Written by Jessica Whiting.
Life would be easy if there were strict (or even loose) guidelines regarding the making of prints and editions. Alas, there are not. The number of prints that you produce is up to what you deem manageable. It will be determined by your ability as a printmaker and, if you are a fine artist, the quality of the plate you are using.
There can be confusion over what is done with test prints, also known as artist proofs or state proofs. You may find yourself with a number of test prints before being satisfied with the printing standard. The print that sets the standard is known as the BAT (bon a tirèr, which is French for ‘good to print’). You can throw away the test prints but are advised to either keep the BAT as this is the most valuable print of the run.
When numbering your prints, the print that was produced after the BAT is the print that is sold as the first of the edition. If you are producing a limited edition, you must determine the number of prints that will make up the edition before making them available for sale and must not produce more than this number.
When pricing your prints, you could consider the technical equipment, skill and labour required but the best guide is to price them as you would any other artwork, according to their value in the marketplace. Two things determine the value of the print in the marketplace: your value in the marketplace; and, the number of prints in the edition. The greater number prints in an edition, the lower the value of each print, and vice versa. The BAT is the print with the highest value and is often sold when all other prints in the run sell out.
Photographers, today, produce prints in two sizes: a larger size intended for large exhibition spaces; and, a smaller size, intended for small exhibition spaces. The demand for this dual production of sorts arises from large institutions who find small prints getting lost on their large gallery walls. Fortunately, digital technologies allow the photographic print maker to meet these needs.
Further information:
Print Council of Australia www.printcouncil.org.au
Impress Printmakers Studio Brisbane www.impress.org.au
Australian Print Workshop www.australianprintworkshop.com
Queensland Centre for Photography www.qcp.org.au
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