Hi Jenny,

just a little addendum - or blast from the past.

Once upon a time when I lived in Australia I opened a shop in the centre of town selling (or trying to sell) my Militaria.  This was a whole series of suoperb Napoleonic figurines - all being hadnmade by a brilliant artisan in France, called Marcel Riffet.  Unfortunately they were very expensive as they were metal, with totally accurate uniform details and standing about 9-10" high with the mounted ones being about 15" high.  Each came with a certificate of Authentication from the French authorities and were individually signed on the base.  I sold exactly one, the rest (40) still grace my display cabinet - and that causes me no grief at all.

Now the point of this was the fact that running a shop is expensive - particularly iof you have a prime location which mine was, and on a busy shopping plaza under a huge office complex.  Lots of passing traffic!  Trouble was too many were doing that - passing!

One of my dafter sidelines as a graphic designer was to do the odd caricature birthday card for colleagues.  They were not amazing likenesses, but working from a photgraph and getting a bit of basic info. about the person - hobby, etc., I was able to create an accepatble image - more importantly an image people paid for.

So completely against the shop image I moved my drawing board into the front window, and positioned so people could see me work.  The results were astonishing. During the lunch hour there were people literally carmmed against the window watching me, and the orders then started to flow.  The Militaria side disappeared, and all I did was do caricatures and other cartoons.

This proved to me the value of demonstration, and here I did a whole series of mono illustrations of the Chateaux of the Perigord, and published a small tome with about 20 pix. in it.  The book sold through the tourist offices, but when I went to exhibitions, I always took some blue pencil starter pix., and then worked on produing the original images.  Result - many sales. When I did not do this - result - zero!

This year I will be doing my CARtoons series again, and if anyone wants to see just what these are I will dig some out an put them out.  I will be demonstrating the work, as this is really the only way to stand out at Fairs in my opinion.

For what it is worth folks!

Sorry about the typos in the previous post - but 'she who must be obeyed' was calling me to breakfast!

Denise, your beads are so cute!! One question, how do you get them to shine? I read some artists use floor polish, some buff the beads.  The doggie ones are hysterical!

Hi there again Norman,

Thanks for yet more info on how to sell arts and crafts! 

Your demonstration policy is one that works beyond the area of arts and crafts fairs.  I am going to post your post again on the Ways to Advertise and Sell Arts and Crafts forum too - as it is valuable to anyone who has a shop too.

Yes please - we would love to see some of your Cartoon Series.  If youare willing to dig them out - Rose's Artshow is there ready and waiting for you. - along with your adoring public, of course!

Thanks again for your welcome advice.
Love
Jenny

HiChristine,

Thanks for the two links you have offered to the artists and artisans here at AdlandPro.  I am sure that they will be used! and I  will repost them on the Ways to Advertise and Sell  Arts and Crafts as well, so that they are seen by all.

We are having great fun with the Arts and Crafts Niche in the Community - and the combined effort of Rose's Virtual Artshow and shared information on how to sell arts and crafts, will hopefully be of use to all artists and artesans here at AdlandPro - as there many and some of the work is simply excellent.

Saludos
Jenny