Studio Survey I – Results

Here at Last

Here, at last, are the results of Print Workshop Central‘s Studio Survey I. In all, 23 studios replied to the questionnaire, a mediocre turnout at best. Print studios are busy, it seems. After asking respondents to identify themselves, we invited them to tell us about the services their studios provided. No surprises here. The most generalized services are workshops/classes. And most studios offer a variety of other print-related services.  The “other” comment at the end is “press repair.” Nice service. Here’s the breakdown.

Frontal Assault, Skirt the Issue or Vice Versa?

An Attempt to Summarize the Opinions Voiced in the No-Giclee Debate

After a month’s debate on the subject of what authentic printmakers might do to combat disloyal competition from giclee reproduction operations which call their copies “fine-art prints,” the discussion has centered around the possibility of implementing Andy MacDougall’s idea to create a No Giclee symbol. This symbol or logo would distinguish between true fine-art prints and giclee reproductions. The opinions expressed on the subject seem to me to break  down roughly into four categories:

1. “I’m all for it. I would use the symbol and so would my printmaker friends.” This is the majority opinion.
2. “I’m against it. Giclee prints are just as ‘fine art’ as etchings or screen prints.” This opinion is expressed only by people who are in the business of selling reproductions.
3. “I think something should be done, but from the positive side, i.e. a symbol which denotes original hand-pulled prints.” This suggestion arose late  in the discussion but has quite a few advocates.
4. “We need to work a multi-pronged approach to make it clear that these reproductions are NOT originals.” This is the suggestion of digital artist, Diana Nicholette Jeon.

I was struck by Diana’s concept of a “multi-pronged approach.” She’s right, why limit ourselves to one symbol, and a negative one at that? If we consider it advisable, we can do both a hand-pulled-original-print chop and a No Giclee symbol for use as window sticker, bumper sticker, Internet logo, etc. And if we come up with more creative ideas which might be effective, we can implement those, too.

Now what we need are the designs for both concepts. It would be good to have 15 or 20 from which to choose!

Our SERPs are Looking Great!

Announcing Print Workshop Central

Print Workshop Central is a one-year-old World Printmakers initiative designed to offer a series of services and resources to fine-art printmaking workshops around the world.