Need photos of your artwork?
Having digital pictures of your artwork can be useful for many reasons such as keeping an archival reference, an online gallery, entering exhibitions, or to email to friends and family and other people interested in your work.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have high quality pictures of your paintings? For FREE!
Now you can eliminate the hassle of dealing with reflections, glare, incorrect lighting, shadows, etc. by taking advantage of AGL’s Picture Day service (free for AGL members).
Process
You can bring in up to three paintings to be photographed at the Studio in the Park on the third Sunday of every month, from 1 pm – 4 pm. Pictures will be digitally adjusted to accurately represent the colors and values in your paintings.
Your artwork will be photographed in a semi-professional setup using appropriate equipment and techniques. The final images will be provided to you via your choice of email and/or your thumb drive.
You are more than welcome to wait while your artwork is being photographed and processed. This could take up to a couple of hours depending on a number of circumstances. If you do choose to wait, please try to come early as work is done on a first come-first served basis. A more popular option is to drop off your artwork anytime during the day. Artwork that is dropped off can be picked up on the following Tuesday or Wednesday from 11 am to 3:30 pm. Other pick up arrangements can be made as well.
Please limit the number of works to three.
Works on canvas may be framed or unframed for photographing. Works on paper must be unframed and attached to a support so that it will stand without buckling. Artwork on canvas or paper that is under glass or Plexiglas is not eligible for photographing.
Works can be any size; from 4×5 inches to 4×5 feet.
NOTE: Most art competitions require the submitted image to be 1200 pixels on the long side, and that is the default for the Picture Day images that are emailed to the artists. That size is suitable for internet use also.
Tips
- Watercolor paintings should be in a flat condition – no wrinkles or waviness – when they are brought in. Often times the waviness will result in distortion in the photographed image. Watercolor paper is normally not stiff enough to support its own weight during the photographing process, unless it is extra heavy, at least 300lb paper. A couple of ways to resolve that issue: The artist can temporarily tape all edges to a stiff backing board such as 1/8″ Masonite, or gator board; the work can be taped to a mat. All 4 edges should be taped to ensure stability of the paper.
- To maximize the image coverage and limit subject cropping, the artist should ensure that all corners are 90 degrees and the sides are parallel to each other. This applies to both artworks on paper as well as canvas.
- Keep in mind that when photographing canvas art works that have already been framed, there is a tendency for frames, especially heavy frames, to cast shadows across the painting’s surface. To get the best results, paintings should be photographed prior to being framed.
Gallery
All active AGL members are eligible to have their works displayed in the AGL website Gallery. A minimum of five paintings are required to generate a member’s personal gallery. These paintings may be photographed during the above Picture Day, or members may submit their own images. All paintings and images must be clearly identified as to artist, title, media, and size. This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a professional venue to share your artwork with friends, family, and potential buyers. An unlimited number of paintings can be added to your gallery. Many artists have already taken advantage, you can view their Galleries here.