From collectibles to cars, buy and sell all kinds of items on eBayWelcome! Sign in or register.
Site Map
aAdvanced Search
Popular products
No suggestions.
Hide eBay suggestions
BuySellMy eBayCommunityHelp

Home > Community > About Me  >  zero_sum_art
About Me: zero_sum_art( 50Feedback score is 50 to 99) About Me



Art is a form of alchemy, taking base materials and turning them into something precious.

The Zero Sum Art Project explores the journey of a work of art from everyday object to valuable artifact.

Instead of a studio practice that is a romantic, mysterious endeavor, separated somehow from the everyday world, the workings of the Zero Sum Studio are as transparent and open to the viewer as possible.

The Zero Sum Art Project creates a financially isolated studio environment, in which every cost and every profit is documented, to see if it is possible to create a self-sustaining studio practice.


At ZSAP, the money spent on materials and fees and any other specifically art related expenses will be directly tied to the money brought in by the sale of the artwork, and this relationship will be accessible to the viewer at all times. Ebay will play a major role in this process, allowing the viewer to directly determine the value of the artwork through the bidding process. The starting bids for all auctions will be based on the fees associated with the auction and the cost of materials in the artwork for sale (for purposes of this project, all of the artist's "time" is "free"). The first artwork for sale was made purely from free materials - mostly items that were sent as give-aways by charities requesting donations, or pens and pencils given away as promotional items. Profit is spent on improving the materials that go into the artwork, or the shipping of the artwork. Should the artwork fail to make a profit, the materials used to make the next piece will remain very humble. Should the project stay in the red for several consecutive sales, the "studio" collapses.

The Zero Sum Art Project Rules

Artwork can be made only with free/found materials or materials purchased with proceeds from the sale of Zero Sum artworks.

Zero Sum artwork will be sold on eBay, with the opening bid based solely on the costs of the materials and the auction fees related to the artwork being sold.

If the artwork sells for a greater amount than the opening bid, any "profit" must go directly back in to the Zero Sum studio. The Zero Sum Art Project may not keep a balance of more than $10 for longer than 2 weeks - all funds must be directed back into the studio.

If the Zero Sum Art Project is in the red with a balance of negative $5.00 for longer than 2 weeks, the studio collapses and the project is over.

The target balance at all times is Zero.

So what we have is a business plan that does not allow the studio to make a profit, and kills the studio if it stays in the red, leaving it perpetually teetering on the brink of disaster. The target will be to have the costs and the sales come to a zero balance at all times, if possible.


The Zero Sum Art Project Accounts

As of 11/28/07, the income total after 26 sales is $2092.01
The expenses total is $2099.70
Leaving us with a balance of -$7.69
A little bit too deep in the hole - gonna have to bring that back up!


