Prints: A Fine Art Alternative
Prints: A Fine Art Alternative
The rescue of Nova by Percy Martin
Because I want to decorate my home with art on a limited budget, I’ve decided to collect fine art prints. They come in limited editions, so I’m betting they will become increasingly valuable as the careers of the emerging artists in my collection advance. The prints in my collection are of a limited quantity. So, there is a finite number of them circulating in the world, which makes them more valuable. While fine art can be expensive, a wise alternative is collecting fine art prints that are somewhat scarce yet not as costly as paintings or sculptures. Acquiring fine art prints is a way to collect valuable art that could be worth a return on an investment in the future. Not all reproductions are equal, though. Many companies loudly touting art prints are selling reproductions that have little resale value. Below are some tips for selecting quality prints of value to add to your art collection.
Fine art prints come in two varieties. As a collector of fine art prints, you have the options of reproductions of artworks that are paintings or photographs, or you have original prints. Prints of paintings allow for a limited number of reproductions of a painting. Because paintings are typically singular products, they are typically more valuable than prints. But the painting is available to more buyers if made into a print. Prints of paintings, in order to be valuable, are issued in a limited edition. Prints of paintings are a great way to affordably have the artwork without the hefty price tag. Photographs, made into prints of limited editions, are also more valuable that photographs that are made into unlimited copies. Because a photograph can be duplicated an unlimited number of times, artists who print their photographs in limited editions make their prints more valuable.
Another category is prints made from the process of printmaking. Some artists create prints through printmaking in limited editions. Acquiring fine art prints are an economically viable way to collect art that will retain and potentially even increase in value. Some artists are printmakers, and the process that they go through to create their artworks is arduous and detailed. Printmakers create prints with various techniques, including lithography, linocut, and silk screen. A Kerry James Marshall print, Keeping the Culture, was sold for $800 dollars when it was first released. Today that print is valued at somewhere around $20,000. Other famous artists’ prints from well-known artists have increased in value as well. Elizabeth Catlett prints are yielding around $15,000. A David Driskell print can sell for almost $10,000. And Sam Gilliam prints are going for around $20,000.
"Boy On Swan Float" by Derrick Adams
Two notable Black printmakers are Elizabeth Catlett and Lou Stovall. Catlett, famous for prints like Sharecropper, used the linocut technique, which is inexpensive to create and able to generate large editions. Catlett’s Sharecropper print was created in Mexico in 1952 but wasn’t printed as a linocut until 1970 at Taller de Grafica Popular. There are also lithographs of Sharecropper created between 1952 and 1957 that are not quite as valuable as the linocut. While a search for Sharecropper on the internet will yield scores of reproductions from $2 to $300, these are not all fine art prints created from the 1970 edition.
Lou Stovall began the Workshop Inc. printmaking practice in 1968. In addition to his own printed community posters, he made prints for famous artists, including Jacob Lawrence, Sam Gilliam, David Driskell, and Lois Mailou Jones. Stovall created silkscreen prints with paintbrushes, towels, and sometimes his hands instead of a squeegee, which is typical for the process. Encountering remaining prints by either Elizabeth Catlett or Lou Stovall is a real treasure.
"Fertile Nature" by Curlee Raven Holton
While acquiring prints by legacy artists can be thrilling, there are many contemporary artists whose prints are affordable now and promise to increase in value. Curlee Raven Holton, who worked with David Driskell at the eponymous center on the campus of University of Maryland, creates prints out of Raven Fine Art Editions. At this workshop, Holton creates serigraphy, relief, and mixed media prints by notable contemporary artists like Alfred Conteh, Willie Cole, and Danny Simmons. While the original artworks created of these prints can be quite costly, the prints offered here are more affordable.
Though prints by celebrity artists can be expensive, prints made by lesser-known artists are a wise investment as their celebrity status increases. Printmaker, Jamaal Barber, who primarily creates black and white linocut prints similar to Catlett’s was featured on MTV’s reality television show Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist. Barber’s prints are typically created in limited editions, which adds to their value. As the host of the podcast Studio Noize, Barber is working his way into the kinds of conversations that will increase the value of his art. Steve Prince is another artist whose prints are on the more affordable side of the spectrum. Prince’s lithograph and linocut prints are created in larger editions than some of the other artists which allows for more availability.
Though printmaking dates back to the Han Dynasty from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D., during the 15th century with the invention of the printing press, printmaking flourished in the west. During the 20th century, artists began reproducing their unique artworks and fine art prints as limited-edition reproductions. In this way, their artworks would be available to more people while at the same time remain valuable for their scarcity. Limited-edition prints allow for there to be scarcity of the artwork. Editions that are small as a result are often seen as more valuable. Prints from large edition of 200 or more are often less valuable. Reproductions in larger numbers are not known as “fine art prints.” There are a few things that should be kept in mind when choosing a print that will retain its value.
Mother and Son by Elizabeth Catlett
Original Prints vs. Reproductions
Some prints might be reproductions of original artworks, but many prints are original artworks in and of themselves. There are techniques mastered by printmakers to create original prints that are often produced in limited editions. Original prints are manually produced and typically hold more value than other types of prints. When looking at original prints, the amount of work might not be evident to the untrained eye, but there are prints that take multiple layers and a significant amount of time to create. And prints that take longer to make, are generally priced higher on the market. Fine art prints can be produced through printmaking, but paintings and photographs can also be collected as prints. Art prints can also refer to reproductions of artworks that are created on canvas or premium-grade paper using inkjet printers. Art prints and valuable reproductions are often created in limited editions.
Artists Signature
A signature by the artists whether on the front or the back of the print will make it more valuable. Prints made in a large edition might have stamped signatures, making them more affordable. If there is a choice between a signed and an unsigned print, if value is a concern, the signed print will be more valuable. Signed prints sell more on the market because it authenticates the artworks and the artists’ claim to it. Prints are typically signed in pencil at the bottom of the artwork. The value of a signed print is typically two to three-times to even 10-times higher in value of an unsigned print. It’s advisable to choose a signed print over an unsigned one.
Limited Edition Print and Size of Edition
There is a higher demand for prints in a limited edition. The scarcer they are, the more valuable they are. The number of the print is typically written in pencil on the print with the total number of prints available. For example, a print might be labelled 5/25. This means there are only 25 prints available, and this particular print is the 5th one. Editions can be limited or open, though. Open editions allow the print to be reprinted an infinite number of times. But limited prints are reprinted in a set number, increasing their scarcity and value. Limited edition prints are ideal as investments, as they can be bought and resold once their value increases. The increase in value can be attributed to the notoriety of the artist or the demand for the artwork. But the larger the edition, the more prints there will be, so the less valuable the print will be.
