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March 31st, 2015 - 12:25 PM
I don't know about you, but so far I'm discovering that the art world is full of choices, so much so that it can be overwhelming at times. Unless you're collecting for investment purposes you probably buy art because it speaks to you emotionally or you think it will enhance the decor in your home. If you've got a few hours to spend researching the various types of categories, media and printing processes, more power to you. If you'd prefer the short and sweet, here's a short guide based on what I've learned so far from my own research.
Basic Types of Art
The four most common types of art (excluding sculpture, crafts, etc.) are commercial art (graphic design, advertising) that exists primarily to sell products. Applied art, like fashion design and architecture, tends to have some practical purpose. Pop art began in the 1950s as a reaction to more high-brow, non-objective art. It tends to focus on popular culture and uses commercial art to depict everyday items. Fine art, which we'll be dealing with in this article, is purely aesthetic and is distinguished by (or places a high value on) originality and uniqueness.
Ways to Buy Art
There are basically two different ways to buy fine art. You can buy an original painting (or drawing). Unless an artist is making prints available as well, he or she will need to recoup the costs of producing the painting, including time invested, the level of skill applied, costs of materials, sales tax (if applicable) and shipping costs, because once a painting is sold they won't earn any other profit from it. While this can be the most expensive buying option, advantages include giving a leg up to an emerging artist and owning a one-of-a-kind work that may increase in value as the artist, hopefully becomes more well-known and in-demand, or owning a one-of-a-kind work of art from an established artist.
Another way to buy art is to buy a print of the original. Here are two different types of prints:
Posters
If you're on a limited budget you can buy a poster of a painting. This is where a painting, drawing or photograph is mass-produced on lower quality paper stock as a poster. The advantage of poster printing is that it makes art affordable for everyone. The disadvantages of posters are that they may not match the original art in color quality and tend to physically deteriorate over time (curling, creasing, yellowing, etc.). However, some vintage posters can be collectibles if kept in pristine condition.
Art Prints
Unlike posters or photo prints, art prints are made by re-creating a painting from a scanned or digital image of the original through different applications of ink to a variety of surfaces.
How Art Prints Are Made and Why It Matters
Giclee Printing
Giclee (pronounced "zhee-klay") is a French term that means "To squirt, spirt or spray". This method is where a scan or photo of an original is printed on archival quality (long-lasting) watercolor, photo paper or canvas paper via a high quality inkjet printer using a variety of pigmented inks. Giclee printing is popular among artists and collectors because printing can be done in small batches and also because of the high quality of print. It has been estimated that Giclee prints can last for decades - some even say centuries.
Lithograph or offset printing
This older method of printing uses plates and the traditional four inks (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to produce an image on paper. It can and has been used by artists and is popular in industries that need mass production at minimal cost.
Types of Mediums for Art Prints
Fine Art Paper
I have read that because of its smoother surface, paper offers the best detail quality and may be the best option for smaller prints. Unlike paper used for photo prints, fine art paper is higher quality and suitable for archival purposes. Paper prints are frequently made available on matte (non-glossy) and glossy stock. You also need to keep in mind that the need for matting (for framing small to medium-sized prints) will affect your print display. The mat is the white card stock that frames a print so that it will hang right in a frame and be protected from the glass. For example, if you want the image size to be 11" x 14" and a pre-cut mat is 10.5" x 13.5", you'll want a frame sized 16" x 20". Since pre-cut mat sizes can differ among manufacturers, it's best to check with the printer or ask about customized mat options.
Canvas
Canvas is recommended for larger paintings because it won't wrinkle or buckle over time. One advantage of canvas prints is that they tend to look more closely like the original paintings because most originals are done on canvas. Another advantage is that canvas prints can be stretched, eliminating the need for framing. However, I have a large-ish canvas print in a frame that's surprisingly light and decorative.
Other types of print mediums, which I won't get into here include luster photo paper, metallic paper, acrylic and metal.
Things to Consider When Buying Art
Here are a few things you might want to think about when making your first art purchase:
What appeals to you?
What sizes and mediums are available for purchase?
How much can you afford to spend?
Does the seller have a return Policy?
What payment methods are offered? If buying online, will your payment be secure?
Again, if buying online, is contact information provided for customer service? I've run into a couple art sites with that provided only an email address, but they responded to my questions within an hour or two. FAA is the fastest response time that I've seen.
Hope this helps to navigate the sometimes confusing world of art buying. Happy buying!
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