Simone Collins on How ArtCling is helping the On-Demand Customized Art Grow- Startup Story #2

All we want is an apartment that feels like home. And by home, I mean a place where we can cocoon ourselves with memories and things that mean something to us and our loved ones. And there is nothing more incredible than a piece of commissioned artwork that could adore the walls of our homes and add an exclusive style to our lifestyle.

ArtCorgi is the best place to commission customized artwork at the most reasonable price. This amazing website connects Art-lovers to Artists in a transparent environment and helps promote talent in the best possible way. Their new venture, ArtCling, has come up with an even more amazing on-demand solution to add artworks to your place without piercing the walls and spending a lot on mending them. All you need to do is commission your favorite customized artwork, which will be delivered to you in various forms like Fabric Print Poster, Photo Portholes, Photo Mosaic and many more. What’s the best part about ArtCling Products? You can paste and remove your bespoke art as many times as you want from whichever wall or plain surface you like. Can this get any better?

In conversation with Simone Collins, COO and Co-founder of ArtCling talk about how she and her fiance Malcolm Collins (CEO and Co-founder of ArtCling) are promoting the On-Demand Customized Art services in the most innovative way.

About ArtCling

Q: Tell us something about ArtCling, and how it works.

A: ArtClings are reusable, self-adhesive, non-damaging fabric prints that can be applied to walls as posters, step and repeat graphics (for a wallpaper effect), life-sized cutouts, or full-sized murals. With a slightly textured matte finish, ArtClings have a mural-like effect on walls, which makes them different from framed art (which takes a while to put up and sticks out) and posters (which typically have a glossy sheen).

Q: How did you come up with the idea of ArtCling?

A: Though many people come to ArtCorgi.com to have original art made for purely digital purposes (Facebook cover images and avatars, computer desktop backgrounds, etc.), most of our clients would like to physically display their art in some way or another. We were frustrated by the present options (mounted prints, framed prints) because in addition to being expensive, they took a lot of effort to properly mount on walls. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been to people’s homes and seen art they’ve purchased that’s still on the floor leaning against a wall.

We were thrilled to be introduced to Walls360, the company that produces ArtClings because their material democratizes wall art in much the same way that we want to democratize art commissions. ArtClings are versatile, accessible, and easy to put up on a wall in under two minutes.

Q: What inspired you to choose ‘a reusable, self-adhering wall art piece’ as your new product line?

A: We offer a modern spin on made-to-order art. Why not pair that with a modern way to display it? ArtClings are fresh, convenient, and beautiful. Because they have so much variation in size and shape, they can do things that normal art prints cannot.

The material is perfect for modern decorating. A significant proportion of the world’s population rents housing. People move around more than ever. Rented and ever-changing walls (wood, plaster, brick, paneled, etc.) should not prevent us from making our spaces our own and enjoying great art.

Q: How are you marketing ArtCling to make it as popular as ArtCorgi?

A: We’re letting the product speak for itself by finding new ways to play with and share it. Nobody will promote ArtClings better than friends, colleagues, and clients who get their own.

In addition to having a bunch of samples made that we’re distributing around our local area, we are having pre-designed ArtCling packages made (e.g. art kits for decorating rooms with various themes). Seeing ArtClings in real places, and especially in person, makes all the difference in the world.

ArtCling and On Demand Art Services

Q: In your opinion, why is On-Demand Customized Art necessary in the Art Industry?

A: Most art that we see was commissioned (i.e. created and customized on demand). The most famous paintings we know were commissioned. Every gorgeous building we see was made on-demand and customized to meet the needs of those who had it created. The stunning magazine ads and commercials that catch our attention were made on-demand to fit very specific specifications.

While it is true that many great works of art were created by artists without a prompt, it would be difficult to deny the importance of commissions in the world of art and design. So many amazing works would not exist were it not for the patrons who had them made. It saddens us that made-to-order art has come to be perceived as something only very wealthy people get.

With ArtCorgi, we want to put the future of art in the hands of everyone. By choosing to have unique art made for themselves, anyone can begin to shape the art world.

Q: How is ArtCling contributing towards revolutionizing the Custom Art Marketplace?

A: What we do is very simple: make it easier for people to access and work with talented artists. The experience can be quite daunting. Our mission is to make the historically stressful and cumbersome experience of getting service online as fun as the experience of buying a fully-formed luxury product.

Q: According to you, why is there a need for a platform like ArtCling to connect Artists with Art Lovers?

A: It has been far too difficult for art lovers to commission art online, despite the massive amount of talent available. The amount of searching and negotiation, plus a lack of common protocol and quality standards, make it an experience too inconvenient for the average consumer to consider.

Q: How do you plan to maintain the USP of ArtCling in this highly competitive On-Demand Art Marketplace?

A: Our advantage lies in our customer service. We do things for our clients that no other online service marketplace would even consider. We know that marketplaces are inherently vulnerable to competition, so we aim to follow in the footsteps of companies like Zappos and blow people away with incredible service.

Future Plans

Q: Where do you see ArtCling in the next 5 years?

A: We hope to see ArtClings become a well-known decorating option: something people think of when they move into a new apartment or office space.

Q: Any word of advice for all the startups out there, who are trying to make it big like ArtCling.

A: Have fun with your product! We’re in the midst of having ridiculous ArtClings made that we’ll be putting up around our community and in the various office spaces where we work. It is immensely easier to sell a product if you love it and believe in it.

Wanted to create a similar business? Don’t worry, Jungleworks is here for you.

Jungleworks offers a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) system, such as Online Marketplaces, Delivery Optimization software, and Marketing Automation software that allows users to create a new product using the SaaS’s abilities and features without writing even a single line of code, designing, and testing. To read more start-up stories and other updates follow our resources page and get yourself inspired!