How to Read an Artwork
Edition · Ho size · Printmaking · Pigment print — terminology guide
An edition is a series of identical prints or photographs produced from the same plate or file. The Korean 'ho' sizing system defines canvas sizes (10ho ≈ 53×41cm, 50ho ≈ 116×91cm), and numbering like '3/50' indicates position in the edition and total print run. Explore each topic in detail below.
Editions, Prints & Numbering
Printmaking techniques, edition concepts, numbering and pigment printing
Edition Meaning Explained — 5/10, Numbering, Limited, Open Editions (Pricing Impact)
An edition number marks an artwork's print run. '5/10' means the 5th print of 10 total. Learn the differences between originals, limited editions, and open editions with real SAF 2026 artworks.
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The World of Printmaking: Can There Be Multiple Originals?
"Isn't a print just a copy since there are multiple copies?" That question is the perfect starting point. This piece walks through the four major printmaking techniques — woodblock, intaglio, lithography, and screen printing — and explains why edition numbers guarantee value, and why O Yun's posthumous prints are still originals four decades later.
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Print vs Original — How to Read Edition Numbers (AP·EA·HC·PP) and Collecting Value
Reading "3/30," AP, EA, HC on a print's lower edge — what each mark means, how prints differ from reproductions, and why the same "print" looks entirely different by medium.
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Archival Pigment Print Explained — Why Digital Photographs Last 200 Years
The cliché says digital photographs fade within 30 years. The exception: pigment inks plus archival paper produce 200-year longevity. Reading contemporary photographic media through Kang Le-a's "#01_S1707SP."
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Why an Original Costs 10x More Than a Print by the Same Artist
Why does a print cost $300 while the original by the same artist costs $3,000? Three forces explain it: supply, scarcity, and signature premium.
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Korean Contemporary Printmaking — Five Lineages at SAF
Contemporary Korean printmaking, read through five artists at SAF 2026 — from Lee Cheolsu's woodblock Zen to Kim Jonghwan's broken-printer sculptures.
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Oh Yoon Estate Prints Guide — 17 Posthumous Woodcuts by Korean Minjung Art Master
A guide to the 17 estate prints of Oh Yoon (1946-1986), master of Korean minjung art. What an estate print is, five perspectives on his practice, and entry recommendations.
Read moreSize & Medium Guide
Ho size conversion chart, medium characteristics, oil vs watercolour vs drawing
10ho = 53×45.5cm, 30ho = 90.9×72.7cm — Korean Ho-to-Centimeter Conversion (1~100ho)
10 ho or 30 ho — how many centimeters? A quick guide to reading the Korean art market's size system, with F, P, M ratios and real SAF examples.
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How to Choose Artwork by Medium — Oil, Acrylic, Print, Watercolor Compared
When buying art for the first time, the most confusing question is often 'what is this actually made of?' Understanding the medium changes everything. This guide breaks down all 11 categories in SAF 2026 — from oil and acrylic to printmaking and photography — and helps you find what fits your taste.
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Painting, Print, Photography, Sculpture — A Buyer’s Guide to Each Medium
Why does a painting cost ₩3M, a print ₩300K, a photograph ₩800K, and a sculpture ₩5M? Each medium has its own pricing logic. A complete buyer’s guide to all four.
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Drawing vs Painting — Why Sketches Hang in Museums, Pricing and Collection Value
Drawing is not a preliminary step to painting. It can be the medium closest to the artist's thinking — even more so than painting. A perspective on drawing as an independent art form.
Read moreBrowse real artworks and apply what you have learned.
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