A buyer's guide to print
Weekend-long art business course
16 March 2019 10am - 5pm17 March 2019 10am - 5pm
Wolfson British Academy Room, 6 Burlington Gardens, Mayfair, Royal Academy of Arts
£420. Includes a complementary ticket for The Original Print Fair 2019; light refreshments at the beginning of each day and wine reception at the end of day one.
Terms and conditions
With over 30 years’ experience of running the London Original Print Fair, Helen Rosslyn introduces the fascinating world of prints and printmaking, considering both how they are made and tips for collecting and enjoying prints.
Building on a significant expert knowledge of both historic and contemporary prints, Helen Rosslyn is uniquely placed to introduce the fascinating world of original prints. Having worked closely with contemporary artists for whom printmaking is central to their practice, as well as leading international galleries through the London Original Print Fair, Helen demystifies the wonderful world of prints and printmaking.
This intensive two-day weekend course includes a historic overview of printmaking as well as offering up-to-date knowledge of contemporary players and practices.
The role of prints and printmaking is considered both in terms of their history and development as an art form but also their contemporary significance to artists and the wider art market. Critically, the course explains the terminology behind prints and includes tips for collecting employed by market experts – exploring how to both build and sustain a collection with an overview of both key risks and opportunities as well as drivers in the market.
Uniquely, the course will include a visit to a printing studio to watch a print being made, allowing for a deeper and richer understanding of what printmaking actually entails. Course themes to be explored include:
• A brief history of printmaking and the role of printmaking in the work of contemporary artists today
• A practical overview of different printmaking techniques including what distinguishes a “print” from other works on paper including drawings.
• An introduction to the print market: how has the market grown and developed; what are the opportunities for the collectors; what are the risks; how to distinguish quality and where can prints be bought.
As well as those with personal or professional interest in prints and printmaking, this weekend course will appeal both to seasoned collectors wishing to broaden their collecting horizons and to those wishing to start an art collection.
With specialist information on key trends and developments in the print market, on caring for and displaying prints, the course will above all offer a guide for those wishing to buy, understand and enjoy prints.
About the tutor
Helen Rosslyn
Helen Rosslyn is the longstanding Director of the annual London Original Print Fair at the Royal Academy of Arts, now in its 34th year, having trained in the Prints and Drawings department at Christies. She is an art historian and presenter of art documentaries for BBC, specializing in prints and British private art collections, including BBC4’s three-part series Bought with Love, the Secret History of British Art Collections; and Castiglione, Rogue Genius of the Baroque. She was curator of the National Gallery of Scotland’s exhibition Rosslyn: Country of Painter and Poet and author of the accompanying book. She is currently arts editor for Tatler and author of the new Royal Academy publication A Buyer’s Guide to Prints, from which the weekend course takes its lead.
About the course
This course offers a thorough introduction to collecting, caring for, and displaying works of prints. Topics covered include: the market for works on paper and how and where to buy it; insights on presenting, storing and displaying prints.
Who can take this course?
This course is suitable for all levels and those with general interest, as well as specific interests in the collection, care and exhibition of artworks on paper.
This course is for you if:
• You are interested in the history, characteristics and techniques of prints and want to explore techniques and what differentiates them.
• You have a collection or are thinking of starting one which will focus on or include prints
• You are interested in the exhibition and display of prints, either in the home or institutional environments
• You are interested in the care and conservation of works on paper, and how to look after and protect them for the future
• You enjoy a mix of theory and practical discussion in a peer-group environment
Minimum age 18
This historic room with its ornate domed plaster ceiling was the main Representatives Room when 6 Burlington Gardens was home to The British Academy from the 1920s onwards. Located in Burlington Gardens, the room was designed by Edwardian architect Arnold Mitchell in 1929 and carefully restored as part of the RA250 redevelopment of the Royal Academy. Supported by the Wolfson Foundation, the British Academy Room now serves as a dedicated home for RA Academic Programmes and is the ideal space for small-group and peer-based learning.
Our courses and classes programme
Our programme of short courses and classes offers the opportunity to explore a range of subjects, led by expert tutors and practising artists.
Give this course as a gift
All of our courses can be purchased as a gift for a friend or family member – giving the gift of education and a remarkable experience. To arrange a personalised Gift Voucher, please contact Anna Pojer, Academic Programmes Manager, by calling 020 7300 5684 or email anna.pojer@royalacademy.org.uk