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The Framer's Corner

The Framer's Corner is your source for information about the materials and workmanship that goes into the construction of a quality picture frame. By knowing the termininology, benifits, and trade-offs of the different materials involved you'll be able to decide not only about the look of your frame but also about the level of construction and quality that is appropriate to your artwork and collectibles.





















Prints

Limited Edition
Limited edition prints are a series of high quality reproductions, printed on fine art stock paper, made from an original piece of art. The number of prints is strictly limited and each print is hand signed by the artist and consecutively numbered.

Open Edition
Open edition prints are basically the same as limited prints, except they are not signed and numbered. They don't have as much value because the publisher can make as many as they want. Sometimes a publisher will produce a larger limited edition print and also make a smaller version of the same image but make it an open edition.

Artist Proof
Artist Proofs have the designated A/P next to the artist signature and number. They are additional prints, usually 10% of the run. This means if the limited edition size is 500, then there are only 50 Artist proofs. They are exactly the same as the limited edition print, only they have an A/P and a different numbering system. They are considered more valuable, because there are fewer of them then the limited edition version.

Canvas Transfer
Canvas Transfers are made by moving an image onto a canvas, so as to give it the appearance of an original piece of artwork. This process can be done to a single piece, such as a photograph, poster, or print, or publishers can make an entire limited edition run of canvas transfers. Canvas transfers are quite a bit more expensive than a traditional print, but when framed they appear to be an original piece.

Giclees
Giclees, pronounced Zhee-Clay, is a French word meaning: spray of ink. They are made by scanning the image into a computer, and then printing it on an industrial quality printer. They are the most accurate method of reproducing the artists original image. They are more expensive than limited edition prints.

Remarque
Remarques are an original drawing done by the artist in the border of a print. There are two types of remarques, color or pencil, named for whatever the artist used to draw with. Most publishers offer a remarque to be draw on prints for a price, usually almost as expensive as the print itself. A remarque adds individuality to a print, since it is drawn by hand, no two are exactly alike. Prints with a remarque are considered more valuable than a regular limited edition print in the same series.