We are pleased to announce the customization of the FASO image editor's Transform tool to include preset options for numerous common aspect ratios as well as button presets to allow you to crop an image based on the specs and preferences of Instagram and Facebook. Additionally, this upgrade includes an image ratio cropping template or mask, that will allow you to select and crop the image based on a specific and common image ratios. Included in the common ratios are square, 4:3 (and 3:4), 16:9 (and 9:16). You also have the ability to make a custom selection as well if you would like to chose a specific portion to crop.

Let’s take a look. In your control panel, click Artwork, then select one of your artwork records and click on the thumbnail or image link to enter the details of the record. Beside the image, click the Edit this image link and that will open your image in the image editor. If your plan or end goal is to crop/resize one of your artwork records to have an image you can utilize on social media, this would be a perfect time to utilize our recent feature to Copy this artwork and save it as an image. Utilizing the copy feature creates a copy in your Non-Art Images where you can use the image editor to make a custom crop/adjustments without altering your original artwork image. The editor works the same in your Artwork Portfolio as it does in your Non-Art Images.

Regardless of whether you do this from the Artwork or Non Art Images, once you click Edit this Image it opens to this view by default in the Transform tool.

You will see gridlines on the image which represent it's current default state. Additionally, there are tabs for Crop Size, Flip & Rotate and Resolution along with the pixel dimensions of the image. Below the pixel dimensions are preset options, Common, Instagram and Facebook. The below those options are the remaining image editor tools, Filters, Adjust, and Frames.

If you click the Common option, it will give you a custom crop, along with options for the most common image ratio formats. 

You can collapse the Common options by clicking the Common button again or one of the other buttons. Then if you click the Instagram button, it will show you the options for Instagram images based on their use on the Instagram Platform; profile picture, square, and story.

Likewise you can collapse the  Instagram crop options by either click the Instagram button again, or by clicking one of the other buttons. Now if you click the Facebook button, you will reveal the preset options for the image roles on Facebook which include Post, Profile, Title, and Ad.

While the presets all function the same way, it is important to give an extra clarification regarding the custom cropping. This will also bring the Resolution tab into play. If you clicked on the Common button and then clicked the option for a Custom crop, there are two options you can choose from to create the crop. First you can click and drag from any of the corners to the desired crop. This is essentially a freehand crop. It will allow you to continue dragging or adjusting until you get the grid positioned the way you want it. If you make a misstep, you can always click the Reset to Default button to reset the image and start over. 

The second option if you know the specific pixel dimension you need, is entering the desired pixel dimension in the width field, then tab and enter the height pixel dimension in the height field then tab again. Doing this you will see the grid change according to the dimensions you entered. If you click over to the Resolution tab, there is only one option which is to Keep Resolution. 

If you click the check box, then go back to the crop size options, you can enter the pixel dimension in the width then tab, and the Keep Resolution option will automatically populate the height based on your width entry in order to keep the existing proportion.

As previously mentioned aside from the custom cropping, all of the remaining preset crop options work the same. Select the preset option you wish to use and it will apply the grid to the image, then you simply click the green Update Image button in the upper left portion of your screen. Once you click to update the editor will give you a before and after comparison, which you can either click to confirm the image edit or click cancel to reject it. 

While images are the lifeblood of every artist, image management can be overwhelming. It is a common practice and strong recommendation for artists to store a high resolution copy of their artwork to serve as a master file. In order to maximize it's usage, the master image file is often saved as a .tiff file or perhaps a .psd (native Photoshop file). The file size of these image formats can be quite large and far exceed the limits to share via email/text or upload to social media. It is also common for artists to save a .jpg file from their master file to upload to their website. Many artists are highly skilled at managing, creating and editing their images, however, it can be time consuming, require specialty software that is expensive and can come with a large learning curve.

Wouldn't it be great, if you had the option to simply download a copy of an image from your website, that you could easy send as an appropriately sized email attachment without the fear and wondering if the recipient will have a program capable of opening and viewing the attachment?

