A broader canvas

An online opportunity for artists and photographers to showcase their works and bring in revenue

Thinking-Out-Of-The-Box Noel Ravin and Irwin Raj of Canvasforever

Perceptions about the artist have undergone a sea change. He is no longer seen as the recluse who paints himself into a corner. The artist today has a sense of business, and taps into available opportunities — online or offline — to promote his works. Encouraged by the changed reality, a group that specialises in printing artworks and photos on fine-art canvases is inviting artists to a partnership.

The best five

Canvasforever.in has launched a scheme whereby artists — even the amateurs — can park their best works at the website and allow them to bring in revenue on a sustained basis. Irwin Raj of Indigo Worldwide Group, which www.canvasforever.in is a part of, explains the initiative — every artist can send in a maximum of five artworks, which will be scrutinised by a panel of specialists. The works that make the cut are displayed on the website, for which no fee is demanded of their authors. The artist receives a commission of 15 per cent on the basic sale value of his works. An example: “On a standard 18” x 24” sized print, the basic price is Rs. 1,495. The artist will earn a commission of Rs. 224.25 for each print that is sold.”

The scheme, in its entirety, is open to photographers as well. They can also send in a maximum of five photos. On selection, their works will be rewarded with a payment-free display and every canvas print made of a photo will fetch the photographer a 15 per cent commission.

On what prompted this programme, Irwin says: “When Canvasforever existed for eight years under a different name — Studio Indigo, and operated from a canvas print store at Spencer Plaza, we came across many talented amateur artists and photographers whose works did not see the light of day.”

Across countries

The artists / photographers, whose work will be displayed on Canvasforever, will get paid based on the values of canvas prints established for India. But cross-border artists / photographers, who sign up for a similar programme on the sister website www.canvasforever.com — which ships to Canada, the U.S. and Mexico — will be paid on the basis of the prices fetched by prints sold in those countries.

In addition to these services, Canvasforever, which functions from an office in Mandaveli, will continue to offer its regular service, which is printing on canvases, to varying sizes (specified on the website) of photos and artworks brought to them.

(For a video, go to http://thne.ws/prince-canvas)