Beginning an art collection can be daunting, especially if you are working within a budget. An original artwork by an up-and-coming artist can easily set you back $5000, and that’s just for one piece. The best way to dip your toes into the collection pool, without going broke, is through prints. Luckily, many of the most popular artists at market are also some of the most prolific printers, creating multiples of their own artwork. The most popular forms of printmaking today are lithography, etching, screen printing, and woodblock printing. Each process requires specific materials and appeals to various aesthetic choices by the artist. No matter your budget, or tastes, prints are the gateway to a sustainable and impressive collection.
Before you embark on your collection, it is important to know the basics about prints, so artnet News asked some industry-experts for a primer on the medium, and how best to approach the marketplace.
The Relationship Between Artist and Printer
Many artists come to printmaking through workshops and residencies at world-renowned studios. Blue-chip artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Sophie Calle, Frank Gehry, Philip Guston, Julie Mehretu, and David Hockney have all worked with the Gemini G.E.L. master printers. read more