Using QR codes to support data visualization art prints can provide new opportunities for digital artists, especially those looking to print and display their work publicly. This article explores the best practices and concepts for implementing QR codes for use with printed, framed, or displayed data visualizations, as well as other creative use cases beyond pure digital art.
But first, what exactly is a QR code? They are everywhere, but what exactly do they do?
A QR code, also known as a Quick Response code, is a type of matrix barcode invented in 1994 by the Japanese automotive company Denso Wave, a company headquartered in Aichi, Japan known for producing automatic identification products, industrial robots, and programmable logic controllers.
In practice, QR codes contain data for a locator, identifier, or tracker that points to a website or application, or can also send text, phone numbers, emails, and perform other functions as supported by the device scanning the code.
So when does a QR code make sense?
Using QR codes for digital art can take shape for a number of use cases, and most importantly, is up to the creativity of the digital artists on how it is implemented to support their work.
Embedding a QR code does start to make more sense when the visualization is going to be printed and displayed, or when utilized within a digital art project, such as driving traffic to a website for some purpose.
As an example, fundraising posters that communicate data-driven narratives to stir up action and ask for support can use uniquely assigned QR codes to track locations for where prints are displayed, and create a geospatial map of conversion locations to find insights about fundraising successes and misses.
For digital artists, a creative example would be supporting "limited edition" digital prints where a QR code is created for each customer with an embedded link to their Non-Fungible-Token tracking their ownership through a process called "minting". Supporting a digital authentication process for an original work printed out with a custom QR code for each customer results in a layer of ownership that can be authenticated by peers in a marketplace, as the QR code can encapsulate the owner of the artwork within the code itself in addition to a link with the NFT. This means digital artists can create a limited edition physical print to send their first 100 purchases and include the NFT through a uniquely assigned QR code linked to the customer, who can then place the token in their crypto-wallet and collectible, to be later viewed, swapped, or sold to other collectors.
And for anyone who understands how tokens work within the crypto wallet concept, it becomes exciting to see how an owner will have the ability to freely trade the work to other crypto-art collectors (and record the peer-to-peer transaction using an NFT smart contract), which leads to opportunities for demand, valuation, and after-market potential for the art.
How often do people use QR codes today? Is it worth the time?
According to a recent survey by Statista, in the US alone, an estimated 11 Million households were forecast to have scanned a QR Code in 2020. This would have meant an increase from an estimated 9.76 Million scans in 2018.
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the trajectory boosted demand for QR codes, which became the preferred "touchless" mechanism to receive customer information and engage in self-managed customer workflows. Restaurants, for example, replaced physical menus with QR code decals placed in the restaurant or outside on storefronts, which would open mobile apps or online menu to start the customer order process. This prevented the need to dispose of single-use paper menus, or institute cleaning and sanitizing procedures for permanent menus after each use, saving restaurants countless millions.
Going further, television and streaming broadcasts are now utilizing QR codes to enable viewers quicker access to online data or alerts involving the pandemic, including testing and immunization site locators, or links to stories mentioned. Commercials are also actively using QR codes to drive customers to promotional opportunities and introduce new products, reinforce old brands, and drive awareness to support marketing campaigns. If you have been watching any major sports television, the endless stream of QR codes for beer sponsors is hard to miss.
What are some best practices data visualization artists can use with QR codes on printed artwork? While there is creative latitude to do anything you want as an artist, there are some simple rules to follow and avoid any unintended outcomes detracting from your work.
Here is a short list of use cases involving QR codes for Data Visualization:
Drive traffic to a dashboard with live data. This is great when the data you are printing will update on a regular schedule - after a few years, there is also opportunity to send an updated print with new data on a fixed schedule, effectively becoming a subscription-like product.
Convert interest in a topic to a website or app. Gaining awareness for new products or services, or supporting new business workflows without crippling the business can benefit from a QR code-enabled experience.
Utilize QR codes for fundraising to support a cause. QR codes that drive traffic to a website can also be used to drive demand for fundraisers by including the QR code as part of the donation process itself. This can lead to the supporting placement of QR codes in flyers, mailers, even t-Shirts and hats.
Using uniquely attributed QR codes for location identification. For savvy marketers who see or expect more than just a few conversions will want to start capturing data about whats working and whats not working Personalize 'limited edition' artwork and link to the customer's NFT Generating a custom QR code with a link to an NFT stored in the owners cryptowallet is another novel use case. This leads to a secure, authenticated mark of ownership of physical goods that can be easily reproduced if stolen, lost, or damaged.
Conclusion and Resources
To get started with QR codes, take a look at services like QR Code Monkey, or a number of the other free online QR code generators to get a free no-code option. Additionally, the technical folks might want to consider a python package to generate QR codes supporting web3 sockets to trigger NFT sales at scale, when repetition might be required.