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FAQ for Artists / Gallery Owners / Right Holders
1. How do I sell my work through WhiteWall and what information must I make available?
2. How much does a WhiteWall account cost?
3. How many works can I upload on to WhiteWall?
4. Why is the use of captions important and what must I consider here?
5. Why is the name under which I sell my works with WhiteWall important?
6. What is the WhiteWall Art Market?
7. What is the WhiteWall Artist Page?
8. What is the WhiteWall Gallery Page?
9. How much can I earn through WhiteWall?
10. How are license sums/commissions paid and how are tax-issues dealt with?
11. Do I have to commit my works exclusively to WhiteWall?
12. Limited or Open Edition – which is better?
13. Can I add a signatur to my works?
14. How does Online Proofing work? What alternatives are there?
15. How does the WhiteWall Jury work and what does it have to do with the WhiteWall Art Market?
16. How do I become a Jury member? What are the advantages?
17. Which type of frame or mount would best suit my picture?
18. Does WhiteWall offer a more unusual, unique form of frame beyond the classic passe-partout frames?
19. Which frame color would best suit my picture?
20. How big should the passe-partout be?
21. Which works are suitable for the large format art banners "polytarp with wooden rim" or "canvas with eyelets"?
How do I sell my work through WhiteWall and what data must I make available?
1. Step: Register with WhiteWall
2. Step: Upload picture files, determine work details.
3. Step: Suggest works to Jury and/or set up an Artist Page/Gallery Page.
Registering with WhiteWall
Clicking on the “Login” link in the menu at the top right of the page www.WhiteWall.com will bring you to a page where you have the option to register for the site.
Please enter your details and click on "CONTINUE". Within a couple of minutes you should receive an e-mail with a confirmation link. In case you don't find this e-mail in your inbox, please first check your spam folder.
Please confirm your registration by clicking on the link in the e-mail. You will then be immediately directed to the page www.WhiteWall.com. Once you have logged in, using the “Login” link again, you can begin uploading picture files.
Uploading pictures, setting work details
For the production and sale of your works through WhiteWall, you need a digital copy of your work. Details on data format and sizes can be found here. How you compile a digital copy of your work is explained here.
Important: On WhiteWall pages, you cannot determine that only a section of your picture be shown – for this reason, please decide exactly what part of the picture is to be shown and with what page relation BEFORE uploading.
In the "Images" section, under the menu point "My Images/Items", you can upload pictures directly on to the website (Flash-Tool). Please select and follow the instructions.
After you have successfully uploaded your images, they will be available for viewing in the "MOTIFS" section – by clicking on "edit" (shown next to each motif), you can enter the details for the motif and describe it, enter format, enter number of editions etc.
Why must I also choose the printing technique and framing/mounting for each format in which my work is sold?
Alongside the artistic contents of the work itself, i.e. the image, it is also important to determine the way in which the artwork is presented, i.e. the print technique and framing/mounting. On WhiteWall you determine step by step the size and the print technique for your work before then deciding on an appropriate frame/mount and edition type (open/limited).
The decisions you make here are a recommendation to the buyer as to how you'd like to have your work presented. The buyer may change the order process, by for example, overriding your choice of frame colour, but cannot change the print technique. Our experience shows that buyers generally follow the recommendation of the artist on framing/mounting, accepting the former as an essential and integral part of the artwork
News with regard to WhiteWall can be found in our newsletter.
Suggesting images to a Jury and/or setting up an Artist Page/Gallery Page
All work shown under menu point "My Images/Items" and here in Step 3 "WORK OVERVIEW & JURY" can, for the moment, only be seen by you and cannot by ordered by third parties.
You now have the opportunity to decide whether you would like to sell your images on your Artist/Gallery Page or/and suggest their sale on the WhiteWall Art Market after selection the Jury.
In order to submit an image to the Jury, click on the link "options" next to the picture and select "Submit image to the Jury". You may first collect individual works into groups and then suggest the entire group to the Jury. You will be informed of the Jury's decision by means of message. This message can be accessed under the menu point "My Messages/News". You can also view the current status of the jury evaluation underneath every image.
