Artists! How To – Easy Art Inventory

Artists! How To – Easy Art Inventory
Susie E Caron © 2020
 
When I retired and began my art business, I had no idea I would need a permanent document of my art, or any idea how to make it user friendly. I fumbled and started and stopped and finally designed a workable, easy to reference and edit inventory of all my art-work.

This Art Inventory works very well. It’s a sequentially numbered and labeled photo-inventory-folder to access anytime. The accompanying editable Word Doc numerically lists each item with accompanying photos of your art. 

Four Reasons Why You Need An Art Inventory
 
To Locate Specific Art Pieces:
Numbers and other details will help you to locate your art for posts, blogs, advertising, new articles, and for entering exhibits.

To Track Sales:
Your art inventory will help you to track what sells and sold including what subjects or sizes and other features attract galleries and buyers.

To Give Yourself Credit:
Your art inventory will help you to enjoy the results of all your efforts. (It’s just  fun to see how much you’ve created and encourage yourself with numbers of exhibits and sales. Go ahead and treat yourself from time to time.)

To Prepare for Your Art To Live Beyond You
Sadly, you won’t live forever. After your death, you may want someone to continued to do something good with your art. Then you’ll need to make it as easy as possible to locate it, identify the value , and follow your wishes. Without an art inventory, your relatives and friends may select a few favorites for themselves.  The remainder of your art could sadly end up in a dumpster.  So, as a kindness to yourself and to others prepare an Art Inventory.
 
Let’s Get  Started
Beginner or advanced, begin with your most recent art creations. Start now with what you create and in time you can add more working backwards and forwards.
(If you are heavily into your art business, pick one annual, limited exhibit venue with which to begin.)

Instructions To Build Your Easy Art Inventory

Prepare these two things on your Computer
One folder labeled with Your Name & Art Inventory . This is for your photos (jpegs) of your art (painting, drawing, sculpture etc.).
In this folder open one WORD DOCUMENT labeled with Your Name Art & Inventory 1
 
Take Photos
Take photos of 5 of your art creations. I use my iPad or iPhone. The easiest way to get them to your computer is to attach to an email them send them to yourself. Download these from email to the Art Inventory folder.
When they are located in your folder number each jpeg (photo) chronologically followed by size, year created, title & price. You may add your initials or your name if you choose. That’s all you will need on the jpeg. Continue until you have 4 or 5 jpegs labeled.

Examples of Photos (jpegs) in Your Folder (These show how I numbered photos.)

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25.8x10.2018.Pretzel.$250.SusieCaron

70.8x10.2018.CarpetKitten.$250.SusieCaron

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Using the Word Doc
Now open your Microsoft Word document. Label the header Art Inventory  adding your name and page number and anything else you want.
At the top of the doc body, type the text exactly as you labeled the first jpeg.
Next you will insert the photo for easy identification.  Example pretending your numbers starting with #1,2,....etc.

                                                    ART INVENTORY 1                              
SUSIE E CARON                         TWEE ART LLC                             BEGUN 8/20/20

1. 8x10. 2018. Pretzel. $250. Susie Caron
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2. 8x10. 2018. Carpet Kitten. $250.Susie Caron 

How To Insert Your Jpeg onto your Word Doc.
 
To insert the photo 1st click your cursor under the text. Go to the bar above click on ‘insert’. Click the choice ‘illustration’ (or picture) and then ‘this device’. You will be given options. Find your art inventory folder and click on the jpeg you want and hit ‘open’.
The jpeg will appear and open too large. That’s ok. Click on it and put your cursor on a corner to begin dragging it toward it’s center to create a smaller size. If you move too fast it may flip of rotate. That’s ok. It's very forgiving. Just play with it. In a short time you’ll master this. Place it under your text as small as you find useful. Use the spacer bar to move it right or left etc just like you would text.

​Example  Photo a bit too large.
2.8x10. 2018. Pretzel.$250. Susie E Caron

Example with Photo made smaller.
​2.8x10. 2019. Carpet Kitten. SCaron

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Repeat until 4-5 are completed. This is the easy way to begin to keep track because it gets your art numbered and easy to identify. You can edit or add information over time.  It prints complete with the jpegs too.

Bonus: Now like a 'poor person's bar code' you have a good way to label your physical art creations on the reverse or underside. 

Your Art Inventory Future
Over the course of an art career your record keeping may become more and more involved.  For example, lots of years in your art career means more creations, different mediums, or offerings such as paintings, prints, and cards. Also, you may exhibit in several different venues each year. If this is the first time you are setting up your Art Inventory, this folder and Word Doc will do nicely for a long time.
 
Later, in some of my  articles I will describe some other ways to organize your ART INVENTORY to provide more record keeping information.
 
Thank you for reading. I hope I  helped you. Please let me know what you think in the comments.
 
Hugs and Blessings,
Susie Caron