Pessimistic Press

FAQ

Below are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions I receive. If you don't find an answer to your question below, please contact me. I believe it is incredibly important for anyone considering the purchase of art to be well-informed about what they are buying!

What's the difference between Limited Editions and Posters and Prints?
A Limited Edition is a set of original prints that are signed and numbered, stating that there will only ever be a certain amount made. Creating a Limited Edition is a lot of work and takes a considerable amount of time. A stated edition size also helps protect the value for anyone that purchases the art. As such, they are more expensive.

The Posters and Prints section also contains original prints; they just aren't numbered and signed. I will keep printing them as long as someone out there wants them (or until I get bored with the image).

It is very important to me that art is accessible to anyone who wants it. I understand that a Limited Edition print is not within everyone's reach. I will always make sure there is a good selection of more affordable art in the Posters and Prints section.

If you want art, and the Posters and Prints section is still out of your reach, contact me and we will work something out.

What is a Limited Edition?
Limited Editions are prints that will only have a certain number created, no more, no less. I also go through a process of culling the edition to make sure that all of the prints match a B.A.T. (an acronym for bon a tirer, a French term meaning "good to pull"): a model print that is used to make sure all prints in the edition are nearly identical.

All limited edition prints are signed and numbered. The number is denoted by a fraction where the numerator represents the position of that print in the edition, and the denominator indicates how many total prints are in the edition.  If fractions aren't your thing, 10/46 would indicate the 10th print in an edition of 46 total.

Editioning prints is a way for artists to help protect the value of their art for anyone that buys it. If you buy an original print for $250 and it is editioned, then the value of that print is known. All of the prints in that edition are of equal value. If the edition size isn't set, each additional image printed waters down the value of all the prints.

In a Limited Edition, is 1/50 better than 50/50?
Absolutely not!!! This is one of the annoying misconceptions that somehow persists in the art world. All prints in a Limited Edition are matched against a B.A.T. to ensure that they are all nearly identical. It is a quality check that guarantees all of the prints are the same quality.

No one, and I mean NO ONE, keeps track of the order that prints are created in. Nor does the order matter.  By the time an edition is complete, the prints have been reshuffled so many times that there would be no way of telling what order they were printed in anymore. Especially if it is a multi-layer print!

The numbers are added at the time of signing, and I can tell you from experience... 1/50 just means it is the first one in the edition that I signed, and 50/50 is the last one I signed.  That's it.

How can there be "Multiple Originals"?
In the art world, an original is anything that was created by the artist. A reproduction would be something done to replicate an original.

So the processes involved in printmaking allow an artist to create a print on a piece of paper (or fabric, etc.), and if you can print it once, you can print it multiple times. For example, if I am screenprinting my image, and I print it on 10 different sheets of paper, I now have 10 distinct images. And since I as the artist created them: multiple originals!

This concept isn't isolated to printmaking: there are other mediums that allow for this as well. Maybe the most famous is Rodin's sculpture "The Thinker," of which 10 were cast during his lifetime (and another 15 or so posthumously).  All of these are considered originals (10 of them if you are a purist).

What's the difference between a print and a print?
One of the most confusing aspects of the art world is the term print. It is used to mean an original made by a printmaker. It is also used to mean a reproduction of an original, which could be of a painting, a print, or anything really. If you want to make sure you are buying an original print, never be afraid to ask! Anytime you are buying art, you should make sure you have all of your questions answered before making the purchase!

How do I know if it's an Original print?
Everything sold on Pessimistic Press is an original print. I print all of the images myself.

In general though, the easiest way to tell is to ask!

Is an Original better than a Reproduction?
This is a tough one... because it probably comes down to what you are hoping to get out of the art.

Let's say you fall in love with a painting by Mark Tansey. The original is well out of your price range (and probably already owned by someone else) but you are able to buy a reproduction. The reproduction is not going to be worth as much as the original, but... if you hang it in your home and it brings you satisfaction every day, I would say that is better than not having it at all! Generally speaking though, originals hold a higher monetary value than reproductions.

If you are buying a reproduction of work by a living artist, please make sure that it is sanctioned by that artist. There is, unfortunately, quite a market for unsanctioned artwork, from which the artist never sees a dime.

What does the term Giclée mean?
This is a term that was actually created around 1990 to describe "high-end inkjet."

It is a method used to reproduce artwork, especially drawings and paintings, where an artist either scans or photographs an original to create a high resolution image, then it is printed out using a high quality inkjet printer.

If you're interested, you can read more about giclée here.

Why do you only print t-shirts once a week?
It really comes down to space. Trying to stock a full selection of t-shirts in all different sizes takes up quite a bit of space.

If I were going to stock t-shirts, I would have to offer only a few designs at a time, something I really don't want to do. I want you to be able to pick from all of the t-shirts I have designed, not just the few I am currently stocking.

That means I have to print the t-shirts that are ordered as I receive the orders. Once I receive an order, I need to shoot that image to screen, print the shirt, heat-set it, and package it for shipping. It takes a little time, but I feel like this is a better option than limiting the designs available on the site.

Can I wash my t-shirt?
Yes. Please wash your shirt (all of your clothes for that matter).

All of the t-shirts I print are heat-set before I ship them, a process that adheres the ink to the fabric to prevent it from washing out.  So definitely wash your shirt.  

We all have a favorite t-shirt that we have worn so long that the image eventually starts to fade. Shirts from Pessimistic Press aren't any different, but there are a few "best practices" you can use to help extend the life of any t-shirt:
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