Notes from The Paper Mouse | The Surprise of Art Prints

From stationery to walls.

Two years ago we launched 8x10 Art Prints, and we were just tickled with how stunning Felix’s work looked giclée-printed on museum-quality paper. It was the closest reproduction to his original drawings that we had ever seen. Finally, Felix Doolittle art for the home, nursery, and office.

While some of our retail partners did well with them, they did not have the kind of success we thought they might. When we opened our own shop last November, we were prepared for a similar lukewarm response, but au contraire! They really had legs, and soon became one of our best sellers! 

How do we merchandise them?

We showcase the prints rather simply - in a stack, in a wooden tray. Other prints are framed and hung on the walls or placed on small easels. We’ve found that both the framed and the unframed ones sell… and well! Additionally, people see illustrations they like on the Occasion Cards, and then they’re happy to find them at a larger size. Some people tell us that they frame our Occasion Cards. When we frame our Art Prints, the markup is even higher because you’re adding a service and goods to an existing product, and that too, is a good thing! 

Going Big!

Last December we printed and framed 11x14, 16x20, and poster-sized prints to test for pricing and interest. We found that our customers liked the larger prints. Showcasing the larger prints also made the smaller 8x10’s sell better!  Maybe it's a relativity thing?

10 New Prints!

Encouraged by the response, Felix created ten 16x20 prints that are now available on our wholesale site: fdmarketplace.com. Have you seen them? Did you read the story about the artist who (usually) draws tiny going big? Oh, and the new large prints are also available in the 8x0 size because... well, see the above.