Since I started posting my hockey artwork online late in 2005, I have received a lot of questions and comments from visitors to the site. I figured I would post an FAQ because a lot of the questions I get are often the same. If you still have any questions after reading this FAQ, by all means drop me an email at: chris@toochweb.com
Q: I
really like you artwork, but I noticed that I cannot purchase any of
your prints or originals from your website. Why not?
A: The current
inellectual and copyright laws provided to professional sports teams
and athletes make it very difficult to sell artwork (en masse) which
depicts a professional team's logo or crest and a recognizeable sports
personality.
At present, the rights of freedom of expression for sports artists are being argued in a federal court in the case of Daniel Moore vs. the University of Alabama. This case will set a precedent as to whether sports franchises and colleges' right to protect their intellectual property exceeds an individual artist's right to freedom of expression and the ability to charge a fair wage for this.
I personally agree with Moore's defense, that sports artists are no different from sports journalists and should be able to render a professional sporting activity accurately and get paid for their effort by selling prints and merchanidise which features their work. But until this becomes actual law, I have basically refrained from selling a large number of my prints online.
That being said, I do get a ton of hockey fans (and other sports) requesting to buy re-prints of the originals. For this reason, I do sell a limited quantity of them via word of mouth and ebay. (This makes little money and is done primarily to promote my artwork and web site). You can visit my e-bay profile page to see which re-prints are currently being listed and if you like them, put in a bid or purchase them at the "buy it now" price.
I am certainly willing to sell the originals too, however because they are one of a kind drawings, the cost would be pretty high. I also try to donate some of the originals when I can find a good fit for them (for example the original 15x20" Heaven's Crease was donated to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers). If you are seriously interested in buying a print or an original, just send me an e-mail. and I will give you more information.
Q: I
really like the piece
you did for the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. I visited
their
web site, but they do not have the lithograph of your work for sale -
how can I get one?
A: I don't
really have a good answer for this one. They had a
nice
limited series of lithographs printed of my Class III piece, but for some reason
it
was never posted for sale on their site's store, nor have they ever
updated the store. I would suggest sending an e-mail to the
Hall
to request one. Their web url is: http://www.phillyhall.org
Q: My
son plays Junior hockey here in Canada - could I pay you to do
an original drawing of
him? How much would it cost and how long would it take to
complete?
A: Yes - in fact commission pieces are really how I prefer to
earn money from my artwork. All I would need is some
reference
photos of
him playing (and off ice) and a rough idea of how you envision
the drawing to look (action, montage, etc.).
The piece can be either an 11 x 14" or a 15 x 20" (the only two sizes I work in for pen and ink). An original 11 x 14" would cost $250 (US) and take approximately 6 weeks to complete. An original 15 x 20" would cost $500 (US) and take approximately 12 weeks to complete. Completion times could be more or less depending on the quality of the reference photos you supply and the complexity of your drawing idea. All originals are drawn on archival quality illustration board using Rapidograph inks and Koh I Noor pens and are shipped unframed.
A $100 deposit is required to begin work and you will receive periodic digital photo updates until the piece is completed. The balance would be due after final acceptance and before shipment. Re-print rights are retained by BiskitArt.com (hey, ya never know if your kid is a future Hall fo Famer!)