|
|
Frequently Asked
Questions. |
[ Site Questions ] [
Ordering Questions ] [ Art Questions
]
Site questions
Q |
I'm confused about how to order.
If I order directly on the web, is my credit card information really
private? |
A |
For ordering instructions, click
here. If you're still confused, call us at
1-888-ART-4-NOW. If you wish to order directly from our site instead of using
fax, phone or mail, all of your personal information is transmitted to us using
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology. This is the current state of the art in
secure transmissions and has been successfully used on the Internet for years.
We believe that Internet transactions are no less secure than in-person
transactions where hard copies are left at a store or restaurant. |
Q |
Every time I try to access the
secure part of your site, I get a Dialog box telling me that the certificate
has expired. What gives? |
A |
Certain security information was
embedded into older browsers which expired in July 1998 and needs to be
updated. It takes 2 minutes to fix and you won't experience any problems with
the thousands of secure sites which require this information. Go to
http://www.thawte.com for a free
update. [ Top ] |
[ Site Questions ] [
Ordering Questions ] [ Art Questions ]
[ Top ]
Ordering questions
Q |
Why are the shipping charges
higher on the Signed poster compared to the Unsigned and higher still on the
Remarque? |
A |
Shipping charges are based on
several things, including weight and value. Since the Signed posters are more
valuable, insurance costs are higher. [ Top
] |
Q |
Can I save shipping charges by
picking my order up or by putting all of my posters together in one tube ? |
A |
We are only set up to take a
phone, fax or internet order for shipping. As to consolidating orders: Over the
years we perfected packing methods that result in almost 100% error-free
delivery. Putting too many posters in a tube or combining products only invites
damage, which the shipping companies won't cover. We all like to save a few
dollars, but consolidating product into an unsuitable package is a false
economy. [ Top ] |
Q |
I'd like my poster shipped flat.
Can that be arranged? |
A |
A poster shipped flat is more
vulnerable to damage than one shipped in a tube, so we don't offer that kind of
delivery. To prevent your poster from retaining any curl, either have it framed
immediately or remove it carefully from the tube and store it flat. Here's how
to remove it without damage: Slip your index & middle finger into the tube
and grasp the inner corner of the poster. Twist the corner gently in the
direction that makes the poster smaller while slowly pulling the poster out of
the tube. If there is any resistance, you haven't reduced the circumference of
the poster enough and if you continue to pull, you will damage it. [ Top ] |
Q |
I sometimes get a high number
even though I place my order in early every year. Can I pay extra for a low
number? |
A |
We'd love to have the extra
income, but the print number pulled for an order is random and there is no way
to guarantee a low number. It doesn't really matter to the value of the poster.
In the days of stone lithography, a low number insured that the image was fresh
since prints pulled at the end of a run came off a stone that was sometimes
worn down. With silk-screen prints, however, every print is of the same
quality. The number is simply your assurance that the edition is limited and
that there are no other prints bearing your number. [
Top ] |
[ Site Questions ] [
Ordering Questions ] [ Art Questions ]
[ Top ]
Art questions
Q |
How is the artist chosen each
year? |
A |
We tried bribery, but artists
rarely had enough money - so we settled for merit. Although the Fiesta is
international in scope and participation, we try to choose an artist born in or
working in New Mexico. We favor artists with a reputation made over a number of
years since they have proven that they can relate to an audience. We then look
at portfolios and try to find a connection between the artist's work and the
spirit and color of the Fiesta. Sometimes we start with a concept and look for
an artist who's work is best suited to express that idea. In all cases, the
artist must either have experience with silk-screen printmaking or produce work
that would be enhanced by this vivid technique. [
Top ] |
Q |
What is a Remarque? |
A |
A Remarque is a signed print with
an oversized lower margin. The artist uses the extra space to draw or "re-mark"
the area in pencil with a small illustration. The name derives from this
marking, though some think it originated as a "remark" about the art by the
