A new revenue for Artists.

Artists make money from their art in two ways: selling their artwork to wealthy collectors or making high quality prints that are signed and numbered by the artist to sell to not so wealthy individuals that may have an interest in the artist and want to own something that the artist's hand has touched.

Both of these formats are dependent on proof that the artist has created the artwork.  On the original there is the artist's signature and if bought from an exhibition there is the interaction with the artist before purchase.  In this way the buyer has confidence that he or she is buying and investment that will rise with the artist's reputation and at the same time own something that they enjoy having.

When an artist makes limited prints they are involved with the print process; making sure the colours are an accurate representation of the original.  When they are happy they sign and importantly number the work.  This is the artist endorsing the prints.  When the prints are finished (usually 50-100 runs) the plates are destroyed to ensure that there can be no more made.

In both of these methods there is the artist's hand involved, proof of the works integrity and therefore something worth buying.

Internet of Value.
We've had the internet for over 20 years now; closely followed by the 'internet of things'.  Now we have the blockchain or 'the internet of value'.
With the blockchain it is possible to make a virtual object provably unique.  The buying and selling of items is more like the non virtual world in that when I sell you something I no longer have it in my possession, because you hold it in your possession.  This is great news for artists of all types as they can sell a limited number of their items from a limited number of outlets.  For visual artists its a whole new source of income.

New source of income.
Now via the Cryptoart.guru decentralised site there is a way to offer a virtual version of their real world art.  They can attach a high quality image to an ethereum smart contract and sell it to a collector/investor.   The initial price for the sale goes to the artist (less costs and CAD %) and the dealer may keep of sell on whenever they wish.  Every sale of the artwork after that goes to the owner less a percentage to the artist, so the artist has an ongoing income from the art as well as and initial price.

Cryptoart.guru will be launching the dealer site in March 2018.