Frequently Asked Questions

Do I know enough about art to make an investment in Signed Limited Fine Art Editions?

You certainly do. All you need to know about art is what you like and where you want to hang it.

What is the difference between a Signed Limited Fine Art Edition and a poster?

  • Posters are generally mass produced with commercial inks and papers and can be purchased anywhere for a range of prices. Fine Art Editions take months to produce with fade resistant inks on acid-free fine art stock or archival canvas. The artist collaborates in the process and his or her signature marks his or her approval of the image. Fine art editions are rare and are sold only through a select network of committed professionals called “Authorized Dealers”.

Who decides what art becomes a Fine Art Edition?

  • The artist, publisher and Authorized Dealer Network work together to make these decisions. Fine art reproduction is an expensive process and many factors are weighed carefully before the decision is made to create a Fine Art Edition from an original work.

What does the © on a Fine Art Edition print or canvas mean? 

  • That symbol represents the copyright filed with the United States government, which provides protection from unauthorized reproduction of the artwork. It signifies the publisher’s exclusive right to reproduce a given piece of art in print or canvas.

Who controls the secondary market? 

  • It is a free market phenomenon driven by supply and demand, individual buyers and sellers. No publisher or gallery controls or drives it. The fact that there is a secondary market for Editions is a wonderful potential benefit of owning one, but should never drive your selection. Purchase art that speaks to you and enjoy it.

How do I purchase Fine Art Editions?

  • We at Prickly Pear Galleries firmly believe that the most enjoyable and successful art collecting experiences begin with a relationship with an Authorized Fine Art Dealer (that’s us!) and we look forward to helping you make your purchase. Once you have selected your Fine Art Edition on the website, you will see on the Detail Page the status of the edition at the Publisher is indicated as either: Available, Low Inventory or Sold Out. Both Available and Low Inventory indicate that Prickly Pear Galleries still has the ability to fulfill the edition. Sold Out indicates that the Prickly Pear Galleries no longer has the edition in stock, but may be able to assist you in locating one, either from another dealer or the secondary market. If you are interested in a Sold Out edition, don’t let that stop you from inquiring about its availability.

What is the Prickly Pear Galleries Difference and what are the rewards of owning a Prickly Pear Galleries Fine Art Edition? 

  • Every Prickly Pear Galleries publisher has a catalogue representing a Who’s Who of the most award-winning, sought-after and influential artists painting today. Serious collectors recognize them as the most important painters in their genres. The Prickly Pear Galleries tradition of quality and integrity begins with our Family of Artists. To see a complete listing of our artists visit: www.PricklyPearGalleries.com/artists

Investment Assurance

Not all Fine Art Editions are created equal. Our Fine Art Editions are the highest quality fine art Edition your money can buy. Created from the artist’s original work, Fine Art Editions are produced in strictly limited quantities. Each print is inspected and signed by the artist, inspected again by the Publisher and then consecutively numbered, giving each an individual identity and the assurance of quality.

Fidelity and Archival Quality 

Prickly Pear Galleries Fine Art Editions are printed with the most advanced reproduction technology for image fidelity. Our publishers will invest months of collaborative color work with the artist before we are ready to produce an image. Fade-resistant archival inks and the finest acid-free papers and canvas ensure the longevity of your fine art purchase.

Rarity

By definition, Prickly Pear Galleries Fine Art Editions are limited—very limited. Only the smallest fraction of homes can own a print or canvas from a given edition. This assures that any Prickly Pear Galleries art in your home is reflective of your unique and individual taste.

Potential of the Secondary Market 

Prickly Pear Galleries Fine Art Editions that are Sold Out at Publisher and continue to create collector demand are sometimes made available on what is referred to as the “Secondary Market.” The value of any sold out edition is the result of this free market phenomenon and based wholly on the price a collector is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept.

Local Expert

Prickly Pear Galleries is like having your very own personal art consultant and skilled gallery and framing professional all in one.  Fine art is an investment, meant to be framed and protected with care. Prickly Pear Galleries is there for you every step of the way, offering professional advice for your unique art preferences. And with 5 Certified Picture Framers on staff, we are willing and able to provide you with “True Love Guaranteed” service. 

What Fine Art Reproduction Techniques are available?

