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THE COMPLETE
GUIDE TO
LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS
How to Identify, Invest & Care for Your Collection
by: Jay Brown |
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CHAPTER 6
- THE PRINT PUBLISHER |
The Role of the Publisher
The art industry works best when there is a combined
cooperative effort among the artists, galleries, collectors and the publishers.
Ideally, each will perform their role to perfection — the artists will paint the
perfect paintings, the galleries and publishers will make the world aware of
them and then desirous collectors will purchase every last one of them and enjoy
them for eternity. However, the publisher is most important to the system. The
publisher is the major risk-taker and investor in the process and their efforts
are critical to nearly every print’s success or failure.
As the driving force behind the print artist, the
publisher must analyze each submitted painting to determine if it would make a
viable print. If they think the market would have interest in the image, then
they must determine how many copies the market can bear — and keep in mind that
not every spectacular painting makes a great print. The most beautiful painting
of a warthog may not have the same amount of interested collectors as a so-so
painting of a wolf.
If the publisher thinks the painting has viability in
the print world, they must then determine how many prints to produce. Their
decision is most often based on economics and collectibility. Should they
produce the image in a short supply to encourage collectibility or should they
produce it in a large supply to encourage exposure? Should they issue it at a
higher price to offset the price to produce a smaller edition or should they
release it at the lower price made possible by a larger run?
After these decisions are made and the publisher
arranges to have the print produced by a quality printer, the real challenge
begins. The publisher must now promote the print to their representing galleries
and collectors to make sure that the piece sells. This is where a print can
either become a rousing success or an embarrassing and costly failure.
The publisher must sell the work to the marketplace
through persistent and effective promotion. Many offset lithographic publishers
issue monthly newsletters to galleries and collectors that present their
artist’s newest releases. They advertise for their artists in magazines and
other periodicals; and, they arrange artist appearances and sponsor regular
conventions for their dealers.
The success of an artist is based on promotion and
letting the world know that the artist and his or her prints exist. The
publisher is the most responsible entity in making that happen, and making the
system work. Their job is often overshadowed by the attention and recognition
the artist receives. But, without the publisher’s expert direction and support,
many artists and gallery owners might be selling shoes today instead of art and
many collectors might be more interested in Beanie Babies and stamps than
prints.
Decisions, Decisions: What Image to Print?
It’s a wolf. It’s a pinto pony. It’s a bird. It’s a
plane. It’s S-u-p-e-r-print! The world would be a better place if you could
throw an artist in a phone booth and they’d come out every time with an “S” on
their chest and a winning print-worthy image under their arm. But, unfortunately
it’s not that easy. Artists and publishers use painstaking thought and
determination when deciding whether a beautiful painting would make a viable
print.
The artist and publisher must decide not if a painting
is a technical masterpiece, or a statement of intrinsic beauty. There are
hundreds of thousands of award winning, museum quality paintings that wouldn’t
make great prints because the consumer response wouldn’t be strong enough. But
what the artist and publisher must decide is if 500 or 1000 people would be
driven to purchase the image. They also have to take into consideration how the
release of the image as a print might affect the artist’s career. Too many weak
images might hurt consumer confidence in an artist. One strong-selling release
after another might propel an artist’s stature in the marketplace.
It’s a complicated and unscientific process. Often a
publisher will consult with galleries to get a read on the excitement and
response. The publisher might also look at the sales history of similar subjects
and colors, sizes and shapes released by the artist and even other artists. It’s
a burdensome process with no definitive right or wrong answer. It’s always a
risk—and an important business decision.
Release Prices and Edition Sizes
The release prices, edition sizes, and the timing of
the issuing of the releases are decisions normally made by the publisher.
Because these items can directly affect the artist’s career and collectibility,
most publishers take the time to study the history of previous releases by the
artist and similar print releases by other artists. In some cases they may also
poll representing galleries, before making a final decision.
As with all retail products, the average price of
offset lithographs continues to rise as a result of inflation. But the primary
reason prices and the edition sizes of offset lithographs have adjusted upward
is because of certain artists becoming more sought-after in the marketplace.