If you would like to sell your images through your Artist Page, please click on the menu point "Artist Page/Artist Information". Here, next to your personal information and details of your work, you can select a web address for your Artist Page and determine access to this page, e.g. with password protection. By doing so, your works will automatically be made available for viewing at this web address.
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How much does a WhiteWall account cost?
An account with WhiteWall is free of charge.
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How many images can I upload onto WhiteWall?
You can upload 50 works, of which a maximum of 15 can be submitted to the Jury/be shown on the WhiteWall Art Market. This means: You can show a maximum of 50 prints on your Artist/Gallery Page or order PhotoLab prints of these with frame/mount and can offer a maximum of 15 works on the WhiteWall Art Market.
We have introduced these limits in order to ensure that WhiteWall accounts remain free of charge.
For professionals: If you would like to upload more than 50 works, please send an e-mail to info@whitewall.com indicating your user name. We will the send you an individual offer. Thank you!
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Why is the use of captions/slogans important and what must I consider here?
It is advisable to use words which DO NOT simply repeat the category description but rather emotionally or symbolically describe the picture contents (e.g. "Freedom").
It is also recommended here that you use references to particular picture content. ("Paris", "Sunset" or "Mercedes SLR").
Please enter your captions in English and in the singular, separating them by commas, full stops, hyphens or semicolons. You can enter a maximum of 10 captions. Precise use increases the probability that your works will be found by someone with this type of work in mind. You can find help in your search for appropriate words by using a thesaurus.
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Why is the name under which I sell my works with WhiteWall important?
If the Sunday Times were to review the new book by Richard Bachmann, no one would know who they were talking about. And if the name Richard Bachmann graced the cover of a newly printed book, everyone would think it was a new book by an unknown author. In truth, behind the name Richard Bachmann is no one other than bestselling author Stephen King!
Here, the name used is a pseudonym. A pseudonym is a fake name assumed largely by artists or writers. Many prominent artists use pseudonyms for their creative works, either to simplify their given name or to make it sound better or more individual. Some artists work their entire lives under pseudonyms!
In the menu point "My Artist Info/Page", you can select a pseudonym to be used in place of your real name which must be indicated on registration – remember that this name may be with you for a long time.
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What is the WhiteWall Art Market?
Under www.WhiteWall.com, you are taken directly to the WhiteWall Art Market pages. The Art Market is comprised of works from various artists, each of which has been submitted to the Jury and then approved for showing.
Which images appear on the WhiteWall Art Market pages pages is decided, therefore, by the Jury. The WhiteWall team ensures by means of various advertising and PR campaigns that art aficionados and buyers from across the globe visit the Art Market and purchase works.
And the best thing about it: Once the digital copies of your work have been uploaded, WhiteWall takes care of all online orders, production, packaging, delivery, payment collection and customer service. You can concentrate on your creative work and need do nothing more than take an occasional look at the invoice of your sales.
Information on the Jury can be found here.
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What is the WhiteWall Artist Page?
The WhiteWall Artist Page allows you to reach your own personal audience. The Artist Page allows you to show both smaller and larger collections of works without expert technical knowledge and completely free of charge. Of course, this with your own web address in the form WhiteWall.com/YourName and minimal design features.
In order to set up an Artist Page, please click on the menu point "Artist Page/Artist Information". Here you can enter information about yourself and choose a web address for your Artist Page as well as deciding on access rules, e.g. access only with password. After you've done this, all works you've uploaded under menu point "Picture Data/Works" are available for viewing on the web address.
Here too the rule applies: Once the Artist Page is set up and digital copies of works available, you need do nothing more. WhiteWall will take care of all online orders, production, packaging, delivery, payment collection and customer service – and you receive a clear sales report once per quarter.
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What is the WhiteWall Gallery Page?
With the WhiteWall Gallery Page, you can show works from various artists at your own web address (WhiteWall.com/YourName). In accordance with your taste for good art work, you can put together contents from the WhiteWall site or works which you have already collected and uploaded and show these in portfolios on your Gallery Page. The Gallery Page allows presentation of works either in accordance with your own design or using our minimalist design layout.
