Why print?

A basic philosophy of Qoro can be summed up by the expression, "There is nothing like an original". After years of printmaking we can say that an original work of art possesses a meta physical characteristic that can not be replicated. We compare viewing an original to attending a live concert and a replica to a recording of the same show. There really is no comparison, but a recording does have merit. With artwork, unfortunately not everyone can afford or even access the original so we feel the prints have merit as well.

The most obvious reason for making prints of an original work of art is to increase revenue. The advent of digital technology has allowed more artists to sell prints and even emerging artists can afford to sell their most popular pieces. Many of our working artists generate half of their annual income through print sales.

A less obvious reason and one most overlooked by artists is to have prints made for marketing purposes. Prints of your work distributed through galleries and other venues increase your exposure. The more well known you become, the higher the premium that can be placed on original work. Paul Dorrell, author of "Living the Artist's Life" maintains that prints are a critical part of developing an artist's career.

Studies show that the process of marketing prints also develops future collectors. Clients start by collecting affordable prints and as their discretionary income increases they will acquire the original work of the artist they are already familiar with.

As every artist can tell you, charities are under the misguided notion that you can part with an original painting as a donation with out effecting your income. There are so many worthy charities that an artist could paint full time and never sell a work of art. Some of our artists don't market prints at all, but they have them made to donate to the charities that they choose to support.

Another reason for prints of original art is for gifts. Once again the prints allow the artist to give away work without parting with the original.

The fidelity and accuracy of a giclée is a good likeness of the original work. Several of our artists produce a full size print and maintain it as a record of the art after the original has sold. Other artists have 8X10 prints produced and arrange them in a book to act as a selling tool for the originals. The book functions as a portable gallery to show not only the work that is for sale, but also work that has sold.

One of the artists we work with has canvas giclées of his portraits produced to use as a teaching aid during his classes.

Finally, by using the Qoro process to make replicas, accurate digital files of the art work are produced. Digital files can be used to make images available for the web, enter into juried shows, make cards and other marketing materials, produce other licensed products using the artwork, make 35 mm slides, and they can even be used to produce offset lithographs.