In the image handling department, from the beginning uploads, FASO has been a leader in the creation and storage of multiple web-appropriate sized images to utilize in our websites. Keeping this in mind we have added functionality in the FASO artwork portfolio, to download a copy of your image to your computer or device. The dropdown menu option gives you the ability to choose from every size the platform created when you originally uploaded the image. It even gives you the option to download the original file you uploaded.

To access the download option, log into your control panel, click Artwork, locate the record of the artwork you wish to download, click the thumbnail or edit link in the list view of your portfolio, to access the artwork details. Locate and click the Download this Image link.

After clicking the link it will take you to a download page where you will have a dropdown menu to select from all the image size options created when you uploaded your image.

Once you have made your selection simply click the download button and the image you selected will be downloaded to your Downloads folder.

You may be thinking that is great! But how do I know what the dimensions are for each image option? I'm glad you asked! The original file will be the same size it was when you uploaded it, and the rest of the options are sized below.

* NOTE: the sizes refer to the longest dimension of the image extra small = 100px square
small = 72px
small/medium = 100px
small/large = 120px
medium = 300px
large = 550px
extra large = 1024px*
extra extra large = 2000px*

*The extra large and extra extra large dimensions may vary if your original image was less than 2000 pixels on the longest dimension. 

Direct Pay

For FASO members who do not have eCommerce enabled (Paypal and/or Stripe) on their account, we now offer a Direct Pay option in order to facilitate sales of your art. This option allows a hybrid transaction approach by providing the function and use of the FASO shopping cart for the initiation of an online transaction followed by offline payment and shipping arrangements to be made between the artist and client to complete the transaction.

Under the Direct Pay option, any artwork with a Retail Price added and Status set as Available will have the option to be purchased with the "Direct Pay" method.

How it Works

From your FASO website, your collector clicks on the Add to Cart button and continues to follow the steps in the Shopping Cart.

Once your collector clicks on the SEND PURCHASE INQUIRY button,  you, the artist, will receive an email informing you of the interest in purchasing the art. Simply reach out to the interested person to follow up with the sale's transaction via your chosen method of payment.

Payment Options

Utilizing the Direct Pay option, the payment options are up to you, the artist, to determine. If you have a Square account or another credit card processing account, you could accept credit card payments. Venmo and Apple Pay could be utilized. Checks could be an option, which we do not recommend unless you personally know the client. You could also work out arrangements for a wire transfer or electronic fund transfer.

The payment method, shipping costs and fulfillment arrangements would be up to you to work out between you and your client.

The same conditions applicable for clients with Ecommerce enabled. would also apply to those who utilize the Direct Pay option. FASO would not have any involvement in the transaction and would never be connected to your bank account.

In the modern virtual marketplace, incorporating a payment option that enables and relies on offline arrangements to complete a transaction may seem like a step backward. However, this new feature is one more unique option that showcases FASO's understanding of the Fine Art World and the Fine Art Marketplace. Within this marketplace, art collectors and artists make connections that go far beyond simply clicking a submit payment button. Relationships are forged that often last for decades out of the simple opportunity to reach out to the client to make payment arrangements. 

When you primarily or even solely rely on Ecommerce transactions in your business, the shopping cart is like the central nervous system to your entire website operation. With it being such a critical component of your site, there have been several new enhancements we are pleased to announce.

Empty Cart Message

This enhancement is seemingly simple but worthy of acknowledgment. Developers are often thought of as highly detailed, analytical, square and straight -laced. Stereotypes also depict them as awkward, and unsocial beings. However, the FASO developers, while highly detailed and analytical are also creative guys, full of personality with great senses of humor. Given the nature of the work they do, there times they express their creativity and humor in the product.  Early versions of the Empty Cart Message  read "Your cart is empty and Sad." After receiving customer feedback, it was decided to change the wording to simply "Your cart is empty."

Before:

After:

Hide Enter Discount Code Link

There has been two camps of thought regarding discounts in business. You are either in favor and open to offering them, given the opportunity, or you are adamantly opposed and offer no discounts for any reason. The same lines hold true in Ecommerce as well. The ability to allow an online customer the ability to enter a discount code during checkout has become a standard feature and expectation among shopping cart systems. Among the world of art retail and online art sales, the lines continue to be split down the middle as well. When the Discount Code was added to the FASO shopping cart, it was applied to all clients all the time by default. Artists could create discount codes in their control panel and share them with any of their clients they chose.

