length of an item. If it's something as small as this it's not always important to measure the depth. 

Condition

Make sure you mention any damage or wear that may have happened to your product. If you are selling hand made items then of course it's very unlikely that there will ever be any damage but it's always good to know to mention it just incase. 

I find having an inventory sheet I can fill out about each item is very helpful. You can make one on your computer or even just make it by hand with some scrap paper. Here is an example:

In this form, there are important sections to fill out such as:

Item - a brief description of that item

Label - (if vintage) who made the item

Measurements - accurate measurements of item

Labour Cost - how much it cost you to produce that item (including your time) and obviously not something you mention in your listing!!!

Value - how much it's worth / how much you should sell it for

Condition / Description - any added information that you think it worth adding to your listing later 

It's also good to just talk about your item, tell the costumer about what inspired you to create it, what it means, or why they should want it. 

Next we will set up your Etsy account!!!

Watermarking with Photoshop

For this example I am using Photoshop CS5 on an apple mac Laptop. The first thing to do is open your image into your photoshop and then scale it to your screen.

Before clicking on your text icon, I want you to choose the colour that you'd like to use. A grey tone is typically the most flattering and un-abrassive for watermarking. 

Now you're going to click your Text icon which looks like a "T" on the side bar. 

Now choose a font, font style, and size. You can continue to edit your preferences once you've typed out your watermark by highlighting the word. I recommend picking an easily legible, simple font. Remember to avoid distracting from your art. 

Once you've finished typing you can click on the arrow at the very top of your tool bar and move the watermark wherever you want it on the screen.

On an apple computer you can press "command" and "T" on your keyboard to highlight your watermark. On a PC you press "control" and "T". You can then use your cursor to change the size and angle of your watermark. If you press "shift" while you do this it will keep the image from warping. 

Next it's important to pick the "OPACITY". As you can see here the watermark is currently much too dark and is taking away from the image. Once you turn down the opacity it can turn out something like my final picture:

 So once you're done click "file" "save as" and save the file somewhere you know you'll find it. It's also good to save both a "photoshop"(PSD) file and then save it a second time as a "JPEG" (JPG) file. That way if you want to change something you can click on the photoshop file and change things later on. 

Watermarking

Today we're going to go over how to watermark your images. One of the main reasons to watermark your art work is to prevent people from stealing it and calling it their own. This way you can prove that it is yours and that you are entitled to any money that someone else has made from your work without permission. 

Now there are a few different ways of watermarking your images. The two simplest ways are to use photoshop or a free website that does it for you. First let's choose how you plan to watermark.

Ex 1)

Your name / copyright in one of the corners of the image.

Ex 2)

Having your name / copyright over top of your image so that it can really never be stolen. 

There are benefits to both ways of doing this. Ex 1) Keeps your image clear of disturbances so customers can get a clear look at your art. Ex 2) Keeps your image from ever being stolen because your name is clearly put over top. My only suggestions if you use example 2 is that you use a light opacity and that you realize people prefer seeing un-interrupted images. 

So lets start with free online websites... do your research and find the one that you prefer but these are the two that I found. 

Let's start with: http://picmarkr.com/index.php

First you're going to click on "choose file" and upload one or five of those great pictures / scans you have of your artwork. Once they are loaded, you click on "ok! Go to Step2"!

Chances are from here you are just going to want to download it to your computer. Click this option to do so!

It might be a good idea to make a new folder dedicated to all your finished images for your website! 

The RESULT

The other site I found was http://www.watermark.ws/ but they only let you upload small images for free and otherwise you have to start paying

The next post will go over how to watermark your image in photoshop. The benefit to using photoshop is the millions of options you don't have on websites! 

Scanning for Prints

So as I discussed in the first post, making prints of your original art work is a great way to get more bang for your buck! This way you can not only get the money for your original but also money from the prints, postcards, etc that you make from it. Now one of the best ways to actually make prints from your artwork is to scan it! 

