So you have that perfect image. Great! How you present that art to the world is important, So you want to start creating Limited Edition prints?
Ok, let’s cover the work you need to know.
You can’t cheat the process.
The expectation from customers and collectors is that the artist has used the highest quality materials throughout the edition process.
Be prepared that this process takes a little more time and money. The limited edition value is dependent on the image demand and information such as:
- The choice of paper
- The print quality.
- The sequence and number of prints in the edition.
- Artist Proof of Authenticity.
Each edition is hand numbered and signed by the artist. Once all prints in that particular image edition are printed, no more prints will be made.
The artist creates a (COA) Certificate of Authenticity that identifies you as the artist and provides a level of trust in your relationship with the buyer. Included in the COA will be:
- The title of the art
- Size of the print
- Image location
- The substrate used
- The month/day/year of the image
- Edition serial number
Choosing your fine-art papers.
One of the most important decisions in creating Limited Edition prints is the type of Fine-Art paper you choose.
You should do this as the artist because you’re the one that knows the look and feel that you’re trying to convey. So you need to know:
- Will it be fiber-based or cotton based?
- Do you want glossy or matt?
- Textured or smooth?
- OBA or non-OBA.
Fiber-based Baryta papers are reminiscent of the traditional darkroom photographic look. Made from special barium sulfate coating, these papers will have a sheen of some level and print with outstanding detail with deep blacks that will bring your images to life.
These inkjet papers are appropriate for fine art prints for exhibitions, competitions, and more.
The fine-Art paper has a selection of outstanding, high-quality papers made from Cotton Rag and Alpha Cellulose materials with a mixture of surface textures that gives your art that museum painterly presents.
Rag base papers are often the choice for collectors and galleries because of their archival makeup and how collectible they feel when holding them to admire the image density, colors, and textured feel.
Most printing services have printed samples to help you choose the papers that work for your images.
Leave the printing to the Expert.
When it comes to printing, unless you have experience with some of the large-high-quality printing systems being used today, leave this to a professional. A master printer is usually certified on large 12-plus ink printing systems.
They also have a successfully calibrated workflow that produces exacting colors on various substrates, such as baryta fibers, cotton rags, and canvases.
Doing this yourself could be costly on ink and paper if you must reprint multiple times before getting the desired outcome.
My favorite Giclee prints are high-quality digital prints that utilize 12 pigment inks printed on archival-based substrates such as cotton Fine-Art papers and canvases.
This ink and substrate combination makes the prints more durable and less resistant to fading.
Before ordering the required prints from the printing service, you should:
- Know the requested color space of the service provider. sRGB or Adobe
- Ensure the image is properly edited and sized.
- Proof the image using the selected paper to printer ICC profile.
- Send a file that is at least 300 DPI.
- Order an image of a smaller size to review.
When possible, select a local printing service. This helps you understand the printing process and build a better relationship with your printing service.
You are quality control.
The best thing about Limited Editions is the ability to review each print. As an Open Editions, artists who outsource their printing to online services usually use drop shipping.
This allows the printing service to send the completed art directly to the customer on their behalf.
The order process is vastly different with Limited Editions. Artists usually order prints from the master printing service to review for quality, color, and tone accuracy before it’s approved for the requested print size.
The first accurate print will be the artist’s proof (AP).
Each completed print received is checked against the artist’s proof for accuracy before it is signed and added to the edition. Once that art’s edition count is met, no more will be printed. Ever.
Making your editions unique
Besides your signature, it is important to include other personal touches representing your style, identity, or brand that keep that connection to you as an artist. Certain personal touches could be:
- A unique stamp for the back of your print.
- Your Certificate of Authenticity.
- A personalized embossed certificate seal.
- A special “Thank You” card styled to represent you.
You can get ideas from other artists already creating Fine-Art Limited Edition prints and add a personal touch to them.
For example, I recently added a review card with a QR code to make it easier to leave a review. They also get the story behind the print. I saw this example from YouTuber Thomas Heaton, who stated he saw this from a fellow Youtuber, Ben Horne.
Every step in the process should add a personal uniqueness about you as a photographer. It doesn’t stop after the signature.
Conclusion
Limited Editions require time and meticulous work but are a rewarding experience.
Some may feel that the price exceeds what they are willing to spend. Others may become collectors of your work, knowing there is value in exclusivity and that these prints won’t appear on postcards, T-shirts, or mugs later.