Date Description Costs Sales Balance
11/19/06 insertion fee (#1) -.35 -.35
11/19/06 gallery fee (#1) -.35 -.70
11/26/06 insertion fee (#2) -.35 -1.05
11/26/06 gallery fee (#2) -.35 -1.40
11/26/06 final value fee (#1) -1.19 -2.59
11/27/06 sale of Zero Sum #1 +22.72 20.13
11/27/06 paypal fee -.96 19.17
11/27/06 postage -.63 18.54
11/28/06 4B Drawing Pencil -1.06 17.48
11/28/06 Eraser Stick -2.01 15.47
11/28/06 2 sheets BFK Rives Cream Paper -4.39 11.08
11/28/06 2 sheets glassine -1.54 9.54
11/28/06 1 sheet two-ply chipboard -3.06 6.48
12/03/06 final value fee (#2) -.55 5.93
12/03/06 sale of Zero Sum #2 +10.50 16.43
12/03/06 paypal fee -.60 15.83
12/03/06 postage -.63 15.20
12/04/06 toy plane -5.33 9.87
12/05/06 roll of Scotch Tape -2.14 7.73
12/05/06 (12) 10" x 13" envelopes -2.67 5.06
12/05/06 roll of clear shipping tape -3.20 1.86
12/05/06 insertion fee (#3) -.35 1.51
12/05/06 gallery fee (#3) -.35 1.16
12/07/06 3 oz. can of white spray paint -2.13 -.97
12/10/06 lot of old airmail stamps for collage -2.64 -3.61
12/10/06 insertion fee (#4) -.35 -3.96
12/10/06 gallery fee (#4) -.35 -4.31
12/12/06 final value fee (#3) -2.09 -6.40
12/12/06 sale of Zero Sum #3 +51.00 44.60
12/12/06 paypal fee -1.78 42.82
12/13/06 postage -2.31 40.51
12/13/06 (1) 22" x 30" BFK Rives white -3.59 36.92
12/13/06 (1) 5 oz tube Titanium White acrylic paint -8.08 28.84
12/13/06 (1) 2 oz tube Ivory Black acrylic paint -3.55 25.29
12/13/06 (1) 2 oz tube Cadmium Red acrylic paint -7.69 17.60
12/13/06 (1) 2 oz tube Ultramarine Blue acrylic paint -3.55 14.05
12/13/06 (1) White Nylon Bright #8 brush -8.08 5.97
12/13/06 (1) White Nylon Round #6 brush -2.78 3.19
12/13/06 (2) General's 6B charcoal pencils -1.52 1.67
12/13/06 (1) 4 oz bottle of Sobo white glue -2.69 -1.02
12/17/06 final value fee (#4) -3.29 -4.31
12/17/06 sale of Zero Sum #4 +90.99 86.68
12/17/06 paypal fee -2.94 83.74
12/18/06 postage -2.31 81.43
12/18/06 insertion fee (#5) -.35 81.08
12/18/06 10 day duration fee (#5) -.40 80.68
12/18/06 gallery fee (#5) -.35 80.33
12/21/06 acrylic matte medium 16 oz -6.06 65.71
12/21/06 roll of artist's tape -5.77 59.94
12/21/06 White Nylon Bright #12 brush -13.47 46.47
12/21/06 (1) 2 oz Pthalo Green acrylic paint -3.55 42.92
12/21/06 (1) 2 oz Burnt Sienna acrylic paint -3.55 39.37
12/21/06 (1) 2 oz Burnt Umber acrylic paint -3.55 35.82
12/21/06 (1) 2 oz Cadmium Yellow acrylic paint -7.69 28.13
12/21/06 (6) sheets of 22" x 30" BFK Rives White heavyweight paper -21.54 -1.10
12/28/06 final value fee (#5) -3.77 -4.87
12/28/06 sale of Zero Sum #5 +106.94 102.07
12/28/06 paypal fee (#5) -3.40 98.67
12/29/06 postage -2.31 96.36
12/29/06 number and letter stencils -4.77 91.59
12/29/06 6" brayer -11.30 80.29
12/29/06 oil base block printing ink -12.08 68.21
12/29/06 linocut cutter and gouges -8.45 59.76
12/29/06 baren -6.25 53.51
12/29/06 24" x 36" linoleum -36.95 16.56
1/10/07 UPS shipping charge for linocut supplies -24.95 -8.39
1/11/07 insertion fee (#6) -.60 -8.99
1/11/07 10 day duration fee (#6) -.40 -9.39
1/11/07 gallery fee (#6) -.35 -9.74
1/21/07 final value fee (#6) -4.79 -14.53
1/21/07 sale of Zero Sum #6 +96.00 81.47
1/21/07 paypal fee (#6) -3.08 78.39
