Fine Art Prints: What They Are And Why Make Them

July 1, 2023 Gavin Coates

Art prints have gained significant popularity in recent years, especially complex abstract prints.

Art prints are high-quality reproductions of original artworks, created using specialized printers on canvas or premium paper. They mimic the depth, sharpness, and colors of the original piece, making art more accessible and affordable to a wider audience.

In this article, we will delve into everything you need to know about art prints, including their creation process, how they differ from original artworks, and why artists offer them for sale.

What are Art Prints? Art prints are high-quality machine-printed reproductions of an artist's original paintings. They are typically created using specialized inkjet printers on canvas or premium-grade paper. Despite being replicas, art prints do not compromise on quality. They are often printed on canvas using premium paints to mimic the depth, sharpness, tones, and contrast of the original artwork.

How are Art Prints Made? The process of creating art prints may vary among artists and galleries. Generally, it involves several key steps:

Photographing the original artwork under special lighting conditions to eliminate glare and color distortion. For a more in-depth guide to quality results, see Getting the Colors Right.
Merging multiple photographs of larger artworks to ensure accurate representation.
Editing the photographs to maintain color accuracy and seamless merging.
Printing the high-resolution photograph onto canvas using specialized printers and quality pigments.
Reviewing the printed artwork to ensure it closely resembles the original piece.
Naturalist Gallery releases exclusive, limited edition prints with artists. Earn 50% commission on all sales: the gallery creates and ships the prints with images of your work. Choose between canvas or framed archival paper. Apply your art.

How are Art Prints Different from Original Artworks? Art prints and original artworks are distinct in several ways. Original artworks are unique, one-of-a-kind creations, while art prints can be reproduced multiple times. One noticeable difference is the texture on the canvas. Original artworks exhibit unique textures created by the artist's tools, while art prints have a flatter canvas with less texture. However, this difference is often indistinguishable to the untrained eye, especially from a reasonable viewing distance.

Why Do Artists Offer Art Prints for Sale? Artists offer art prints as a means to make their art more accessible and affordable to a broader audience. Selling art prints provides additional income and supports artists financially while they work on new original pieces. Moreover, producing art prints allows a single artwork to be owned and displayed in multiple venues, whereas original art remains unique and can only be owned and displayed in one location.

Choosing Between Prints and Original Art Original artworks tend to be more expensive since they are one-of-a-kind. If you have a specific budget for decorating your home or office, canvas prints can be a suitable choice. Not all artworks are available as prints, as the artist or gallery may decide to offer prints for some artworks but not others. Additionally, the ability to produce prints in different dimensions allows for greater flexibility in meeting your design and decorating needs. While original art is impressive, high-quality abstract prints can be almost indistinguishable from original art to the naked eye, except for the lack of texture that machines cannot replicate.

Art prints are an excellent way for artists to reach a wider audience with their creations. They offer a high-quality reproduction of original artworks, allowing more people to appreciate and own art. By understanding the process and differences between art prints and original artworks, you can make informed choices when purchasing art for your collection or home décor.

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