Thomas Kinkade-known as "Painter of Light"-calls himself one of the most collected artists in the world. While many people are happy buying one of his licensed pieces, some will settle for nothing less than a canvas lithograph. These pieces of artwork resemble Kinkade’s original paintings, but are lithographs printed on canvas. They allow the Kinkade collector to display the artwork in a form that’s very similar to the original. There are many different types of Kinkades to choose from.
Instructions
1. Visit your local Thomas Kinkade gallery, or browse the Thomas Kinkade website. In person, you’ll have the opportunity see the art that you’re buying. Additionally, if the piece you want isn’t in the gallery and is out of print, the art consultants in the gallery can locate it from a reputable secondary market dealer.
2. Determine if there’s a series in Kinkade’s work that you like best and start to collect the pieces from that series. For example, decide if you’d like artwork from his "Hometown" or "Disney" series. Find out what pieces are available to purchase in your local gallery.
3. Understand the differences between the types of artwork in the gallery. For example, large paintings on canvas are canvas prints or lithographs, and are usually more valuable. There are also canvas classics, pieces printed on cotton fiber that are not signed or numbered. This means they’re not as valuable as a canvas or even a paper print of Thomas Kinkade’s work. However, they don’t cost as much, and they give collectors a chance to start a Kinkade collection.
4. Know the difference between the types of proofs. Proofs are lithographic prints of the artist’s work printed on canvas and are for sale in the Thomas Kinkade galleries; these are not original works of art. Different proofs-depending upon what has been added to them-have different value. While all these pieces are numbered and limited editions, different features are added to each subsequent proof, making it more valuable. For example, the Master Edition-the most expensive of all the types of lithographic proofs-offers features like Thomas Kinkade’s signature and a remarque sketch on the back of the artwork. Other lithographs of Kinkade’s such as the Artist Proof don’t offer these extra features. Additionally, some proofs like the Studio Proof or Master Edition are only available at Thomas Kinkade Signature Galleries. (See Resources to read more about Kinkade’s original works of art)
5. Look at your budget before you go into the gallery, and browse prices of Kinkades online. Buying a lithograph may mean that you’re going to part with a significant amount of money. If you’re worried that the piece will sell out before you can buy it, find out if the gallery offers financing. Many do.
