The Quick Response (QR) Code, a two-dimensional barcode, has started to gain traction as early as 1994, but it wasn’t until 2020 that it became widely accessible to the public, in an effort to protect people from contracting COVID-19. One scan is all it takes for a user to learn things, acquire information, book appointments, make money, and enjoy entertainment.
But have you considered using QR Codes to promote your art as well? If you’re a struggling artist looking for ways to market your masterpiece, we’ve got you covered.
How QR Code Came About
At the time when Japan was starting to progress economically, supermarkets started to sell a wide variety of commodities. However, the information for the receipts needed to be encoded manually in the cash registers, so a lot of cashiers suffered from numbness in the wrist and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Barcodes were invented for this reason. With barcodes, all they had to do was scan the product and the encoded information will be detected. But the information that can be stored into the barcode was very limited, so customers asked if there were other ways to store a larger amount of information.
Users then made communication with the DENSO Wave, which at that time was the developer of barcode scanners, and asked if it were possible to store bigger information into a barcode. Encouraged by the requests, a two-person team was created to develop a two-dimensional scannable code, which we know today as the QR Code.
An Artist’s Struggles
Thriving in the world of arts could, at most times, cost you an arm and a leg. It usually takes time, effort, and money for you to master a skill. But some artists, even after years of hard work and dedication, still struggle to get by as they enter the world of arts. Marketing, connection, and public support are some of the biggest challenges they have to face if they want to prosper in this business.
The good thing today is that it doesn’t need to be hard anymore. With the advent of technology, particularly online and social media platforms, a lot of things are possible, even thriving in the art world. Add QR Code to the mixture and you are sure to gain leads in a short time.
10 Ways You Can Use QR Codes to Promote Your Art
Here are some of the creative industries that can benefit from the uses of QR Code:
Design
Do you dream of becoming the next Ralph Lauren or Donatella Versace? Or do you think your home and building designs are the future of architecture? Upload your sketches on a photo gallery and link it to a QR Code, then post your publication materials to your website, social media pages, and anywhere you can generate a lead. The realization of your dream is only a scan away!
Music
QR Codes can help you gain an audience for your music as well. Link your codes to your Spotify, YouTube Music, and other accounts with a similar purpose.
Publishing
You can also use QR Codes to market your books and other publications. Put it on the cover or anywhere inside your work and give the readers more information about them.
Film and Video
Do you know that QR Codes can even help audiences engage with your film or video? Simply lay it out on the movie or video poster and lead them to the trailer or other information about your content. This is sure to provide entertainment for your audience more than what they see on the screen.
Visual Arts and Handicrafts
Want to promote your paintings, sculptures, sketches, digital arts, and handicrafts? You can upload them all on your website and link them to a QR Code. Then, with a few layout tricks to a publication material, you can post it on social media and gain more patronage for these arts.
TV and Radio
Communication through TV and radio need not to be one-way anymore. With QR Code, the potential audiences may also interact with the material through comments and reactions on social media and other online platforms.
Advertising
QR Codes have been widely used in advertising. In product packages, commercials, T-shirts, billboards, almost anywhere, this revolutionary technology can definitely take businesses and advocacies to a whole new level.
Literature
QR Codes are already used in literature nowadays. We can find them on book covers and other parts, publication materials, newspaper pages, and even in digital and online publications.
Computer Games
A single game cover cannot tell the user everything about the product, and that’s where QR Codes can actually help. They can link users to a landing page where they can learn more about the game and how to play it.
Performing Arts
You want to gain an audience for various arts performances? Include a QR Code on your pubmat! That way, you can easily invite them to register and watch your shows, or give them other information regarding your show.
Generating QR Codes to Promote Your Art
With QR Cloud, creating your codes is just a piece of cake. Here are the steps in generating a QR Code to promote your arts:
- Visit qr-cloud.com
- Sign in or sign up
- Go to the dashboard and click the QR-looking icon
- Click “Create QR”
- Modify the name and the type of your QR Code
- Play with various features such as background color, gradient, and logo
- Test scan your QR Code to see if it works
- Download it and lay it out on your e-posters, books, game cover, or even videos
Closing Thoughts
Thriving in the art world should no longer be a challenge. You can find an audience for your talents and earn money with the help of technology and effective promotion.
The QR Code has evolved to the point that it may be used for nearly any transaction. And now, even creatives can benefit from using QR Codes to promote your art as well. Incorporating QR Codes in your art can accomplish a number of things, including providing information about the work, gaining patronage and support, and receiving feedback, which is critical to the progress of your work.