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A Glossary of Commonly Used Art Terms
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To
help you get a better understanding of various aspects of the
art business, I have put
together a glossary of some definitions which you might find
helpful. |
| Artist Proof. A numbered
print which is not part of the limited edition. Usually these
prints are signed "Artist Proof" or "AP"
with the generally accepted edition size not to exceed ten percent
of the regular limited edition size. (ie: an edition of 500 would
have 50 artist proofs.) With modern printing, artists proofs
are not better quality prints than the regular edition, however
they are desirable to many serious collectors in that there are
fewer signed in this way. Many artist proofs are remarqued to
make them even more valuable. |
| Commission. To order
an original work of art from the artist |
| Dry Mount. A framing
method in which a print is glued to a stiff backboard such as
foam core, with a heat activated dry adhesive. This method is
not recommended for a limited edition print of any value, however
if exposed to constant extreme temperature change and humidity
such as in a bathroom or at the beach, it can be a way of keeping
the artwork from buckling. |
| Gicleé. A
Gicleé (zee-clay) is a coined art term. It is a French
word which means to spit or spray. Gicleé reproductions
are actually produced with a high quality ink jet process. |
| Illustration. A general
term used for a drawing or an original work of art. |
| Image Size. The size
of the work reproduced on a print, not the overall paper size. |
| Edition. Number of
prints made from an original. This number generally does not
include any artist proofs or any special editions. |
| Limited Edition. The number of prints made from an original
has been restricted to a certain number. This number would appear
on each printed piece as such; 50/500; number fifty out of five
hundred prints. |
| Lithograph. This term
describes general offset printing. This process is used by most
print publishers today. The original painting is photographed
and the image is burned into four plates for a full color printing
process. The ink comes from a roller on a printing press. High quality lithographs
use a very fine dot screen on acid free paper with fade resistant
inks. |
| Mass Marketed Art. (ie: Famous
Artist Galleries, Famous Art Auctions, unbelievably cheap art
- like $19. - $49. for a "couch size" painting) This
is usually assembly -line, mass produced art from underdeveloped
third world countries. Many people may work on each painting;
one may do skies, another trees and another buildings etc., or
a single worker may produce many pieces, duplicating the same
painting over and over again. This art is usually poorly done
copies of currently popular styles, color combinations and art
trends. |
| Matted Size. The overall
size of the mat which contains a print or original, ready for
a frame. |
| Numbered. A numbered
print is designed to show the limit or size of a print edition.
The number is generally placed over the size of the edition.
For example 12/500, indicates that the print is number twelve
out of an edition of 500. Lower numbers used to mean a sharper
image, but with modern printing, the last print should be as
sharp as the first "off the press". |
| Open Edition. The print
produced has an unlimited size. The print may or may not be signed
by the artist. An unsigned, unnumbered print is basically just
a poster. |
| Original. Buying an
original means you have the only one. It is the actual painting
or work of art done by the artist. Most times, no reproductions
are made of a painting. When a print has been made, the original
painting is what was photographed for the reproduction. This
makes the original to a limited edition print more valuable in
that the piece becomes well known and more appreciated. Usually
the original is larger than the print. |
| Overall Print Size. The actual
size of a limited edition print - the image plus the margins. |
| Publisher. The printer
and marketing company producing and distributing limited edition
prints. At this time I am self-published. |
| Remarque. A small original
sketch done by the artist, often outside the actual image of
the print. It may be in pencil, watercolor or pen and ink. A
remarqued print is more desirable to many serious art collectors.
A remarque adds value to a print in that it then becomes one
of a kind with the addition of the original artwork by the artist. |
| Reproof. A reproof
may mean several different things, depending on what the artist
intented to say. Some possibilities are: 1. that an original
piece has been reworked so as to eliminate what was considered
to be faulty. 2. a new negative has been made 3. a work of art
has been touched up (perhaps because the piece was damaged or
peeling due to age) 4. a copy has been made from an original
("a reproofed copy"). |
| Signature. Sometimes
refers to the signature on the plate itself, but is generally
the artist's actual signature on the print after printing. |
| Signed and Numbered. Refers to
an artist's signature (generally in pencil) and the numbering
of the edition. |
| Signed Only. The print
is signed by the artist only. It is not numbered and is sometimes
referred to as an "open edition". |
| Sold Out. A limited
edition print is no longer available at issue price and is being
sold at secondary market prices. |
| Watercolor. An original
painting done with water-soluble pigments and water on paper
or illustration board. |
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