A three-day print sale that paid for a one-way ticket to Berlin.
The Story
I needed to move to Berlin for school. I didn't have a budget for it. So I looked at what
I had: five series of hand-pulled prints sitting in my studio, a network of people who
knew my work, and an audience that followed me on Instagram.
I built a website for it, designed a campaign around it, and sold almost everything
I owned in three days. The goal was $5,000. I hit $3,500 from prints alone, plus yard
sale revenue. Close enough. I bought the ticket.
The Build
I designed and hand-coded the print sale platform from scratch: HTML, CSS, JavaScript,
PHP, and a database to manage inventory and orders. I also built an admin dashboard to
track sales, confirm payments, and manage shipping.
Custom product grid with per-print metadata (series, paper, run number, signature, price)
Live inventory status: available, sold, or sold out
Payment integration via PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App
Admin dashboard with order management and patron confirmation
Real-time updates as prints sold
The print sale page. Each card shows series name, print type, run number, and live status.
Duration
3 days
Prints Sold
$3,500
Series
5
Total Raised
$5,000
The Campaign
The sale ran primarily through Instagram. I made short-form video ads, posted process
videos, and leaned on my network to spread the word. I also made a short ad for the
sale itself, which I still like.
The Series
Five series, each an exploration of a different idea or mood:
Show Me How Good It Can Get — Intaglio copperplate etching
Collectivism — Linocut chine colle collage, including Crowd-sourced Collectivism and Ethereal Representation Has Been Sent
Wiz Biz — Silk Screen Doodlecore
Victorian Street Rat Self Portrait — Drypoint on Strathmore
No Face No Case — Framed drypoint on Strathmore
The campaign worked! My crazy idea of going to school in the design Mecca of the world (Berlin) was supported by my closest friends and family. From the excellent guidance I recieved at Laney, I coded a platform overnight. I was inspired by the printmaking teacher and fellow students. They fortified me to ran a campaign, and the good vibes helped me sell almost everything. My network came through on the support I was asking for, and it transformed me into a successful artist who sells art with art sales (kind of a big deal).
