Prints or paintings? Original copies or original works? These are two fundamental choices that the contemporary art industry offers to almost every emerging art collector. As always, each option has its pros and cons, and yet it is sometimes hard to pick both variants if your budget is tight. Let’s get a quick look at the differences between limited edition prints and original paintings and decide what is best for you.
Limited edition prints vs. original paintings: what to collect?
Why choose original paintings?
As the name suggests, an original painting is created by the hands of an artist. It is a one-of-a-kind piece of art that will be the finest and most valuable artwork on the market. Thus, the market price of such an item will be the highest as compared to original prints, copies, and replicas.
Collecting original paintings is a traditional way of assembling an art collection. Such an approach will work best for those collectors who are passionate about specific artists or paintings and have a bigger budget since such artworks are exclusive. At the same time, you can buy artworks by unfamous painters due to the smaller prices, but you should be aware of the risks.
Why choose limited edition prints?
Art prints are the original copies of an artist’s painting. Such editions are usually made by the very same painters or, at least, approved and signed by them. A limited number of prints is set by an artist and can range from 10 to 1000 pieces in a single edition. That’s what makes it different from open edition art prints.
Prints are a perfect choice for collectors and newcomers with tighter budgets. They are much cheaper than originals and have decent–but still incomparable–quality.
To sum up
Your choice in this situation is pure economics. It is easier to start an art collection with limited edition prints and then mix them with original paintings. If budget allows you to buy high-dollar artworks, it shouldn’t then stop you from buying originals.