Wraps taken off version 1 beta of Imagekind
We’re quietly lifting the wraps off of the ImageKind beta tonight. This is the first project spun out of Curious Office Partners…a venture founded by myself and Adrian Hanauer. We’re probably excited about ImageKind for many of the same reasons that John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins was excited about Zazzle. However, we didn’t invest $16 million into what we’ve done so far. In fact, we’ve invested only $300k. We know that consumer services require marketing dollars so we’ll certainly invest more into the company but we believe we’ve found a niche that is unique and we’ve done a decent job with the first version to differentiate ourselves from other products out there.
In a nutshell, we provide a very sophisticated online system for print-on-demand production of fine art (wall art). For now, we don’t make mousepads, frisbees or coffee mugs. Our system is custom designed for those who want to Shop, Create or Sell fine art prints and wall art. That art can be photographic, traditional art that has been digitally captured or digital art originating from a PC (e.g. Photoshop and Illustrator files). And that art can be cropped, matted and framed on our site.
ImageKind expects to be home to hundreds of thousands of digital images from a community of contributors who are artists, photographers, designers, and creative consumers worldwide. Contributors can choose to make their creations public by setting up a free gallery where anyone can browse, comment and connect with others who share their artistic interests. Unlike most other sites just getting into this business, we let the artists keep the profits from their sales. Every artists gets a free gallery. Period.
Everyone knows that the collision of emerging print-on-demand technologies and the Internet has huge implications. The inception of print-on-demand technologies have created a whole new, way of creating fine art prints called giclees and many galleries have embraced them. Today, giclees are the leading type of prints that art dealers and gallery owners have added to their inventories. Make no mistake about it…put a $10,000 original along side a $200 giclee on canvas–the giclee is so beautiful that few customers will opt for the more expensive product and they will really enjoy the print in their home or office.
ImageKind is simply developing a community where sellers and buyers can come together in a new, dynamic environment. We very well may get into other print-on-demand markets in the future (e.g. gift cards etc) but pratically every wall in every home and office in every major country has something hanging on it and we think that we’re tapping into a very nice market if we develop a reputation for online art reproduction. We want to bring these evolved print-on-demand technologies to the mass market at low production prices.
There are other macro factors involved that I really like about this business. Digital cameras and creative software are turning a whole new generation of individuals into “psuedo artists” and the “pro-sumer” creative market is growing rapidly. And why not? If you can shoot 1000 photos and get 5 good ones and then process those 5 on your PC into veritable works of art using free, downloadable software then one should expect that there will be buyers for this content especially when it is provided for lower price points.
Digital Fine Art Magazine says that fine art “print on demand” is growing at 60% per year! Curious Office has already demonstrated that it can develop sophisticated systems on a limited “web 2.0″ budget. If we can be a leader in the way photographers, artists and hobbyists market their work over the next several years we’ll have a nice hit on our hands. This first version is most definately a beta version. We’re already working on an all new V2.o so the entire platform will be much, must tighter going forward. But, already it is easier to use than Zazzle and easier to access than Art.com (who require that you sign over rights to your work while giving away most of your profits).
For regular users, we hope you’ll think of ImageKind when you return from those family vacations, holidays, special events and sports events. We back every product with a no questions asked guarantee but I am confident that you will be amazed by the work of art that you can create from your own desktop.
comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
-
Rainbows
-
Vanishing America
-
Friends from Monaco
-
Cadillac
-
Old stamps
