Jill initiated a debate on LinkedIn yesterday that stirred the pot for many opinions regarding selling prints of original artwork.

The problem: artwork that is mass-produced hurts the art industry. Artists struggle to put out originals only to be in competition with much cheaper reproductions that would be inferior in quality to an original. So, does making prints hurt the artist's status?

IMHO: Conditionally No. That is, I believe making prints are fine in that it affords others the enjoyment of art they like that would otherwise be limited to one owner. However, I believe care should be taken on how prints are made. There needs to be quality control to ensure an equally high-standard is met with regard to the material (canvas, paper) and the color-matching. Additionally, I think it would be good to do limited editions in order to create value.

The art industry is hurting with the digital age. It is much easier for people to create, which is great; however, true masters of art are left as relics instead of cherished as caretakers of their art.