Should I focus on creating original art or prints and reproductions?

You can and should do both strategically. Commission work and original pieces can provide sustainable income, especially when you’re building your business. However, to scale and reach more people, you need to develop collections that can be reproduced in some format. The key is being strategic about which originals become limited editions and how you position each. High-end, unique originals at premium prices serve one market, while limited editions at lower (but still premium) price points serve another. Just make sure that if you’re creating limited editions, they truly are limited—numbered, exclusive, and never reproduced again once sold out. This scarcity is what makes them valuable to collectors.

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Asked by an artist deciding between originals and reproductions · Answered by Patrick Shanahan and Kate Cook · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-03-17