Buying Guide
We understand that the world of fine art can be intimidating. On this page, we aim to answer any questions you may have about how we work and what different options we offer. If you have any questions that aren’t answered on this page, feel free to contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help.
Here at Modern Rocks Gallery, we pride ourselves in presenting a curated collection of fine art music photography, available to buy both online and from our Austin gallery. These signed and hand-numbered limited edition prints are printed to the highest museum quality and come from award-winning rock photographers worldwide.
Buying Guide
We work directly with many of the photographers and work hard to bring you unique and exclusive collections featuring rare and previously unseen images. If you have a particular band or image in mind, and you can’t see it on our website, please feel free to contact us as we have a vast network of photographers worldwide, so we may be able to track down something specific for you. ine can make all the difference.
Secure website with SSL-encrypted checkout
Our website is fully secure, meaning any personal information you give is totally private and never shared. Payments for online purchases are processed through Stripe, with a totally secure, fully PCI-DSS compliant, SSL-encrypted checkout. We accept all major credit cards, with the additional option of using Apple Pay or Paypal on checkout if preferred. We will also accept payment with a credit card over the phone, personal check, or cash.
Limited edition prints explained:
Each photographer sets his or her own edition numbers which are recorded with each print that is made, with the next available number being assigned to the next print. This is how many actual photographs are produced, so if an edition is only 50, then only 50 prints will be printed. Once an edition reaches the end, no more are printed. Due to this, prints increase in value as a limited edition finishes. All prints are made with a border to accommodate the signature on the right-hand side below the actual image, with the edition number on the left-hand side.
Every photograph will be hand-signed by the photographer, unless of course, they’re no longer with us. In that case, an official estate stamp is used. This stamp is either embossed or printed where the signature would normally be and is issued with the estate’s authority to authenticate the print. We print to order, so whether you order a print online or from our Austin gallery, we guarantee that your new print is just that, unless you buy a framed piece from the walls of the gallery, in which case all of our framing is fully archival with UV protection. This is something that we highly recommend when framing photography, we will gladly answer any questions you have about care for your print and how to frame them accordingly.
What is an Artist Proof?
When a photographer/art director/artist releases a new image as a limited edition print, test prints are made, often in different sizes or on different types of paper before an edition is created. These pre-edition prints are known as Artist Proofs (AP) and are separate from the numbered limited edition, making them highly collectible.
Print types
Some of our prints have more than one print option available, so below is a brief description of each option. In some cases, there is only one option, and this is the photographer’s preference.
What is a Silver Gelatin Print?
Introduced in the 1870s, this is the most common of all printing processes in which paper is coated with gelatin that contains light-sensitive silver salts. This is the standard contemporary black-and-white print method used today and is also often referred to as a silver gel. Prints can be made from both the original negative and from a digital scan of the original negative.
What is an archival pigment print?
The breakthrough in archival inkjet printing technology is one of the great revolutions in photography. A digital file is made from the original negative, transparency, or illustration. These high-resolution scans are sent from the computer to the printer which sprays a stream of very fine, virtually invisible, ink droplets directly onto specially coated art papers. (In the USA these are also known as 'Giclée' prints). Current data predicts these to have an archival life of 70 years or more in ideal conditions. The advantage of these prints is that they are more environmentally friendly with fewer chemicals being used. They produce a matte finish with incredible lustrous depth behind glass.
What are C-Type Prints?
C-Type prints are made using a chemical process. Using either existing digital files or scanning from negative or transparency, the image is exposed to the light-sensitive emulsion of Fuji Crystal Archive paper and then processed through color chemistry. The paper is professional weight and heavier than standard photographic papers. C-type prints are now archival and are still preferred by some photographers and collectors to digital art prints.