Currently, the average release price for a full-size
(sofa-size) offset lithograph is $125 to $350 per print, while the release price
for smaller images (e.a. 8” x 10”) is usually between $50 to $125. The standard
edition size of all limited edition offset lithographs is 1000 prints, though
it’s not uncommon to see editions done with as few as 300 prints or as many as
10,000.
Twenty years ago, while the offset lithographic
industry was in its infancy, prices averaged about half of what they are today.
As the industry grew, and publishers realized that potential for collectibility
was the primary reason the public was responding, they lowered the edition sizes
to numbers that ensured customer security. Now with the increased amount of
collectors in the marketplace for offset lithographs, the edition size numbers
are inching higher and higher.
The decisions the publishers make are based on what
their instincts tell them the demand will be for a particular piece of art. The
publisher’s goal is to make the edition small enough and the price reasonable
enough so the piece will receive a good response. But as with any other
business, the intent is to make money — as much as possible both in the
short-term and the long run. The goal is to make it affordable for the collector
and profitable for the seller. It is anything but an exact science.
The Tradition of Multiple Sized Prints
They say size counts and who are we to argue? For the
first 25 years of the limited edition offset lithograph, the publishers and
artists seemed content to take a one-size-fits-all philosophy. If the decision
was to print the image in a certain-sized format, then that was the only way it
was offered. So, let’s assume that you had a particular spot — over the sofa,
perhaps — where you wanted the print displayed. But, the print you fell in love
with was only produced as a tiny 5” x 7”. What can you do? You can use the print
as part of a grouping or put two feet of matting on each side (even though that
would look ridiculous). In the past, you didn’t have other options available.
But that was then and this is now.
Today, it is acceptable to produce a limited edition in
more than one size as long as it’s announced and made clear to the consumers,
preferably on the print’s authentication papers. Thomas Kinkade, for one, now
produces his works in multiple sizes — sometimes as many as three — one large,
one small and one extra large. Each print is still limited, though it’s somewhat
misleading since each of the individual sizes is numbered as a group. There is
no indication in the numbering that other editions exist. One way to do the
numbering of multiple size prints is to use a roman numeral next to the
numbering — I – xx/yy; II – xx/yy; and III – xx/yy. This way the consumer is at
least aware that other editions exist. But, the preferred way would be to go to
a two-slash system — xx/yy/zz — with zz representing the total combined number
of all the editions, yy representing the total number of pieces in this
particular edition and xx representing the number of this particular print.
Though it’s only being experimented with for the first
time, the use of multiple sizes makes sense. Therefore we can expect the above
methods to become, over the next few years, an accepted way to denote the prints
within this type of edition. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that it’s okay to
do it as long as the consumers know the breakdown of the edition before they
make their purchase.
Image Sizes
The ideal print reproduction is one that comes as close
to an exact copy of an original painting as is humanly possible. The colors
should be as broad in spectrum and with similar intensity. The textures and
layering of the paint should be apparent to the viewer’s eye. The magnitude of
the print should replicate the vision that the artist had when they swirled the
colors of paint onto the canvas and masterfully executed a story, a thought or
an expression. That’s the goal of every print that goes into reproduction — to
make the copy look like the original. However, there are intangibles that
publishers must weigh and adjust to create products that are not only beautiful
aesthetically but practical as well.
The one area that printers and publishers are forced to
adjust is size. None of us will argue that it’s tremendously impressive to walk
through an art museum and view the monstrous works of the masters. Some measure
six, eight or even 10 feet wide, with height proportions to match. But, most
consumers could never find the space to squeeze one of those paintings in their
homes. And, many of today’s contemporary art masters paint with the same zealous
pride as their predecessors, leaving publishers no choice but to adjust the size
to fit the marketplace.
Of course, there are limitations to the paper size that
most printing presses can handle as well. But, that rarely becomes an issue. The
issue that publishers must continue to address is, how big can they make a print
with the mass market in mind?
The publisher must consider things like the difficulty
and cost of framing a large print, the economics of what price would be
necessitated by an oversized image, and the overall impracticality of a print
that’s too big for over the sofa, the mantle and the bed. For these reasons,
publishers are often forced to create art reproductions smaller than the artist
painted their original painting.
