Hello everyone! This is Bree from Lullafly Studios and I am thrilled to be delivering this guest post for you today. As an artist with experience working in the printing industry, I'm quite familiar with all the lingo that we artists or printers throw around. I realize this is not the case with everyone, and today I'll be giving you the low-down on some of those terms so that you'll feel more comfortable with buying art.
Let me start by saying that there are two key players in the creative world: those that create the artwork and those who appreciate and enjoy the artwork. It used to be that only the wealthy enjoyed the luxury of collecting art, but the rise of the digital era and technological advancements in printing have since opened the door to nearly anyone and everyone.
You don't have to be an experienced collector to purchase an original, and you certainly shouldn't be intimidated by the thought of purchasing art in general.While most serious buyers and collectors still seek out galleries to meet their needs, the internet has opened a whole new (wide) world of opportunities to acquire visual pretties for the everyday person. Virtual galleries like Society6 and Imagekind offer full services including customer service, printing, and shipping whereas online storefronts like Etsy let you buy directly from the artist. In short, all you have to do nowadays to fill that void on your empty wall is find an artist you enjoy and click "check out".
Pretty easy, right? Until you're bombarded with are all these fancy terms like giclée and limited edition run and archival and what do they all mean? Don't worry, I'm here to help.
Disclaimer: There is quite a bit of a debate regarding the definition of "print" in the art community. Some claim that a "print" can encompass any process where an image is printed, or transferred, to a substrate. Others argue that anything digitally produced should only be referred to as a "reproduction" and not a "print". For the sake of this basic guide, I will be using the words "print" and "reproduction" inter-sparingly to mean an image that is printed, or transferred, to a substrate.
An Original
An original piece of artwork is the physical piece that the artist directly and personally created. It is the actual painting that was painted, the drawing that was drawn, pottery that was sculpted; you get the idea. Originals are more expensive than any reproduction or replica, but that's because it is the physical array of paint or ink or chewing gum or whatever materials the artist decided to use. You can't beat that authenticity.
What makes it special: It is the real deal. Originals are one-of-a-kind, and no reproduction, no matter how professional, can fully re-create the depth and complexities of the physical materials used.
limited edition giclée print, Etsy
Giclée (zhee-klay)
Don't be put off by such a fancy word; a giclée is no more than a high quality reproduction in disguise. Giclée prints are created using archival quality inks printed on substrates such as canvas, fine art papers, and photo-base papers. The word giclée was created by a print maker who wanted to coin a new term for digitally printed artwork using ink-jet technology while avoiding the negative connotations associated with "computer-generated". The word is based on the French word "gicler", meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray" which is essentially what an inkjet printer does. Giclée prints are generated from a high resolution digital file from a digital piece or scan of an original work, which is then reproduced using a high-quality inkjet printer. They are commonly produced on an on-demand basis.
What makes it special: This printing process provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction. More importantly, the combined use of archival quality inks (bonus if the inks are pigment-based) and acid-free substrates produce a fine art reproduction worthy of an art gallery or collector. And, of course, you.
woodblock print, Etsy
Hand-pulled print
Hand-pulled art prints are created when an artist applies ink or paint directly to a plate (or object), then manually presses the paper to the plate and "hand-pulls" the finished product. Consequently, the plate must be re-inked for each resulting print. Hand-pulled prints cover a variety of processes including but not limited to block printing (wood), screenprinting, Gocco, plate lithographs, and intalgio or etched plates.
What makes it special: Each hand-pulled print must go through a time-consuming step-by-step process by the printmaker, resulting in a hand-made piece. Because of the manual and direct process involved, no two are exactly alike or even 'perfect'. These little flaws and differences give the print a sense of hand-touched character and an element of originality.
limited edition print, Etsy
Limited Edition:
You may notice that some art prints are advertised as being "Limited Edition". This essentially means that the artist has designated a specific number of prints that will be produced, and after that number has been fulfilled there will be no more. Each print from a limited edition run is numbered in the patterned sequence of "1/100, 2/100, 3/100, etc" showing the number of the print and the total number of prints in the edition.
Some artists have devised a way to preserve the illusion of a small limited edition number while multiplying the total quantity of prints in existence by making revisions to the artwork, such as changing ink colors. These are typically labeled "A 1/100", "B 1/100", "C 1/100", and so forth.
archival print, Society6
Archival:
This is most commonly in reference to the inks or papers used. If something boasts of being archival quality, then it is essentially saying that scientific tests have proven it will endure the test of time up to a certain number of years. Archival and acid-free paper will not deteriorate or yellow. Archival inks will not discolor or fade. Some are more fade-resistant than others, but archival-quality is typically the stuff museums demand. Some paper and ink combinations will last 200+ years without change. However, that being said, the majority of the tests that were conducted were under controlled environments. That means no direct sunlight and no contact with moisture or oils (such as from your fingertips). That's all fine and dandy if you plan on keeping your art print locked away in the dark, but what's the purpose of art if you can't enjoy it? You can, and should, take measures to promote the longevity of the art. Purchasing archival quality is the first step, but be warned that even archival quality prints can deteriorate if exposed to direct sunlight, moisture, dirt, or oils.
So let's say you've bought some artwork. Great! Now what? Aside from the obvious of putting it on display and calling all your friends to come see immediately, I've come up with a few helpful do's and do not's.
Do:
- Handle the piece carefully and avoid touching the paper or surface. Oils from your fingers will react with the surface and may cause discolorations over time.
- Get the piece professionally framed and mounted if you are especially fond of the piece (and can invest the money).
- Store any art or prints in a dark, cool safe place when not on display.
- Invest in UV-resistant museum grade glass for your frame if you are really concerned with protecting the piece.
- Enjoy the art!
Do NOT:
- Never, ever display art in direct sunlight unless you only want to get a few months worth of enjoyment. Museum grade UV-resistant glass will help protect the art from discoloration and fading, but even the most fade-resistant art prints will fade and discolor over time if exposed to direct sunlight for a lengthy time.
- Scan or photograph the work and make your own reproductions to sell or give away without the artist's permission. Seriously. That is illegal.
Now that you have a basic understanding of today's art prints and reproductions, go forth and fill your walls and shelves with art!