Production, packaging, delivery, payment collection and customer service is assumed by WhiteWall. You receive commission from turnover, the total amount of any sums due can be followed online.
If, for instance, your magazine is called "Mountain", you can set up a Gallery Page on WhiteWall with the name WhiteWall.com/MountainMagazine and offer your readers impressive photos.
Perhaps you represent photographers whose works would be enthusiastically received by fans. Put together your own personal selection of works on the web page WhiteWall.com/Name-Artedition.
Of course you can also integrate your WhiteWall Gallery Page into your own website.
Please notice: The number of Gallery Pages per account is limited to 5.
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How much can I earn through WhiteWall?
We have summarized the principles governing our work together in our General Terms and Conditions. The following information provides rough details on how much you can earn with your works through WhiteWall.
Examples for license fees/commission here.
With respect to all sales through the central Art Market on WhiteWall.com, on Artist Pages and on Gallery Pages, WhiteWall will assume finance, production, refinement, packaging, delivery, payment collection, customer service and the handling of returns. With respect to the Art Market, WhiteWall will also assume marketing and public relations – for your Artist or Gallery Pages, marketing and public relations rest with you.
Turnover is divided up by WhiteWall in accordance with the following rules:
Author Fee on all Sales
- Licenses for Limited Editions
20% for works whose longest edge is 80cm or more
18% for works whose longest edge is between 51cm to 79 cm
16% for works whose longest edge is 50 cm or less
- Licenses for Open Editions
15% of all sales
These rates are approximately double those which publishers offer for similar services.
The rates are identical to those offered by LUMAS
Commission for sales via Artist Pages (own contents)
- Alongside the author fees, you receive an additional commission to the amount of 36% of the sale price. In total then, this corresponds to 51 to 56% of the sale price.
Commission for sales via Gallery Pages (third party contents/ placement of third party contents)
-In addition to the author fee, you receive an additional commission of 36% of the sale price – without risk and materials costs.
The licenses/commissions refer to the net sales price of the prints.
Calculation of the Sale Price
The basis for the calculation of the sale price for works to be sold through the WhiteWall Art Market, the Artist/Gallery Pages is the base rate. This base price is calculated when the artist orders work for his or her own use. The price corresponds to labor costs incurred in production. The price depends on:
-Format of the print (motif format, without white frame, e.g. 40 x 60 cm)
-Chosen print technique (e.g. Lambda print)
On sale through the central Art Market on WhiteWall.com or on Artist /Gallery Pages, this base price is multiplied by a factor determined with reference to the following parameters:
- Edition Type (Limited or Open Edition)
With respect to Limited Editions, the total number editions to be produced will be reflected in the price.
- Number of editions sold
- Jury evaluation (e.g. 3 stars)
Only works suggested to the Jury will receive an evaluation – for work without Jury evaluation sold through Artist or Gallery Pages, a standard evaluation will apply (see details).
- Selected price level.
The base price multiplied by this factor gives the sale price of the print on the Art Market, alternately on the Artist/Gallery Page.
Why is that fair?
The difference between base price and sale price corresponds to the added value of the artist and the artistic quality of the work as assessed by the Jury. The sale price thus reflects, as is normal on the Art Market, the difference between the material value and the artistic/subjective value of the work.
The base price corresponds to the material value; the sale price includes the added value of the artist.
The better the evaluation from the Jury, the more copies will be sold and the sales price is higher. An increasing price on increasing sales covers that risk taken by buyers who decide early on to purchase a particular work. They don't know whether the work will sell out – and so receive an advantage in the lower sale price in return for their willingness to take this risk
The sale price of the print is calculated automatically by WhiteWall on the basis of information provided by the artist and the factor resulting herefrom. The price is shown immediately on entering the work details.
A detailed overview of how the factor is calculated can be found here.
Examples for Licenses / Commissions can be found here
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How are license fees/commissions paid and how are tax issues dealt with?
