Art Language

OPENED EDITION ART PRINTS - A high quality print not signed by the artist and no print limit. When hand-signed by the artist, this art is more valuable.

LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS (L/E) - An edition size is set by the artist and only that number of prints will be made available to the buying public. For example, if a limited edition of 1,000 prints were going to be made of an original, there would be 1,000 copies plus 100 (10% additional) artist proofs made and inspected. All of the rejected prints plus negatives and printing plates are then destroyed. There would then be a total of 1100 prints available for sale throughout the entire world for that particular edition.

LITHOGRAPH - When the artist draws, usually with a grease crayon, directly on a flat stone or specially prepared metal plate. The stone is dampened with water, then inked. The ink will cling to the greasy crayon marks, but not to the dampened areas. When a paper is pressed against the stone, the ink on the greasy parts is transferred to it.

SERIGRAPH - When the artist prepares a tightly stretched screen, usually of silk, and blocks out areas not to be printed by filling the mesh on the screen with a varnish-like substance. Paper is placed under the screen, and ink is forced through the open mesh onto the paper by means of a squeegee.

ARTIST PROOF (A/P) - The artist usually allocates about 10% of the total printing for his/her own use and these prints are called Artist Proofs. They are hand picked by the artist and are signed and numbered differently than the regular edition. These prints are more valuable than the limited edition prints.

REMARQUE - Many artists will add in the lower margin of certain prints a small personal piece of artwork done either in pencil, pen or paint. These are one-of-a-kind images of original artwork that gives the buyer the opportunity to own some original art done by a favorite artist. Remarques add to the overall value of the print as very few of the total editions are remarqued.

GICLEE - A French term meaning "spraying of ink." The Giclee printing technique is a digital process using highly specialized inks, paper and materials to display the full color spectrum. This art has vibrant, brilliant colors and gives the finished product the look and texture of an original painting.

SOLD OUT PRINT - A print is considered sold out and on the secondary market when it is no longer available from the primary source of supply, such as the artist or the publisher who distributed the print even though the art dealer may have prints in stock.

SECONDARY MARKET VALUE - Guidelines that are established by those print owners who offer for-sale prints they possess that are not longer available from the primary or dealer source. The popularity of the artist, the rarity of the print and the interest of the consumer in owning the print all are factors that help determine the secondary market value of a limited edition print.