Casting or Carved

[Goody]

Seems like the trend for a lot of Santa Carvers is to carve or sculpt an original then sell Castings off of it. I have always said I want my customers to have a handcarved wooden piece. Is it all about money or is there any old time pride in what you do. Just posted a poll lets just say all three options are within $50.00 of each other.
Goody & Anna

[kitaye]

Re: Casting or Carved

I expect it is a matter of money. A carver can sell the original for $X or he can sell a cast of the original for $Y times the number of castings he makes. HE makes more money and gets to keep the original for his or her own enjoyment.

[scooter]

Re: Casting or Carved

With the (only) +/- $50 stipulation, there's no question: I think everyone would go for the hand-carved original. However (in my case, anyway), that $50 buffer is unrealisticly small. The carvings I sell typically go for something _well outside_ that $50 window. That said, even though I would be able to recoup my money from selling [cheaper] castings, I wouldn't. It's more about creating a OOAK piece with my hands, than it is to push prouduct.

Going into the casting biz, Goody?

S~

[Goody]

Re: Casting or Carved

With the (only) +/- $50 stipulation, there's no question: I think everyone would go for the hand-carved original. However (in my case, anyway), that $50 buffer is unrealisticly small. The carvings I sell typically go for something _well outside_ that $50 window. That said, even though I would be able to recoup my money from selling [cheaper] castings, I wouldn't. It's more about creating a OOAK piece with my hands, than it is to push prouduct.

Going into the casting biz, Goody?

S~

H-E double L No.
If someone is selling a Santa casting for $50 to $75 and I sell my wooden ones at $85 to $135 I am afraid the castings are going to ruin the market for us guys that really do carve each and every Santa

[pallin]

Re: Casting or Carved

Even the artists who paint now sell giclees (computer generated copies) of their work. A year ago we bought a copy of a painting for $800. The original was $25,000.
Woodcarvers are not the people to poll, Goody. We know the difference between carvings and castings.

[steve brown]

Re: Casting or Carved

Original all the way.
Steve Brown Woodcarving

[Goody]

Re: Casting or Carved

Woodcarvers are not the people to poll, Goody. We know the difference between carvings and castings.

Yeah but more carvers are casting now a days. Just wondering how other carvers feel about it.
Goody

[kdispoto]

Re: Casting or Carved

I'd suppose you could try all three - and see where it takes you.
For me - I'd do what ever it took to keep food on the table. After that I'd carve for pleasure

[Goody]

Re: Casting or Carved

I'd suppose you could try all three - and see where it takes you.
For me - I'd do what ever it took to keep food on the table. After that I'd carve for pleasure

Ken I'm Surprised! you know how I feel about off shore castings coming here. You are a carver! Have castings affected your sales yet?
I would start another business before I would have my santas cast the four times I have been approached I have turned the casting companies down.

[carver6]

Re: Casting or Carved

The problem is "money talks and B.S. walks".
Garon

[Brian T]

Re: Casting or Carved

Is it possible that there are 2 different markets? "Ready-made" and the "real thing?"

[gtech]

Re: Casting or Carved

There are 2 markets or more for "carvings" indeed.

I know a guy who makes wood carvings for a tourists shop, I call these carvings "fast food" for the lack of a better name...

I know another guy who carves original carvings for a company who will make resin copies from them.

It's not art, it's work.

I would make copies of mines if I wanted to make money by selling them. I don't because I carve for fun.

Gilles

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Re: Casting or Carved

What's the difference in carving one original and duplicating it 99 times compared to carving one original and casting it 99 times? Not much in my book. Either way you get a copy. At least in the casting version of this example there is one original. Why should woodcarving be any different than the others forms of art that use duplication as a method of broadening the ability of a wider audience to collect and appreciate it? I own prints of paintings that I like but could never afford and thank the artist for allowing me the opportunity of hanging them on my walls. I look forward to the day that I can finally afford a bronze from a sculptor that I admire. That will be a copy but it will be something that I will treasure. You won't hear me complaining about it being a copy. Museums are full of such duplication's ..... why should my house be any different?

I would never consider having my pieces duplicated by casting but see nothing wrong with those would do. It's their choice. Does it cheapen my efforts? Of course not as the type of carving I do is clearly mine and recognized as such by those who appreciate and buy it. They know that when they purchase a piece from me that will walk away with something that is unique.

When marketing your work you have to realize it's a big world out there and if you're going to stick your toe in the water you have to be prepared to face the problems or challenges that come your way. Complaining about the competition isn't going to improve your sales!

[Bob K.]

Re: Casting or Carved

Original carving! That's a no brainer!

[DiLeon]

Re: Casting or Carved

You know something Goody, their are tons of people out there selling casting of things....people can buy them but they are not worth two cents.... there are galleries that have been telling people if you buy a print of the original painting that the print will be a major investment in a few years. Plus... they sell these prints for outrageous amounts of money.....and guess what.... these people find out their so called print can not sell for two dollars, and they pay thousands....no one calls these galleries rip off criminals...but they are. People do not understand the fake is a fake and only time will tell the future cost of art....plastic is plastic and with time it breaks, it cracks....and it is totally worthless to the person who buys it. Poured plastic is a worthless fake and a total shame that some people think it is worth money.....it is only junk. There is such a thing as real art,....and real art is worth money, and can be an investment. Times are going to get hard and you can sell plastic.....but what for?.....I got to think someone has to have integrity and guts to sell the real deal. I was in Macys and they were trying to sell some poured plastic from an artist.....and no one was buying.....yes!!! shame on anyone who buys Chinese and trys to sell it off as the real deal. Goody the darn plastic has been selling now for at least forty years....and the only place it ends up is the trash can. I think,... we always have to be two steps ahead of them. An fortune enough to most artist, beating the bush is not hard.....just keep the faith. When I kick over.....at least I will have honor, and to me that is worth everything.