Learn terminology, questions to ask, and other tips for becoming a savvy art buyer in this article written by eMOMA artists Marc Snyder and Stephanie Greene.

We are going to present some information and issues that may be helpful for the buyer of artwork on ebay, including questions you might wish to ask the seller, terms you may encounter that might be confusing, a discussion of reproductions, and a warning or two about buying artwork that may not be what it seems.

Rule #1 - Buy what you love!

Before we get into more specific information about buying artwork on ebay, Stephanie and I wanted to stress that buying art should first and foremost be a decision made from the heart - buy art that you love! Unlike other collectibles, where rarity is known and there is an established demand for certain specific items, it can be hard to determine an objective value for a unique work of art. You can't do a "Search" for other items just like it to see what their final bids were! The value of a self-representing artist's work on ebay is determined by the classic supply and demand model, and artists that have been selling on this forum for a while may have developed quite a following, creating a high demand, thus receiving high bids for their artwork. But don't ignore the new artist - you can find some real gems there! This article will focus on the things a buyer might need to know to fully understand what he or she is buying. We are not stressing the investment side of buying art, but are hopefully offering information that will allow you to buy artwork that you will be pleased to have in your collection for years to come.

Will the artwork last? The art itself. . .

One issue that you might consider as an art buyer is whether or not the artwork has been "built to last". There are two areas of concern, namely, whether the artwork itself has been created with archival materials, and, if the artwork is framed, whether the framing is protecting or harming the artwork. If information concerning the "staying power" of the materials used in the artwork isn't included in the listing, and you are buying the artwork directly from the artist, you may want to ask the artist a few questions. With both paintings and works on paper, the "support", or the material on which the image is made, can be a major factor in the projected lifetime of the artwork. If the painting is on cardboard or the drawing is on newsprint, the artwork may decay surprisingly quickly. Drawings or prints made on cheap paper start to yellow as the acid literally burns up the page. Oil painting on unprepared surfaces will bleed oil or crack or decompose. Most artists use perfectly archival materials and will be able to quickly reassure you concerning them, but if nothing concerning the materials used is in the listing, don't hesitate to ask! With prints, especially prints made with digital methods, you might also be concerned about the longevity of the inks. Some of them have been tested for their lightfastness and longevity, and some of them haven't. It can't hurt to ask!

Will the artwork last? The framing. . .

You frame a piece of art in order to display it and to protect it. That seems simple enough! But sometimes the framing can do more harm than good. Typically paintings on canvas are framed without glass or backing material, which means there is very little to worry about concerning the potential harm caused by the framing. Works on paper, such as drawings, watercolors, original prints, or reproductions, are another story. Though the artwork itself was made with completely archival materials, there are several ways it can be damaged in the framing. Acidity is the most typical danger. If the artwork has been framed for several years and the mounting board or mat is acidic, odds are the paper will have been discolored where it has been in contact with the boards. If the piece was framed by the artist specifically to sell, you might ask whether or not acid-free materials were used for the backing and for the mat, and if they weren't then you should consider reframing the artwork. Another factor in the archival quality of the framing is that it should be reversible - you should be able to remove the artwork from the frame and mat. If the artist has done the work, ask about how the artwork was hinged into the mount. This is not as big an issue as the acidity of the framing materials, but it is something that is good to know.


What is an original work of art?

You will encounter many listings that say something like "this is an original painting, not a print!". But then, you will also encounter listings that say "this is an original print, not a reproduction!". What's going on? When is a work of art original, and when is it a reproduction? We are going to spend the next few posts exploring the terminology of prints and reproductions. We'll start by defining an original print. Original prints are artworks made by an artist using any number of printmaking methods chosen by the artist for their unique and interesting visual qualities. The artist chooses that method which provides him or her with the visual qualities most appropriate to the image that is being created. For instance, if an artist is interested in making an artwork full of very bold black and white areas and very crisp lines, he or she might make a relief print, like this linocut:



Dove Pan Trick by Kreg Yingst, ebay seller kkyingst

Now, crucial to understanding the difference between an original print and a reproduction is to understand that the original print IS the artwork - in this case, Kreg Yingst did not reproduce an image that existed as a painting or a drawing, but has made an entirely original work of art by cutting a block of linoleum, inking it, and transferring the ink to the paper. The fact that he could do this multiple times does not change the fact that this is an original work of art. The linoleum block (or etching plate or litho stone or whatever) is simply the tool the artist has used to make the image, just as the paintbrush is the tool the painter has used to create an original painting.

