Hello from a newbie. I am a nature photographer and decided to bite the bullet and sign up for a few local art and craft shows. I certainly did not relize what I was getting myself into or the expense and time that went with it. However I am still excited and moving forward with the show. To get a couple of booth photos I had to setup my canopy on my closed in deck due to our windy cold weather up here in the north. I was wondering if two six foot tables would leave enough room for a few customers. Thank you and let me know if I could do anything to improve my setup.
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I can't tell how you hang your framed photos on the wall. If you used the top cross bar, what will happen on a very windy day? If the tent sides start flapping back and forth, what will happen to your framed items. If a thunder storm or wind comes through at night, you won't be there to prevent damage. Buy or make good tent weights of at lease 50 pounds per corner.
Always have your most eye catching piece centered on the back wall so that customers walking by will see it and a couple of other really good pieces on the front of the side walls for the same reason. Have 4-6 adult people you know come over and pretend to shop in you booth. I think you will remove at least one table. With shows costing $300 to $500 each, show prep time, setup and tear down, you will want to sell at least $3000 on average per show just to cover your inventory cost, travel cost, and time. Unless you have a lot of inventory you aren't showing you can't make that much. Ask yourself how much is your time worth, what will be my travel cost be at 55 cents per mile, and what will my food and lodging cost me? Now ask your self what is my profit margin and you will come up with a break even sales figure for each show.
You need to come up with a way to protect your inventory during transit to and from shows, but no matter what you do some damage will occur. Add something into your show costs for damage. Read the show rules for each show you attend and obey them to the letter. Don't spend too much on frames.
Thanks for taking the time to review this thred Mr. Emerson. As far as hanging my art, I purchased some used flourish panels and will use s hooks or curtain hooks 2 per frame. I also have 40# weights and dog cork screws if needed. I will take your advice on where to put my fav. pieces of art. Other reviewers also mentioned one table, I will probably go that route. I have never done a craft-art show before and this summer I am just doing some small local ones. I hope to just cover my booth and app. fees. LOL I do understand all the cost and time invested here and someday I would be thrilled to make $3,000. Thank you again.
You have received some good advice. My question is, are those moving blankets on your tables? That is what they remind me of. We use them for moving our furniture for my upcycle/repurpose business. Not attractive for a table cover in a booth shot or at a show. Maybe you’re trying to use what you have? I got affordable table covers at Premier Table Linens and they are floor length. You can purchase them with slits in them to access back stock or without slits. They are able to go in the washer/dryer.
Hi Cindy, yes they were quilted moving blankets. I have been checking out fitted table cloths and will be ordering soon. Thanks again.
I can't tell how you hang your framed photos on the wall. If you used the top cross bar, what will happen on a very windy day? If the tent sides start flapping back and forth, what will happen to your framed items. If a thunder storm or wind comes through at night, you won't be there to prevent damage. Buy or make good tent weights of at lease 50 pounds per corner.
Always have your most eye catching piece centered on the back wall so that customers walking by will see it and a couple of other really good pieces on the front of the side walls for the same reason. Have 4-6 adult people you know come over and pretend to shop in you booth. I think you will remove at least one table. With shows costing $300 to $500 each, show prep time, setup and tear down, you will want to sell at least $3000 on average per show just to cover your inventory cost, travel cost, and time. Unless you have a lot of inventory you aren't showing you can't make that much. Ask yourself how much is your time worth, what will be my travel cost be at 55 cents per mile, and what will my food and lodging cost me? Now ask your self what is my profit margin and you will come up with a break even sales figure for each show.
You need to come up with a way to protect your inventory during transit to and from shows, but no matter what you do some damage will occur. Add something into your show costs for damage. Read the show rules for each show you attend and obey them to the letter. Don't spend too much on frames.
Stick to one table and hang your work on the walls. Try for a more 'gallery' approach. If you are using six foot tables, they are going to eat up the space inside the booth quickly, once you get people trying to stop and look at each item on each table, especially since there is no exit path. They will be bumping into each other. Your booth looks much bigger than 10x10, remember that most shows will limit you to 10x10 unless you want to pay for double space. Take the quilts off the table, a large sheet (and you can get those microfiber ones for real cheap) will be better and can be tucked around the ends to get a nice finish to them. Judges are looking for table covers to go all the way to the floor all the way around. You have one showing the table legs to the judges. If you have to have exposed legs make them towards the back so they can't be seen. I know this sounds like a lot, but like the others said, you have done a great first job on this. I have been in shows for three years now and just this past month finally got my booth to a place where I was happy with it because I had to start with what I could piece together on my limited budget just like many do. Do some YouTube searches and also Google searches on setting up booths for art shows. Also, attend a few shows local to you, to see how others set up their booths and how they work "in action." The more examples you see and ideas you hear from others, the better it will be. Good luck!
Thank you Susan, I believe I will be using one table with a full fitted cover. As for the tent it is a 10x10 but just looks large because of the wide angle lens I was using. I hope to do this booth setup again in the near future if it ever stops snowing here.
I think you have received excellent advice from other photographers. You have done many things right, and kudos to you for doing so much so right on your first effort. I am not a photographer, and will leave that alone, but my first reaction was to the table covers. They leave the ends looking messy. You need a neat clean table cover that covers all 4 sides (or three if visible to public) completely to the ground. Choose whatever color works for you, the black seems like a good choice.
Good luck! This is a crazy way to make a living, but there is a reason why I am in year 35!
Thanks Jan, I have been looking at full covers for the tables today and will probably go that route. Thank you again.
Thanks Jan, I have been looking at full covers for the tables today and will probably go that route. Thank you again.
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