Why a 'Limited' Edition?

In the old days the engravers soft metal 'plates', used to make the print, deteriorated quickly. Because of this copies were numbered: the lower the number, the better the quality of the print and the more it was worth. Nowadays, unless the work is reproduced lithographically by the big publishers, most artists make, or have made, digital or Giclée reproductions. Pieces are still numbered, not to indicate deterioration, but to make the run 'finite'. Despite the various sizes of the prints on this website the quantity of the edition relates to the image, not to the size. 

How are your Giclée Limited Editions printed?

Giclée literally means 'to spray' and a Giclée printer is, in essence an inkjet, although these machines are unlikely to fit on your average desk-top. Not too many years ago a Giclée printer was at the cutting edge of print technology and represented a massive investment for the print house. These days, as with so much new technology, the prices have come down significantly and a Giclée printer can be found in a print shop in almost every town. My own printer, and yes, I print all my reproductions myself, is an Epson 9800 which I've nicknamed 'The Beast'. (It's six feet long, four feet high, and weighs 200lbs!) I chose the Epson for two reasons. Firstly, the durability of the Ultrachrome K3 inks which will, Epson say, maintain their light-fastness for a hundred years under normal conditions, and secondly, because the Epson handles my vivid blue and turquoise superbly.

My canvas prints are on OBA free, Museum Grade Fine Art canvas, and the paper Limited Editions on the finest archival quality, acid and lignin free,  100% cotton vellum. These are quality products and you are welcome to visit my suppliers website to see what they have to say about their products. Visit my links page.

I don't carry prints in stock. There is little point and it would tie up a great deal of money. When your order comes through I run a copy specifically for you. This is then signed and numbered, and, in the case of the prints on canvas, hand varnished. Within the industry, colour integrity is more or less guaranteed by assigning an 'ICC profile' to the digital master, it doesn't however make any adjustment for the media, which can throw colour integrity considerably. I don't use profiles, and I don't use them because I prefer to use my 'eye' as the defining element. I know the colour of my original painting and I prefer to adjust the 'master', by hand, exactly as I want it. Before I offer my prints for sale I will often take as much as a day at the computer on each image, tweaking first this colour, then another, masking various areas so the changes are confined, and then printing proof after proof, until I'm happy with them. The earlier proofs are destroyed, the final couple I might give to friends, but the last print - the perfect one - becomes the first number of the run, and after that I will only print the number I've specified. Should those all be sold, I shall delete and electronically shred the 'master', after which there will be no more.

What do I get for my money?

Each Limited Edition is supplied rolled in a wide (to reduce unnecessary curl) and strong, sealed cardboard tube. A signed and numbered Certificate is included with each print. You'll be pleasantly surprised with the quality and brilliance of the print I'm sure. The invoice will be attached to the outside of the tube in a document wallet to facilitate 'Customs' assessment where applicable. 

What do I have to do before I can hang my print?

Paper prints should be mounted, using archive quality tape and acid free mount-board, and then framed in the usual manner. If the print will be exposed to brighter than normal conditions you might invest in having the framer use UV resistant glass. Canvas prints should be stretched on good quality wooden frames: most picture framers will do this for you and prices are normally between £50 and £80 at todays prices (Late 2009). As with original paintings atmospheric conditions can, over time attack the back of the canvas. Simply cutting and taping a sheet of brown paper over the back of the stretcher frame will help significantly.

For more information on Limited Editions this Wikipedia link here. might be useful.

Steve Bonner. 2010.