What Every New Art Collector Needs To Know
Giclee Print Making: Production Of An Edition
Limited edition prints have been standard in printmaking since the nineteenth century. Today, limited editions can be found in a series of as many as 2 or 1000. Limited Editions should be distinguished from the original; they should be carefully produced directly from the original work and printed under the artist’s supervision. Depending on the issue and the dealer, often Limited Edition prints will include a Certificate of Authenticity, either signed by the artist or the dealer.
For the purpose of this post, we’ll be speaking with reference to signed and numbered, limited edition prints published by American artist, P Buckley Moss. Given today’s publication, smaller editions of her work are more common. Where once Moss edition sizes were almost always set at one thousand prints with twenty-five signed and numbered artist proofs, most limited editions printed today by Moss are more in the range of two hundred and fifty signed and numbered prints with twenty-five signed and numbered artist proofs. Some editions will print as high as five hundred signed and numbered prints and 25 signed and numbered proofs per edition but this is not the norm.
WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN?
There usually is no standard amount in an edition. As few as 1 or 3, or as many as 1000 or more. Reflect on how the volume will affect the value of your chosen art piece and consider that the smaller the edition, the higher price will be asked (and also sold should you decide to sell your own piece at some point.). In the art world, it is assumed the lower the number of prints in an edition, the more valuable and collectible the editions are likely to be. The number game is rather jaw-dropping if you should be lucky enough to find a very low numbered print, but in reality, the image is what the collector admires and the number, be it a very low number, is just that; a very low number. I have not witnessed a higher price asked for one number in an edition over another number.
In the early days of printing, prints could vary a bit from one print to the next but even when most of the P Buckley Moss print editions were printed as offset lithographs, or photographic reproductions of the original watercolor, the images didn’t vary and each print of the edition looked the same. Now, in the digital age, all but the oversized images by Moss are printed as giclee editions; a process of reproduction of the original watercolor using software and state of the art printers that produce more vivid colors, which make for amazingly detailed and vibrant prints.
A limited edition is normally hand signed and numbered by the artist e.g. 50/100 while the artist proofs are numbered AP 1/25, 2/25 etc. Pat Moss used to spend countless hours signing each print of every edition until the action caused problems with her wrist and her medical team asked her to make a decision; “Do you want to sign print editions or do you want to paint?” It was then that the decision was made in the mid-1990’s to secure a matrix of Pat’s signature by which all her print editions have been signed going forward. At this writing, Pat still has gallery shows where she will spend hours talking with collectors and signing her work by hand either on the print paper or on the glass of framed pieces. Her signature is an art all its own.
HOW TO DO I CHOOSE A PRINT?
The question of how to choose a print typically does not come up in regards to the work of P Buckley Moss. In our gallery inventory, we house over 2100 different pieces of Moss art, which encompasses every category of her work. Individual collectors are simply drawn to the subject matter that “grabs” them—and this should be your guide as well. Usually, the feeling evoked from Moss works is so strong, one knows after a short time of browsing our gallery what they are drawn to. Some people love the signature geese and others find the cat images attract them the most. Other potential collectors love her signature trees; a dance in calligraphy to behold. Still others love the simplicity of the rural scenes with familiar barns and landscapes. The choice is yours. Possibilities are endless when putting together a grouping or choosing a stand along piece for any room or any space.
During the selection process, pick something you like first and foremost. Don’t worry about how well it will rank on the secondary market after the edition is sold out, if it is selling out quickly or if it is viewed and loved the same by others as it is by you. If you have a connection to the art piece, if it “speaks” to you and you can picture it in your home then that is the print you should choose. If the art gives you peace and you know you will enjoy it every day, then choose that print to add to your collection. Have your art professionally framed to protect your investment.
As with all art purchases, you should speak with the professionals as the gallery about questions you might have concerning the images you choose. Ask questions about the paper, the numbering and by all means, let us talk with you about framing techniques recommended for the preservation of your art piece. Please don’t pay a good price for a piece of collectible art then go unarmed to a “frame shop” and trust their process of framing without knowing the right questions to ask. A good gallery wants to build relationships with their clients for the long term. Their passion for the art will match the enthusiasm you feel toward your new art choice. Your expectations of the experience must be fulfilled as you are guided through the process of choosing art for your home.
Don’t let price determine your choice of a print. Price is normally determined by the size and complexity of the image. We all know that it is the artist behind the brush who makes the art and her talent for putting to paper the way she sees the world is what draws us to love the art. In addition, if the price is a determining factor, ask if there is a lay-a-way plan, which will make the process of purchasing an easier way to have exactly the art you have in mind.
WHAT IS AN ARTIST’S PROOF?
