Variation within an edition?

Beeswax Bob · #1 02-10-2009, 04:17 AM

As you may have guessed from a couple of my other threads, I'm a painter having to teach myself intaglio printing. I did a bit at college but that's years ago now.

I've just managed to get my plate edges clean. But when I look back over the edition, there's a bit of variation in the actual prints. I don't actually mind this myself but I worry what others think?

I think that because I paint, I attempt to get painterly effects with the ink. For instance leaving the plate a tiny bit inky in parts, where I may have wiped cleaner. This probably makes it difficult to get the same result each time due to judgement by eye.

What's the protocol with regard to variation within an edition of intaglio prints?

Thanks,

Bob

theMirrorpool · #2 02-10-2009, 09:22 AM

I'm in a similar situation and I think that its a print quality/trait that gets better over time. Personally I don't mind some variation (at the moment). I'm pulling short editions of 5-8 prints with only one or two AP's.

In my pipe dream, and after I'm dead, those will be considered my "early works" and be worth even more because of their individuality, lol.

deant · #3 02-10-2009, 09:59 AM

The rule of thumb is that they should be as close to identical as you can make them. Ultimately, though, it is the artist's decision. The rule seems to be derived from situations where the printer is not the same person as the artist. There the artist approves the BAT and the printers strive to make the edition match that perfectly. For those of us who do our own work, we can be the judge of how closely they need to match.

For my own work, I try to match it as perfectly as possible, unless there is hand work involved in the image (such as color blends) in which case I allow a little more leeway. This implies that I have to pull more proofs than end up in the edition.

Whistler was known for his sensitive wiping technique, often leaving veils of plate tone to add to the image. I am sure that this wasn't completely consistent.

Dean

**bridog** · #4 02-10-2009, 10:04 AM

Perhaps a simple variable edition marking (V.E.) beside the edition number would be enough to designate these differences in the edition?

boundstaffpress · #5 02-10-2009, 02:18 PM

This is a debate with a purist position and a practical position.

Purist - Keep it as close to identical as possible. This does improve with practice. It also improves as you warm up the plate or as you warm up. Repition makes it easier to be consistant.

Practical - You are the one who created the plate, and if you want to include variations in the edition, so be it. Most people don't consider it an edition if you alter the image on the plate, but if one is printed with color and the next is black, that is your choice. The edition police do not come and arrest you. Even with this practical approach, you'll find that repition makes better prints, and you should always strive to create the best work possible.

Inky Fingers · #6 02-10-2009, 03:02 PM

The way that it was explained to me by my Prof at the UofOregon is that the edition is printed, either by the artist or by his/her printer. The artist then sorts the images by his/her valuation of the quality of the print. Remember, quality is very subjective so you want what the artist considers is best. Once the prints are sorted with the best on top and least best on the bottom the artist then signs and numbers the edition with the best print marked #1 of say 50 (1/50) if the addition is going 50 prints, and the least best #50.

I think that for someone like Andy Warhol this is important, but for the likes of me this might be a little over the top. In the end if you as the artist are going to sign your name to it, it has to meet whatever minimum standard you as the artist set for yourself.

Where Artist's Proofs fit in all this I don't really know.

My$.02
Ken

pinecat · #7 02-10-2009, 04:22 PM

A while back was this thread - it has some very useful links -

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/show...ble+edition s

Beeswax Bob · #8 02-16-2009, 01:56 AM

I'm entering the Northern Print Biennale and at £20/ entry I want to be careful that the judges will feel confident that I can edition. I'm sure that they'll have half an eye on sales, and that they don't want prints returned because they differ from the exhibited print. Presumably this sort of thing can be read from the quality of printing: clean plate mark, effects that aren't by chance etc. Will the judges be print snobs? Likely I think?

Quote:

Originally Posted by boundstaffpress

This does improve with practice. It also improves as you warm up the plate or as you warm up. Repition makes it easier to be consistant.....you'll find that repition makes better prints, and you should always strive to create the best work possible.

Yes, I'm finding this to be true, a good 20 into the edition and they're becoming more and more alike. I'm also taking more and more ink off the plate - plate tone is an important part of this print - and this is very susceptible to variation. So it's easier to take as much ink off as possible to gain uniformity.

Bob

**ploverwing** · #9 02-16-2009, 12:49 PM

If it's a print-specific exhibition, expect to be held up to pretty tough standards regarding your printmaking craftsmanship, as well as the artistry. That's not always the case, but if you strive for excellence in your final product, then you'll always have a much better chance of impressing printmakers (and that's likely who the jury will be).

I don't mean to discourage: it's important to challenge yourself and to get your work out there, and to participate in an international competition so that you can get a feel for the process and what you're up against. If you are successful, then you have every right to be justifiably proud of your achievement. If you are declined, then you should make every effort to get a copy of the catalogue, and/or go see the actual exhibition if you're close enough geographically, so that you can evaluate for yourself what kind of work was accepted and why, and take that into consideration when you try again next time.

Best of luck!

S.H. · #10 03-16-2009, 04:25 PM

Many of my prints I enjoy both wiped clean to expose every line, and also wiped a little more liberally to leave some tone in places. I vary within the edition without worrying too much, and let the customer pick the impression they like the best. But then again, even my variations are quite similar... I'm not making monoprints.

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