ARTIST'S PROOFS
stephen settles
As a form of printmaking, the marbled prints on this page are termed loosely, for lack of any other appropriate word as 'Artist's Proofs' (AP).
The AP designation refers to images developed by the artist during the preliminary stages of the printing process. These smaller images, usually 8.5" x 10", were used to proof the marbler's 'canvas'.
In marbling terms, the 'canvas' refers to a water bath upon which oil paints are floated. This 'canvas of water' provides a surface for the image's design. Factors such as viscosity, air temperature, paint pigment, oil-based agents and combinations of other chemical mediums affect the image's form and design. Consequently, APs were deemed by the artist as true representations of the artist's intent-not necessarily as a finished product that would be offered for sale. Rather, these APs formed the foundation for a larger sized print intended for sale.
Today the value of owning an artist’s proof does not relate to quality, it relates to the importance of owning a rare portion of an edition.
© copyright 2016 Stephen Settles