Buying Art (Lesson 3): Limited Edition Reproductions - Lithographic Prints and Giclées

As I touched on in my last installment, Buying Art ( Lesson 2), Authentic Art Reproductions vs Fakes, there are several different types of "reproductions" of original art. But, like everything else, there are some major differences. In the case of Michael's art, our reproductions are not only incredibly close to the original paintings, but also, produced on the highest quality papers, with the best inks, in the best methods available.

Michael at the Wellborn Muscle Car Museum in Alexander City, Alabama
with Gallery Edition Canvases of Six Pack Salute, Feeding Frenzy, B-Movie Night and End of the Line and a framed Giclée Print on Watercolor paper of Service Fit For A King.

Today, limited edition reproductions are primarily produced using one of two printing processes; offset lithography and giclée printing. Offset lithographs have, for the most part, replaced traditional lithographs and serigraphs. Offset printing is relatively fast — a print run of 800 takes only about 2-3 hours — and the quality is pretty consistent throughout the print run. In other words, the first print and last print are the same quality. All the prints in the edition are run at the same time. The printing plates are metal and have to be destroyed at the end of the run. Most offset presses utilize 4-5 color "stations." Due to the way the multi-colored image is "separated" to accommodate the press, offset lithographs have a dot pattern (see Buying Art ( Lesson 2)) which is invisible to the naked eye. Giclée prints are produced on a press that "sprays" ink, from up to 11 color stations, onto the paper or canvas, so there is no dot pattern. Each print takes about 10-15 minutes to produce, each canvas can take up to 45 minutes to print. Giclée prints are renowned for being, at first glance, almost impossible to differentiate from an original painting.

If you've ever watched a show like "Auction Kings", you've probably heard talk about acid-free paper. They touch on the value of prints, etc. printed on acid-free vs non-acid-free paper. Because the acids in the paper will damage the reproduction over time, the acid-free ones have a greater longevity and, therefore, value. Technically, all paper is made using a wood-based pulp that naturally contains acid. This causes paper to yellow and deteriorate, especially when exposed to heat or light. During production, acid-free paper is treated with calcium or magnesium bicarbonate - neutralizing the natural acids in the wood pulp.  Once treated, this paper will be preserved for at least 100 years. So, you can see the importance of printing limited edition reproductions on acid-free stock. 100% acid-free canvas, such as we use for Michael's Gallery Edition Canvases, is based on the same principle.

Then there is the actual feel and weight of the paper, itself. For Michael's offset lithographs, we've stuck a #1 sheet (best quality paper available) with a satin or matte finish, 10pt stock. It has a beautiful finish and nice weight. When papers are too thin (poster-like) they tend to crease easily. And, ones that are too shiny, tend to have a lower quality, poster look to them. Michael's giclée prints are printed on 100% acid-free, heavyweight watercolor paper. Also utilizing the giclée printing process, Michael's canvases are printed on the best quality, heaviest, 100% cotton, acid free canvas available, today.

Ink also play as huge part in the longevity of a reproduction. There are printers that can produce low run, large format prints (signs and promotional banners are produced by this method these days), but they are NOT produced using giclée inks. The same goes for offset prints —brochures, posters, etc, are printed on the same type of press, but on second rate paper and with ordinary ink. In both Michael's offset lithographs and giclée reproductions, we use only specialty inks, which are specifically designed for 100-200 year light-fastedness. That being said, any work of art (originals included) should never, never, be hung in direct sunlight. Although a reproduction on acid-free stock with specialty inks will hold up longer than a poster or photocopied print, it will eventually succumb to the damaging effects of the sun. Even the best paint job, with layers of clear coat, will fade if you leave the car exposed to the elements!!

We really pride ourselves on the quality of the reproduction of Michael's work. His Limited Edition Prints and Giclée Prints are the exact same size as the original watercolor paintings, while the Gallery Edition Canvases are enlargements. All 3 types of reproductions are incredibly close in color, quality and sharpness to the original paintings. Michael hand inspects each reproduction himself, before it leaves the Studio.   

Like Michael and myself, most enthusiasts buy collectibles they like, rather than for their future value. However, due to the differences in quality and longevity of a reproduction, as an art buyer, you need to be as informed as possible about what you are buying.

Key questions to ask:

• Is it a limited reproduction - how many have been produced?
• What size if the original? What medium was it painted in?
• What kind of paper/canvas is it reproduced on? Is it acid-free?
• What is the process with which the reproductions were created?