1/22/07 postage -6.40 71.99
1/23/07 2 Dead, Stuffed Quail -37.00 34.99
1/25/07 9 Blimp postcards -13.04 21.95
1/31/07 Photographer's Formulary/Cyanotype Kit -24.40 -2.45
2/04/07 postage due stamps -6.77 -9.22
2/04/07 airmail stamps -4.45 -13.67
2/05/07 sale of Zero Sum #7 +61.99 48.32
2/11/07 insertion fee (#8) -.40 47.92
2/11/07 gallery fee (#8) -.35 47.57
2/11/07 postage -2.31 45.26
2/15/07 paper and brushes for cyanotype -29.03 16.23
2/15/07 2 small brown photo jugs -6.47 9.76
2/15/07 parking meter in Austin Texas -.50 9.26
2/18/07 final value fee (#8) -2.32 6.94
2/18/07 Sale of Zero Sum #8 +56.00 62.94
2/20/07 wooden art "mannequin" -6.44 56.50
2/20/07 model rocket -6.51 49.99
2/22/07 insertion fee (#10) -.40 49.59
2/22/07 10 day duration fee (#10) -.40 49.19
2/22/07 gallery fee (#10) -.35 48.84
2/22/07 postage -2.31 46.53
2/22/07 monkey skull -52.39 -5.86
3/04/07 final value fee (#10) -4.19 -10.05
3/04/07 sale of Zero Sum #10 +113.61 103.56
3/04/07 paypal fee -3.59 99.97
3/06/07 postage -2.79 97.18
3/08/07 premium 1" stencil sheet -3.20 93.98
3/08/07 8 NASA postcards -13.98 80.00
3/14/07 8 more NASA postcards -7.50 72.50
3/14/07 7 hours of skilled cyanotype darkroom work by J.K. -70.00 2.50
3/22/07 insertion fee (#11) -.40 2.10
3/22/07 gallery fee (#11) -.35 1.75
3/22/07 10 day duration fee (#11) -.40 1.35
4/01/07 sale of Zero Sum #11 +102.50 103.85
4/01/07 final value fee (#11) -3.83 100.02
4/01/07 paypal fee (#11) -3.27 96.75
4/03/07 postage -3.27 93.48
4/06/07 over 100 glass eyes -61.01 32.47
4/08/07 insertion fee (#12) -.40 32.07
4/08/07 gallery fee (#12) -.35 31.72
4/11/07 2 Toy Astronauts -10.20 21.52
4/15/07 Sale of Zero Sum #12 +203.50 225.02
4/15/07 final value fee (#12) -7.11 217.91
4/15/07 paypal fee (#12) -6.20 211.71
4/18/07 postage -6.05 205.66
4/20/07 Printmaking studio access, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts -165.00 40.66
4/20/07 5" x 7" zinc etching plate -4.30 36.36
4/20/07 (10) sheets of 22" x 30" white Rives BFK heavyweight paper -35.90 .46
5/06/07 gallery fee (#13) -.35 .11
5/06/07 insertion fee (#13) -.40 -.29
5/12/07 4 vintage box cameras -28.50 -28.79
5/13/07 final value fee (#13) -5.78 -34.57
5/13/07 Sale of Zero Sum #13 +162.50 127.93
5/13/07 paypal fee (#13) -5.01 122.92
5/14/07 postage -2.32 120.60
5/14/07 3 Solar Plate Copper etching plates -48.00 72.60
5/14/07 10" x 12" aquatint screen -60.95 11.65
5/16/07 UPS for plates and screen -11.84 -.19
5/24/07 insertion fee (#14) -.20 -.39
5/24/07 gallery fee (#14) -.35 -.74
5/24/07 10 day auction fee (#14) -.40 -1.14
6/3/07 final value fee (#14) -1.49 -2.63
6/3/07 sale of Zero Sum #14 +41.00 38.37
6/3/07 paypal fee (#14) -1.49 36.88
6/4/07 11" x 14" zinc etching plate -18.00 18.88
6/4/07 vintage French postcards -4.00 14.88
6/8/07 insertion fee (#16) -.60 14.28
6/8/07 gallery fee (#16) -.35 13.93
6/8/07 10 day auction fee (#16) -.40 13.53
6/11/07 anatomical eye model -27.90 -14.37
6/18/07 final value fee (#16) -2.67 -17.04
6/18/07 sale of Zero Sum #16 +66.66 49.62
6/18/07 paypal fee (#16) -2.23 47.39
6/19/07 postage (#16) -7.50 39.89
6/22/07 2 metal globes banks -9.50 30.39
6/24/07 4 small clamp lights -17.08 13.31
