We knew early in the life of this project that we wanted to work with illustrators as the primary source of content.

We also knew that we had a huge amount to learn in terms of the tech we planned on using and the approach we were going to take.

So over the slow gestation of this project we've been building up a database of artists that we'd love to work with if we ever managed to dedicate our full time to the project.

This began in March 2011 and now, thanks in large part to the Technology Strategy Board and their Launchpad investment, we are finally able to start contacting artists with a realistic prospect of launching before Christmas.

However, the list we've built up in 2011 now contains nearly 1,000 people.

This is approximately 98% larger than we planned on having for launch.

The process of curation now begins....

Is it possible to reinvent a product that’s remained unchanged since the nineteenth century?

We believe the way people consume limited edition prints is ripe for disruption and our approach is radical in a number of ways; for a start, you won’t actually be able to buy just a 'print'.

Our limited edition prints will only be available pre-framed and ready-to-hang.

Each order will be hand numbered, debossed with the Artistic.ly seal and limited to editions of just 50.

The content and product spec is identical to that found in high end galleries where the works might sell for anywhere between £500 - £1,000.

Each framed limited editions will cost £125 (approximately US$200). And we are also going to provide free delivery to anywhere in the world.

Indeed, the only choice our customers will have is whether they want a black or a white frame.

Why?

The motivation is pretty simple: Everyone we know that buys fine art prints is guilty of the same thing. We purchase works we love but we never get around to having them framed. They remain in tubes, under our beds or stuffed at the back of wardrobes. We want to remove this barrier, ensuring everything we sell actually gets consumed.

Artistic.ly will give us an opportunity to test whether or not others feel the same way.