July 2024
Monthly Newsletter - This month an upcoming art fair and everything you ever wanted to know about prints.
Greetings & Salutations.
If you are a new subscriber, this is my Monthly Newsletter. Here I will I update you about what/where/when/how/why of my art. I’ll let you know about upcoming exhibits, fairs, new available works and other projects.
You’ll also see occasional book recommendations and questions/answers to art related topics.
News - Art on the Rocks 🪨
Art on the Rocks is almost here- July 27 & 28 - Mattson Lower Harbor Park, Marquette, MI
I’ll have originals, limited edition prints, note cards and some mini prints. I had a ton of fun printing the note cards. I went deep into my files. I still haven’t figured out how to display all of them.
I look forward to seeing everyone there. Stop in, say hi. I’ll babble about Alaska and how much I missed the night sky.
It’s historically one of the most beautiful weekends of the summer. With two dueling Art Fairs and Blueberry Fest on Friday, July 26 there’s quite literally something for everyone. There are going to be new artists to see this year, I’m excited about that myself. It’s shaping up to be a great Fair.
Can’t make it? I’ll be back in business online in August. You can purchase work out of my website shop then or contact me about a commission. Shoot me an email if you have questions.
Questions & Answers
How much time does it take you to complete a painting?
I don’t keep track. I know a larger work 18” x 24” is on the easel for at least a week and half to two weeks.
A painting usually gets set aside for a while before I know if it’s finished. The number of hours I put into one work I can’t tally. Much of the process is spent living with the painting in my space until “I know” what it needs. That could take months, or years.
This doesn’t account for the administration tasks, documentation, cataloguing, listing and sharing with followers. It also doesn’t account for the time spent out photographing references.
How do you make prints of your work?
I have ceased trying to use printing services.
Now, from my home studio:
-I photograph my artwork with studio lighting and edit the image for print.
-I choose acid free and archival papers.
-I am able to print up to 17” wide. My largest offered limited edition print is 15” x 20” with a 1” border.
-I’m able to adjust colors and fix flaws quickly, saving me time and money in misprints.
-I’m able to send surprises out with my commissioned works. (This is so much fun!)
-I package my limited edition reproductions safely in sleeves after signing and numbering them.
-I handle the entire process in my home studio. The reproductions are not an outsourced product but part of my studio work.
What is the difference between a Giclée, a reproduction and a print?
They are all words for generally the same thing. Giclée is a French word, I believe it’s made up, to elevate inkjet prints. It’s marketing. For many years the standard in fine art prints were lithographs, a process involving plates of metal or stone. There is a beauty to lithographs, however the process simplifies the original work. At least in my opinion. Inkjet printers made reproducing art easier.
The term reproduction is used interchangeably with print/Giclée/lithograph. Some art fairs require prints be labeled as reproductions. I have no idea why show runners are this particular. Some fairs require everyone use the same type of display walls in their tent.
Giclée - Fancy word for fine art inkjet printing
Reproduction - a scanned or photographed artwork for reproduction. Today you can get a reproduction of a painting on various surfaces beyond paper.
Lithograph - a traditional method of reproducing fine art with metal or stone plates. Lithographs can be an art form on their own.
Print - another term for reproduction, usually referring to a print on paper. ***To confound people who aren’t artists it could also refer to an art form. Lino-cuts and woodcuts are original artworks that are made as a print series. Digital artists will also sell their work as prints.
Inkjet - a type of printer used to make archival prints. The large format printers are made for fine art printing. The pigment inks are archival. Some people are using dye subliminal large format printers. Pigments are always preferable to dyes. Pigments have better lightfastness.
What I Want You To Know
I care about what I’m making. I care about what I’m selling you. I want it to last beyond your lifetime. It’s not just a print, it’s an image you connected with. You deserve my best▪️
Anyone want to help me understand how people buy art?
Great post