“I’m interested in working overseas — but where are the places where there are still few Japanese people and opportunities remain?”
I asked an AI that question, and one of the answers that came back was —
“INPRNT”
was the answer.
Lately, Fiverr has gradually become better known in Japan too, but INPRNT is still very much unknown territory.
That, on the other hand, might mean it is a hidden gem, with few Japanese rivals.
Thinking that, I decided to give it a try and register, with almost no English at all.
Previous post: Four Patterns of Fiverr Scam Emails
The Moment I Opened the Site, the Atmosphere Was Different
First, the moment I opened it, I was overwhelmed by the design.
Unlike Amazon or Mercari, the air felt different from the moment I opened the top page.
I could feel the atmosphere of a place that “sells the experience of hanging art on a wall.”
When I looked around, I found illustrators from all over the world “exhibiting” there. It is a place where you can collect art like a gallery, and where the main experience is actually decorating a room with art prints.
I had long wanted a place where I could exhibit my work so that people could enjoy it by displaying it in their rooms — not just selling art, but offering the pleasure of displaying it. INPRNT looked like a place that could make that style of art possible.
Registration Itself Took 10 Minutes. But the Real Contest Came After That
Registration itself was simple. All I had to enter was my name, my email address, and my portfolio.
I managed to register using only my phone.
That said, just because you have registered, your art does not suddenly start selling.
Here is the point: registration is only the starting point.
In other words, the real contest begins after you register — and that is where INPRNT is different.
The Wall That Stood in My Way: The “Creator Review”
At INPRNT, you cannot even exhibit or sell your work until you pass the creator review first.
Only about 60% of applicants are said to pass the review.
That means a certain level of quality is required to pass. And according to the information available, the overall pass rate is just over 60%.
The review goes like this:
- Complete your profile
- Upload works to your portfolio (at least four pieces)
- Apply for the review
For my first application, I submitted four pieces.
The review takes about a day.
First try: failed
To cut to the conclusion first: my first try was a quick, clean failure.
The details of the review criteria are basically not disclosed.
There was no detailed feedback, just “You did not pass.”
I could only guess at the reason, but I had not passed.
It would be a lie to say I was not disappointed. The shock was real.
But I did not lose hope. In fact, when I thought about it carefully, there was even a glimmer of light in it.
I had no idea why I had failed, but it seemed the review was not only about a single picture — it was also asking how I built a world around my work.
Even So, I Did Not Give Up — I Looked at My Work Again
I realised that what the review was asking for was not just a single picture, but a sense of consistency across my other works.
So for my second application, I decided to change my approach.
- Push the Japanese worldview to the front
- Unify the use of shadow and empty space
- Submit works with a clear sense of being a series
For the new application, I decided to try again with a concept I could stand behind: modern illustrations of girls, with the light and shade of ukiyo-e.
Second Try — I Passed at Last
I was still worried about whether I would pass the second time, but a few days after I applied —
at last, the email arrived: “You have passed.”
“Yes!” — the words came out of my mouth before I knew it.
The Reason INPRNT Is Decisively Different: It Becomes a “Stock Asset”
Listing on INPRNT is built around the idea of wanting your art to be displayed. It becomes a “stock asset” that people buy to enjoy.
I still did not really understand this part, and I simply thought, “I need to put my own worldview and technique together.”
But I thought that if I kept putting out works in a Japanese style of expression, like ukiyo-e, it would not be strange at all for them to be registered as a stock asset.
My goal was “to register with INPRNT.” Once I was in, I realised that was only the start.
Because There Is a Review, It Is Worth Trying
Because there is a review, a relationship of trust is built in return.
If anyone could list their work, it would be hard to know whose work to trust.
I have the track record of having passed that review. That is exactly why I thought it was worth trying.
Continued: The Story After My INPRNT Gallery Opened
A Complete Comparison of Five Overseas Platforms (Summary)
Summary
- INPRNT has a review before you can list your work.
- Registration itself took 10 minutes.
- The details of the review criteria are not disclosed.
- I failed the first review.
- By making my works feel like a series, I passed on the second try.
- You can take on the world even with zero English.
INPRNT was a place with value precisely because it has a review.
Next time, I will write about what happened after my INPRNT gallery was finally opened.
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