Every artist has at some point experienced that sinking feeling: a file goes missing, a portfolio is corrupted, or you can't find that high-res image you need for a gallery submission. If you have hundreds (or thousands!) of artworks, each with their own working files, notes, and variations, this problem multiplies.
Starting Tactics
- Do: Define what you need your archive to do for you.
- Don't: Get tripped up trying to find a single archive solution that serves all these needs on a single platform.
- Don't: Get bogged down in trying to solve every problem at once.
As an artist managing your own oeuvre, you likely have three major needs:
- You need an organized file structure containing all of your high-resolution final artwork images and working files.
- You need a safe place to back up all these files.
- You need a database that acts as the "single source of truth" for all of your artworks, where you can search and maintain all the information about your artwork.
This article will show you a straightforward approach that actually works.
As an artist managing your own oeuvre, you likely have three major needs:
Table of Contents
An Orderly Oeuvre
How exactly to organize your files in a way that is useful to a working artist is something I've put a lot of time and thought into. Along the way, I've adopted some simple, consistent conventions that make the process a lot simpler.
Filenames
Let's start with naming your project files: this is something you can do right away, even if all your files are just in one big messy folder.
The naming convention that has worked best for me is this:
"artistname-title-lengthxwidthunit-year"
e.g., "adam-sprague-locust-10x10in-2024.jpg"
There are a few benefits to following this model:
- The basic info is included in the filename, meaning that you don't have to go too far to find it when pulling together your portfolios and submissions. This also happens to be the basic artwork info required by many exhibition and residency calls.
- Keeping it all lowercase and using dashes instead of spaces plays nicely with the vast majority of websites and platforms, so you know it will just work if uploaded as is.
- Easy search: Having this info in your filename makes it super simple to search for files right on your computer. Even if the file structure itself is disorganized, you can quickly search by year or title and it will just work.
Tips:
- If you are someone who thinks in terms of time (not me!), you might consider putting the year at the front of the filename, e.g., "2024-adam-sprague-locust-10x10in.jpg". Doing so means you can quickly sort your files by year right on your computer. Regardless of whatever nonsense shows in the "created date" or "modified date," your files will sort elegantly by year, then by title.
- You might choose to add additional info like the medium (e.g., charcoal, photograph, installation, digital). Keep it consistent and simple.
- Include the unit of measurement with the dimensions. This gives you, gallerists, and art jurists a sense of scale at a glance.
Handling Supporting Files
The average set of artwork files may look something like this:
- final-artwork.jpg
- working-file.psd
- notes.doc
Method 1: The Unique Identifier (Recommended)
Rename them with the artwork filename discussed above, designating the specific file at the end.
- adam-sprague-locust-10x10in-2024.jpg
- adam-sprague-locust-10x10in-2024-working-file.psd
- adam-sprague-locust-10x10in-2024-notes.doc
Pros: All project files show up when you search for the title; files are uniquely named so you won't accidentally overwrite them.
Cons: Long filenames can be hard to parse visually.
Method 2: Normalized Filenames
Leave them as is, but normalize the filenames to lowercase and use dashes.
- adam-sprague-locust-10x10in-2024.jpg
- working-file.psd
- notes.doc
Pros: Easy to parse visually.
Cons: If you have a project-statement.doc for several artworks, you cannot tell which is which at a glance and run the risk of overwriting files.
My Advice: I default to Method 1 once a project is finished. It keeps all your files linked to the artwork title and reduces the risk of mixing things up later.
Feeling like this is already a lot? That’s normal. I help artists set up their file structure once so you can spend more time creating and less time hunting for files.
Get Help OrganizingFolder Structure
At the same time as you are renaming your files, you can start dropping them into organized folders. A mentor of mine told me that there are "pilers" and "filers." Most artists are pilers, usually with multiple piles looming over them.
Here is how to get your pile filed.
First, create a new folder for your archive (e.g., "Projects" or "Archive").
Tip: Make sure this folder is on a drive large enough to contain all your files, especially heavy Photoshop files.
Now that you have your main project folder, you can begin organizing its subfolders, like this:
[Projects]
L [00-inbox]
L [Artwork 1]
L [Artwork 2]
... and so on, creating a new folder for each artwork or project.