The General Terms and Conditions provide a thorough account of the rules on payment. The most important information is given here in summary:
Licenses and commissions are calculated to the end of each calendar quarter. This way, unpaid debits, (part) cancellations and returns can be taken into account. With respect to sums over 100 Euros, we reserve the right to issue statement of account monthly. Payment follows within 30 days of issue of statement.
Example: For a work sold on the 10th September, the license will be calculated as of the end of the quarter (=end of December) and then paid out on at the latest by 30th January.
Responsibility for taxation of the license/commission fees received rests with the recipient.
If you are VAT registered and have indicated this in the menu point "My Profile" along with VAT registration number, we will pay the license/commission fees with statutory VAT (currently 19%).
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Do I have to commit my works exclusively to WhiteWall?
Our General Terms and Conditions regulate all points of our work together and all details with regard to the granting of rights. This means:
Of course, you hold the copyrights to your works. However, alongside the right to sell your work, you also grant us certain rights of use, for instance for advertising purposes.
Limited editions may only be sold through WhiteWall for the entire duration of our work together. If you have already produced an edition independently of WhiteWall, we shall be entitled to request written details of such.
If you offer a limited edition of your work through WhiteWall, even after termination of contract, you may only offer the unsold limited editions for sale. A limited edition of defined size and number may only be sold within these limits.
This shall apply both with respect to sale through the WhiteWall Art Market as well as to sale through your Artist/Gallery Pages.
Important: You may not offer works for sale both on Artist/Gallery Pages and through the WhiteWall Art Market – the system oversees ALL sales and so ensures adherence to the limits set for limited editions
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Limited or Open Edition – which is better?
Both variants have their advantages: A limited edition is more exclusive and you therefore receive a higher license fee per work sold. An open edition can be sold however many times it is ordered. The lower license fee paid per copy may thus be made good by frequent sales.
We recommend limited editions with a circulation of 100 editions. This, on the one hand, corresponds to the interest of WhiteWall's clients in exclusive works and on the other hand, offers you as an artist optimal license returns.
Note: Where you offer a work both on an Artist/Gallery Page and through the WhiteWall Art Market, the system oversees ALL sales and thus ensures limits for limited editions are adhered to.
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Can I add a signature to my works?
Yes. You may, however, only place your signature on limited editions.
In the menu point "My Artist Info/Page", you can upload your signature as JPG file. This will then be automatically integrated into a certificate of authenticity that the buyer will receive on purchasing your work. The signature has no influence on the sale price and is entirely optional.
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How does Online Proofing work? What alternatives are there?
Information on Online Proofing is found in the FAQs on WhiteWall PhotoLab and the WhiteWall products.
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How does the WhiteWall Jury work and what does it have to do with the WhiteWall Art Market?
The Jury decides which of the works put forward to it are to be exhibited for sale on the WhiteWall Art Market. All works available under WhiteWall.com have thus been selected by a Jury.
Each work put forward to the Jury is assessed by at least three jurors. The jurors assess the artistic quality of the work and express their decision in (half) stars – a maximum of five stars are possible. The assessment from the jurors is averaged to give the overall rating. Where this value is above a pre-defined minimum, the work is exhibited for sale on the WhiteWall Art Market.
Where, for instance, one juror considers the work poor but too others consider the work to be very good thus ensuring the average rating is above the stipulated minimum rating, the work will nonetheless be presented on the WhiteWall Art Market, i.e. despite the poor rating.
The Jury assessment takes place online. Jury members have special access to pages where the works put forward for assessment are collected and given their rating.
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How do I become a Jury member? What are the advantages?
Of all WhiteWall artists, the Jury is selected automatically on the basis of three factors: Assessment of their work by the Jury, assessment through WhiteWall Art Market visitors and the sales success of their works. The top 10 percent of artists, as determined through this procedure, automatically become Jury members.
It's not possible to apply to become a Jury member. Jury members are also not selected by WhiteWall – a single democratic principle is applied for the determination of who becomes a Jury member and who doesn't.
Alongside the opportunity to actively influence the portfolio of the WhiteWall Art Market, Jury members receive another small bonus: Their works are sold at a slightly increased price - this way license fees per piece sold also increase.
