Often when purchasing a work of art of a print, buyers are not sure of the difference between the various printing techniques and terms used, so here is a brief description.
Original Painting
Is where the artist has produced an original interpretation of a particular subject and created a 'one off'Â work of art using certain media.
Original Print / Sild Screen / Serigraph
This is where an artist / master printer has produced a print (usually from an original painting) 'by hand', using a stencil process.
Colour or inks are applied to a screen where cutout sections of specially treated paper or plastic are positioned to produce the desired pattern or design. All sections except those of the colour being applied are masked out. To produce a detailed print (as with Jo Anne's work) is highly labour intensive, as up to 120 different screens have to be used to create a close representation of the original.
Digital Printing (Mistographs, Giclees)
This is the most recent method devised for producing fine quality prints of original artworks. The art piece is scanned at a high resolution, either directly or from a transparency, then processed via computer, and transfered to paper or canvas on an eight-colour process inkjet printer.
This method creates a huge variety of colour combinations, providing the closest possible match to the original painting, and without any mechanical 'pattern', as in normal 'lithographic' printing.
Also, as each print is produced individually, the artist can restrict edition numbers to a very small amount, from just one copy, to 5 or 10,or to an edition of a hundred or more.
Lithographic
Put simply, the original painting is photographed, split into the 3 primary colours (red, yellow and blue) plus black, by the fine screen of tiny dots. These 4-colour 'separations'Â are then printed onto paper using an offset lithography press, and combine to produce a reproduction of the original painting.
You can always tell a reproduction from an original print by using a magnifying glass and if you see a dot pattern, it is a reproduction.
Reproductions can vary in quality, depending on the skills of the colour separators and printers used. Most of Jo Anne Hook's prints have extra colours added to bring them as close as possible to the vibrancy and depth of her original painting.
Limited Edition
A term used when any print run (original or mechanical) is limited to a certain number. Every print is personally checked, numbered and signed by the artist to ensure quality control, faithful reproduction of the original, and authenticity (or guarantee), that the edition is limited to the number of prints to an edition being 'Âartist's proofs'Â and 'printer's proofs'Â, which are usually limited to no more than 10% of the edition size.) Because of their limited numbers, edition prints can become more valuable over a period of time, depending on their popularity and availability.
Posters and Cards
These are lithographic reproductions, not limited in numbers and will not necessarily increase in value.
Care of Prints
In all of the limited edition prints, posters, and even cards, the greatest care and attention has been taken to ensure the highest standards possible.
Serigraphs are printed on best quality archival paper with non-fade inks. All reproductions prints shown are printed on archival quality coasted paper and, through the latest developments in technology, are now printed with fade-resistant inks.
To give your prints or works of art the best chance of avoiding the ravages of time, mould, humidity and temperature changes and ensure that you frame them using the best quality conservation framing standards.
Hang your valued prints and artwork in safe locations, avoiding damp walls or high temperature changes (external walls). Any work of art should not be hung in direct sunlight, over a fireplace, or in a bathroom, if you wish to keep it in good condition.
When hanging prints or artwork in very bright areas which receive a great amount of sunlight, use UV glass. If treated with due care and attention and framed suitably, even a small greeting card can stay in near mint condition - valued and enjoyed many years from now.
If you would like to contact Jo Anne regarding her work, you can do so through her office email below.
Phone: +61 7 5532 2736
Fax: +61 7 5591 3445
info@joannehook.com
JAPAN - AGENT - ARK CORPORATION
Chiekohin-nishiiru,
Shimodachiuridori,
Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto,
602-8176 JAPAN.
PH: 075-821-7200
FAX: 075-821-6464
EMAIL infoark@kk-ark.jp
URL: www.kk-ark.jp