There were also artists who had no plan to offer discounts or had been contacted by their clients who thought the artist may have been withholding a deal from them and we began to receive requests to remove the Discount Code Link. Some coding was written enabling Support the ability to hide the Enter Discount Code link. While this was a workable solution, by analyzing additional client feedback, the developers modified the back end controls and added the enhancement allowing artists the ability to turn the Enter Discount Code Link on or off by simply changing a setting in the FASO control panel. 

The Enter Discount Code link is still active by default but now you have the choice to enable or disable it on your own without the need to call on the Support Team. In your control panel click the Gear Icon, then click Account Settings from the drop-down menu, then click Settings. 

On the next screen scroll down to the Commerce section, then you will see the setting Shopping Cart - Discount Code. It will be Enabled by default so if you want to disable it, simply click the Edit link.

On the setting control screen, click No, then click Save Setting.

After you disable the Discount Code, the pricing details section of the shopping cart will no longer show the Enter Discount Code link.

Opt In/Subscribe to Artist's Newsletter on Checkout

Another common and standard feature among shopping cart systems gives your customer the ability to opt-in to your newsletter.  The checkout screen in the FASO powered shopping cart is no exception. Here you will see the default checkout screen with the sleek field for your customer to enter their email address and check the nicely styled checkbox with a clear and somewhat standard worded call to action to "Please subscribe me to this artist's newsletter." 

As you are looking at the checkout screen, you are probably thinking, "yes, that is nice, but..." Let me stop you right there. If you were to add up the collective arts experience of the FASO team it is mind-blowing. This is to say we understand artists and know how you think. While you were looking at that standard nicely worded message, you were going to say, "It would nice if I could change the call to action message." Well, our awesome and creative developers have beat you to the request. In your control panel, click the Commerce button along the top button bar.

In the Commerce Settings scroll down to the bottom and located the last field labeled "Cart Newsletter Opt In Message." Enter your new message in this field and click the Save Changes button, then whatever you enter will replace the standard Please subscribe me to this artist's newsletter.

Please stay tuned, and follow along as we announce  product improvements and new features to the FASO platform. If you are a painter, remember, that painting on your easel is not going to paint itself! If you are a sculptor it is ok to chuckle at the painter, but keep in mind that huge rock or lump of clay isn't going to sculpt itself either. 

FASO was well established long before the advent of social media. However, once the proliferation of social media began to rise, our Leadership and Development teams embraced the technology behind these social media platforms and began to explore meaningful ways to integrate their functionality within the FASO platform.

Instagram built their entire platform around the simple concept of communicating by sharing images. When you combine the simplicity of the Instagram platform with the convenience, ease of use and being able to readily share images directly from your phone, it quickly became an artist’s dream platform: literally point, shoot, and share.

Artists soon had hundreds of images uploaded to their Instagram accounts. However, as easy as it was to upload to Instagram, many artists were faced with the challenge and extra work of having to prepare those same images to upload to their website. Wouldn’t it be great if it were possible to upload Images to your website from Instagram? FASO has granted your wish.

You can upload images of your art directly from your Instagram account as follows.

• login to your FASO control panel
• click Upload Art Now button (upper right)
• click the Instagram icon (left column)

Note: if you don’t see the Instagram icon, click on Upload Artwork Images

• click on Connect Instagram
  (if you have already connected FASO to Instagram, skip this step. If you haven't connected or if you are not logged into Instagram you will be prompted to login to your Instagram account.)

• click Authorize (or Allow)

• select a post (click on the image or the text)
  
• NOTE: you can select multiple posts by clicking on each individual post
• click View/Edit Selected

• To Edit the Image (if necessary)
  
• • click Edit
  • Crop and Rotate tools will display on the left
  • click Done
• click Upload
• click Continue

After you click continue, you will be able to edit details for the image(s) such as the dimensions, medium, retail price, etc. the same as if you had uploaded them from your computer. Once you have completed editing the details simply click the save changes and you have just completed uploading an image from your Instagram account to your FASO website. 

See this week's new releases on BoldBrush Studio, from Bryce Liston and our very own Art Marketing Program. 