6/24/07 4 halogen bulbs -8,54 4.77
6/26/07 package of wood screws -4.46 .31
7/12/07 insertion fee (#18) -.60 -.29
7/12/07 gallery fee (#18) -.35 -.64
7/12/07 10 day auction fee (#18) -.40 -1.04
7/17/07 (5) two foot square sheets of plywood -22.31 -23.35
7/17/07 1 quart black enamel -8.43 -31.78
7/17/07 Liquid Nail -2.43 -42.32
7/17/07 8 oz white enamel -4.02 -46.34
7/17/07 3" brush -6.39 -52.73
7/22/07 final value fee (Zero Sum #18) -3.64 -56.37
7/22/07 sale of Zero Sum #18 +102.50 46.13
7/22/07 paypal fee (Zero Sum #18) -3.27 42.86
7/23/07 13.25" x 16" Walnut frame -41.63 1.23
8/09/07 insertion fee (#19) -.60 .63
8/09/07 gallery fee (#19) -.35 .28
8/09/07 10 day auction fee (#19) -.40 -.12
8/19/07 final value fee (#19) -3.83 -3.95
8/19/07 sale of Zero Sum #19 +102.50 98.55
8/19/07 paypal fee (#19) -3.27 95.28
8/20/07 (2) 13.25" x 16" Walnut frames -83.26 12.02
8/23/07 insertion fee (#20) -.60 11.42
8/23/07 gallery fee (#20) -.35 11.07
8/23/07 10 day auction fee (#20) -.40 10.67
8/28/07 25 sheets transparency film -36.37 -25.70
9/02/07 final value fee (#20) -3.83 -29.53
9/02/07 sale of Zero Sum #20 +102.50 72.97
9/02/07 paypal fee (#20) -3.27 69.70
9/04/07 shipping -10.55 59.15
9/05/07 13.25" x 16" Walnut Frame -41.63 17.52
9/07/07 rice starch archival adhesive -11.46 6.06
9/07/07 1 sheet Mulberry paper -5.11 .95
9/09/07 insertion fee (#21) -.45 .50
9/09/07 gallery fee (#21) -.35 .15
9/09/07 scheduled listing fee (#21) -.10 .05
9/12/07 shipping transparencies for cyanotypes -4.60 -4.55
9/16/07 final value fee (#21) -2.65 -7.20
9/16/07 sale of Zero Sum #21 +66.00 58.80
9/16/07 paypal fee (#21) -2.21 56.59
9/18/07 shipping -7.50 49.09
9/19/07 19" x 17.5" Walnut frame, glass -60.31 -11.22
9/23/07 final value fee (#22) -1.57 -12.79
9/23/07 sale of Zero Sum #22 +32.81 20.02
9/23/07 paypal fee (#22) -1.25 18.77
9/25/07 shipping -7.50 11.27
9/30/07 lettering template -7.98 3.29
9/30/07 Sable Round #2 brush -3.36 -.07
10/04/07 insertion fee (#23) -.60 -.67
10/04/07 gallery fee (#23) -.35 -1.02
10/04/07 10 day auction fee (#23) -.40 -1.42
10/14/07 final value fee (#23) -3.52 -4.94
10/14/07 sale of Zero Sum #23 +93.00 88.06
10/15/07 paypal fee (#23) -3.00 85.06
10/16/07 postage -4.60 80.46
10/16/07 (2) 13.25" x 16" Walnut frames -83.26 -2.80
10/22/07 shipping Zero #24 to Agni Gallery -17.20 -20.00
10/25/07 insertion fee (#25) -.25 -20.25
10/25/07 gallery fee (#25) -.40 -20.65
10/25/07 ten day auction fee (#25) -.40 -21.05
11/04/07 final value fee (#25) -2.67 -23.72
11/04/07 sale of Zero Sum #25 +66.66 42.94
11/04/07 paypal fee (#25) -2,23 40.71
11/05/07 shipping (#25) -2.33 38.38
11/06/07 two sheets of matboard -10.50 27.88
11/06/07 card holder for auction cards in gallery -2.99 24.89
11/06/07 xeroxing auction cards -6.63 18.26
11/06/07 picture wire -7.04 11.22
11/07/07 framing point driver -53.99 -42.77
11/10/07 insertion fee (#9) -.40 -43.17
11/10/07 gallery fee (#9) -.35 -43.52
11/11/07 insertion fee (#14) -.60 -44.12
11/11/07 gallery fee (#14) -.35 -44.47
11/15/07 insertion fee (#15) -.60 -45.07
11/15/07 gallery fee (#15) -.35 -45.42
11/16/07 insertion fee (#17) -.60 -46.02
11/16/07 gallery fee (#17) -.35 -46.37
