Limited Editions or Open Editions
Open editions and limited editions, may be printed in a variety of ways and mine are. Please do not confuse the term 'print' as it is used here. These are NOT prints in the sense of images that are printed on stone, or with silk screens, or other processes that are considered an art form.
My prints are actually considered to be 'reproductions' of my original art. The public has grown used to using the term 'print' and that is why that term is used here. My prints, open or limited, may be ink jets, lithographs, giclees or lasers, They are produced by using a photo mechanical process (camera, scanner, etc.) to create an image that is then printed by some type of machine. I understand that this may be confusing if you don't live in the art work, or you are not an experienced art collector. It's not my intention to confuse you, but it's necessary to give you this information so that you understand what you may be purchasing.
Open editions may be reprinted as long as the publisher/artist desires to look at the image. That may mean one printing of 5 images, or several printings totaling 5,000 images. There is no way to know (and who would care) how many images are or will be printed. Open editions are intended to be fun and decorative. They are not considered collectible art, unless something is added to them. In the case of my art work, I usually add a mat that has original painting on it. That makes each and every one of these prints that is sold with a painted mat, different than every other like print in the series. I can't, nor would I want to, paint the same thing in the same way every time.
To learn more about my painted mats go here.
Limited editions. Signed and numbered reproductions or prints, are supposed to be limited to a certain number, with the intent that only the originally stated number of images will be reproduced. It's an interesting quandary in this day and age. Some publishers and artists have changed the sizes of the image and done a whole new printing as another 'limited edition' of several thousand each. Limited??? No, I don't think so.
The original intent of limiting an edition was supposed to translate to making the print more valuable. The principles of supply and demand were supposed to drive the price up and hold it steady. The market has not supported that idea, except in the very high end. Mostly there's been a lot of manipulation on the part of publishers and artists that have made it difficult to maintain strict standards across the industry. It's every man and woman for himself here.
What my policy is:
My limited editions are just that. Limited. There are no note cards. There are no other images that are authorized to be used for any reason. That policy has hurt me over the years. There have been many opportunities for me to make more money by selling the rights to greeting card and t-shirt companies. A popular edition sells out, and I know that it would continue to sell, but I made a commitment to limit that image, so I have to say 'no'. It only hurts for a little while and I feel better because I've kept my word to my customers.
About the giclee prints (reproductions). The original 'prints' that were discussed above, were reproduced using an image on a metal plate, or a stone, or ? The prints were handled personally by the artist and or his/her assistants, and each print was hand-pulled. They were signed and numbered according to the order in which they were printed or 'struck'.
In recent years the large format ink jet printer that is capable of producing huge reproductions on canvas and paper and many other substrates as well, has become available. Every artist who desires a personal large format printer can own one and there is often more work done in Photoshop than with a brush. If Rembrandt had been alive when these wonderful printers were invented he would have been one of the first to own one. I make no apologies for owning one.
New technology should be respected for the conveniences and the new world that it is bringing us on an almost hourly basis. But the speed in which these changes are brought to us can cause our heads to spin with questions of integrity and ethics.
There has developed a new idea within the art world during the past few years, questioning whether or not prints should continue to be numbered in the same way that they have been for centuries. Let me give you a simple explanation of the new line of thinking.
Numbers of art prints have usually been done like this 1/100. The 1 indicates that this is the first print. The 100 indicates that there are 100 prints in this edition. Therefore 1/100 would mean this is the first print of an edition of 100 prints. That numbering was done because if the print were printed from stone, or plate, there would be subtle differences that would occur with the wearing of the stone or plate. The first print would not be exactly as the last print because of these changes.
In comes the giclee printer. With a few exceptions, if the publisher/artist desires, every reproduction will look exactly the same as the one before it, and the one after. There are no differences. Therefore, some artists have just started to sign the prints as they are printed. Without indicating on the reproduction how many are in the edition.
Here comes the scary part: Some of these prints are so good that the public (and sometimes the artists) cannot distinguish between the original and the giclee print. Especially since these prints can be printed on watercolor paper. Yes, there has been some fraud that has happened. Be cautious in your purchases. Ask questions, Check to see if the seller is verified.
And a last word about any piece of art work, original or reproduction. Enjoy the work for it's beauty, for what feelings it places in your mind and heart. Don't worry so much about the monetary value of it. In the end anything is only worth as much as anyone else is willing to pay at any given time in any given market. Remember those conditions can vary wildly. We've all seen this principle in the past few years with homes and other property. Just relax and enjoy.