Artists create prints using a wide variety of techniques, from silk screening to digital printing.

There was a time when collectors desiring a particular piece of art were limited to buying the original, or having the artist, or another with equal skills, create a replica. Luckily, modern art enthusiasts have considerably more options. These days, much of the art market is dedicated to limited edition prints, created by contemporary artists or from the original works of the masters.

Former boxer and Chicago resident Tony Fitzpatrick has been running Big Cat Press for nearly two decades, and his drawings and prints have been exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Fitzpatrick is also an accomplished actor, having played tough-guy roles in such films as US Marshals and Hoodlum. Here he offers a basic introduction to collecting limited edition prints:

• Choose from a variety of print types.
  Artists use many different methods to create limited edition prints. Among popular techniques is serigraphy, also known as silk screening, and lithography, which is done using limestone or metal plates. Other processes include relief prints, digital prints, linocuts, and many different types of photography. Printmaking encompasses almost any way to reproduce an original image.
  
• Look for small editions.
  Limited edition prints offer collectors the chance to own a beautiful piece without having to buy an original drawing or painting. In general, the fewer prints in an edition, the more valuable the piece will be. Of course, the desirability of the image and the artist will also affect the price.
  
• Try artist's proofs.
  Many collectors seek out artist's proofs, which are prints that the artist makes before the official numbered print run begins. Often the artist is still tinkering with things like color, so proofs are not only one-of-a-kind pieces, but also a unique chance to see the artwork in an unfinished state. Print dealers often value proofs at about a third higher than prints from the numbered edition.
  
• Artwork for the common person.
  In Fitzpatrick's experience, art collecting has always been a rich man's game. But with limited edition prints, the hobby becomes a more democratic one, accessible to people without huge amounts of expendable income, and Fitzpatrick is proud to part of this egalitarian trend in art.

For more information about etchings, printmaking, and limited edition art prints, check out the following organizations or websites:

Tony Fitzpatrick
www.tonyfitzpatrick.com

Collectors Prints
www.collectorsprints.com

Lithography
www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec

About.com: Printmaking
arthistory.about.com/library

Flatbed Press: Printmaking
www.flatbedpress.com

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