Definitions

Abbozzo--When used in talking about painting, refers to the first sketch or block in on the canvas.  (Italian for “sketch.”)

Abstract Expressionism--A painting movement in which artists typically applied paint rapidly and heavily--sometimes by throwing it or dripping it on the canvas-- in an attempt to show emotions on canvas.  Some abstract expressionist artists include:  Hans Hoffman (German-American, 1880-1966), Adolph Gottlieb (American, 1903-1974), Mark Rothko (American, 1903-1970), Willem De Kooning (Dutch-American, 1904-1997), Clyfford Still (American, 1904-1980), Barnett Newman (American, 1905-1970), Franz Kline (American, 1910-1962), William Baziotes (American, 1912-1963), Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956), Philip Guston (American, 1913-1980), Ad Reinhardt (American, 1913-1967), Robert Motherwell (American, 1915-1991), Sam Francis (American, 1923-1994), and Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928-). Abstract Expressionism originated in the 1940s, and became popular in the 1950s.

Achromatic--color having no chroma--black, white, grays.

Acid Free Paper: The better quality limited edition prints with a 7 pH, or very close to 7 pH. Below 6.5 pH or above 8.5 pH is not considered acid-free.  They are often produced from wood-free papers (usually 100% cotton) and are sized with a synthetic compound know as Aquapel, which is also acid free as acid-free materials are known to be more permanent as they don’t break down over time. Quality papers are also buffered with calcium carbonate, which prevents the long-term deterioration caused by migration of acid in the paper from the atmosphere. Papers containing wood pulp, alum fixatives and resin sizing are acidic and become yellow and brittle over time. 

Artist's Proof: Any print intended for the artist's personal use. It is a common practice to reserve approximately 10% of an edition as artist's proofs. The artist's proof is sometimes referred to by its French name, epreuce d'artist (abbreviated E.A.). Artist's proofs can be distinguished by the abbreviation AP or EA, commonly on the lower left corner of the work. Often this work can have different coloration or extra embellishments than the regular edition. 

Cancellation Proof: Final print made once an edition series has been finished to show that the plate has been marred/mutilated by the artist, and will never be used again to make more prints of the edition. Once an edition is sold out, this is often done to prevent any prints from being created in the future. 

Giclee: A giclee is derived from the French word meaning “to spray ink.”  Agiclee is a print produced by the use of enhanced ink-jet printer technology that sprays ink directly on the canvas. The inks used are typically non-fading, archival quality and when sprayed, microscopic droplets are rapidly “sprayed” with extreme precision onto the substrate--usually canvas or paper. The "sprayed" dots are so small and precise that, instead of seeing dots, the human eye only registers a slow tonal gradation.  

Hors d'Commerce Proof: Print identical to the edition print intended to be used as samples to show to dealers and galleries. Hors d'Commerce (abbreviated H.C.) proofs may or may not be signed by the artist.

Limited Edition: When referred to in paintings, it means a set of identical prints numbered in succession and signed by the artist.  Can also be used with plates, books, or other collectible items.  The total number of prints or other items is fixed or “limited” by the artist who supervises the printing himself. No other giclee or canvas prints are available once the fixed number of the item are created.

Lithograph: Printing technique in which prints are pulled on a special press from a flat, specially prepared stone or metal surface.  The surface of the stone typically has been chemically sensitized so that ink sticks only to the design areas, and is repelled by the non-image areas. Alois Senefelde invented lithography in 1798 in Germany and used oily or greasy substances to help the image “stick”.

Low Relief Cast Paper: This process begins with the construction of a embossing or “master plate”. Various materials are used depending on the artist-desired appearance. After the master plate is created, the wet pulp is either pressed by hand or with the use of an etching press, pressed against the plate. 


Monoprint: One-of-a-kind print conceived by the artist and printed by or under the artist's supervision.

Montage (Collage): An artwork comprising of various existing images such as from photographs or prints, and arranged so that they join, overlap, or blend to create a new image.

Monotype: One-of-a-kind print made by painting on a sheet of metal or glass and transferring the still-wet-painting to a sheet of paper by hand or with an etching press. If enough paint remains on the master plate, additional prints can be made, however, the reprint will have substantial variations from the original image. Monotype printing is not a multiple-replica process since each print is unique.

Original Print: One-of-a-kind print in which the artist personally conceived the image, created the master plates, and executed the entire printing process.


Open Edition: A series of prints or objects in an art edition that has an unlimited number of copies.


Provenance: Record of ownership for a work of art, ideally from the time it left the artist's studio to its present location, thus creating an unbroken ownership history.