There is a further peculiarity worth noting with regard to the determination of Jury members: At regular intervals, WhiteWall will invite exceptional personalities from the world of art to put together their own collection from the WhiteWall portfolio. Works selected by these WhiteWall jurors will be identified as such and presented separately.
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Which type of frame or mount would best suit my picture?
The passe-partout frame is the most classic of picture frames. Prints such as portraits, smaller landscapes and city perspectives, black and white photographs and smaller illustrations are set perfectly in scene with a wooden frame with passe-partout. Our range of warm, quality woods offers the right frame for every piece.
Example Passe-partout-Frame
For works with an edge longer than 80cm, Lumabond and Lumasec offer a highly modern frameless alternative. Larger landscapes, horizons, impressive skylines as well as sea views are particularly suitable for this type of mount. Thanks to carefully placed panels and hooks on the reverse, the images seem to hover against the wall. The result is a clear, modern, direct mode of presentation.
LUMABOND is available both in gloss as well as matt alternatives. A matt surface is particularly suitable for blurred or clouded, paint style works as well as for non-sharp photographic works (e.g. computer altered illustrations or movement shots).
Example LUMABOND
With LUMASEC, the colour shines more intensively through the glossy surface of the additional acrylic glass plate. It should be noted here that works which use dark colours may take produce a mirror effect. This aspect can, however, be an added attraction to purchasing such a piece.
Example LUMASEC
WhiteWall also offers an affordable canvas art print with stretcher frame. The stretcher frame consists of several glued panels. For increased durability, the motif is also sealed with a protective coating. The canvas structure of the surface thus influences the presentation of the image: the impression is generally softer and gentler.
Example Canvas
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Does WhiteWall offer a more unusual, unique form of frame than the classic passe-partout frames?
Yes, the so-called shadow gap frame combines both classic and modern elements. The work is first mounted (and where required also sealed with acrylic glass) and then placed with 7mm gap in a massive wooden frame (=shadow gap). The value and objectivity of the image is thus underlined.
Example Shadow Gap Frame
WhiteWall also offers the innovative Aluminium Art Box frame available in two varieties.
The first variety illuminates the work on a similar material with silicon skirting. The work is then set into a stable aluminium frame. The frame is available in matt or unfinished alternatives.
The second variety consists of a work mounted on LUMASEC. The mount is completed with the Aluminium Art Box – the result is a work which appears to be covered by glass with an aluminium frame.
Digital paintings, graphics, illustrations and highly modern photographs are particularly suitable for the industrial metallic character of the AluBox.
Example Alubox
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Which frame colour would best suit my picture?
In order to ensure that frame and image go well together, it is advisable to choose a colour for the frame which appears in the image. The basic rule is to avoid a sharp contrast between the print and the colour of the frame. A light picture loses some of its effect in a black frame and would be more suited to an oak or acorn white edge. A garish graphic on the other hand would be perfectly suited to a black frame – the intensity of the piece would be strengthened by the frame as the frame would also help the picture to stand out from its surroundings.
A classic B/W photograph works well in a dark brown frame profile.
With regard to the width of the frame, the following rule should be used: The larger the format, the wider the frame. And vice versa: A wide frame would compete too aggressively with the image itself.
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How big should the passe-partout be?
Basically, the choice of passe-partout size, just like the choice of frame, is part of the creative concept itself.
A few rules can be generally applied: The stronger the work, the narrower the passe-partout should be and vice versa.
A light picture (less strong) in a wide dark frame (greater strength) would need a wide passe-partout. This provides the motif with the necessary distance from the frame.
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Which works are suitable for the large format art banners "polytarp with wooden rim" or "canvas with eyelets"?
Provided the data size is sufficient, it is possible to offer all images as large format art banners.
Particularly suitable are those prints portraying, for example, food, sport, wellness, nature; works with a calming, decorative picture content. Shops and restaurants often look for pictures which are easy to mount and have durable washable surfaces.
Wouldn't it be great if your favourite image adorned the wall of your favourite café?
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FAQ