WHAT ARE THE DEFINITIONS OF ART TERMS?

ARTIST PROOF
A consecutively numbered print bearing the pencil-written initials A/P. Artist proofs are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity just like S/N limited-edition prints and canvases. However, unlike their counterparts, artist proofs are smaller signed and numbered editions, therefore they are more rare. As a rule of thumb, an artist may retain 10% of a regular edition size to be used for artist's proofs.

GICLEE (IRIS)
[pronounced ZHEE-clay] The French term for "fine spray;" printing film or plates are not involved in the giclee printing process. A computer directly scans the artist's original painting. This information is used to control the tiny ink jets on a digital printer. The jets spray more than 4 million water-based printing ink droplets per second onto a sheet spinning rapidly on a drum, to create thousands of shades of rich color. The end result is a lush and velvety art print; one that has the look and texture of a fine original.

CANVAS GICLEE
The above-described process on canvas.

BOARD MOUNTED CANVAS GICLEE
The Giclee process is the same, however, the canvas is mounted to a board rather than being stretched on a frame. Board mounted canvases tend to be more durable with no chance of sagging or re-stretching. We suggest having this type of canvas framed as soon as possible to keep the edges and the whole canvas stable. All board mounted canvases featured on this site have a framed pricing option.

PAPER GICLEE
The above-described process on fine art paper.

LIMITED EDITION (s/n)
The size of a limited edition is determined in advance by the publisher. Each print in the edition is signed by the artist and then individually numbered (s/n).

OFFSET LITHOGRAPHIC PRINT
(or offset photomechanical reproduction). The original image or a photograph of the image is scanned into a computer to produce color separations, one for each color used in the printing process: cyan, yellow, magenta and black. These separations are then output to film with dot patterns that represent the values of each of the four process colors. The films are exposed to printing plates, one for each color. On a printing press, the plates transfer the ink to a rubber blanket, which in turn offsets the ink onto the paper or canvas.

OPEN EDITION PRINT
Prints that are not a limited run and the plates or screens are not destroyed.

ORIGINAL LITHOGRAPHIC PRINT
Not a reproduction; each is an original and unique work of art. The artist makes separate drawings, one for each color to be printed, directly on the working surface (commonly stone or Mylar film) to create individual plates. An original lithograph must pass through the press one time for each color. Hand coloring may also be added later.

S/N
An abbreviation meaning standard numbered. An S/N print is a limited edition print which is signed and numbered (S&N) by the artist.

SERIGRAPH
The serigraphic process incorporates the use of fine mesh screens to hand separate the colors of the image. Originally, these screens were made of silk, hence the name by which this process is also known -- silk-screening. To produce a serigraphic print, a separate stencil-like screen is made for each area that is to be printed in one color of ink. The ink is then squeegeed through the screen onto the paper. The inks sit on top of the heavy paper on which the final serigraph is produced. Because the ink is not absorbed by the paper as in other processes, the final serigraphic print actually looks like a painting on paper.

SHOWSTOPPERS
Limited editions that reflect both the dimension of a large painting as well as the magnitude of the artist's original vision. Printed directly on oversized canvas, ShowStoppers honor the power, impact and presence of the original paintings, in highly collectible editions of 50 and fewer. One stunning example is Right of Way by John Banovich, which measures 74" x 49".

TEXTURED CANVAS
A limited edition canvas which has been embellished to represent the artist's brush strokes on the original painting. Framed without glass, textured canvas has added dimension and luster, and the appearance of an artist's original painting.