More and more artists are including reproduction prints as part of their regular production routine today.
Why?
It used to be that if you sold a piece, that’s it, it’s gone. The buck stops there and only one buyer gets to appreciate your work.
But with prints, that’s not the case at all! Not only do you see more reward from a piece you put so much time and effort into, but you are able to reach even more art buyers who may have loved the original work but couldn’t necessarily afford it.
With the rise in popularity of prints, it’s worth looking into for your art business strategy. Here’s what you need to know to start creating and selling reproduction prints.
Types of Prints
As art business consultant Laura C. George puts it, “prints” refer to any sort of reproduction of a piece of artwork. Loosely put, prints can include the art of printmaking, which uses a flat plate to create multiple artworks, such as with lithographs, monotypes, screenprints, etc. These traditional printmaking techniques are generally regarded as fine art prints and artists who work within these mediums are skilled in the craft of printmaking.
However, if you are looking to make prints of your original artwork, you are looking for what is known as giclee print (pronounced “zhee-clays”). Giclees can be used to reproduce many different types of art.
Giclee is a French term meaning “to spray”, referring to how an inkjet printer works and how giclee prints are usually produced. These large format inkjet printers use small spraying devices that can both match color and apply ink precisely, giving artists a high-quality print of their original art explains ThoughtCo.
But, not all inkjet printers produce giclee prints. It all boils down to these four elements: resolution, ink, paper, and printer type.
What makes a giclee?
To be able to make such a high-quality print, the camera or scanner used to capture or scan the art must be able to do so with a high level of resolution. To compare, most digital photos are recorded at a resolution of 72 DPI on the screen, or “dots per inch,” and the image file of an art print needs to be at least 300 DPI—because the more dots of color that can be printed in a small area, the more detailed your final image will appear.
As far as ink and paper go, CreativeBloq clarifies that they must be high quality and considered “archival.” This is typically achieved using inks that are pigment-based instead of dye-based and any canvas, watercolor paper, or specialty printing paper designated as archival. Printers are typically larger models that are able to hold up to 12 ink cartridges which produce a wider range of colors for duplicating your artwork.
Open Edition vs. Limited Edition
Artists have the option to create either open edition or limited edition prints. With open editions, a number of prints that can be created and sold are unlimited, offering artists a constant source of possible revenue.
On the other hand, the number of limited editions is carefully chosen and no more can be created after they are all sold. Of course, this does make limited edition prints more valuable in the eyes of a collector, so artists are able to charge more for this type of print.
Shidonna Raven Fine Art Giclees are no exception. We understand you enjoy Fine Art and want to give you a range of options that are affordable and easy for the beginning collector. However, a true collector will want the original art work. Nonetheless contact us to arrange for Giclees of the original artwork you see here before it is gone. We re help to help you find something within your budget.
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