MethodsofPrinting

Kevin deals with several types of fine art reproduction in his gallery, from artist proofs to collector plates to limited edition prints (available in either canvas or paper). Depending on the needs of the collector, the behind-the-scenes making of the reproduction will affect the retail price. Because of this, it may be helpful to explain, in a bit of basic detail, the difference between the various types of prints offered by Kevin.

Definitions of Common Art Terms & Various Printing Techniques:

Acid-free paper or canvas is paper or canvas treated to neutralize its natural acidity in order to protect fine art prints from discoloration or deterioration.

An artist's proof is an impression issued extra to the regular numbered edition and reserved for the artist's own use. It is common practice to reserve approximately the first 10% of an edition as 'artist's proof', although this figure can be higher. It can, also, be distinguished by the abbreviations "A.E." or "E.A." ("Epreuve d'Artiste"), & is usually found in the lower left of the work.

Giclee: please see below for detailed explanation

An impression is an individual copy, or reproduction, of fine art made by any stamping process.

A limited edition print is one in which a specific limit is placed on the number of identical reproduced copies, or "impressions", of that particular image. This creates a scarcity of the print. Limited editions are usually numbered in succession and are often signed by the artist. Once the last limited edition print of a particular image is sold, because of the fixed number of reproducitons made, it is then officially sold out, increasing its value.

A numbered print is one of a limited edition and which has been numbered by hand. The numbering is usually in the form of x/y, where y stands for the total number of impressions in this edition and x represents the specific number of the print. The number of a print always indicates the order in which the prints were numbered, not necessarily the order the impressions were produced. This, together with the fact that later copies are sometimes superior to earlier ones, means that the lower numbers do not generally indicate better quality impressions.

An original print is a one-of-a-kind print in which the artist personally conceived & created the entire finished image.

An open edition is a series of prints in an art edition that has an unlimited number of copies. None of Kevin's series are open editions.

A print, in most general terms, is a piece of paper or canvas on which a design has been imprinted.

A proof is an impression of a print made, or "pulled", prior to the regular published edition of the print. It is the inital image taken before the actual printing of the image takes place. It is the stage where the artist can check to see what work still needs to be done before giving his or her final approval for manufacturing.

A remarque is a small sketch in the margin of an art print, or an additonal enhancement, by the artist on some or all of the final prints within an edition.

A signed print is one signed, in pencil or ink, by the artist and/or engraver of the print. Sometimes the artist's signature is incorporated directly into the manufacturing of the print.

Basic Methods of Fine Art Reproduction

What is Giclee?

Since the majority of Kevin's prints are now available in limited & artist proof editions of the Giclee format, we figured it best to give a bit of an in-depth detail on the explanation behind this exciting advance in fine art reproduction technology!

Giclee, simply put, is the finest method of art reproduction available today! It enables the art lover who can not afford the price of an original to own a fine piece of art. By using a digital file, the image & topography are generated & printed by a special inkjet printer using pigmented inks, acrylic, or oil paints (which are designed to resist fading, making it more water-resistant and archival). Giclee printing offers one of the highest degree of accuracy & richness of color available in any reproduction techniques. Some processes can even recreate the texture, brush strokes, and aged appearance of the original work which sometimes make it difficult to tell the difference between the original & the Giclee.

This technique of printing began in the 1980s, but became more widespread by 1991. Technically, "giclee" (pronounced zjee-clay) is a term coined by the French maker of the Iris inkjet printer & basically means, "to spray". It was created with the intention of distinguishing "fine art prints", created on a digital printer, from those for non-art or commercial purposes. As well, Giclee allows a particular image to be custom-made in a wide variety of sizes, depending on the art lover's needs and wants.

Giclee printing is a digital process and requires a few steps to get from the original art to the print. The first step is to capture the original by the use of a digital scanner, making a transparency of the image. Next, this transparency is loaded into a special computer program and the colors corrected to ensure that the reproduction's match the original's as closely as current technology allows which requires a high level of skill. The next step is the actual printing of the reproduction, or the digital spraying of thousands of drops of ink per square inch, onto the canvas or paper. The quality of the papers and the quality of the inks used are important factors in the life of the Giclee. Finally, the printed Giclee is sprayed with an incredibly strong UV resistant varnish to further prolong the print life, even if it is not placed behind glass.

Fine art giclees are printed on acid-free fine art canvas or 100% rag acid-free fine art paper using archival pigmented based inks. The ultra-fine density of the ink droplets allow for superior saturation, dynamic colour, and a thorough penetration into the canvas or paper surface. The inks are carefully matched to be as compatible with the canvas or paper on which they are printed, assuring a quality product with a long life and rich, vibrant colours.

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