Limited Edition Art Prints - An Inexpensive Way to Invest in Art

By: Patrick Mooney
Submitted: 2007-01-17 10:57:31
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Many people enjoy collecting items such as coins, stamps, and art for the pure beauty, enjoyment, or for investment reasons. Many would like to do so, but are unable because of the high price involved. Obviously, owning an original painting by Salvador Dali or Claude Monet would cost millions. Even originals by lesser-known artists such as Tim Cox and Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey will cost thousands of dollars. Therefore, collecting art might seem to be only for the wealthy.

But there is an option for those that may not have the means to purchase original art. That option is limited edition art prints. Some limited edition prints sell for as low as $50. Many artists will allow their original art to be reproduced in a set amount (for example, one thousand prints) and after they have been printed, will “break the mold”, meaning they will never be printed again. The limited availability give the prints more value, making it an obvious way for an artist to profit further from their talents. I can attest that the appreciation of these prints can be absolutely amazing in this age of Ebay and other online trading sites. Once they are no longer available through conventional retail outlets, they move to something called the “secondary market”. The secondary market can consist of consumers or dealers that purchased them when they first became available. Once they move to the secondary market, the value can double, triple, or even quadruple. A good example is the Texas based artist G. Harvey who specializes in Western art. His reproductions are in such demand that they usually sell out the day that they are released.

Art prints are available in a variety of media but paper and canvas prints are the most popular. Most paper prints are reproduced on a sturdy, almost cardboard-like paper. They are usually the most inexpensive prints available. While most are reasonably priced ($50-$150), some can cost hundreds of dollars. The price depends upon the size (smaller prints are cheaper) and the reputation of the artist. Canvas prints are paper prints that are soaked onto a canvas base, making them look very much like the original. Have you ever looked at art on a wall wondering if it was an original painting? Most likely, it was a canvas reproduction. Most limited editions come with a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist. The print is also numbered, such as 123/1000, meaning it was the 123rd print out of one thousand created. By the way, limited editions are the opposite of open editions, which can be printed over and over forever.

Another version of an art print is called an “artist proof”. An artist proof is designated in this manner: the artist instructs a publisher to make one thousand reproductions of an original painting. The publisher will print the first one hundred or so and stop to show the artist his work. The artist will usually ok the result and instruct the publisher to go ahead and produce the rest of the edition. Those first one hundred prints are designated as artist proofs. They are exactly the same in appearance as regular limited editions except for possibly an “AP” in the bottom corner. Artist proofs are highly coveted by collectors. If one desires a print for cosmetic reasons, they would be better off purchasing a regular limited edition instead of an artist proof as artist proofs are higher priced.

Like I mentioned, collecting art prints can be highly rewarding for a variety of reasons.

Patrick Mooney operates a horse and western art website http://www.ElegantHorsePictures.com

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