If you’re looking for opportunities to invest your capital or you’re a new collector looking for pieces to invest in, you must understand the mediums available to you. Prints are a great investment opportunity, whether you’re a seasoned art investor or you’re new to the market – but are prints underrated? That’s what we’re going to be exploring in this blog post.
If you’re looking to buy prints, or simply want to expand your knowledge of prints, then read on to learn more, including what exactly a print is and our guide to investing in prints.
What Are Prints
Prints are high-quality reproductions of an artist’s original painting. They are often created using either canvas or premium-grade paper and by using inkjet printers. Original works are one-of-a-kind pieces of art, whereas prints can be reproduced.
One of the key differences between original artwork and prints is the texture. Artists will often use a range of tools to paint a piece of art – for example, rollers and brushes, etc. This is a unique process that tells a story on the canvas. However, prints don’t tell this same story – they lack texture on the canvas and have a flat, smooth surface.
Prints are a great opportunity for art investors hoping to resell, or collectors looking for a quality design by a reputable artist without breaking the bank. It’s easier to come across a print than an original on the art market, whether it be at an art gallery, an art fair, or an art auction.
Often, prints are created by the artist themselves – but they can also be produced by others under the supervision of the artist. For example, in 2009, the print house Pictures on Walls worked with Banksy, the renowned street artist, to publish his prints.
What About Print Editions?
When browsing the art market, you may have come across a range of print editions. This refers to the number of prints created using a printing plate, usually in the same sitting. Limited edition prints have a fixed number of prints created and are considered more valuable. However, ‘open edition’ prints have no limit.
Smaller edition print runs will often be more expensive, whereas larger editions or open-ended editions have more prints available, making them less valuable.
Often, limited edition prints will be signed by the artist. They will also be numbered (for example, 2/500), so the buyer is aware of the individual number of the print as well as the overall size of the edition.
