2016 art auction FAQ

Read Terms and Conditions for 2016 Art Auction HERE

GENERAL QUESTIONS

When does the SALE start?

The sale will commence 8pm Tuesday 22 November and will run for THREE DAYS, ending 8pm Friday 25 November. All times are AEDST – Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (Sydney time). There will be a week of pre-sale viewing from Sunday 20 November right up until auction commencement on Tuesday 22 November.

Where will the artwork be available for sale?

On the 52-Week Illustration Challenge Wall—with images grouped into albums.

What can I sell?

Artwork that has both been created for the 52-Week Illustration Challenge and has already been posted to the Wall. Other artworks and upcoming artworks are not eligible. You can sell either original art (which will command a higher price) or quality prints. ‘Original’ or ‘print’ must be stated in the listing. Please also note if the print is giclée or on archival paper.

Who can buy?

This auction is open to anyone, worldwide, to both sell and buy. It is, however, at the discretion of the seller if they are willing to post their work overseas. They will state this in their listing.

How does the auction work?

The auction runs for three days and people can bid by leaving a comment on your artwork. The winner is the final bid standing at 8pm (Sydney time) on Tuesday 22 November. The Seller and Buyer are responsible for messaging each other to work out payment and postage.

What currency is the SALE listed in?

All prices are listed in Australian dollars (AU$).

Does it cost anything to sell?

Yes—a small fee. Details in the Seller section. No commission is taken on sales.

How can I find out the postage of the artwork?

If the postage isn’t listed by the Seller, send them a message with your postcode (Australian) or country and they can let you know. Buyer pays postage.

What if there are problems with a sale?

We regret we are unable to mediate at any time—the sale, purchase, posting and receipt of these artworks are the responsibility of the Seller and Buyer. Buyers—please don’t bid on an artwork unless you intend to buy. If you are having problems paying, please communicate with the Seller. The Seller can reserve the right to offer the item to the second highest bidder if the Buyer is not in touch within three days of the sale.

SELLER QUESTIONS:

When do I have to send my artwork photo and description?

All jpegs and item description must be emailed by midnight Friday 18 November. Please email Nicky with description details—52weekchallenge(AT)nickyjohnston(DOT)com(DOT)au—and make payment to PayPal to same email address at THE SAME TIME. Please send artwork in one batch—additions cannot be accepted later. See the Art Auction post for info on how to do this.

What does it cost to list artwork for sale?

We charge a small fee for this sale, to help cover the time we put into running this, and we will not take commission from any sales. We most happily run the Challenge voluntarily, and will only charge small fees for our time when members are able to benefit financially from an event. We only accept Paypal.

Listing Fee:
$10 – to list 1 - 3 artworks
$2 per artwork thereafter
To be paid to PayPal account: 52weekchallenge@nickyjohnston.com.au

Can I sell prints?

You can sell both originals and prints, so long as the prints are of good quality. Please state if they are giclée prints or limited edition or on archival paper, etc, in your listing. You can only sell one print per listing for the auction, but if other buyers express interest in buying a print of your image, you can sort this out privately after the auction ends.

Do I need to take a new photo of my illustration?
No, you can use the photo that you uploaded on the Challenge wall. Just make sure it’s lightened and cropped and looks attractive!

Can I sell artwork that wasn’t done for the Challenge?
No. This sale is ONLY for artwork created for the Challenge themes 2014, 2015 or 2016 (including bonus themes) and already posted to the Wall.

How do I work out the postage costs?

You will need to know the size and weight dimensions of the envelope or tube you plan to use. Remember that all items must be sent in a way that will not damage the artwork, so you should also factor in the weight of strong card.

Go to http://auspost.com.au/apps/postage-calculator.html

Add the relevant information about your parcel and it will give you postage options.

A large letter maximum size:
Length 360mm
Width 260mm
Thickness 20mm
Weight: less than 500gm
Anywhere in Australia $3.50

Buyer is to pay for postage. We highly recommend registered post for tracking purposes. Artworks are to be sold and posted UNFRAMED. Matting is optional.

PLEASE send the artwork within a week of receiving payment.

How do I know when my item has SOLD?
You will be responsible for following your own sales on the Challenge Community Facebook Page. Once a buyer has placed a bid in the comments field, you will need to contact the highest bidder to notify them of the sale.

