Documentation

Documenting your artworks

A sharp photo, a complete record, an up-to-date inventory. Everything you need to answer fast when a gallery, a buyer or an insurer asks for information.

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Step 1

Photograph each artwork well

The photo is the first thing people look at. Three habits are enough for an image you can use anywhere.

  1. 1

    Neutral light, neutral background

    Steady, cool light (daylight), two sources at 45° on either side, and a plain background. Avoid cast shadows and mixed light sources.

  2. 2

    Frame it straight on

    The artwork upright and centered, shot from the front, free of perspective distortion. An objective image works for a portfolio and for a shop alike.

  3. 3

    Capture the details

    Signature, back, inscriptions, texture: a few close-ups alongside the overall view strengthen an artwork's authenticity.

Image analysis reads your photo and suggests a title, a technique, dominant colors and keywords. A good photo gives a better suggestion.

Step 2

Fill in a complete record

Every artwork has its record. Over 30 fields to bring together in one place what was scattered across a notebook, a phone and a spreadsheet.

Identity

Title, technique, medium, year of creation and series. The information you cite first in a portfolio.

Dimensions

Height, width, depth, with or without frame. To fill in by hand: analysis can't guess measurements.

Provenance

Origin, history, signature and marks. The detail that reassures a buyer and feeds a certificate.

Price

Sale price, insurance value and currency. Useful for a sale as well as for a valued inventory.

Location

Studio, gallery consignment, loan for an exhibition. You know where each piece is if you keep the record up to date.

Status

For sale, reserved, sold, on loan, gifted, given away, lost or destroyed. The real state of each artwork, at a glance.

The number is generated automatically (your initials + the year + a counter), and stays editable artwork by artwork if needed.

Step 3

An inventory you can reuse

Document once, reuse everywhere. Your records feed straight into the rest of your work.

1

Send a portfolio

A gallery or a curator asks for your recent work? Your records are ready: photos, dimensions and techniques grouped together, exportable as a PDF catalog with Pro mode.

2

Finalize a sale

Price, status and location travel with the artwork. Marking it “sold” and issuing a certificate reuse the information you already entered.

3

Issue a certificate

Technique, dimensions, provenance and signature recorded on the sheet appear on the certificate of authenticity, with no re-entry.

4

Prepare for insurance or an estate

A valued inventory, backed by photos and values, makes identifying an artwork and estimating its worth easier. Keep it up to date and backed up.

Frequently asked questions

What artists ask

Going further

Related guides

Once your artworks are documented, here's what you can do with them.

Keep your inventory

Track the status, location and value of each artwork in an up-to-date inventory.

Image analysis

Upload a photo to pre-fill title, technique, colors and keywords.

PDF catalogs

Gather a selection of artworks into a clean catalog to share.

Certificate of authenticity

Issue a certificate from the information already entered on the record.

Pro Site

Publish your documented artworks on your own artist website.

Batch import

Add up to 10 images at once, each pre-filled by the analysis.

Build an inventory you can reuse

Document your artworks for free, up to 50. Go Pro for batch import, PDF catalogs and inventory lists, up to 2,000 artworks.

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