How to Create an Open Edition Art Print
An open edition is a print you can make again when another buyer wants one. You do not promise that only 50, or any other set number, will exist. The job is to make a print that looks good each time and to tell buyers exactly what they will get.
Start with Art You Can Print
Use work you made or have permission to reproduce. Owning a painting, a file, or a photo of someone else's art does not automatically give you the right to sell prints of it. The U.S. Copyright Office has a plain guide to artists' rights.
Make a Proof First
Choose the size and paper, then print one copy before opening a listing. This first copy is your proof. Look at it in daylight. Are the colors right? Are the edges sharp? Does the paper feel right for the image? Fix problems now, while you are holding a real print instead of looking at a screen.
- Save the final image file and its print size.
- Write down the paper, ink, and printer used for the proof.
- Compare the next batch with that approved proof.
Write a Label a Buyer Can Understand
Say that the print is an open edition. Name the paper size and image size, the material, and whether it is signed. Only promise a signature if you will add one. Do not number it like a limited edition.
Keep Each New Print Honest
Keep your approved proof and a simple record of what you print. If you change paper, size, or printer, make a new proof and update the listing. An open edition can be repeated; that does not mean every version should quietly change.
Want the buyer's side of the decision? Read Open Edition vs Limited Edition Prints, then see the open edition definition.