The term ‘original print’ can be confusing to those who haven’t come across it before. The word ‘print’ to most people means a ‘copy’, like copies of a newspaper or reproductions of an oil painting.
An original print is called ‘original’ because it isn’t reproducing an image which already exists. The artist has intended from the very start to create their artwork using a graphic medium – a suite of etchings, say, or a one-off screenprint – and designs the image with that medium in mind.
Once the design is finalised and the plate, block or screen from which the print will be made is complete, multiple runs of each image are produced, making an ‘edition’.
