MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY PRINTS

Prints, overshadowed in the past decade by the popularity of photo art, are back in the mainstream - Wall Street Journal, April 2003

Art is now part of everyday life. Museums, galleries, art fairs and exhibitions are potent crowd-pullers, the visitors looking for enjoyment and delight as well as instruction and education. Financial advisors suggest art as an investment - especially at the very affordable level of original prints. Yet what if the enthusiastic collector finds that what they bought is not what they thought it was? Can you be sure of the difference between a photographic reproduction and an original lithograph or etching? And when thousands of T-shirts are printed with silkscreen images, when can a silkscreen be a limited edition print? And does a signature guarantee authenticity? What about new technology, too - how are computer graphics programmes used by artists as well as fakers?

Today, more than ever, these and a hundred other questions need accurate answers, to help the collector buy with knowledge as well as enthusiasm. Even if you make a single purchase, the information will multiply your enjoyment and understanding of this millennia-old art form. This practical book has been put together with the vital support of international artists, dealers, auction houses, and print publishers. Written in clear language for the new buyer, it also explains terminology which even professional dealers find confusing. A first section offers general advice on every aspect of collecting, featuring a unique dictionary of terms used in making, cataloguing and selling prints. The second deals with conversion, framing, and hanging to make the most of every purchase, with suggested record- keeping for investment, for insurance and valuation, and as a pointer to future acquisition. The third section describes the techniques of printmaking, with a brief history of each medium, a guide to identification and how to assess condition and quality. A fourth reference and resources section includes a selective A-Z of artists.