An Artist’s Proof is just that: an image made for the artist by the printer. APs are usually produced in smaller numbers than the general edition, are marked as APs, and may be signed and numbered as well. Because the number of Artist Proofs is smaller and because the APs are “closer to the artist’s hand,” signed APs tend to be more valuable than the prints of a signed and numbered limited edition.
In the early days of printmaking, printer’s plates would wear down over time. Because of this, the first prints off the printing press were the highest quality and were designated “artist’s proofs”. The artist’s proofs were considered to be the best prints within the edition and often the artist kept them.
Technology has changed quite a bit since the early days of printmaking. Today, all prints within a run of offset lithographic prints or Giclee prints will be identical in quality. However, the tradition of having a special edition within the edition has stuck around. Today the value of owning an artist’s proof does not relate to quality, it relates to the importance of owning a rare portion of an edition. Most offset lithographic editions and Giclee editions include less than 20 percent artist’s proofs. Because the art world loves rarity and since there are fewer artist’s proofs than regular prints, they are preferred by many collectors.
A bit of history with Moss Artist: In the early years (1974-1984) of publishing Moss works, the artist proofs were an essential part of planning each edition. The proofs were noted with an AP on each of the proofs but were not numbered. The reasoning could have been an issue with the process, although to look at each proof in my collection, you can’t really see significant differences in the prints. During those years, the proofs were actually used to determine how the edition was printed and the artist would approve or disapprove until the printing was an expression of what she intended the print to be.
The process of printing has become so automated and precise that colors may be tested and approved but the artist proofs offered for sale look exactly like the edition and the entire edition of proofs is held by the artist in her private collection until she agrees they may be sold. Think of the proofs of today as being a tiny edition of twenty-five, signed and numbered prints, within any given edition, considered the cream of the edition and available for sale at the artist’s discretion. P Buckley Moss artist proofs are typically two and one-half to three times the value of any print from the matching edition. The line of value progression would be Original work, Artist Proof, Print. The perfect collection would be a collection containing an array of all of the categories in which the artist has published. Some collectors are only interested in original works while other art collectors seek a mix of all mediums.
PRODUCTION OF AN EDITION
Offset lithograph printmaking requires a commitment to printing the entire edition at one time. The publisher takes possession of the edition, stores the edition until the last prints are sold and they are constantly tracking what remains of any edition in their inventory. Imagine the storage issue with such an active publisher! With the digital printers of today, when the publisher has their your own printer, they can print each print as needed while always keeping count of where the edition stands and how many prints will be needed to print the entire edition.
A plus to the new printing technique, Giclee printing, is that if Pat has a desire to see her image on a larger scale, any image could be sized to print larger and the larger prints would be counted as the next number to be printed. Perhaps a collector finds an image they love but needs that image larger to hang in an intended space. While the price will reflect the costs of a larger print, the process of printing a different size of an image is now possible. We have made progress with the digital age in the reproduction of art allowing a greater audience to enjoy unique works of art and feel confident that their investment will grow over time.
#LimitedEditionArt #PBuckleyMossArt #ArtCollector
Art Images:
1. Mountains in Spring. Image Size: 29-1/8 x 25 ins. http://bit.ly/2pUndYv
2. Our Song. Image Size: 37 x 12-1/2 ins. Paper Size: 39 x 14-1/2 ins. http://bit.ly/2prKRZP
Laura DeRamus, Passionate Art Dealer, Framer, Small Business Advocate is the owner of Canada Goose Gallery which holds the distinction of having the largest Inventory of P Buckley Moss Art including early, hard to find prints and rare issue price art. Her expertise and passion for the art of American Artist, P. Buckley Moss is contagious, and her strong belief that education in the arts is essential in our increasingly digital world is her personal mission. Contact her at Laura@CanadaGooseGallery.com with questions on Art.
. 
. 
It seems that my grandfather always included me in whatever he was doing.
bringing joy to the people who would stop at his “The Gardens” to purchase flower plants, fresh flowers bouquets, along with the many vegetables he also grew.
and to have worked beside him, with the sheep, cattle and hogs that we raised in the past, along with working beside him with the various crops that were raised. We still enjoy the fruits of our labors as we still grow a small plot of vegetables each spring to enjoy during the summer and into fall. While, “The Earth is at Rest”, we rest, waiting for the spring to again bring the seasons of life to life again. 
Canada Goose Gallery offers a mix of etchings, offset lithographs, original art and giclee limited edition reproductions that are of the highest quality and value, made in America exclusively by the artist's family. We have artist signed pieces and numbered limited editions that will not only refresh your spaces, but also bring value to the art you purchase at all price levels for every shopper's tastes and budgets. And, every piece we deliver to you will include a certificate of authenticity that can be placed on the back after framing ensuring that you have chosen a special and valuable piece of art to inspire your home or office. 