Something to watch for once you've scanned your image is things like the outside lines of the paper / canvas...

This is why programs like photoshop or iPhoto can come in handy! This usually only happens when you have an uneven piece of paper like the one I used for this illustration. 

I also realize that the scanners most people can afford to have in their homes only scan up to standard paper size (8 1/2 X 11in). Other scanning options are to go to places like a library or something like a "Staples" for larger scanners. Otherwise this is why "Copy Work" is usually suggested. Copy work is done by professional photographers that know how to properly document your artwork in such a way that it appears like it does on that canvas but on a computer! Now, I also realize that this can be pricey so a couple options are to make sure you have a lot to photograph at one time and make it really worth it, or look into hiring a photography student who is still in school! I have found a very good link that explains how to photograph it yourself but I must say it does take some work! 

http://www.guildsourcebooks.com/pdf/sourcebook/howto_photograph_artwork.pdf

If when you start out paying to make your larger works into prints is too difficult than try to start small. Paint / create some smaller canvases that you can scan at home. Now-a-days places like Futureshop have great deals on scanner / printers all the time. It is a wise investment if this is what you plan to do for money!

Now I'm sure your next question is going to be "Do I print my prints myself or where do I get them done?"

Well I did some research and read a great discussion from at etsy forum that helped answer this questions!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5134673

Send it out! Unless you have an incredible high quality printer and tons of ink, just send it out! I found some great links to websites that will make prints, card stock, calendars, you name it and then mail them to you at bulk rates. All you have to do is send them the digital file!

Here are some great links:

http://iprintfromhome.com/

http://www.mpix.com/

http://www.winkflash.com/

http://www.zazzle.com/

Next we are going to go over how to watermark your images and why that's so important!

How to take pictures on a budget!

So first of all I’d like to point out that I understand getting a camera and camera equipment can be expensive and out of reach. This is why I’ve made a little tutorial on how to do it on a budget. Today we are going to go over how to photograph small objects like jewelry, findings, small artwork, small knickknacks, and the like. In doing this I remembered a DIY (do it yourself) blog post by a blogger that I follow that shows you how to make your own little photo station with a few things from the dollar store and an iPhone.

Link: http://scathingly-brilliant.blogspot.ca/2012/10/taking-decent-product-photos-with-no.html

You don’t need a perfect house to find a place to photograph things!

I decided to try her little DYI and use an iPhone, an SLR camera, and a really old little digital camera. This is meant to prove that you do not need a fancy expensive camera to photograph your items. I did of course still use a fancy SLR camera just incase you have, or can get ahold of one. Otherwise if you can get ahold of an iPhone / smartphone or even an old digital camera, you are still able to take good quality photos!    

If you have an issue getting a sharp image, try creating a make shift “tri-pod”.

The two set ups I created cost me $1.25 total. I bought a large foam board from the dollar store and cut it in half. I also used a stool, a white pillowcase, and a white wall. Oh! And most importantly: natural light. I photographed a necklace, a brooch, and a little teddy bear. (For the necklace I did purchase a little stand for $4.50 from www.eddies.com) You can also create your own out of the same foam board you purchased for this assignment. 

Another simple and cheap photo set up!

The photos I took with an iPhone:

 Clear close ups are always important!

 Try to make items as sharp as possible! People like to see the details!

Fun poses are always a good idea too! 

Next I used a really old crappy digital camera that you could easily pick up at a thrift shop for $5!

And last but not least, the SLR camera!

And as you can tell, there really is not too much of a difference between any of the cameras. They still portray the items efficiently and appropriately for online!

The most important pointers that I can give when taking photos for your shop are:

-Use a white or pale background

-Make sure there are no distracting things in your image

-Use natural light (do not use indoor, or yellow lighting)

-DO NOT USE FLASH! Make sure you turn your flash off when you are taking these pictures! This is key to taking a professional looking image!

-Make sure all images are sharp and clear

-And don’t forget to do close ups! This is what the macro setting is for on most cameras!