11/17/07 final value fee (#9) -5.28 -51.65
11/17/07 sale of Zero Sum #9 +146.94 95.29
11/17/07 paypal fee (#9) -4.56 90.73
11/17/07 Digging Pitt Gallery commission -44.08 46.65
11/17/07 insertion fee (#20) -1.20 45.45
11/17/07 gallery fee (#20) -.35 45.10
11/18/07 insertion fee (#21) -1.20 43.90
11/18/07 gallery fee (#21) -.35 43.55
11/18/07 final value fee (#14) -.70 42.85
11/18/07 sale of Zero Sum #14 +13.33 56.18
11/18/07 paypal fee (#14) -.69 55.49
11/18/07 Digging Pitt Gallery commission -4.00 51.49
11/22/07 final value fee (#15) -1.70 49.79
11/22/07 sale of Zero Sum #15 +36.81 86.60
11/22/07 paypal fee (#15) -1.37 85.23
11/22/07 Digging Pitt Gallery commission -11.04 74.19
11/22/07 insertion fee (#22) -1.20 72.99
11/22/07 gallery fee (#22) -.35 72.64
11/23/07 final value fee (#17) -2.71 69.93
11/23/07 sale of Zero Sum #17 +67.99 137.92
11/23/07 Digging Pitt Gallery commission -20.40 117.52
11/23/07 insertion fee (#26) -.60 116.92
11/23/07 gallery fee (#26) -.35 116.57
11/24/07 final value fee (#20) -2.05 114.52
11/24/07 sale of Zero Sum #20 +47.82 162.34
11/24/07 Digging Pitt Gallery commission -14.35 147.99
11/24/07 insertion fee (#27) -.60 147.39
11/24/07 gallery fee (#27) -.35 147.04
11/25/07 final value fee (#21) -1.37 145.67
11/25/07 sale of Zero Sum #21 +26.74 172.41
11/25/07 Digging Pitt Gallery commission -8.02 164.39
11/25/07 insertion fee (#28) -.60 163.79
11/25/07 gallery fee (#28) -.35 163.44
11/26/07 paypal fee (#21) -1.08 162.36
11/27/07 shipping -7.50 154.86
11/28/07 100 Pronto Plates -87.00 67.86
11/28/07 1 can black litho ink -15,65 52.21
11/28/07 Fountain Solution -38.00 14.21
11/28/07 1 qt Gum Arabic -12.50 1.71
11/28/07 1 lb Magnesium Carbonate -5.00 -3.29
11/28/07 2 litho Sponges -4.40 -7.69

I'm Marc Snyder. I have been selling artwork on eBay for quite a long time, under the id "paperandpixels". I created this id specifically for the Zero Sum Art project, in order to clearly isolate this miniature studio environment from my other activities as a working artist. If you would like to know more about my history as an artist, you can see my resume on a page of my eBay store, by following this link.

For all the latest Zero Sum Art news, visit the Zero Sum Art Blog!

To see all of the previous Zero Sum Artworks, visit the Zero Sum Art Gallery!


To protect bidder privacy, when the price or highest bid on an item reaches or exceeds a certain level, User IDs will be displayed as anonymous names. For auction items, a bold price means at least one bid has been received.

Note: Anonymous names may appear more than once and may represent different bidders.

Item Start End Price Title High Bidder/Status

Go see all current items for sale by this member.


The above page is maintained by: zero_sum_art( 50Feedback score is 50 to 99) About Me

Where would you like to go next?
Feedback Forum | Discussion Boards | Groups | Answer Center | Chat Rooms | Community Values

About eBay | Announcements | Security Center | Resolution Center | eBay Toolbar | Policies | Government Relations | Site Map | Help
Copyright © 1995-2009 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
eBay official time