QR codes for photographers and artists
A framed print on a wall can't show your other work or tell someone where to buy it. A small QR code on the label card, the back of the print, or your art fair table answers both questions.
Pay $3 for a code that opens your portfolio, your shop, or the page for one print, and change where it points as your work and your shows change.
This is a dynamic QR code: $3 once, and you can change where it points at any time without reprinting. How that works
Where the code goes
Keep the code near the work, but off it. The artwork should stay the star.
- Put it on a small label card next to the piece, the way a museum places its details.
- Add one to the back of the frame or the certificate of authenticity, so the buyer can find your other work later.
- Include a card with the code in every print order you ship.
- Put one on your art fair table sign and your business cards.
What the code should open
Send people somewhere that matches what they are looking at. A label next to one print can open that print's page in your shop. A code on your table sign can open your portfolio, and a code on a postcard can open your newsletter sign-up.
For a series, use one code per series so you can see which pieces draw attention.
Printing details for small labels
Print on matte stock. A glossy or textured surface can bounce light or distort the pattern.
On a label read at arm's length, make the code between 1 and 1.5 inches square, with a clear margin around it. About 0.8 inch (2 cm) is the practical minimum.
Keep the labels, change the destination
When a print sells out, point its code at a waitlist or your next release. When a show ends, point your table code at the next one. The labels and the codes stay the same.
Example signs
Each example code opens threedollarqrcode.com. Your code can open any page you choose.
Questions
Should the code go on the artwork itself?
Usually not. Put it on a label card or the back, so it doesn't compete with the piece.
How small can the code be on a label?
About 0.8 inch (2 cm) is the practical minimum. One to one and a half inches is easier for visitors at arm's length.
Can different prints point to different pages?
Yes. Buy a code for each print or series and point each at its own page.
Get a dynamic QR code for $3
Pay once. Pick the page your code opens, print it wherever you need it, and change the page whenever you like.