An emporium is a large retail outlet that stocks an assortment of goods. The assortment of goods sold will depend on the location of the emporium, the preferences of the target clientele and those of the owners. Emporiums may therefore stock residential and commercial décor items such as original art and original travel art prints, a variety of books, handmade toys for children, souvenir crafts from different parts of the world and so on. Some emporiums may specialise in a specific category of goods while others stock virtually everything. We take a look at original art prints stocked in such emporiums.

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Original art prints

An original art print is a reproduction of an original painting or artwork. The original painting is usually hand painted and then, with the painter’s authorisation, the painting is reproduced for sale. The recreation is achieved through the use of a photo-mechanical process through which the master image is photographically turned into a soft copy from which art prints are created. These prints can be printed on canvas as a well as other different types of papers unlike the original that is usually on a canvas. Another major difference between the original and print is their durability where the original will last longer compared to the print. However, this is also dependent on the type of paper used to reproduce the art work.

Popularity of art prints

Every painting is unique and not even the original painter can produce two identical pieces as there tends to be slight but notable differences in the brush strokes, some colours and so on. However, through art prints, the painting can be reproduced as-is. This offers an opportunity for more individuals to own the exact piece and the artist gets to make more money. These art prints are sold at a fraction of the cost of the original piece making them affordable to individuals who may not afford the original pieces.

Types of original art prints

Limited edition printsIn this case, the artist usually predetermines the exact number of prints that will be printed and sold. A limited edition print usually has a number and may be signed by the artist. Once the predetermined number of prints has been achieved, production is halted and all image plates destroyed to prevent further and unauthorised production. Limited edition prints are prized possessions especially among art collectors and this high demand pushes up the price of the art.

Open edition prints

In an open edition print, the artist does not predetermine the number of prints. However, this does not mean that that the prints will be available indefinitely since the artist has the discretion of halting production at any given time. Therefore, if you come across any open edition prints of a painting you love, it is advisable to acquire it as soon as possible.

Categorisation based on type of image

These art prints feature a wide variety of objects including machinery, people, animals and places. Those that feature places are commonly referred to as travel art prints and they may include mountain ranges, water bodies, maps of different tourist attraction centres, iconic landmarks in different cities or states and so on. They can be acquired as a collection of areas visited by an individual.

Canvas versus fine art print

The main difference between these two is the type of paper used to print the artwork where the former is printed on canvas and the latter on high quality white paper. The fine art prints have a whiter border, usually 3 inches, on all sides which ensure that it can be framed without hiding any aspect of the artwork.

Acquiring an art print is not only sentimental but it is also considered a store of wealth. In the finance world, art prints are categorised under the alternative assets class and therefore they can be acquired or disposed as need arises irrespective of the type.