Remember, when choosing art, there really is no right or wrong, only what inspires you, brings you joy, and/or adds to the color of your life. Thank you for including Michael's work in your collection! — Linda

Holiday Air Travel and Gift Giving

Like everyone else, we've been watching news about the TSA, the body scanners and the "much too personal" physical searches. The whole thing has many people concerned about the health ramifications of the radiation, as well as being personally violated. There is actually a National Opt-Out Day (please note, the images on the site are a bit graphic) scheduled for Wednesday, November 24th, that urges people that are flying that day to make a stand against the whole thing. Hopefully the message will not only be received, but have an impact.

We, like many of our clients, have just opted out of air travel this year, period. We already passed on SEMA in Las Vegas and won't be flying anywhere this winter. Instead, we are shipping gifts across country to family and friends. It can be a bit pricey (cheaper than flying, though) and it's not the same as being there, but we're just not willing to subject ourselves and especially our children to the high doses of radiation or the invasive body searches. And, we can't expect our long distance loved ones to do any different.

One nice thing about saving the airfare, is that it leaves us with a bigger budget for the gifts, themselves. I know it's not how much you spend, but the sentiment that's important, but it feels good to have a bit more budget 'wiggle' room. I'm finding shopping funner this year! It seems I'm always busy, so I do quite a bit of my shopping on-line in the middle of the night. I've noticed that some on-line retailers offer shipping discounts during the holiday season, making it even more appealing.

Michael's automotive art is popular in the gift-giving department. Especially since we do offer Free Shipping anywhere in the World. We can ship your print directly to the recipient. You can be in Florida, wanting to send a gift to your cousin in Australia, and we can do that for you, free of charge. We'll even include a Christmas Card from you, if you like. Just let us know what you want it to say. The Planning for Christmas article in our Studio Newsletter, gives you a guideline for ordering deadlines to make it in time for Christmas. For International deliveries (Australia & Europe), we recommend a 2 week lead time.

This holiday season is definitely going to be different. I've heard that bookings at favorite kid-friendly holiday destinations, like Disney in Florida and California are down. As well as hot spots like Hawaii and other tropical destinations. And let's not forget North American ski resorts like Lake Placid, Aspen, Big White, Whistler and Banff. Maybe what needs to happen is a complete boycott of air-travel ... that would send the message, loud and clear!

Although, I have to admit that the on-line gift shopping is making our approach to the holidays a little less hectic and a bit more relaxed, I would like to see this "security" business resolved. Until it is, I don't see any air-travel in our near future.

Take care. Be safe. — Linda

New Corvette Painting Released

It's finally here —  Michael's long awaited Corvette painting. Entitled, "C1, See Them All" it features over 30 cars, spanning all six generations of America's classic sports car. It will be officially released tomorrow, but it's up on line now. It is the 7th painting in Michael's "Muscle Car Landscapes" Series.

The painting's name, "C1, See Them All," is a play on words. Taking advantage of the aptly named C1 through C6 generations of the Corvette, Michael chose the title to tell the story ... while stopping at a scenic rest stop, one of a group of late model Vette drivers have spotted a C1 in the valley. As he calls his fellow enthusiasts over, he realizes that he not only sees the one car, but has happened upon a find of epic proportions ... when he sees them all!!

Sweet Carrot Cake - Sugar Free

October just plain got away from me! Between Canadian Thanksgiving and the Car Collector Auction in Toronto, and Michael working crazy hours to complete his latest all Corvette painting and a bout of the flu, not to mention Halloween with school aged kids, it just whizzed by!

As things calm down a bit, and before the frenzy of a New Release hits (it's called "C1, See Them All", by the way), I thought I'd take a moment and share another "new" sugar free recipe that I just baked last night. Although I'm the only one who has tasted tested it so far, I'm liking it. My father, who is a diabetic with a huge sweet tooth, will be the ultimate judge. But I think he'll approve, it's just decadent and moist enough for his liking!

Here's a quick photo I took, (it's obvious that Michael's the artist, not me!) in our dining room. Although you can't see it, that's "New to the Chase", Michael's 2001 Bullitt painting, in the background!

Sweet Carrot Cake - Sugar-free

Cake
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups Splenda Grandular
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded carrots (about 2 large carrots)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups oi

Frosting
1 2/3 cup Splenda
8 oz cream cheese (I use Philidelphia Spreadable - in the tub)
4 tblsp margarine
2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and lightly dust with flour, bottom and sides of a bunt pan (which is what I used) or two 9-inch round pans. In a large bowl combine all Cake ingredients. Mix on medium for about 3 minutes. Pour in to prepared pan(s), bake for 45-60 minutes for the bunt, 35-45 for the 9-inch, or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes, remove from pan(s) and cool completely.

