General Questions

Art Registration Questions

Who qualifies for the Professional Artist Program?

The program is designed to give selling artists an economical way to register all of their inventory, register the new works they create, and transfer the ownership title when each work is sold. We added features that provide business management benefits for those who need to track sales and establish current market values for their work. We do not "screen" artists by arbitrary qualifications.

How do I print a Certificate? What are those PDF and JPG options?

Log In to your Portfolio. Across from the title of each registered work is an orange Certificate button. Just click it and a pop-up box will ask if you to select either a PDF or JPG format to view – and then print – the Certificate.
The PDF format is the preferred method because it will show you the Certificate in reading position. When you click your printer icon to print it, the certificate automatically comes out full-size and horizontally on the page. Selecting this option uses your Adobe Acrobat Reader application to open the Certificate. In rare instances, this does not work properly with a particular computer configuration. If the PDF format does not show your Certificate with the specific details in place, you will need to select “View JPG.” This format is displayed vertically and requires some extra steps on your part if you are printing out a Certificate for display. See the next question for details.

If I print a Certificate using the JPG format instead of the PDF format, how can I enlarge the Certificate and get rid of the header and footer lines that print out?

When you select to view and print from the JPG format, a new browser window will open showing you the vertical view of the Certificate (so it will print out properly on your paper without adjustment). If you click your cursor on the JPG image, you should see an icon with outward arrows in the lower right corner. Click that icon and the image should enlarge (clicking it again should reduce the size to the original). Next, look under “File” in your browser’s top menu bar to select Page Setup. On the Page Setup, you should see Header and Footer fields that have garbled letters and symbols. Simply delete the entries in those fields and leave them blank. Click “Okay” and then use your normal Print process.

What is the Marketing Starter Kit and how do I use it? When you first enroll in the Professional Artist Program, NFATR will send you:

Are there any marketing materials available?

There is a “Marketing Materials” button located on your Portfolio page. Click that to see a list of materials available (items will be added or changed as needed). Some materials will print out with your name and Web site information already in place – these are presented in PDF format. Simply select the document to open it and then print. It’s as simple as that. (We suggest a color printer for the materials you will be displaying.) Other materials are provided as Word (text) documents so that you may customize the language as needed. Click one of these and then choose to Save it in your document files or Open it so that you can copy-and-paste the wording into a blank document in your word processing program.

Does NFATR compete with retailers and dealers in art sales by trying to match buyers and sellers together?
Absolutely not! NFATR is not a site for buyers and sellers to meet. It is not an auction site. NFATR is strictly for the registration and provenance of original artwork.

Why is it so important to get my art buyer’s email address?

Because an email address is unique, it is used as the key identifier for National Fine Arts Title Registry portfolios. You will need your customer’s email address to transfer ownership title of the purchased work. Even if your art buyer does not yet have his/her own portfolio, you can easily transfer a title if you have a valid email address. If your buyer has no email address, you can still transfer the title and get an opportunity to print out the Certificate with the buyer’s name shown as owner. (instructions are in Title Transfer Questions section of this FAQ)

Can I place my registered art with a gallery or agent to sell?

Yes, an agent or gallery may use the Certificate Number Title Transfer process to easily initiate the title transfer (see Title Transfer Questions section). When placing registered art in a gallery setting, it’s best that you also provide the gallery with the Gallery Guide to Title Transfers found in your Marketing Materials. Then, walk them through the process online so they can actually see how fast and easy it is. Point out that the original Registered Certificate is attached to the back of the painting.

Also, point out that the Hang Tag will differentiate your works and convey added prestige. The inside of the Tag explains some customer benefits, and the gallery may wish to further explain advantages to customers by showing them the “See How It Works” Flash presentation at www.FineArtsTitle.com. Keep in mind that, in addition to helping your art buyer feel much more comfortable with their purchase, registration provides an online portfolio record that can be important documentation for the buyer in the event of an insured loss.

If the gallery or agent is an Affiliate of NFATR, there is another wonderful benefit for you – a duplicate record of the consigned art in that representative’s portfolio. (see instructions in the Registration Questions section: What is the “gallery or agent representing owner” blank for?)

How can I use a Certificate of Registration as a Certificate of Authenticity?

The Registered Certificate you print out for a given work contains the artwork’s title and other details that are normally included in a Letter or Certificate of Authenticity. And, on that original Certificate, your name is displayed as both the artist and the owner. Therefore, when you sign the Certificate, your signature certifies that the information you have provided is true and authentic. You should give your buyer this original, signed Certificate as authentication. You may also print out a new Certificate with your customer’s name shown as owner – see instructions in the Title Transfer Questions section of this FAQ.

How do I change the credit card used for my monthly Professional Artist Program fee?

Log in to your portfolio. Near the top, click “Edit Owner Details” and then click “Edit Credit Cards” at the very bottom of the Edit page. You will see a box that allows you to click to add a different card or to select a card to edit. To make a change to the credit card information already stored or to delete a card, use the pull-down arrow to select the card. You may make changes on the form you see next and then click “Save” or simply click “Delete Card” to erase all information.

How do I add NFATR links or buttons (banner ads) to my Web site?

If you have your own Web site, you will want to put a “Professional Artist Program Member” button on your site. This tells your site visitors that your art is registered and also gives them a link to the NFATR Web site to learn about the value of the registration that you are providing. To choose a button or banner, log in to your portfolio and click “Marketing Materials.” At the bottom of the Marketing Materials page, click “Buttons/Banners.” Select "Grab Affiliate Code" for the one you want to use, and then copy-and-paste the HTML code to your web page. It's that easy!

How do I get technical help if something is not working properly?

If you have a problem with our Web site – something is not working as described in this FAQ – please do send us an email by clicking on Contact Us in the left column at www.FineArtsTitle.com or call us at 615-255-5302 on business days between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central Time.