Fine Art Giclée Print -

Fine Art print is an Edition replicated on archival quality paper using glicée printing.

Fine Art Giclée Canvas -

Fine Art canvas is a Edition printed on archival quality canvas using glicée printing.

Giclee (pronounced zshee-clay) - Giclée is a digital printing technology in which incredibly fine jets of ink literally “spray” the image onto paper or canvas. This process builds the fine art reproduction in infinitesimal increments as the paper or canvas passes beneath.

Offset Lithography (Print / Canvas) - Offset lithography is a photomechanical or digital printing technique that transfers an image from metal or paper plates onto rubber rollers (called printing blankets), then onto the final paper or canvas. These inks and archival papers and canvases are specially made to exact specifications, resulting in unmatched clarity and color fidelity to the original.

Textured Canvas - This unique and complicated canvas technique replicates the look and feel of an original painting, right down to an artist’s brushstrokes. Oil-based inks are laid on a thin piece of oil-based material using the process of offset lithography. A textured mold is created from the original artwork, and heat and vacuum pressure bond this mold to the final canvas.

Original Stone Lithograph - This is an age-old technique in which an image is drawn on a stone by the artist (in reverse!) and then pressed by hand, one color at a time, onto paper or canvas. Each lithograph is considered an original because the image is created during the process, thus no two are exactly the same.

Serigraphy - The serigraph process (also known as silk-screening) is a time-honored hand printing technique, based on stenciling. Ink or paint is carefully brushed through a fine fabric screen, portions of which have been masked for impermeability. For each color, a different portion of the screen must be masked, and each color must be allowed to dry before the next is applied. The depth of color in the resulting fine art serigraph is almost luminous.

Hand-Tinting - Hand-tinting predates the introduction of color lithography and enhances the concept of a lithograph as an original since an artist applies original brushwork.

Artist-Enhanced - Some paper or canvas editions include brushstrokes done by hand by the artist. These additions enhance both the look and value of the work.

Porcelain or Bronze - Each three-dimensional work of art first takes shape in sculptor’s clay and is brought to its final form in the finest materials available, including porcelain, bronze, pewter and even semiprecious stones. Quality and craftsmanship, guided under the watchful eye of the artist, are the hallmarks of porcelain and bronze editions.

What are Prickly Pear Galleries Fine Art Definitions?

Signed by the Artist and Numbered (or S/N) - Each Fine Art Edition is signed by the artist, certifying their inspection and approval, then numbered.

Edition Size - The edition size is the number of reproductions in any given print or canvas release. There are two numbers on a Fine Art Edition—for example, 157/250. The number on the bottom (250) refers to the total number of reproductions in the edition. The number above (157) is the number of the individual print.

Dimensions - Dimensions are marked in inches, listed width by height (w" x h") and refer only to the image area on a print or canvas.

Stretched / Unstretched (Canvas) - Most canvases under 36” are delivered to the dealer already stretched unless requested otherwise.  Canvases that exceed 36" are delivered to the Dealer unstretched and rolled in a tube.

Gallery Wrap - Stretched canvas with a clean, staple-free edge which can be displayed with or without a picture frame.

Claybord™ - A museum quality, acid-free panel coated with a smooth absorbent comparable to the clay gesso grounds used during the Renaissance.

Low Inventory - A Fine Art Limited Edi­tion that is nearly Sold Out at Publisher.

Sold Out at Publisher - No inventory of that particular edition remains at the Publisher. Be sure to check with us, as they may have one in stock or may be able to locate it on the secondary market.

Artist Proofs (or APs) - An exclusive subset of any given release traditionally reserved for use by the artist and publisher. Collectors give greater value to APs, as they are often difficult to obtain. These are signed and numbered separately from the edition. The letters “AP” can be found written beside the numbers, for example, AP 1/20.

Remarque - A sketch or watercolor, usually handmade by the artist, which may accompany a special fine art edition.

Order Period - A set period of time during which orders can be placed for a fine art edition.

Framing Not Included - We believe that every fine art edition should be framed to each individual’s needs and we are happy to help you with some selections if you would like.  Our FrameVue program allows us to provide you with screen shots of what the finished framed piece will look like.  Just ask us about it.

Do you have questions about Prickly Pear Galleries not answered here? If so, please Contact Us.

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