2020 has certainly been the year that nobody saw coming – and this was especially true for publishers. The COVID-19 pandemic (and resulting lockdown) threw the industry into chaos, but the good news is that it looks like things are finally starting to return to normal.
Here’s a round-up of everything that’s been happening at Kintaro Publishing, plus news about exclusive printing discounts, and the best tattoo books out there.
COVID-19 – the impact on publishing
Recently, many people have pointed out that Shakespeare wrote some of his best-loved works during a bubonic plague outbreak.
This is all very well for Shakespeare. However, the example fails to address some key issues that modern publishers face.
We all had a lot of questions. For example, were people still buying tattoo books in the same way, if they couldn’t visit book-stores? Would lockdown make various publishing processes harder? Publishers had to adjust and adapt rapidly, or risk suffering grave financial consequences.
The logistics of publishing the best tattoo books
Normally, publishing physical books (and tattoo prints) requires people to work in close proximity with one another. Kintaro were faced with a challenge – to protect our workers, while still printing books and delivering them. It was tricky, but we managed it.
Our no-compromise, ‘safety-first’ approach meant that some processes took longer, which held up production at times. However, we believe that the wellbeing of our employees is the most important thing, and that it’s still possible to produce quality tattoo books while protecting the entire team.
Relying on third parties
The other big issue was deliveries. Across the world, courier and postal services were straining under the increased demand, as more people being in lockdown equalled more online orders!
We ship our orders with UPS, and this ensured that we maintained a speedy delivery time. The vast majority of our packages reached their destination well within the specified times; for example, customers in the USA usually received their parcels within two to three working days of ordering them. We’d like to thank UPS for providing such a great service during these difficult months.
Supporting artists during lockdown – best tattoo prints at a discount price
Lockdown gave artists some much-needed time to produce material for their best tattoo books. However, it was also a stressful period for many. In several countries, tattoo artists were unable to work, and some didn’t receive adequate financial support.
We wanted to support artists during this difficult time. That’s why we offered a 30% discount on our printing services. This meant they could order their best tattoo prints direct from us, and then sell them via their own websites (or alternative selling platforms).
This big discount gave artists more freedom to charge ultra-competitive prices, and sell more of their art. Unsurprisingly, it was a big success, and we received a huge response from artists around the world. If you’d like to find out more about our printing services, check out the Kintaro Publishing site today.
Tattoo conventions cancelled
A virus loves a crowd, so it made sense that the major tattoo conventions were cancelled this year. Of course, this left the industry disappointed. Conventions are a great chance to network with likeminded people, see some of the world’s finest artists at work, and browse the best tattoo books available.
Tattoo expos are usually a highlight of the Kintaro Publishing calendar – not least because we love meeting our customers, and talking about our range of tattoo design books and tattoo prints. This year, we knew we had to get creative about staying in touch.
We’ve been enjoying chatting to everyone online, and sharing news about our latest releases. Remember, it’s easy to reach out to us, either via social media, or through the contact form on our website. Whether you’ve got a question about one of our books, or you’re just looking for some tattoo inspiration, please do contact us for a chat!
The Scroll Book by Horiyoshi 3 – an update
The Scroll Book by Horiyoshi 3 is one of our most hotly anticipated releases. Horiyoshi 3 is one of Japan’s most eminent tebori artists, and his work is renowned across the world, due to its precision, artistry and grace.
Some slight set-backs
However, thanks to COVID-19, we have had a few hold-ups. We refuse to compromise when it comes to quality, and as a result, this has pushed the release date back somewhat. However, we’re confident that when you receive your copy of the book, you’ll be blown away. It really is a special tome – and in our opinion, one of the best tattoo books out there.
So do bear with us just a little longer; we’re working hard to publish The Scroll Book, and it should be with you very soon. If you’d like more details about the book and what’s included, please send a message to our team; we’ll happily answer your questions.
A final word…
There’s no doubt that this has been a challenging time for Kintaro Publishing, as it has with so many other publishers around the world. We’d like to thank everyone for their support and kind words, and for staying in touch – we always like hearing from fellow tattoo art aficionados!
We’re now looking to the future – to our exciting new tattoo book releases, and of course, the artwork we have for sale on our site, which in our opinion, include some of the best tattoo prints available.
If you’d like to find out more about Kintaro Publishing, or browse our collection of tattoo literature and prints, simply visit our website today.