This is one of those questions that gets people all riled up but when all is said and done, has no “right” answer. In my humble opinion, original art is (mostly) worth the fuss and extra cost, especially given the abundance of affordable art in the marketplace. There is the long-term value of the art that some consider, but more importantly, there is something very special about owning an original piece of art. As someone who owns both originals and prints, I can attest to the fact that I am much more attached to the originals, even after factoring out what I paid for them.
However, there are many reasons to consider prints, especially as most of us are adjusting to life on tighter budgets. Artists, like the rest of us, are feeling the effects of the downturn, and even if you can’t afford an original, purchasing prints not only brings art into your home but also supports the artist community. Furthermore, there is a slew of e-shops that sell prints of top-quality emerging and established artists. So just because you can’t afford originals doesn’t mean you have to settle for Starry Night.
REASONS TO CONSIDER PRINTS:
– They often cost considerably less. A print of an original valued at $3000 might go for $50. That’s 1/60th of the cost of the original!
– If you don’t believe in art-as-investment.
– If your taste changes frequently.
– If the piece is whimsical and you’re unsure it makes sense in the long haul.
– If the original is sold, there may be prints available.
GREAT PRINT SHOPS:
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1 Art Hound » Blog Archive » The Big Debate Revisited: Original Art vs. Prints // Mar 16, 2010 at 7:14 pm
[…] in September I wrote about the debate over prints versus original art and listed what I perceive to be the most compelling arguments for […]
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