Printers Proof: Print retained by the printer as a reference. Artists often sign these prints as a gesture of appreciation.

Remarque: Small sketch in the margin of an art print or additional enhancement by the artist on some or all of the final prints within an edition.

Serigraph: A complex stenciling process using a fine mesh material stretched tightly across a frame. A separate screen is created for every color that exists in the original art. For each screen, selective areas of the screen are blocked out with filler, while the other areas where the color is to be placed on the paper or canvas, and are left open. The ink is pushed through the screen with a squeegee, only passing through the portions of the mesh that are not blocked by the filler. The paper below accepts the print and an image are built up. Serigraphs are often made with 40 or more colors. A serigraph can be recognized by the boldness and evenness of color, and upon closer examination can be seen to be made up of many different layers of ink – one layer for each color.

Trial Proof: Pre-cursor to a limited edition series, these initial prints are pulled so that the artist may examine, refine, and perfect the prints to the desired final state. Trial proofs are generally not signed.



Service Area (for muralist services)

service area includes:  All of Massachusetts including Acton, Agawam, Amesbury, Amherst, Andover, Ashland, Attleboro, Auburn, Ayer, Barnstable, Barre, Bellingham, Billerica, Blackstone, Boston, Boxboro, Braintree, Brookfield, Brookline, Cambridge, Canton, Carver, Charlestown, Charlton, Chelmsford, Chelsea, Chesterfield, Conway, Danvers, Dudley, Duxbury, Eastham, Enfield, Essex, Everett, Fairhaven, Falmouth, Fitchburg, Foxborough, Gardner, Gosnold, Grafton, Greenwich, Hadley, Hampden, Hancock, Hardwick, Hatfield, Haverhill, Holyoke, Hudson, Hopedale, Hull, Hyde Park, Ipswich, Kent, Kingston, Lancaster, Lawrence, Leicester, Lenox, Leominster, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Lee, Maiden, Manchester, Mansfield, Marblehead, Marlborough, Mashpee, Mattapoisett, Medfield, Medway, Mendon, Methuen, Milford, Millville, Millis, Monroe, Monson, Montague, Nantucket, Natick, Needham, New Bedford, New Salem, North Attleborough, North Smithfield, Northbridge, Oak Bluffs, Norwood, Orange, Oxford, Palmer, Paxton, Peabody, Pelham, Pembrook, Quincy, Randolph, Rehoboth, Richmond, Rowe, Rowley, Russell, Salisbury, Salem, Saugus, Sandwich, Scituate, Seekonk, Sharon, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Southbridge, Spencer, Springfield, Stoughton, Sturbridge, Sutton, Swampscott, Swansea, Taunton, Tolland, Topsfield, Tyngsborough, Upton, Uxbridge, Vernon, Ware, Wareham, Webster, Wellesley, Wellfleet, West Boylston, West Brookfield, West Springfield, Westborough, Whatley, Whitman, Williamsburg, Wilmington, Woburn, Wrentham, and Yarmoth.  (Don’t see your city or town here?  I probably just didn’t think of it.  Call me!)

All of Rhode Island including:  Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville,  Charlestown, Coventry, Cranston, Cumberland, East Greenwich, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Johnston, Lincoln, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, Newport, North Smithfield, North Kingstown, Pawtucket, Portsmouth, Providence, Richmond, Scituate, Tiverton, Warren, West Warwick, Warwick, Westerly,  West Greenwich

All of Connecticut including:  Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain, Greenwich, Bristol, West hartford, Meriden, Hamden, Fairfield, Manchester, Milford, West Haven, Stratford, East Hartford, Middletown, Enfield, Wallingford, Southington, Shelton, Groton, Norwich, Torrington, Trumbull, Glastonbury, Naugatuck, Vernon, Newington, Cheschire, Branford, Windsor, Newtown, Westport, New London, Wethersfield, Farmington, Mansfield, Ridgefield, Simsbury, Windham, Guilford, Bloomfield, Berlin, Darien, New Canaan, Southbury, Montville, East Lyme, Rocky Hill, Monroe, Madison, Waterford, Stonington, Killingly, Wilton, Bethel, Plainfield, Ledyard, Ellington, Orange, Cromwell, Clinton, Windsor Locks, Derby, Coventry, Plymoth, Stafford, Griswold, Granby, Somers, Winchester, Old Saybrook, Canton, Woodbury, Portland, Prospect, Putnam, Groton, Thompson, Hebron, Beacon Falls, North Stonington, Preston, Deep River, Middlefield, Pomfret, Chester, Sterling, Woodstock, Union, Warren, Cornwall, Fenwick