For frosting, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Blend well with a spatula. The frosting may still need a bit of work, I've never made one completely sugar-free before. I recommend playing with the ingredients a bit, maybe adding some extra vanilla. Although mine was pretty good, I'm not sure it's quite sweet enough. Alternately, skip the icing, the cake is so moist, it really doesn't need it. Or make traditional icing and serve it "on the side". Just had another thought: this would be excellent with sugar-free whipped cream - yum!!

I'll let you know if it passes the tough dad test. In the mean time, watch for the release of Michael's Corvette piece ... any day now ...  and for my next "Buying Art" installment.  — Linda

High-Fructose Corn Syrup

This is a bit off topic from my blogs about car related family fun, car shows, Michael's car art and diabetic friendly sugar free desserts, but it is something we really got talking about in Hershey, PA, when we were there at the Fall Meet this month. And that is High-Fructose Corn Syrup.

It's become such a hot-button topic recently, that there was even a 3-minute "rant" about it during a recent Law & Order episode. During a chat about obesity, especially in minors, one of the characters went all out with information about the sweetener, really drawing attention to the fact that it is a major ingredient in soft drinks. Which is being linked to obesity of all people, but primarily kids.

There's also been some studies that have shown that a rather startling percentage of High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) contains Mercury. Not good. We all learned that Mercury was a poison in grade school. So, we've been diligently checking food packages, paying specific attention to whether HFCS is listed in the ingredients. And, let me tell you, it's alarming.

Barn find at Hershey Fall Meet

That brings me to the car show/swap meet at Hershey. I doddled in the hotel room and ended up at the breakfast buffet by myself, leaving Michael and the kids to finish getting ready to hit the Green Field, Red Field and Chocolate Fields, at Hershey. Deciding on a Yoplait yogurt, I sat at the bar watching some morning program on the flat screen tv. Bored, I decided to read the label of the ketchup bottle in front of me ... and there is was ... HFCS.

Then I checked my yogurt ... and there it was again ... in YOGURT! You gotta be kidding me! I thought I was eating "healthy!" Turns out it's in everything. My guess is that it's cheap and probably acts as some kind of preservative! Well, you can imagine, I started checking EVERY label on EVERYTHING, both in the USA and Canada. Funny, but Canadian sodas don't list HFCS, neither does our yogurt, or cookies or cereal, etc.

What's with the double standard? Are the Canadian food and drug standards stricter than the FDA? Are we "safer" from the effects of HFCS? Sadly, doesn't look like it. I just pulled this off wikipedia, and my stomach dropped:

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) — also called glucose-fructose syrup in the UK, and glucose/fructose in Canada — comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness. In the United States, consumer foods and products typically use high-fructose corn syrup as a sugar substitute. In the United States, it has become very common in processed foods and beverages, including breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments.

Apparently we need to be on the lookout for other terms. And, without even looking, I know most of our packaged foods contain it by one name or another.

No matter what the name, it's probably close to impossible to avoid, but we should all pay attention. Whether it's Mercury heavy, or connected to obesity, it's definitely one to be aware of. Like many of our clients, Michael and I both work full time, run a household and juggle the activities of two busy kids. It's not like when I was a kid ... my mother made everything from scratch. I'm happy if we're eating "home cooking" rather than greasy take out, even if that home cooking starts with cans and packages! I think, though, it's time to take a step back from "convenience" and try getting back to basics.

Be well. - Linda

Buying Art (Lesson 2): Authentic Art Reproductions vs Fakes

Now-a-days, with the advancements or high-end photocopiers and the low cost of color copies in general, seeing unauthorized "prints" of artists' work at swap meets is not entirely uncommon.

Enlarged dot pattern in b&w printing.

Enlarged dot pattern in color printing.

Any reproduction made from a reproduction, is lower in quality, because it is another generation (or "step") away from the original painting. At each "step" away from the original painting, there is a degradation of quality. Usually, the color is off. and the image may appear fuzzy or out of focus. And often, if copied from an offset lithograph, the 'dot pattern' created during the original reproduction process is visible on the unauthorized copy, causing what is called a moire pattern.

