Artwork paints emotions on canvas and spreads feelings in ways that can’t otherwise be shared. The beauty of art is the ability to share these feelings with others. One way to share artwork is through the use of printing serigraphs. A serigraph is a silk-screen printed rendition of an original piece of artwork. Serigraph printing can happen in one of two ways. They can be printed as an open edition or as a limited edition serigraph. Before delving into the difference between the two, it is important to dissect what “print” means.

What is a Print?

In the grand scheme of art, the word print can take on different meanings. In this case, there are two main types of prints: originals and reproductions.

• Originals – An original is a fine art print that is constructed solely by the use of printing directly. In this case, printing is the medium. It is a new idea born out of selected printing techniques.
• Reproductions – A reproduction print is a printed copy of an original art piece. For example, it could be a painting. Reproductions can be printed as serigraphs or in other ways depending on what the artist and printer want to accomplish.

Reproduction prints can be broken down once more into two separate groups: Open Editions and Limited Edition Fine Art Prints. Here, the focus will go back to serigraphs for the type of print editions. This subgroup has to do with how many prints are made of the original. It also plays a role in the value of the reproduced print.

• Open Edition – Open editions have an unlimited number of reproduced prints. Printing serigraphs is a work of art itself, but it has made reproduction easier. Matching colors and designs is easier with the help of computer precision.
• Limited Edition Fine Art Prints – Limited edition serigraphs are considered a closed edition. This means a limited amount of reproduced prints are made. Limited edition serigraphs can hold significant value simply because there are only a certain number of prints available for purchase. The decision is made between the artist and the printer about the number of prints that will be made and can range from a mere two to several thousand.

Overall, original prints will likely cost more to purchase because they are an authentic piece of work. A reproduction still holds value, but will likely cost less than its original. This has caused many people to wonder what the true value of a reproduced serigraph is if purchased for their artwork collection.

Are Limited Edition Prints Worth Buying?

There are several benefits to adding reproduced serigraphs to your artwork collection. They are even more special if they are limited edition serigraphs. The value of the serigraph depends heavily on the artist, the printer, the way the print is made, and how many prints were made. It also depends on the number of the print. The lower the number, the closer the limited edition serigraph is to the original piece of work.

Even if it is not an original, a reproduction can still be a good way to complete a collection and give viewers the whole picture of what you are aiming to do with your artwork collection. That said, serigraphs can be a good way to start a collection for the same reason. They give the viewer a taste of what is to come.