When is a print original and when is it a reproduction?

In a reproductive print, an original artwork made in another medium is being reproduced. A painting, for instance, is photographed or digitally captured, and then various printmaking processes (which we will explore below) are used to create multiple copies of this image. In this case, there exists an original work of art, of which the print is a copy. The print itself is not an original work of art. So, in an original print, the artist has created an image using printmaking techniques that is not duplicating another artwork, but is an original artwork in and of itself. With a reproductive print, the artist is using a printmaking technology to produce copies of a pre-existing image. Where this can get complicated is that frequently the techniques used to create an original print and those used to create a reproduction are the same. A lithograph could be an original print OR a reproduction. So we'll look a little closer at some of these terms.

Reproductions can be wonderful things to collect

Before we go any further, I want to make the point that reproductions can be wonderful things to own. They allow you to enjoy an artwork that may otherwise be out of your price range or unavailable for purchase. It gets back to the idea of "buy what you love"! It is important to understand reproductions, though, especially if you're buying artwork from someone other than the original artist. A reproduction in a frame may be described in a listing as an original painting, for instance. Without taking apart the frame, it's possible that the seller may not know the difference. You don't want to pay a high price for something that you consider to be an original work of art to discover later that you have bought a much less valuable reproduction.

Quick Tip: How to tell if the artwork is a reproduction

In most cases a reproduction will have a duplicate signature. A reproduction is produced by photographing or scanning an original work, then printing an edition of reproductions, the original signature is reproduced on the finished image. The second signature on a signed and numbered edition is actually placed by the artist. An original graphic contains just one, the original signature placed when signing the original of the edition or the one of a kind painting. A reproduction is essentially 'autographed' by the artist.

You know it's a reproduction if it's called...

Giclee, Iris Print, Serigraph (sometimes an original, but usually called a silk screen if it's one of a kind), Offset Lithograph, (may just say lithograph...ask, there is a difference between an offset and an original) Hand touched / embellished or Canvas Transfer.

You know it's an original 'print' if it's called...

Woodcut, Original Stone Lithograph, Monotype, Monoprint, Intaglio, Etching, Line Engraving, Drypoint Etching, Mezzotint, Aquatint, Silk Screen.


Reproductions - What is an offset Lithograph?

This is a process where a photograph is taken of an original painting. Then it is reproduced with an offset lithograph printing press which normally uses only four colors. These four colors are blended together to give the appearance of many colors. The manufacture of a poster and lithograph are similar. However, the paper used for lithographs is typically acid-free and a much higher grade of paper. Traditional limited edition reproductions in the past have been printed by lithography, which is basically standard offset printing like that which is used for advertisements and brochures.

Reproductions - What is a Giclee?

The term Giclee (jhee-clay) is French and means "to spray ink". A Giclee print is a scanned image printed on a high resolution inkjet printer. Giclee prints, also known as Iris prints are advantageous to artists who find it not feasible to mass produce their work, but want to reproduce their art as required. Artwork can be reproduced to almost any size and on various media, giving the artist and publisher the ability to customize prints. This process is more advanced than traditional offset lithograph printing. Under magnification you would see a dot pattern on an offset lithograph, where you will not with a Giclee. It is now possible for an artist to buy a large format desktop printer starting around $1000. to produce these prints themselves. To determine the lifespan of the print ask about the quality of the paper and ink used.




