Why Print? - The Advantages of Limited Edition Prints to Artists and Art Collectors

Art is in the eye of the beholder! An original artwork executed in the medium of water colour, acrylic or oils can sometimes be so attractive that more than one person may seek to own it. The works of masters like Picasso, Degas and Monet are far beyond the reach of the average art collector who appreciates the works nonetheless. In such instances the art of printmaking comes to the rescue. Many artists are now producing limited edition prints of their works for sale. This trend is also visible in India where serigraphs of Indian Masters like Hussain, Raza and Jehangir Sabavala are in great demand and the prices of these prints appreciate regularly.

So what exactly would constitute a print? A print is a replica of an original artwork produced either on paper or canvas. There are digital and ink jet prints and also serigraphs. When an artist produces an ‘open’ edition, it basically means that there is no limit to the number of prints that will be issued. However, in such a case the prints would be devalued. Artists are always encouraged to issue ‘limited’ edition prints and once the number is set, it should not be altered as that would affect the trust of their client base. The quality of a good limited edition of prints is subject to the choice of images for the edition, choice of base – paper or canvas, colours that are true to the original and the size of the edition.

For an artist, even an emerging artist, issuing limited editions prints of some of their seminal artworks can prove to be quite beneficial. The aim of every emerging artist is, or should be, to reach out to a vast audience and build up a clientele of people who appreciate his/her art. This would be difficult to do if an artist plans to sell only original works. An emerging artist’s work may be perceived as being expensive by first-time art buyers and for such clients, prints at reasonably lower prices are a good alternative. As the sales of your prints increase so does your market value and your standing as an artist. Besides, a hike in your status as an artist will also push up the value of your prints, making it a win-win situation for the buyers of the prints as well!

Artists need to adhere to a few rules while issuing limited edition prints. Proper documentation of the prints is required to be maintained. The prints should not only be signed by the artist but also the number of the print, for example 1/100, needs to be mentioned. Besides, every print should be dated, at the time of valuation art collectors may find that the value of an earlier print is much higher than a recent one. An artist may choose of course to issue unsigned, unlimited copies of his works but then these will have to be priced much lower, as they would be considered to be on par with posters.

When it comes to entering the art market as a collector, most are confused where to start. Sometimes, the gallery owners and curators can be quite intimidating, trying to impose their choices upon you. Also, one would be hesitant to invest a large amount of money for a field that one does not understand. For such investors, prints are the best option. The money you invest is nominal and you can track the response of the art market to the artist and decide if you wish to purchase an original work in future. Also, this is the best way to get the works by some of the ‘big name’ or ‘blue chip’ artists. The works of these artists may also not be available in the market, especially if the artist is no more and there are no new works being produced. In fact, the prices of prints can sky rocket too. A case in point is the serigraphs of Jehangir Sabavala which were sold out when priced at Rs. 45,000. Today their value has doubled, in the space of just one year!

Prints also present an ideal purchase for companies as corporate gifts. By requesting special edition prints of a particular artist or artwork, corporates can ensure that there is a consistency to the gifts to all clients as well as present a unique gift item with a potential for appreciation. Interior decor professionals, hotels and restaurants prefer to display prints as low-cost, high-impact artistic enhancements to decor.

Internationally galleries hosting an exhibition of an artist would also have a set of limited edition prints of a few works of the artist available for sale at the same venue. Some Indian galleries have also started the practice. In 2007, the Gallery Nvya in Delhi hosted an exhibition of works of Viraj Naik, a young painter from Goa. Along with the original artworks, a set of six serigraphs in a limited edition of 50 prints was also released. It is time other emerging and established artists woke up to the print revolution!

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