artist. Either way, the purchaser is getting an original drawing and a signed
print for significantly less than the two bought separately.Remarques are
generally commissioned for special events, including milestone event
anniversaries. [ Top ] |
Q |
What framing do you offer or
recommend? |
A |
We do not offer any framing and
recommend that you observe these general rules: Never dry mount an original
print or poster: It destroys the value of the print. Always use acid-free
(neutral pH) matt board so the framing materials won't yellow the acid-free
papers we employ. The use of acid-free materials is referred to as museum
quality. PosterCards can be dry mounted since they are not collectibles. [ Top ] |
Q |
Why can't I buy just this year's
PosterCard? I don't need the whole set. |
A |
All items are produced under
license and a substantial portion of the sales price goes to the Albuquerque
International Balloon Fiesta. Card sets are so relatively inexpensive that the
cost of selling a single card makes no economic sense, either to the publisher
or the AIBF. Buy the set: It's a great excuse to write if you only plan to keep
the latest card. [ Top ] |
Q |
If I just buy the numbered print
can I get the artist to sign it later if I agree to pay him for his
signature? |
A |
The artist is under contract to
sign only the Signed, Remarque and Proof editions authorized by the publisher.
This is the way we guarantee the exclusivity of the limited editions. In fact,
simply placing a signature on an unsigned poster does not increase its value.
It is just an autograph. A collector wants an authorized signed print from the
original edition. [ Top ] |
Q |
Who signs the poster? |
A |
The Artist. [
Top ] |
Q |
It's just a poster, why does it
costs so much? |
A |
Actually, the poster for the
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has more in common with fine art than
with generic posters. Posters are usually produced in unlimited numbers, are
designed to sell something and are produced by the cheapest methods on the
cheapest paper. Your Balloon Fiesta poster is produced in numbered limited
editions, some of which are signed by the artist. The art is an original
commission, usually produced by a highly regarded, collectible artist. The
Balloon Fiesta poster doesn't sell something; it commemorates an historical
event. It is produced on archival papers using the same techniques employed for
over a hundred years by fine artists. In fact, the only reason it is presented
as a poster is because the owner of the company (who is still the art director)
realized before most that the poster was a distinct art form which had become
extinct because of more "powerful" media (radio, television, etc.). Reasoning
that words had artistic impact and, properly presented, could be an integral
part of fine art, he set out to produce the fine art posters that have now
become the most collected and admired in the world. [
Top ] |
Q |
I just want an inexpensive "plain
poster", it doesn't have to have a number or anything. (Or: I know you're SOLD
OUT , but will you be getting more in? |
A |
All of our posters are numbered
because all are produced in limited editions. There are no "plain posters."
When they're sold out, they're gone. We print the entire edition from the
original screens and when the editions are finished, we destroy the screens. No
more will ever be produced. [ Top
] |
Q |
How do I know my poster is
authentic? |
A |
Each poster is an original
silk-screen print hand crafted using an elaborate process that is not easily
duplicated. We then number each one. Next to the number is a raised embossed
seal, sometimes called a blind stamp or chop mark. Combining the painstaking
process with the unique number and the die used to emboss each print, it is
highly unlikely that a fraudulent print will find its way to market. In fact,
in our more than a quarter century in business, none have ever been presented
despite the ever-increasing value of the prior editions. Many years ago we
issued certificates of authenticity, but quickly realized that these were more
easily forged than the prints themselves! We no longer use them, but are
pleased to supply a letter of authenticity for any print presented to us in
person. This said, a buyer should always inspect the print carefully, looking
for any erasures of the number or signatures on prints that bear a higher
number than the authorized signed edition. Original edition sizes can be found
by clicking on the image of interest on the vintage poster page. [ Top
] |
[ Site Questions ] [
Ordering Questions ] [ Art Questions ]
[ Top ]
Click
here for the legal stuff.
|
