WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN? - EDITIONING

Background:

To distribute the development costs of an artwork it became necessary for the artist
to make multiples of one piece, with this need came a necessity for disclosure to avoid
the inevitable underhanded marketing practices some artists and some galleries would
engage in. Ever atrophying quantities of desired items would ultimately raise collection
prices as the items got more and more sparse. Knowing the quantity of items in
circulation was a useful determinant for pricing a rarity. Clearly, an overabundant
item would fetch less of a price than that unique one of a kind rarity. Thus the
maximum quantity of an edition is declared right on the artwork.


Definition:

The concept underlying a limited edition is a contract, a commitment, a legally
binding promise to limit one’s production of a specific artwork to a maximum
number of identical artworks. It must be noted that there is no commitment of
actually producing that many artworks. In the statement n/m customarily
written in the lower left corner of an artwork the “n” signifies the n’th copy
of an m sized edition [m as in maximum]. Excluded from this commitment are,
as applicable, an artists proof, a printers proof and one or two copies of
miscellaneous proofs for participating cooperators.


Proper Editioning:

Marked with pencil or permanent marker by hand,
showing n/m = artwork number/edition size.
Usually a title and the year of issue, plus the signature of the artist.

Note: Typical maximum quantities rank from

n = artwork number m = edition size

small edition m < 100
gallery size m = 150 to 250 typ.
commercial size m = < 450
virtually unlimited edition m > 450


Impact:

The value of an artwork increases with rarity, press coverage, archival materials
used (e.g. materials that last over time without fading or crumbling or the like),
or publicity. As an artists work enters art history the artwork and all the artists
other works increases in value. Ever letter and every scrap of paper suddenly
assumes value if the name of the former owner continues.


Potential abuse:

Aside from outright fraudulent action significantly gray areas are entered when
an artwork is slightly altered and subsequently an entirely new edition is created.
When offset prints or copies are replicated with signature and editioning
included in the actual print (e.g.: not signed and editioned in pencil).
Beware of art prints done with halftone screens or offset prints all together.