Click the button below to learn more.

https://boldbrush.studio/?utm\_source=cl&utm\_medium=cp&utm\_campaign=20211210

Within the FASO platform images are classified two different ways; Artwork Images and Non-Artwork Images. While all of the images you upload are available for integration in the different categories of your website, each classification has it's own portfolio to help you keep them organized. Simply stated, upload your artwork images to your Artwork Portfolio and upload Non-art Images to the Images Portfolio.

In the Artwork details for each record, there has been a function where you can choose to move an Artwork record to the Images portfolio, and likewise, move a record from Images to the Artwork Portfolio. However, there may be times when you would like to have a copy of one of your Artwork images in the Images portfolio without removing it from your Artwork Portfolio.

Enter the new feature:  Copy This Artwork and Save it as an Image.

To access this feature, Log into your control panel, click Artwork, select the artwork record from the list view, and click the thumbnail or the edit link to access the Artwork Details. Locate the Copy This Artwork and Save it as an Image link and click it.

Upon clicking the Copy this artwork and save it as an image, you will see a process/status screen that tells you it is copying the artwork then it will redirect you to the newly created copy in the Non-Artwork Images. You will notice, the Title of the copied record will be appended by adding (images) to the title field. If you would like to make your own notation to the title you are always able to change it and at that point, simply click the Save Changes button and the copied record will be added to your Non-Artwork Images.

We Now Support The Following New Currencies :

1. Chinese Renminbi
2. Czech Koruna
3. Hong Kong Dollar
4. Hungarian Forint
5. Israeli New Shekel
6. Malaysian Ringgit
7. New Taiwan Dollar
8. Philippine Peso
9. Russian Ruble
10. Thai Baht

Setting Default Currency

We’ve released an improvement to the Commerce Settings to simplify setting the default Website Currency for your FASO account making it a one step action. Additionally we have expanded the number of available currency options to select.

The easiest way to access the Currency setting is to login into your FASO Control Panel, and click the Commerce button and click the first link, Select Website Currency.

From there you would simply select your preferred currency from the drop down menu and click save. It is that easy.

The following currency options are available within the website currency selection providing support for FASO artists to sell their artwork around the world.

Australian Dollar (AUD)
Brazilian Real (BRL)
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Chinese Renmenbi (CNY)
Czech Koruna (CZK)
Danish Krone (DKK)
Euro (EUR)
Euro (Ireland) (ER1)
Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Indian Rupee (INR)
Israeli New Shekel (ILS)
Japanese Yen (JPY)
Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Mexican Peso (MXN)
New Taiwan Dollar (TWD)
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Philippine Peso (PHP)
Polish Złoty (PLN)
Pound Sterling (GBP)
Russian Ruble (RUB)
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
Swedish Krona (SEK)
Swiss Franc (CHF)
Thai Baht (THB)
United States Dollar (USD)

While the easiest and most direct access link has been outlined, you can also access the currency selection link by clicking the Change Currency link found in the Commerce settings directly below the Paypal Email address field.

You can also access the setting by clicking the following order FASO Account Gear Icon > Account Settings > Change Your Website Preferences > Change Currency.

Lucas Bononi - A Studio Sale Success Story
BoldBrush Podcast - Episode 1

Join us for this week's AMP Live Course "How to Set Up Your Facebook Business Page to Grow Your Art Sales"

Wednesday, November 10th at 12:00PM ET / 11:00AM CT / 9:00AM PT.

Join Dave Geada, CMO of BoldBrush and FASO, as he teaches you how to set up your Facebook business page to help you grow your art sales according to The Art Marketing Playbook Formula.

In this live course you'll learn how to:

• Create a Facebook business page to grow your art sales.

• Pick and set up a name for your Facebook business page to make it easier for people to find you.

• Pick the perfect profile picture and cover photo to engage your audience.

• Reach out to the right followers on your personal Facebook page and get them to follow your Facebook business page.

• And he'll be answering your questions live!

Just click on the button below to register and save your seat.

https://boldbrush.zoom.us/webinar/register/8616228129256/WN_RGKbxC_DRYO-Cujr5yCvdQ