Digital BW, The Print

I have not fallen off the earth. I've been entrenched in the year 
1965; I took another Road Trip, this time to Atlanta, and I took the 
old road, to shoot along the way. Also bought a camera (4x5 
Ebony); also looked at some strong work at two galleries. My 
head is full. 

Here's one quick tidbit though: reading November issue of Art on 
Paper. Working Proof article mentions a Chuck Close 
photogravure called "Lorna 2002". Check out how they parse out 
the prints: "An edition of thirty-five, plus ten artist's proofs, two 
printer's proofs, three presentation proofs, and four proofs 
destined for various archives". Price increases in increments 
every five prints.

I almost laughed when I read this. Should everyone be this 
detailed? In one way, you gotta give him credit for being upfront 
and thorough about what prints will be where. But...

Here's my Version of my Edition: "An edition of twenty-five, plus 
five proofs to gallery owners who don't represent me as a 
Suck-Up Gesture; plus one proof to this cute waitress at my local 
coffeehouse so that I might get laid; one proof to my mother 
although it'll stay rolled up in the guest bedroom closet. Of the 
initial twenty-five, maybe, just maybe, six or seven might actually 
sell".

What actually *IS* an artist proof? Can it be sold, or must it be 
"given away"? What is a printer's proof, and I guess it would not 
be destroyed, thus it enters circulation?

-MT, http://marktucker.com/

> What actually *IS* an artist proof? Can it be sold, or must it be 
> "given away"? What is a printer's proof, and I guess it would not 
> be destroyed, thus it enters circulation?
> 
> -MT, http://marktucker.com/

My editions are 35 plus 5 artist proofs. Most of my APs are used as 
samples for show and tell at lectures, workshops, class 
presentations, etc. They get pretty shop warn, but they still 
maintain the image quality, tonality, and general look of the prints 
I sell. Some proofs (too many!) end up as donations to art auctions 
hosted by well-meaning social service and cultural enrichment 
organizations. I never provide my galleries with artist proofs; they 
only get saleable works and it's their responsibility to maintain 
them.
Bj

>
>
>What actually *IS* an artist proof? Can it be sold, or must it be
>"given away"? What is a printer's proof, and I guess it would not
>be destroyed, thus it enters circulation?
>
>-MT, http://marktucker.com/
>


Mark,

You just hit on one of the games that traditional printmakers have 
used for years. There are tons of artist's proofs out there that 
never get counted, but they do eventually get sold...and it is 
usually dealers that make money with them.

Remember, these are the same folks who are insisting that 
photographers create limited editions...even though one of the main 
reasons for limited editions in traditional printmaking was  because 
the stone or plate wore down and the print quality degraded.  Other 
games these "pure" traditional printmakers play is when an image is 
successful, they quickly find a way to make another edition.  I even 
see painters now painting the same scene over and over when they have 
a hot one.

No such practical problem of degrading plates exists in our digital 
medium.  Before digital, with care,  even negatives lasted for a long 
time....before they become scratched beyond usefulness.

I think you argued for quite severe limitations on editions, but I am 
an open edition kind of photographer. It was good enough for Ansel 
Adams and Edward Weston and it's good enough for me.

It is a gallery gimmick and limits the artist from making a decent 
living throughout their creative life. One of the big advantages of 
digital is that you can print them on demand and create different 
sizes easily.  Additionally as you become better and the technology 
gets better, the quality improves and the price should go up...so in 
one sense, there is a de facto limit...by the market place...to how 
large an edition will be.

Bill Agee
-- 

bill agee studio
capistrano beach, ca / laguna beach, ca

http://www.redsilver.com

Regarding artist proofs, as someone else said, these are not "trials". If
you would like to know about the place of artist's proofs in the printmaking
world of editions, one place to start would be at worldprintmakers.com

http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/number.htm

diana jeon

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., diana jeon 
<diana.jp@v...> wrote:
one place to start would be at worldprintmakers.com 
> http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/number.htm
> diana jeon

------

Diana,

Thank you. Great resource.

Ironic though, as I looked at that site, I saw a nice BW image, 
clicked on it, and it was an edition of 100, and the price was only 
$35 for a print! Yikes...

http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/maitland/maitland.htm

Like that old saying, "How do we do it? VOLUME!..." Let's hope 
he's not splitting that thirty-five with anybody at 50%.

Nothing new there. The Chardin show at the Met a couple of years ago had
a pair of identical paintings - he painted the second one for another
buyer. Not to mention the etching he did of the same scene. That was in
the 1700's.

-Jason

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Agee [mailto:billagee@...] 

I even see painters now painting the same scene over and over when they
have a hot one.

There's also a more comprehensive article here:

http://www.monoprints.com/prints/numbering.html

-Jason

-----Original Message-----
From: diana jeon [mailto:diana.jp@...] 

Regarding artist proofs, as someone else said, these are not "trials".
If
you would like to know about the place of artist's proofs in the
printmaking
world of editions, one place to start would be at worldprintmakers.com

http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/number.htm

diana jeon

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., diana jeon <diana.jp@v...> 
wrote:
> Regarding artist proofs, as someone else said, these are 
not "trials". If
> you would like to know about the place of artist's proofs in the 
printmaking
> world of editions, one place to start would be at 
worldprintmakers.com
> 
> http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/number.htm
> 
> diana jeon

Diana,

Thanks for URL! Now we learn something - post it on the fridge. 

I know printers, who should know better, that sell their culls 
as "bin art." I think that is very, very unprofessional. One 
shouldn't even give it away, simply out of pride if nothing else. 

On the other hand there is such a thing as a signed, so-designated on 
the print, "monoprint" or "unique state" of the image that IS 
legitmiate.  

AZ