If you organize your artworks by series, you can reflect that in your folder structure:
[Projects]
L [00-Inbox]
L [Series 1]
L [Artwork 1]
L [Artwork 2]
L [Series 2]
L [Artwork 3]
L [Artwork 4]
Tip: Don't get bogged down making this perfect. It is easy to drag and drop the folders where you want them later. For now, focus on getting one folder per artwork, naming it relevantly, and getting all that artwork's files into it.
What is that "00-inbox" folder at the top?
Good question! That is your inbox - whenever you find a file and you aren't quite sure what it is or where it goes, you can drop it into the "00-Inbox" folder and worry about it later. You don't want to get stuck in the molasses: ship it off to the inbox and get back to it when your focus is fresh.
Your inbox is your pile in the file.
Bonus: We put the "00" at the front of the Inbox folder name so that it will always appear at the top of your file browser when sorting by name. Now it won't disappear on you!
The Basics of Backing Up
The harsh reality is that data is fallible.
- If all your data is on your own storage devices (Hard Drives or SSDs): All your data can be lost in a split second. SSDs can corrupt if not used regularly, and HDDs are mechanical and prone to failure.
- If all your data is somwhere else (i.e. "The Cloud"): Your data may not be a safe as it seems. Generally, cloud backup Terms of Service do not offer protections against loss or corruption. If the service ends for any reason, you lose access to your data.
The best solution isn't one of these options. It's both!
Having your back up in two different places is your best bet to protect against loss. I've spoken to artists who've lost data from failed hard drives (me!), stolen luggage, thunderstorms, faulty cloud services, and even dropping their phone into the North Sea.
Having your data in at least two places gives you insurance that it will always be available when one or the other fails.
Tip: Look for simple solutions. For a physical drive, drag and drop. For the cloud, look for services that allow manual uploads. In my experience, automated backups can "fail silently." Nothing beats dragging and dropping your archive yourself.
Don’t wait for disaster to strike. A simple two-place backup strategy can save years of work. I guide artists through practical, reliable solutions that actually get used.
Secure Your ArchiveYour Single Source of Truth
Now that you are on your way to having your files organized and safely backed up, it is time to organize and store the information about these artworks for easy access.
If you've ever had to chance to look behind the scenes at the archive of a major museum, art gallery, or auction house, you may have seen a digital database that stores images of artworks along with all relevant information. Location, status, sales history, valuation and so on... all crucial pieces of information that would be lost if not tracked reliably.
For your archive, ee've already partially solved the problem of tracking information by including quick facts about your artwork right in the filename: artist, title, dimensions, year.
But, you may have need for a more robust solution, particularly if you have a complex body of work, if you want to track the sales status of artworks, if you want to keep track of your customers and business relationships, or if your artwork has other complex concerns like valuation or provenance. For all this information, doc files and spreadsheets quickly become unmanageable.
To track all this data, you need something known as "Art Collection Management Software" (ACMS).
Back in the dinosaur days, these were applications you would pay for once and install on your own computer. Here in the dystopian future, ACMS's are now subscription-based services you access through your web browser.
Top 3 Art Collection Management Services:
- Artwork Archive: Designed specifically for artists to catalog, organize, and track work. Includes custom reports and sales tracking.
- ArtEngine: A web-based inventory tool ideal for modest to mid-sized bodies of work.
- ArtsInventory: A tool for artists and collectors to organize artworks, provenance, and images.
Personally, I have no particular favourite ACMS - what is important is that you choose one that meets your needs. Avoid being oversold on a service that promises the Moon.
Critical Point: Using an ACMS is not about organizing your working files or backing up. It is a catalogue of your oeuvre. An ACMS should never be depended on for storing master working files.
What about DIY solutions?
The simplest DIY solution is a text or doc file in your project folder. You can make a template that lists the information you want to track.
- Pros: Free, managed by you, lives with your archive.
- Cons: No automated tools, difficult to get an overall view of your oeuvre, doesn't scale well.
Closing Thoughts
Getting your artwork archive in order is not an easy task, but if you stick with simple organizing principles, you are much more likely to succeed. The role of archivist is one of the many unavoidable hats worn by the artist-entrepreneur, which is why I co-founded Little Deer CC to help artists reclaim their time.
