Collecting Art Prints

Have a good look around your home or office, are there pictures on the walls ? If so, were these purchased new from a high street retailer or superstore. Were they purchased from an Auction or Antique shop; or were they given to you as presents. It is very likely that it will be a mixture of all of these.
Now think about why you like them - is it because of the subject matter, the size, the frame, or because they fit into a particular colour scheme, as Interior Designers would suggest we do. Perhaps you actually dislike certain ones, but for sentimental reasons cannot be parted from them. The recent success of the Monet and Klandinsky Exhibitions has proved, people really do love and appreciate Art.
It must be really wonderful to collect Masterpieces and Original Art. Perhaps that was part of the attraction to the exhibitions - 'to want what you can't have'.
Thankfully that is not the case. OK, we may not be able to buy an original Monet but we could buy new original Artworks. These can be sourced from the Artists, local Art Societies, Art College Exhibitions, and the Internet.
Art is obviously a very subjective and personal affair, but the fun of collecting a particular Artist or style is very satisfying and who knows - you may be collecting a 'Monet' of the future!! Even so, to purchase original Artworks by professional Artists, is likely to cost well over £250.00 - plus the cost of framing, if required. So, collecting originals could cost many thousands of pounds and take a lot of time to complete. Especially when hampered by those mundane things of life, like the dishwasher needs replacing or the car breaks down, yet again!Well, there is a way you can collect Art, which is fun, affordable and may even increase in value over the years, dependant on your choice of Artist.
What you do is to collect Prints (which also includes Posters) - but in particular a category known as Limited Editions.
Limited editions prints are restricted print runs, they are produced to a high quality and are approved by the artist, who then individually numbers and signs each one. A certificate of authentification should be supplied as well, and should remain with the picture when sold on, though this may not always be the case. For well known Artists; originals and expensive prints a written provenance may even be available. This is the history of the print from the time it left the Artist, listing all the owners, dates of sale and any other relevant facts.
The length of the print run is important, the longer the run - the more copies are in the market place, therefore reducing the exclusivity of an edition, which should be reflected in the value.
The Fine Art Trade Guild states that a limited edition should be no more than 1,950 copies, therefore the lower the better!
So, how much do prints cost - well, you can easily start collecting for under £ 50.00, though this may not include the frame. The price is dependant on the Artist and the print process used, but you can purchase superb art at very affordable prices. Thankfully, there is plenty to choose from, below the £200.00 mark. There are the highly sought after collectors prints which can sell for many thousands of pounds , for example by Artists like Klandinsky or Picasso. Which proves that prints can be useful investments for the future, if collected wisely.
Now a print can be produced in a number of ways, and it is important to know the difference between the various processes, and how these are recognised; a good magnifying glass, is essential for this purpose. To find out more detailed information on printmaking, it is worth visiting the library and the Internet, if you have access. Where there are a few excellent sites that are on-line galleries like www.art4all.co.uk or visit The Art Trade Guild at www.fineart.co.uk which gives a full list of framers by area and other web sites.