If there was a bidding war close to auction end, you should ensure the final bid was posted ON OR BEFORE 8pm, AEDST, on Tuesday 22 November. Comments posted at 8.01pm are not eligible. To see what time comments are posted, hover your mouse over the winning bidder’s comment, specifically over the time they posted (eg: 2 mins, 4 mins, etc) and check that the bid was posted before auction end. Please note: this will only work on a PC; if you do not have a PC, ask a friend or admin to check for you.

You will then be required to private message the buyer and sort out payment options (whatever suits you both) and artwork delivery. If the buyer fails to respond within three days of the sale, you may offer the artwork to the next highest bidder.

Challenge admin will not be responsible for purchasing transactions or postal issues, and cannot act as an intermediary at any time.

When do I send my artwork to the buyer?
You can send your artwork once payment has been received. Please do this as soon as possible, and at the latest within one week of receiving payment. Remember, it may be wanted for a Christmas gift!

How will I get paid?
You can discuss best options with the buyer. We recommend either bank transfer (if in Australia) or using a Paypal account. (There may be nominal fees associated with receiving a PayPal payment, however the payment is instant and can convert international currencies.)

What if my artwork doesn’t sell?
You don’t have to organise anything. If you are worried that the artwork won’t receive any bids and you are willing to lower the price during the auction process, do be in touch with admin and we can do that for you. We do, however, strongly recommend that you have a start price close to the amount you’d like to receive.

What if someone wins the artwork and then decides they don’t want it, or what if I never hear from them at all?

Give your buyer three days to be in touch. If they fail, you can offer it to the next highest bidder. Be sure to message/leave comments for the person to let them know before doing this.

Remember that messages can sometimes go to another folder on Facebook and the Buyer may not see it, so in that case, leave a comment on your post, tagging them. On that note, be sure to check your Other message folders, too.

If someone decides they no longer want the work, you can also offer it to next highest bidder.

Please note that no listing fees can be refunded if the item doesn’t sell.

Will I get my listing fee back if the item doesn’t sell?
No. This fee covers the considerable preparation, administration and time spent organising and listing your item.

Can I add some artwork after the due date?
No. All artworks to be listed in the ART SALE must be received by Friday 18 November.

Can I withdraw the artwork from the SALE? (if it has been sold elsewhere)
No. This artwork needs to be available for the length of the sale. Please don’t list it elsewhere. If you have a legitimate reason for wanting to withdraw the artwork, please be in touch with admin, but remember no listing fees will be refunded.

BUYER QUESTIONS:

When can I start bidding?
Shopping will start at 8pm Tuesday 22 November. We will post START SHOPPING on the Challenge Facebook Page and Challenge Wall to remind everyone that the sale has begun. Make a note of the end time so you don’t miss out—8pm Tuesday 22 November, Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

I want an artwork. What do I do?                                                                                     
Place your highest bid in the comments. You are welcome to place more than one bid on any item, or increase your current bid, right up until the end of the auction at 8pm on Monday 21 November.

How do I know if I’ve won?

If you are the highest bidder at auction end, you will be the successful buyer of the artwork. Once the auction has finished, the buyer will private message you via Facebook, or you can begin communication. YOU MUST ENSURE YOUR WINNING BID IS ENTERED BEFORE AUCTION END, 8pm Friday 25 November, AEDST. Bids placed 8.01pm and after are void.

Buyers should respond to their Seller within three days of auction end. If they fail to be in touch at all within this time, the Seller has the right to offer it to the next highest bidder.

What if I win the artwork and then decide I don’t want it?

We suggest bidding carefully, as this will be a huge disappointment to any seller. If you genuinely can no longer buy the item, be in touch with your seller ASAP to let them know. Buyers should be in touch with their seller within three days of auction end. If they fail to be in touch at all within this time, the seller has the right to offer it to the next highest bidder.

How do I know how much postage will be?
If the postage charges are not listed in the artwork details, contact the seller PRIOR to the sale to confirm what the postage will be. International postage will vary greatly depending on weight and size of artwork as well as country of destination.

Postage costs will be paid for by the Buyer.

How do I pay for the artwork?
All prices will be listed in AU$. Buyer and Seller will need to agree on method of payment.

What if my parcel is lost?
We highly recommend that you pay for registered post for tracking and signing of the parcel. We regret that Challenge admin cannot be responsible for missing artwork, and cannot act as intermediaries at any time.

DISCLAIMER

The 52-Week Illustration Challenge takes no responsibility for the sale, purchase, postage or use of artwork sold during this auction. Responsibility for all aspects of this sale remain with the Seller and Buyer. We cannot be held responsible for artwork going missing—this remains with the Seller. We regret we are unable to mediate at any time.