(By Nalini S Malaviya)
These days artworks on paper are increasing in popularity because they are generally more affordable than oils and acrylics on canvas. When buying paintings on paper it helps to remember a few points. Typically paper is a fragile medium and gets damaged very easily. When artists use paper that is of inferior quality it affects the lifespan of the work drastically, thereby affecting your investment value. The acidic content of ordinary paper makes it darker with time and it will also tend to yellow or fade over the years. Therefore, when one buys a drawing or sketch, or watercolour that has been done on paper, it is important to check that it has been done on good quality acid-free paper.
Paper collages are also becoming very popular as a medium of expression with some artists. These collages are sometimes done with scraps of paper torn from newspapers and magazines. We are all aware how fast a newspaper yellows with exposure to sunlight. These publications are short lifespan products and are not suitable to be used for fine arts.
The quality of paper is determined by the raw materials that are used, and generally inexpensive paper is likely to be of inferior quality. When you are spending Rs.50,000 or more for a work of art, the idea behind it is that it should turn out to be a solid investment over time, and should last well over the years. But, a low-grade paperwork will not only lose colour, it can also become brittle or creased.
Restoring a paper artwork is an extremely tedious and expensive process, and may still not be able to match the original quality ultimately. In fact a good quality paper should take care of elements such as ageing, resistance to light and strength.
Normally, some artists come out with a range of artworks on paper in order to make it more affordable. However, it is equally important that they ensure that the quality of the paper makes it long lasting. When you are spending thousands of rupees as investment, do not hesitate to check and confirm the quality of materials used.
(Published in Financial Times)
11 Oct 2007
1 Oct 2007
Limited Edition Prints - III
(By Nalini S Malaviya)
Having discussed the various kinds of prints and the terminologies associated with them, we now look at the factors that need to be considered before investing in prints. There is a line of thought that believes that one should start investing in art with prints, since costs are less, and as you gain knowledge and confidence over time, you can start investing in original works. On the other hand, some people believe that since offset prints are produced in large quantities they serve only a decorative purpose and have a negligible investment value. Therefore, inves-tors must be careful to pick up prints that will appreciate over the years.
Having discussed the various kinds of prints and the terminologies associated with them, we now look at the factors that need to be considered before investing in prints. There is a line of thought that believes that one should start investing in art with prints, since costs are less, and as you gain knowledge and confidence over time, you can start investing in original works. On the other hand, some people believe that since offset prints are produced in large quantities they serve only a decorative purpose and have a negligible investment value. Therefore, inves-tors must be careful to pick up prints that will appreciate over the years.
courtesy: affordindianart.com
The golden rule to follow when buying a print is to look for one that is produced in limited numbers. An ideal number would be 10 to 20, and you must look for artists who produce such prints. In fact, there are a few artists who make only 10 edition prints and then also sell the print plate painted, so no further prints can be taken. Another thing to watch out for is the 'platemark' and the counter signature of the artist. Very few artists give out authenticity certificates for etchings, however getting one helps.
Art consultant Umesh U V says that from an investment point of view, some intaglio etchings are appreciating in value sharply. Artists Laxma Goud and Viraj Naik’s works are popular with investors. Some of them are even showing a growth rate of about 50 percent every six to nine months. The resale value of a print is generally very good but depends heavily on the subject of the image. For instance, Laxma Goud's 'goat and woman' series are most sought-after. Similarly, Viraj Naik's mystic creatures and Rini Dhumal's emperor series are good investments. Also, serigraphs by Raza and Ramkumar are coveted while Husain's smaller edition serigraphs do well. The trick then is to do a proper research and consult experts before investing in prints. There have been numerous cases where posters have been passed off as limited edition prints. In fact, there have been instances where such posters have been sold for more than Rs 25,000 to unsuspecting buyers. It is therefore important to know the difference.
(Published in Financial Times, Bangalore)
25 Sept 2007
Affordable Art Options - Limited Edition Prints
(By Nalini S Malaviya)
Prints as we discussed earlier offer a good investment opportunity at a fraction of the cost of an original painting by the same artist. Here is a low-down on some of the other kinds of prints.
Giclee
It is a French word and is pronounced as ‘zhee-clay’. According to the wikipedia it is an invented name for the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s but has since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print. As there is no screen involved, a giclee offers excellent resolution and a rich color density.
Intaglio
It is a printmaking technique, where a design is incised on the surface of a metal plate such as copper or zinc. An intaglio print is created by applying pressure on the paper from a plate where the design is recessed or etched on its surface. Due to the pressure applied in transferring the design to paper, intaglios have a platemark or rectangular ridges that can be seen on the paper. Etching, engraving, aquatint are part of intaglio process.
In an etching, a metal plate is covered with a layer of wax and then a design is drawn over the wax with the help of an etching needle. This plate when immersed in acid etches on the design on to the plate (the acid corrodes the line of the design), while the wax resists the acid. This is also called a line etching. Aquatint involves a process similar to etching, however the end result is finely dotted areas rather than lines.