How secure is the data housed within the Registry?

Our server systems are layered for security purposes. The first level of security is our fully redundant firewall/router system. On the second level, only those machines that have a reason to directly access the Internet are located on our "external" network. Client data and monitoring systems exist on our "internal" network behind a third level of security.

How does title registration differ from copyright and insurance coverage?

Title registration with National Fine Arts Title Registry secures the unique, identifying details of a work of art and records ownership in a format that can be updated and passed on from owner to owner, generation to generation. Our database assigns a registration number to an artwork’s permanent detail record. That registration record is transferred if a work is sold or given to another. The record captures provenance and can document value (supporting documentation and a photo may be attached to the record). Title registration is completely independent of copyright and insurance coverage.

Copyright, as defined by the U.S. Copyright Office, is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Learn all the details and download a copyright application form at: www.copyright.gov

Title registration provides no insurance coverage. You must work with a licensed insurance agent to secure proper coverage for your works of fine art. Your registration records and supporting documents safely available from National Fine Arts Title Registry can be extremely useful should you need to file a claim for an insured loss.

Art Registration Questions

What if the medium of the art I’m registering is not listed in the “Category” drop-down list?
Select “Other” in the Category drop-down list so that “Other” shows in the field. Then type in the medium/media in the field to the right labeled “Medium-if other.” Please note: When you select a Category such as painting from the drop-down list, a second list that further refines the medium becomes available. At the end of that list is another opportunity to select “Other” within the subcategory.

Which measurements are required to register a work?

The dimensions of width and height are required on every work and become permanent identifying details once the registration form is submitted. Depth and weight should be recorded for sculptures or other three-dimensional forms.

How do I make changes on the registration record?

While viewing your portfolio, click the “Art Details” button for the work to be updated. You can then make changes or add detail about the piece, such as an exhibition date and place in the description/history, a change of ownership, etc. Basic details (art ID number, registration date, title, artist, medium, and dimensions) are NOT changeable in order to protect the integrity of the database registration. If you do make an error in a permanent field, use the “Delete this work from my Portfolio” button found at the bottom of the Art Details page and begin a new registration.

What information should be put in the Description and History box?

Most artists like to provide a brief note about when, where and/or why the art was created so the customer has a special connection to the artist and the artwork. You may also want to include information on awards won or the exhibition history. For provenance, it is a nice touch to add the date of sale and the buyer's name if you have Internet access at the time of sale.

How is ownership tracked and changed?

What is the “gallery or agent representing owner” blank for?

If the gallery or agent is an Affiliate of NFATR, there is another wonderful benefit for you – a duplicate record of the consigned art in that representative’s portfolio. (It is not required to enter anything in this field.)

What is the difference between “current estimated value” and “current asking price?”

The estimated value is the market value, reflecting the complexity/size of the work and the best prices your work commands. However, you may be willing to sell a work for a price below that top-dollar value, and that would be your current asking price. Note that you are required to designate via a pull-down menu on the art registration form who has set the estimated value. We are sometimes asked, “Couldn’t I set any price I’d like?” Our answer is that you can do that, but when you print and sign the Certificate, you are attesting that the information provided is correct. Obviously, you will want to have sound reasons for the estimated value you enter.

How can I print a “price card?”

The Price Card is a mini Certificate, sized just under three inches square, with the title, artist, size, medium and price displayed. The price displayed on this card is the Asking Price. (If you leave the Asking Price blank on the artwork's record, it will be blank on your Price Card.) Log in to view your Portfolio page. Click the Art Details button for the artwork that needs a Price Card. At the bottom of the Art Details page, click “View Price Card.” Adobe Acrobat Reader will open the document and you may then print it.

How do I upload a picture or document?

Three simple steps. Go to your Portfolio and select the “Photo” button for the piece of art for which you want to include a picture. Click on the “Browse” button and highlight the photo that you already have stored on your computer. Once highlighted, next click on the “Open” command and then click on “Upload Photo.” Use the same process for adding any pertinent document such as a bill of sale, appraisal or insurance document.

Title Transfer Questions

What is a “title transfer?”

If you sell or give away a work of art, you will need to transfer the ownership title to the new owner. The Title Transfer takes the online record out of your Portfolio (keeping your inventory accurate) and puts it into the new owner’s private Portfolio where his or her name is shown as owner. See the Title Transfer section below for information on how to easily transfer a title.

How do I transfer the ownership of a registered work? Can I open a portfolio for my customer or print a Certificate in the customer’s name on the spot?

It is very important to transfer the title! The transfer process removes the registration record from your portfolio and places it in the new owner’s. The portfolio detail record is an important benefit for your customer, especially for providing documentation to an insurance company in the event of an insured loss.

You will be able print out a Certificate for your buyer with his or her name shown as owner at the end of this transfer process.

What is the transfer process when one of my works is sold at a gallery?

The Certificate Numbers Title Transfer method should be used:

This method requires the person doing the transfer to have the original printed Certificate for the registered work of art, because the unique registration number and transfer code (located at the bottom right on the Certificate) are required. (Your start-up marketing kit will have an initial supply of Certificate holders to affix to the back of your artwork and hang tags explaining registration and the transfer process.)

Here are the instructions for the Certificate Numbers Title Transfer:

How will I know when a gallery has sold one of my works of art? Who receives the email confirmation when a title is transferred?

When a title transfer takes place (by the gallery or the art buyer, as above), the original owner (you) will receive an email that provides the title of the work and the amount of the sale. The email is sent to you and the buyer. If the gallery is an Affiliate of National Fine Arts Title Registry and you have designated them as the sales agent in the record, the gallery also receives a copy of the email. The acknowledgement emails are automatically sent by the system as soon as the title transfer is complete.