Over the last few years, the market for fine art prints has grown at an exorbitant pace, and for this very reason, art galleries, art advisors, art collectors, and auction houses around the world have started to pay attention to this more affordable and popular niche. Within this thriving market, the price of an art print can go from the hundreds to the millions. The price is generally determined by six factors that will be covered in the article below. With that being said, one should always keep in mind that the criteria for establishing the price of an art print varies according to each artist/timeframe and is dictated by market demand, so it's always wise to consult with an expert when trying to determine the proper valuation.

The Artist

One of the most important factors in valuing a fine art print is the artist who created it. As one would expect, prints from reputed and highly demanded artists are more expensive than ones by emerging or unknown artists. For example, when dealing with 20th-century art prints, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol are among the priciest given the relentless demand for their prints. However, as shared in a previous post exploring Warhol's art prints, one should always keep in mind that when dealing with famous artists, fakes are frequently seen and authenticity needs to be properly verified.

The Edition

For centuries, artists reproduced art prints in as many numbers as the printing process would allow, and it was up until the end of the 19th century when artists started to produce limited editions as a means to ensure that each print would keep or increase its value over time. With that being said, when dealing with limited editions, the value of an art print varies if the edition is small or large (considered as such if it involves 200 reproductions or more). In a similar fashion to other types of assets, scarcity has a tremendous effect on the value of a print. For example, as reported by Artsy, a print by Frank Stella from an edition of 30 will be more valuable than a similar work from an edition of 100.

While extremely small or one of a kind editions do exist, a commonly seen practice within the printing world is the reproduction of 100 copies or less of the same plate with the number of each reproduction included in pencil at the bottom of the print as 1/100, 2/100, 3/100 and so on. Usually, all the reproductions of a limited series are priced similarly given many artists number their works randomly when they are signing and dating them. However, sometimes collectors prefer to buy the first print of a series, which in this case, reflects a higher price tag.

Next to the size of the edition, some terms associated with the printing world are also placed at the margins of each print and can also affect its value. For example, Artist Proof (A.P.) refers to an extra print/s the artist creates as a test run for a given series. For this reason, this print can be slightly different from the rest of the series and can also come numbered. Artist Proofs can demand a higher value since they often reflect the ideas and process of the artist. However, its value also depends on the working method of each artist.

Next to Artist Proofs, as explained by Christie´s in the following article, other proofs may be made by the artist and printer at an earlier stage.. These are known as state proofs (S.T.), trial proofs (T.P.), or color proofs (C.P.). Depending on the artist, they can be unique, with differences in color combinations, paper types, and sizes. While they are not always sold, some artists, like Andy Warhol, started to sell their trial proofs as unique color combinations separate from the edition and, due to their rarity, nowadays these works reach higher prices and are sought by collectors. Finally, when the image is perfected, a proof is made and signed B.A.T. (an abbreviation of the French bon à tirer, or ready to print). The rest of the edition is matched to this image, which is unique and traditionally kept by the printer. Nonetheless, if sold, its price tag would be higher than the rest of the prints related to the same edition.

The technique, size and type of paper

On occasion, prints featuring labor-intensive or innovative processes are also more valuable, however, this is not the most important aspect that determines the value of a print. For instance, as stated in an Artsy article, prints with multiple colors usually take longer to make and usually reach higher prices. Additionally, large prints (those greater than 24 by 40 inches) are harder and more expensive to create since they require special printing presses, and for this reason, tend to be more expensive than those of a standard size. For more details about the different printmaking techniques, please check out this post.

Additionally, while not always related to the price of an art print, collectors usually look for the types of paper in which a print is reproduced given it expresses the vision of the artist and relates to the quality and durability of the print. For example, as stated in a Christie’s article, Jasper Johns is known for his obsession to print on the highest quality and heaviest paper, while Andy Warhol used cheaper and thinner paper for his Soup Can series as a way to accentuate the mass consumer culture he was portraying.

The Printing Shop

Likewise, the value of a print can be affected by the reputation and expertise of the print shop or publisher that collaborated with the artist to produce a limited edition work since it plays a crucial role in the quality and provenance of the print. According to an Artsy article, nowadays, Pace Prints in New York; Crown Point Press in San Francisco; Counter Editions in London; Edition Copenhagen in Copenhagen; Mixografia and Gemini G.E.L in Los Angeles, and Paulson Fontaine Pressin Berkeley are some of the most reputed ones.

Next to them, another interesting and well-known publisher is Graphicstudio/USF, a non-profit printing facility housed at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where students and faculty interact with visiting artists such as Alex Katz, Chuck Close, Judy Chicago, and Kiki Smith. In the past, Graphicstudio editions have been acquired by important museums including the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of Art.

The Condition

Most art prints are produced on paper, a material that tends to present damages over time; especially if it's not kept in ideal humidity and lighting conditions. The very nature of paper makes it rare to find a relatively old print in ideal conditions. For this reason, it's important to request a condition report from the seller of the print since this will have a direct effect on its value. As stated by Milica Jovic from ArtAcacia, depending on the age of the print, some damages, like the yellowing of the paper, can be expected and would not affect its value; while others, such as severe creasing, soiling, tearing, or fading, will impact the print's price. However, contemporary art prints need to come in perfect condition and severe damage would exponentially decrease their value.

Whether you buy an old print, or a recent one, it's crucial to keep it in proper storage conditions. Among the main things you can do to protect your prints, is keeping them away from direct sunlight and storing them in a well-ventilated space free of moisture. Additionally, if they are hung, proper framing is crucial.

The Signature

The presence of a hand-made signature in the margin, or on the back of an art print, is desirable but not always important. As is the case with limited editions, artists only began signing their prints as a standard practice in the 19th century, and, even during this time and until recently, some famous artists did not sign all of their prints. For example, as explained in a Christie´s article, Warhol and Picasso only stamp-signed some of their prints, and only signed on the title page of larger portfolio editions; while other artists, such as Richard Diebenkorn and Lucian Freud, whose prints are highly valued, only added their initials. Additionally, some artists chose to scratch their name or initials onto the plate so that their signature became part of the printed image. These are called “plate signed” prints.

All in all, the effect that the artist´s signature has on the price of an art print cannot be generalized and depends on the artist´s signing preference, which can vary over time. Amid this scenery, artists´ signatures need to be carefully analyzed since art forgers will often add signatures to unsigned prints to make them seem more valuable.

As mentioned at the beginning, the relevance that each of these factors has on establishing the value of a particular art print depends on the artist’s career and the date of the print. The market also plays a crucial, if not the most important, role in determining the value of any print. Luckily, some online resources can help collectors identify the price ranges of an artist's work. For example, the Getty Research Institute offers a list of resources where collectors can look for prices of printed works that have recently been sold.

The top six factors that determine the value of an art print