Artist Proofs/Promo's

[KitFisto]

I was wondering something about these peices be they a bust, statue or piece of art.

How many AP's are generally made of any given piece and how is it that they make it out into the market place? If it's a "proof" then why is it released out into the public or is it that people that know people get them and then they get sold later? I have always wondered about it so I figured someone here would know.

Edit, I meant to post this in the general forum. Sorry.

 

[The Josh]

I thought it was like 10% of the production run but I could be wrong. I'm tempted to buy a promo from Razors Edge. He usually has some GG Promos and has had a few of some LOTR and SW stuff.

 

[Darth Loki]

10% would seem to be a HUGE number. I would think it'd be closer to 1%. If a run has an ES of 2500, there would be 25 AP's. In your case, there'd be 250!

 

[The Josh]

I read 10% once but it could be 1% I don't know. I really have no idea.

 

[The Mike]

APs are really limited they are about 1% of the run if not less.....MR I know usually has about 30-60 APs for each piece....they are used a corporate gifts, some sent over to licensors obviously....

 

[Alice Adrenochrome]

In the case of the Giger Alien mini bust, there are 50 AP's and the edition is 1000. That's 5%. I was told by SSC that these AP's where mostly used as gifts for business relations, friends, ...

https://www.sideshowtoy.com/mas_assets/jpg/2908_image05.jpg


The funny thing about AP's is that, since they are merely 'tests' for the actual run, they are - or should be - more or less inferior to the final product. But, many collectors value them more, because they are more scarce and sometimes different from the final run. I don't know how SSC handles the subject of AP's, but wouldn't it be strange to have a fixed percentage of AP's set per item? I mean, from the artist's point of view, it sometimes takes only 5 test to reach the desired result, and on some occasions, it might take 30. I can only guess that the SSC AP's are part of an intended over-production, where a (variable) number of AP's are taken into account: 1) some items used to give shape to the final product - real AP's so to speak, 2) some are auxiliary pieces made to replace faulty casts, broken pieces during production and transport. 3) And perhaps, some end up as a mini run, named AP, for friends and business relatives?
That said, I think it is quite impossible to determine the exact number of AP's for most SSC items, but, the number could be between 1% and 5%.

 

[LOTRFan]

I have a "production sample" Moria Orc Archer bust, it states it is not intended for retail sales on the bottom.

Oh and course my AP/Artist Sample :maul PF!

 

[Bannister]

I have a AP Spike I bought from Oluf. Not sure how many they made though. I know at least 6 since he had that many himself.

 

[LOTRFan]

I have a AP Spike I bought from Oluf. Not sure how many they made though. I know at least 6 since he had that many himself.

Mine came for Oluf as well, but these are beyond APs, these apparently are samples given to the actual artists.

Even better, yes!?

 

[Bannister]

Mine came for Oluf as well, but these are beyond APs, these apparently are samples given to the actual artists.

Even better, yes!?

I think sample is just another name for AP. Maybe someone from Sideshow could clarify.

 

[Fritz]

Here's an explanation from the old board...

https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=697&highlight=artists+proof

 

[KitFisto]

Here's an explanation from the old board...

https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=697&highlight=artists+proof

Wow, thanks. That was pretty helpful.

 

[pordey2]

thabjsm fritz

good to see that not everything was lost prior to the board-move

 

[p!tu]

i have an AP Frisbee!!!!!!!

 

[Bannister]

i have an AP Frisbee!!!!!!!

I never got a frisbee.

 

[p!tu]

I never got a frisbee.

So you dont have everything!!!!!

 

[Bannister]

So you dont have everything!!!!!

Not even close.

 

[p!tu]

Not even close.

:chew:chew:chew:chew:chew

 

[goliath]

The funny thing about AP's is that, since they are merely 'tests' for the actual run, they are - or should be - more or less inferior to the final product. [...]
I mean, from the artist's point of view, it sometimes takes only 5 test to reach the desired result, and on some occasions, it might take 30.

The artists never get to see the APs - they are definitely not used to get the artists approval. (statement by Brigitte Wuest - she didn't even know APs existed when I asked her a question about them).

 

[Alice Adrenochrome]

The artists never get to see the APs - they are definitely not used to get the artists approval. (statement by Brigitte Wuest - she didn't even know APs existed when I asked her a question about them).

If it's true what you say, than it only confirms my perception of the term AP the way SSC handles them. It's just a name for a mini run meant for business relatives. Like I said, it would be strange to produce a fixed number of collectibles so that the artists can try out what works best, like he/she HAS TO use 50 samples to reach the desired result. That would be ridicules.
Besides, the link explains it perfectly:
https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums...=artists+proof

AP: for friends and co.
Production Sample: "used to finalize the painting and get approval..."

In art school we used to call our test prints (etchings, lithographies, woodcuts, ...) Epreuve d’Artist (E.A.) which obviously stands for Artist Proof or AP. Looks like they handle things differently in the figure/statue collecting business...!