Sideshow Premium Art Prints

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by Ulfnar

It could be. Could always selectively only buy the ones that you want that ARE signed as well which is largely what i'm doing at this point. And yea comparing the ones I have that are signed vs automatic signed are pretty obvious generally, really hope they increase the percentage of signed gradually to 100%.

But i guess we'll see what happens : /

By buying thier signed prints, I would indirectly be supporting them releasing prints that are unsigned so for me its either all in or all out. Its just a topic I take way too seriously too ever bend on. As soon as Sideshow switches to a 100% signed model, I will start buying every single print that I like. Until then I have to remain on the sidelines, regardless of how much I love the artwork.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by Igo

Actually, most of the prints that have been signed have been signed off-site, and two on-site (so far).

It's a lot more complicated and difficult than just making sure you can ship them to a location in a nice container... Having an artist take on all the work of receiving the containers, holding / storing the containers until they have the time to do the signing, unpacking the prints without getting them damaged, signing them all without getting them damaged, then re-packing them without getting them damaged, then storing them and being able to get them shipped back out... all while hopefully having the space to lay them all out to sign, and the work that goes into the actual signing, drying, handling, moving, stacking, and organizing inbetween… it is a lot more than you'd expect until you actually do it yourself…

These arnt small, the paper quality is thick and heavy, and having hundreds to do is a lot more product to have deal with than youd think.. both space and weight wise. Ive been present for 2 of the signings, and with both we had 2 people helping out (unpacking, handling, and re-packing) while the one artist signs… and we had it a lot easier because we had access to a huge open area that we could lay them all out while everything was going on.

Nothing about it is easy or cheap. It's difficult, expensive, and cumbersome, and that's why we do it only when it makes sense and is possible.

When I said I am betting most prints have been signed on site, what I really meant is that I am betting none of the prints that have been signed to date were actually shipped out to be signed. I can see you bringing prints to particular comic con's or shows that you know particular artists are going to be at to have them signed, but the only real solution to this problem is shipping them out to be signed. That is the only way this line of prints is ever going to be 100% real signatures, unless you cut back to only releasing a small number of prints a year, prints you know you can have signed by taking them to shows or having the artist stop by Sideshow main office.
And its not more difficult than it seems. I have been producing limited edition prints for well over 10 years so I know exactly what goes into making them, signing them, storing them, etc. In fact, my prints are silver halide prints made in a darkroom so my process from start to finish is FAR FAR more complicated and time consuming than yours. I know the market a LOT better than you think. Artists have homes, families, lives outside of comic art. You simply send the prints to thier homes. That way the artist's don't have to lug them around or have to worry about anything but unpacking them, signing them, and sending them back out. They can even schedule a pick up so they don't even have to drop them back off to be shipped out. As long as you send a return shipping label with the case, it would be very easy and any artist that would have an issue with that wouldn't be an artist I would want to work with as they, above everyone else, understand how important real signatures are on limited edition prints.

As for damage to the prints, that is a complete non issue if you know what your doing and have proper cases built and the artist actually knows how to handle prints. Shipping prints is not one of the big mysteries of the universe, although if you buy prints off of eBay regularly you might think otherwise. As long as you buy proper hard sided shipping cases from a company like Wellington, one that has a proper amount of interior padding, and you pack the prints properly inside a quality print box, like Light Impressions Portfolio boxes...well, you could literally drop that case off a 10 foot roof and the prints would still be in pristine mint condition. Those cases are INCREDIBLY rugged and as long as the prints are packed up and stored in a proper portfolio case, they can't move around to be damaged. As long as you do it right, and I don't care if your talking about shipping 1 print or 300, you can literally guarantee with 100% certainty that each and every print will make it to its destination, and back, without the slightest bit of damage. I have seen it done MANY times over and have done it myself many times over.

I would be more than happy to send you detailed instructions on how to properly package up prints to the point where they are basically bomb proof, which is a term people use in in the shipping industry that means something is packaged up so well that you don't have to worry about it being damaged. Again, I would be more than happy to send that information over to you and all it would entail on your end supply wise was the hard sided shipping cases, the portfolio boxes, print bags, chip board and stretch wrap. Thats it. That is all that is required for you to guarantee your prints arrive in pristine condition.

My 4x5 and 8x10 transparency portfolios are really no different than the 300GSM paper that you use for your prints. Each transparency is held by a roughly 300GSM piece of black paper. I ship those out, along with an 8x10 portable light box at least 50 times a year and have been doing so for the last 12+ years. I have only had to redo the portfolio's (replace the black paper) once during that time and it wasn't because the paper was damaged. It was because they hand been handled so much that the paper had become really dirty from people handling them. The paper itself was pretty much still in mint condition.

Yes, it would be costly and would likely add about $3 per print, but I guarantee pretty much everyone in here would be more than willing to pay an extra $3 per print to have a real signature. If someone is willing to pay $90 for a print with a fake signature, you really don't honestly believe they would balk at a $93 price tag for a print with a real signature? You really can't honestly believe that. And yes, it requires more work, but thats the market. If you want to produce limited edition prints then do it right. Complaining that its too much work its just pure laziness in my book and as a company that specializes in limited editions, I would think you above all would understand that, especially given how much money your making off of these prints.

[Kovenor]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

By buying thier signed prints, I would indirectly be supporting them releasing prints that are unsigned so for me its either all in or all out. Its just a topic I take way too seriously too ever bend on. As soon as Sideshow switches to a 100% signed model, I will start buying every single print that I like. Until then I have to remain on the sidelines, regardless of how much I love the artwork.

it does suck when your collecting a set of them and some are real and some are not..I would like to see SS just do 100% real sig to avoid all that..

it might be best for SS just to sell the ones you can get the signature on 100% to keep it consistent.. im sure it would attract more buyers knowing that they are always real sigs instead of the one offs..

but at the same time I appreciate they have listened a bit and at least started getting real sigs...but the inconsistency remains.

[Vpuik]

On Next week's live show.

[shakex]

Originally Posted by Vpuik

On Next week's live show.

Please be hand signed...I've got plenty of art prints but none have been hand signed.

[Mr.Mxyzptlk]

liking what i'm seeing

[Eky]

And now with private invitation

[testsubject25]

Originally Posted by Eky

And now with private invitation

I got an email for this, but when I click the link it says I need a password.

[Eky]

you need log in your account

it's private access

[Kovenor]

Originally Posted by Eky

And now with private invitation

Ordered .. been wnating them to make this one an art print!