Weekend Project

My friend runs a business framing and selling art prints. It's almost bluebonnet season in Texas, and she called me. Her customers (primarily furniture stores and model homes) are requesting images of oil wells and bluebonnets. They don't have enough. She asked me if I could create some new images for them.

I was a good person to contact for three reasons. (1) I can paint anything. (2) I have lots of photographs on topic. (3) I can do my own printing. There will be a fourth reason when I receive my new Wacom tablet which will allow me to "paint" digitally. This weekend I will work on some designs for her.

Apparently the print market is really hot. This company has increased their sales every month in the past 36 months. They have a low-tech business model, buying posters, framing, and loading the product on long trailers. There are territory reps who drive these warehouses-on-wheels stopping at any likely place to sell right off the truck. Low overhead, no credit and collections problems. Somedays when I don't have any work scheduled I am jealous of my friend, and wish it was me running that business. Of course that doesn't last long.

There are advantages to both of us of producing prints for this company. For me, it's just more sales. But it's a good profit margin compared to receiving royalties when they buy my prints from another company. For them, they can promote a unique propduct, may be able to charge a little more for it (as a limited edition) which could result in higher profits. Another win-win.