Moire pattern

So, how do you know if it's an authentic reproduction, authorized or licensed by the artist? Aside from the telltale signs I've mentioned, there's an old saying, 'if it's too good to be true....'  For example, you've seen an artist's reproductions selling for $500 and up, and you spot some at a swap meet, for $20, chances are very good that they are unauthorized photocopies of the original print. Not only are they low quality, but whoever has made the copies, is actually breaking the law. It is a case of copyright infringement.

What about really famous art/artist, like say the DaVinci's "Mona Lisa". We've all seen her likeness used hundreds of times. Paintings like the "Mona Lisa" pre-date copyright laws. That being said, any new reproduction (especially those altered in some way from the original image) is subject to the same copyright laws as contemporary art.

Some artists, like Michael, go a little further in ensuring you know you have an authentic reproduction. Since 1997, Michael's Limited Edition Prints and Artist Proofs with Remarque have been accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and are embossed with his Studio Seal. [The following prints were released prior to the decision to include Certificates: Evolution of a Legend, Desert Snakes, Mach Speed, Thoroughbreds and Kings of the Road.] Michael's limited edition reproductions are all hand-signed and numbered, as are his Certificates of Authenticity.

If you should find yourself at an event where artwork is being offered, and you're unsure about a reproduction, the best way to verify that what you've seen is the real deal — contact the artist directly and ask them. This not only helps you make an informed decision, but helps him or her as well — giving them a chance to "catch the thief" and protect their work, their authorized dealers, and you (their client) from being ripped off. — Linda

Buying Art (Lesson 1): Real Hand Drawn Original Paintings vs Digital Art

Progress of Michael's original watercolor painting of Marauders of Woodward
The white you see is the board he paints on, the blue is tape he uses to mask off the image.

Let me start by saying that art is subjective. Whatever the piece, and however it is created, if you love it and want to hang it on your wall, then you should. At the same time, I believe that you should always have as much information about what you're buying, so you know what you're investing in.

This summer, we had a client come to us talking about an artist claiming to use an airbrush to create his 'paintings.' What the artist was actually doing, was using the 'airbrush' tool in a program like Adobe Photoshop or Ilustrator, when digitally creating his pieces. In this day and age, with the technology computers offer us, and the advances in illustration, paint and photo touch-up programs of the last few years, some artists have chosen to take that route. And why not, it's quicker and safer, and the effects, when used correctly, can be beyond photo-realism. The problem lies with them misrepresenting their craft, because, as many people know, there is a huge difference in a hand-drawn, hand-painted work of art and one that is created digitally.

I'm a graphic designer (not an artist) and over the last 25 years, have worked on books, wine labels, ads, brochures, you name it. I've used Photoshop to edit and fix photographs supplied by clients, in order to make them usable for reproduction. I've created computer generated characters to adorn teaching posters. I've bought stock photos and completely edited them, changing colors, adding images, etc., to make them work for my clients. Michael has often marvelled at how easily I can manipulate or change an image using Photoshop. And, how carefree I can be when doing so. It's because I can keep a back up file on my computer, click back in my 'history', or simply fix an error without risk — something watercolor does NOT allow him to do.

Something else a program like Photoshop or Illustrator allows users to do is to reuse certain images, portions of images or objects again and again. For example, when you look at a series of digitally created prints, you'll often find the same background, figures and (in the case of automotive prints) the same cars. They may be a different size or color, but those things are easily changed. Once the digital artist has created that image or component, it can be used over and over again, by copying and pasting into the next document. Some people even keep their own set of 'stock' images to go back to and reuse as needed. And certain things, like gradations of color, are created with the click of a mouse ... the computer software does the work.

So, want to know what you're really looking at? Next time you talk to an artist saying he or she uses an airbrush, ask them what medium they use. An airbrush is a tool (whether the physical one or the computer tool), but if they are actually hand painting, they must be using watercolor, ink, gouache or acrylic paint as the medium. 

Aside for the obvious lack of risk, and ease of reusing elements, with computer generated art there is no actual original. With a piece that is done by hand, whether in oil, acrylic, gouache, airbrush, ink, pastels, pencil, charcoal or watercolor, there is always, always, a one-and-only original painting.

As I said in the beginning, art is very subjective and no matter how it is created, may be worthy of your collection. My intent is not to discredit digital artists, but instead to help clients make an informed choice — you should have all the information about a piece and it's creator. Kind of like a tribute or cloned  car ... as long as you know that's what you're getting and you're okay with it, there's no problem. Like the client I mentioned earlier, no one likes to feel like they've been misled.

The next time you invest in art, if how it's created is important to you, ask the questions ... "Is it hand painted?" "What is the medium?" and "Is there an original painting available?" — Linda