Limited edition prints are signed and numbered (S/N) by the artist. The lower the number of prints the better its investment value, however the higher the number of prints the more affordable it is.
Artist Proof (A/P)
A limited number of prints (often 20 or less), these are signed by the artist and highly coveted. In the olden days, these were considered to be a quality check in terms of color and other aspects done by the artist at an early printing stage. Now, these are the same as the final edition prints but are still in demand by art collectors and investors, since they are so limited in number.
Prints as we discussed earlier offer a good investment opportunity at a fraction of the cost of an original painting by the same artist. Here is a low-down on some of the other kinds of prints.
Giclee
It is a French word and is pronounced as ‘zhee-clay’. According to the wikipedia it is an invented name for the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s but has since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print. As there is no screen involved, a giclee offers excellent resolution and a rich color density.
Intaglio
It is a printmaking technique, where a design is incised on the surface of a metal plate such as copper or zinc. An intaglio print is created by applying pressure on the paper from a plate where the design is recessed or etched on its surface. Due to the pressure applied in transferring the design to paper, intaglios have a platemark or rectangular ridges that can be seen on the paper. Etching, engraving, aquatint are part of intaglio process.
In an etching, a metal plate is covered with a layer of wax and then a design is drawn over the wax with the help of an etching needle. This plate when immersed in acid etches on the design on to the plate (the acid corrodes the line of the design), while the wax resists the acid. This is also called a line etching. Aquatint involves a process similar to etching, however the end result is finely dotted areas rather than lines.
Limited edition prints are signed and numbered (S/N) by the artist. The lower the number of prints the better its investment value, however the higher the number of prints the more affordable it is.
Artist Proof (A/P)
A limited number of prints (often 20 or less), these are signed by the artist and highly coveted. In the olden days, these were considered to be a quality check in terms of color and other aspects done by the artist at an early printing stage. Now, these are the same as the final edition prints but are still in demand by art collectors and investors, since they are so limited in number.
17 Sept 2007
Prints can make a good investment too
(Nalini S Malaviya)
Prices of original artworks - paintings, sculptures, digital art or installations - have surpassed expectations. Art is quite unaffordable for many people. Therefore, more people are turning to limited edition prints to satisfy their passion for art. Prints happen to be a good investment but one must be thoroughly versed with the different kinds of prints that are available in the market to be able to make a sound investment. Here is an explanation of some of the commonly-used terms in association with prints:
Limited edition print
This implies a certain number of pieces, an identical series that is created by the artist himself. In fact, the artist determines the number of prints in the series and these are usually signed and numbered by the artist. In addition, the plate or stencil used to produce the prints is destroyed to ensure that the prints cannot be replicated again.
Remember, these prints are not 'posters' or reproductions of paintings that are available freely and have no investment value. An artist print is usually manually produced and since it is limited in number it has an investment value, plus these are priced significantly lower than paintings, which makes it an attractive investment option. In contrast, posters are mass-produced, and even though these are an inexpensive option they serve only a decorative purpose. Lithograph, serigraph, giclee, etching, intaglio are some of the options available as limited edition prints.
Prices of original artworks - paintings, sculptures, digital art or installations - have surpassed expectations. Art is quite unaffordable for many people. Therefore, more people are turning to limited edition prints to satisfy their passion for art. Prints happen to be a good investment but one must be thoroughly versed with the different kinds of prints that are available in the market to be able to make a sound investment. Here is an explanation of some of the commonly-used terms in association with prints:
Limited edition print
This implies a certain number of pieces, an identical series that is created by the artist himself. In fact, the artist determines the number of prints in the series and these are usually signed and numbered by the artist. In addition, the plate or stencil used to produce the prints is destroyed to ensure that the prints cannot be replicated again.
Remember, these prints are not 'posters' or reproductions of paintings that are available freely and have no investment value. An artist print is usually manually produced and since it is limited in number it has an investment value, plus these are priced significantly lower than paintings, which makes it an attractive investment option. In contrast, posters are mass-produced, and even though these are an inexpensive option they serve only a decorative purpose. Lithograph, serigraph, giclee, etching, intaglio are some of the options available as limited edition prints.
Image courtesy www.affordindianart.com
Lithograph
This literally translates into 'stone drawing'. A lithograph involves a process of printing from a small stone or metal plate, which follows the principle that oil and water do not mix. These manually produced prints are usually 10-20 in number, whereas offset lithographs that are produced industrially may have 500 or so prints.
Serigraph
This is produced when ink or paint is forced through a fine screen onto a surface, usually paper or canvas. A different screen is used for each colour, and the result is therefore rich in colour and may have some texture as well. A serigraph is generally more expensive than a lithograph and also has better quality in terms of colour density and resolution.
(Published in Financial Times)
16 Sept 2007
Reviews - Chinmoy Pramanick and Kanika Mukerjee & Ashish Hazra
Chinmoy Pramanick, a Baroda based artist recently exhibited his installations in B'lore, which I reviewed. Here's the link...http://www.mattersofart.com/August07/exhireview/chinmoy.html
Also, another B'lore showfeaturing Kanika Mukerjee & Ashish Hazra.
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