Floating Houses by Linda-Christine Norton, ebay seller norton-studio

Prints - Why and how they are numbered

On all limited edition prints, original and reproduction, you will find a number that looks like a fraction at the bottom. It might resemble this: 15/250. The bottom number is the total number of prints in the edition. This mean after 250 are consecutively created and numbered the method of creating the print is usually destroyed and no more will ever be made. The top number is the number of that particular image. In traditional printmaking it is desirable to have a lower number print because the means by which the print is created can degrade as each image is printed. Often the early prints are darker or more crisp than the higher number prints. Most contemporary printmakers, though, will limit their edition size to maintain a consistent quality to their entire edition. This convention has carried over to reproduction prints, some collectors preferring a lower number although there is no differences in the quality of the mass produced images. When purchasing a limited edition reproduction be mindful that there may be multiple editions of the same image done in a variety of ways. There maybe a Giclee edition on paper and a second edition on canvas. An artist might also choose to do the same image in a variety of sizes, each one being a separate edition. Meaning that although the print you buy says 15/200, don't assume only 200 reproductions of that particular image are all that exist. You might also find a print with this mark: A/P 1/20. The A/P stands for Artist's Proof. In traditional printmaking these are prints set aside from the main edition for the artist's personal use. Usually they number no more than one tenth of the total edition. Often they are priced higher than rest of the edition. Sometimes once an edition is sold out the artist may choose to sell some of the A/P's that they have kept in their personal archives, thus asking a higher price because they are rare. Some reasons for paying a higher price for a mass produced reproduction print A/P would be that Artist's Proofs are hand picked and evaluated individually. Owning one indicates that you might know the artist personally. A/P's are considered by some the premium limited edition of the larger numbered edition.

Reproductions - What does Hand Touched, Textured or Embellished mean?

These are common terms which describe how brushstrokes of paint are applied to a reproduction in order to make it resemble an original painting thus adding depth of field and texture. This may be done by the artist themselves or an assistant. Along with the 'hand signed' aspect of a reproduction, the 'hand texturing' is an additional selling point. Since each one is embellished by hand they are in a sense each unique.

Counterfeit Art Prints

Be very careful if you are considering the purchase of a print of a famous artist's work, if the print is claimed to be an original. There are many counterfeits on the market, especially by famous artists. I have seen a surprising number of "original" Dali and Picasso prints for sale! Remember, the production of these artists' paintings and prints has been very carefully studied and documented; it is extremely unlikely that you will find a very valuable print being sold for next to nothing by an unknowing dealer. Odds are you've found a fake. The Federal Trade Commission addressed this issue in a report entitled "Art Fraud", released in April 1994. One of the main points emphasized in this report concerning the purchase of artwork by famous artists, well worth quoting here, is that "it is very important to consult a reputable expert, such as an art appraiser or museum curator, before finalizing the purchase of any artwork attributed to a well-known artist". Though this may seem like a difficult hurdle in the world of online auctions, it can be taken as a word of warning that purchases of artwork by famous artists should be approached with a great deal of caution. Here's the Federal Trade Commission's "Art Fraud" publication:http://www.web-pub.com/library/brochure/ftc3.html.

What is the "provenance" of an artwork?

The provenance of a work of art is its history of ownership, from the time it left the artist's studio to the present day. The provenance of a work sold to you by the original artist is, of course, obvious and not of concern - it went from the maker to you! But if you're considering the purchase of an artwork by a famous artist, the provenance is one piece of evidence that the dealer can provide to assure you of the authenticity of the artwork. A complete history of owners, exhibitions, and any other documentation relevant to that particular piece of artwork can be a big help in confirming the authenticity of the artwork.

Ask questions and buy art!

We hope that you have found some useful information here. Always ask the artist questions if it will help you feel more confident about purchasing their artwork. Making art can be a solitary thing - it can be good to get email, just to know that people are looking at the artwork! Learn as much as you can about what you are buying, buy what you love to look at, and have fun.