Add more vitality to your collection

These are the techniques I used to enhance the print, "The Field is White".

30 X 40 Giclee Print with frame

Many of us have in our homes pieces of art to add beauty and vitality to our lives.  For what ever reason you have art in your home, very few of us have original art work on display.  Most of us have various types of prints.  From the high end Giclee Canvas to the low end paper poster.  There are various ways to enhance these prints that artist have used to increase their value and beauty. 

   One is for these artist who created the original piece of art to take a Giclee Canvas print and to paint directly on it.  This does several things.  First it makes the print unique.  No two brush strokes are the same.  I have tried to paint two paintings identical side by side at the same time trying to match stroke for stroke.  As each brush stroke is put down they each are different.  Thus making the painted on Giclee unique.  Plus it is something the artist has taken his time to like the original put something of him or herself into.  Thus adding to the vitality of the piece.

  Another way to add uniqueness to a print is for the artist to sign the print with his hand written signature.  Also to increase the value of this process is for the artist to limit the number of prints he will do this, thus making it a signed and numbered print.  Back when all printing was done on what is called offset printing.  Metal plates were used for the ink to stick to.  As these plates were used, over time the plates would wear out.  So the first prints were sharp and cleanly focused.  But as
hundreds and even thousands of prints were made the image would become blury and dull.  So the earlier prints were worth more and so they had a lower number. 

Today many prints are digital Giclee printed on canvas or archival paper.  So the first one is just as good as the ten thousandth one.  So to add value for the collector of these prints, artist will still run limited batches and sign them from one to five hundred or so, sometimes more or sometimes less.  Plus it is interesting to note that over time the artists signature will get worn out and muddy as the number of prints go up.  If you think I'm being silly, just sit down and sign your name five hundred times at once then compare how signature number one looks compared to signature number five hundred.  I once had an artist friend of mine tell me that his publisher had him sign ten thousand prints all at once.  His publisher placed him in a small windowless room for eight hours a day for a week.

Another technique to add a unique feel to a print is to use a product called, Gloss Gel Medium from Liquitex.  The product looks like white glue and has the feel of whipped cream.  Anyone can use this easy to apply product.  You don't need to be the artist to do this.  To use this product, just apply it with a brush.  I like painting with Flat brushes so I used a medium size brush, about one inch.  Now despite how the product looks it dries clear and glossy.  But unlike other varnishes this product keeps the brush strokes you use as you paint it onto the print.  So when dry your print will look like a hand painted still wet painting.  So when applying this Gel product it is important to think about the kinds of brush strokes you will be using.  I recommend using the painted "X" brushstroke.  You literally apply it like you are just painting lots of little over lapping "X-es".  Once this is done, you can if you like go back in and use some enhanced brush strokes.  This is done by pushing the brush more firmly onto the print and then as you make the stroke you pull gradually away.  This gives the illusion of large heavy brushstrokes of paint.  Plus as the light moves across the print, these heavier brushstrokes will stand out more and so attract the eye of the viewpoint to them. 

Hopefully now as you look around your home you will start seeing the possibilities with this product to improve to look of your print and poster collection.