When a print is made smaller, the colors are brought
closer together. In most situations this makes the print appear slightly more
detailed to the eye, when in reality it may be adding more contrast and actually
losing detail. Conversely, smaller paintings are almost never made bigger. A
painting is a series of colors and brushstrokes and when a painting is made
bigger, the colors and brushstrokes are spread apart causing tremendous loss of
detail.
The goal is always creating a reproduction that as
closely as possible replicates the original art. However, the size of the prints
will continue to be determined by the marketplace’s demands and options. Until
an art-enthusiastic architect figures out how to build an attractive home free
of windows, doorways and ceilings, size will continue to be an important factor.
The Ethics of Reprinting a Limited Edition
Print
Ethics aside, the tradition in the art world has always
been that a limited edition should not be re-issued after the limited edition
sells out. But, the tradition has allowed for posters and open edition prints to
be issued as long as they are distinctly different in appearance and unlikely to
cause confusion.
Recent trends in the art world have stretched the
tradition to new limits. Thomas Kinkade regularly issues Classic Edition prints,
which are open edition reproductions from sold-out limited editions in similar
sizes. Mill Pond Press also allows posters to be reproduced in nearly the same
size as some of its previously sold-out limited editions. These editions are not
signed or numbered, but the ethics are still questionable.
Ethically, the best way to deal with potential
confusion is for publishers to state on the authenticity that open editions or
posters may be issued at a later time. This way the collector knows from the
beginning that there may be other versions on the market and they can make their
buying decision knowing the facts. Furthermore, on the authentication it should
say that the artist will not sign any open edition print on the image, and the
publisher should forbid the artist contractually from doing so. This would help
eliminate any consumer confusion.
The Printing Process Takes Time
If you’re the impatient type and you want everything
yesterday, then you shouldn’t be in the offset art publishing business. From the
moment the painting is finished, it can take months before all the dots are
spotted and the T’s are crossed.
The greatest amount of time is spent preparing the
plates, running proofs, getting approvals, making corrections, running more
proofs, getting more approvals and on and on until the piece meets the dutiful
standards of the artist, publisher and printer. In most cases, the process is
considered fast if it gets done in six weeks. Realistically, it will normally
take 60 to 90 days.
Two Different Breeds: Publishers and
Printers
There’s a difference between an art publisher and a
printer, though many collectors assume that they are one in the same. In the
world of offset lithography, no major publishing house does their own printing.
They rely on printing houses that have skilled technicians and high-quality
machinery.
The main reason is economics. The cost of a small
single color press capable of doing high-enough quality work might cost $100,000
to $250,000. The single color press can provide excellent quality work. In fact,
with a single color press each color is applied individually and given a chance
to dry while the press is re-inked for the next color and all subsequent colors.
As each color dries, it provides a base layer that future color applications can
rest upon instead of being soaked into the paper. The result is often a strong,
brilliantly colored print. However, the labor necessary to accurately pass a
print through a printing press multiple times is very expensive, so most
printers rely on four-color presses capable of applying four colors per
application.
Four-color presses can cost anywhere from $1,000,000 to
$2,000,000. For that type of investment the press must be run practically 24
hours a day or the cost can never be amortized over a reasonable amount of time.
Even the most aggressive art publishers might only release 10 or 15 new prints a
month. So the press would only be kept busy for just a few days a week.
Most printers capable of doing high-quality offset
lithographic reproductions make their profit doing periodicals, brochures and
other full-color printed items. The art prints are just a small part of their
businesses. They have teams of 10 to 20 people working on each project —
cameramen, plate makers, printing technicians, etc. — which means the cost of
the labor alone makes it unrealistic for any fine art publisher to consider
doing their prints in-house.
The large publishing houses of today generally use more
than one printing house, preferring to keep their “eggs in more than one
basket.” Since printers are supported more from other venues than the art world,
they can’t always meet the time demands that are critical to the art business.
Furthermore, the risks associated with having so much riding on one printer are
tremendous. What if a printer decided to close shop, stop doing art prints or
even experienced a fire or other tragedy that put them out of business for a
period of time. Then the publisher could find their business in trouble as well.
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