ISEN FAQs

• What is ISEN?
• ISEN stands for "International System for Edition Numbering™" and was founded by an international group of artists, collectors, and gallerists. It was envisioned by Lucie Awards founder Hossein Farmani, London gallerist Jesper Thomsen and Lucie Awards Co-Chair Susan Baraz and the ISEN Advisory Board.
• Why is it important to use ISEN?
• ISEN is a system for organizing and registering artwork so that it can be tracked, and storing information about registered artwork so that it can be easily accessed for years to come.
• What does it cost to register artwork with ISEN?
• ISEN is absolutely free. You can register all of your artwork with ISEN at no cost. An easy-to-use iPhone app to speed up the registration is provided from the Apple store.
• How does ISEN work?
• It’s quite simple — you register, create a profile and register your artwork, Done! We issue an ISEN ID number to each work of art you register. Art buyers, collectors, galleries and public and can search for information about your work using that ISEN ID number you provide them. When you are ready to sell your work you create series of editions, and provide the production method and dates and where to buy them, your gallery list or your online store.
• Does ISEN sell artwork?
• No, ISEN does not sell artwork. The role of ISEN is simply to record information that is provided by artists at the time of production, for the public.
• Does ISEN Authenticate artwork?
• ISEN does not provide authentication of artwork and is not responsible for the authenticity of any artwork in its registrar. ISEN trusts the artists to authenticate their works by using the ISEN holographic labels.
• What is the difference between original, series and edition?
• In the case of photography, the master artwork, or “original” is the negative or the digital file; in case of sculpture, the original is the mold, etc. A series is a group of editions. Edition is the number of copies of an original artwork.
• What is the difference between a limited and unlimited edition?
• Simply defined, edition is the entire number of copies of work of art issued through one medium. Limited edition means a limited number of identical prints (or objects) numbered in succession and signed by the artist—for example, a limited edition of 12, 8x10 inch, printed on art paper. Unlimited or Open edition is a group of prints that has an unlimited number of copies.
• I am a painter. How does ISEN work for unique pieces?
• An original painting (unique) would be an edition of 1 of 1.
• How do I edition my work?
• The short answer is that the lower the number, the higher the value. The most common suggestion is to keep your editions less than 20.
• Are there any rules in editioning work?
• It's entirely up to the artist and gallery at what number the artwork should be produced. Editioning your art is primarily a tool in marketing your work. You can create a series of editions. For example a series of 8x10 inch prints in edition of 12 and a series of 30x40 inch prints in edition of 5. the great advantage of ISEN is if you have created an edition of 12 but only produced 2 copies, the collectors will value your print higher.
• Is there any law about editions?
• In most countries there are no written laws regarding edition. With the help of experts in the art community, ISEN is working to lobby the US law-makers to create a guideline. For more information, search Georgia Print Law and the French Ethical Code for Art Founders.
• Can I change the number of prints in an edition after it’s been printed?
• If it is a limited edition, then you cannot change it. Once you have issued the number of copies specified for that edition, then you are locked in with that number.
• What is the ISEN label for?
• The ISEN holographic label is an optional label you can attach to your artwork, that will allow anyone with a smart phone to scan the code to get quick access to the information available about the corresponding artwork.
• How much does the ISEN label cost?
• The ISEN holographic label costs $1 plus shipping and handling.
• Do I have to buy the ISEN label?
• No, ISEN labels are optional and for your protection only. You can register your work for free and write the ISEN number on the back of your prints.
• How does the ISEN holographic label protect the artist?
• If the artists signs and attaches the ISEN label to their work, it will serve to authenticate the work for potential buyers.
• Are the labels archival?
• Yes, the ISEN labels are printed on and acid-free certified label. However, it’s never advisable to affix any label on the original artwork. We encourage you to stick the ISEN label on a certificate that accompanies the artwork.
• What if I lose the ISEN labels or my artwork?
• You may only purchase one ISEN label per final print or artwork. If your work or the label is lost, stolen or destroyed, you can only obtain another ISEN label for the replacement edition after you have informed us of the situation, and have obtained a corroborating police report. Then we will issue you a replacement label marked as DUPLICATE label, and this edition will be marked with a special duplicated ISEN label.
• Is there an ISEN report for lost or stolen artwork?
• There is a link at the bottom of each ISEN webpage with a list of art reported lost or stolen by the artist.
• Can ISEN be used to copyright artwork?
• Although the intention of ISEN is not to provide copyright services, by registering your work with ISEN you are establishing the date and that can be used to prove the date stamp for your copyright claim incase of dispute.
• Why is ISEN important for collectors or museums?
• The most important thing for the collectors and museums is information about the works of art they are interested in acquiring. ISEN will provide the history of each piece of work. The more knowledgable they are about the work, the easier it is for them to make an accurate statement about the work.
• How do I price my work?
• It's entirely up to you how you price your work. In general, it’s more effective to price your work so its affordable for young collectors, and you can always increase the price. The value of a work of art, or the price buyers are willing to pay, is normally based on the popularity of work and the recognisability of the artist.
• Do I have to make all my information public?
• No. You can choose what information is made public and what is kept private. However, the more information you provide the more informed your collectors and potential buyers will be.
• Is ISEN a global company?
• ISEN is a non governmental agency with offices in the US, Europe and Asia.
• How secure are the ISEN servers?
• We host our servers both with Google and Amazon to make sure that all stored information is secure.
• What happens to the data?
• The data is backed up in multiple countries for security and redundancy.
• How do you ensure the information stored on your network will not be lost?
• We produce yearly DVDs distributed to selected libraries around the world for offline search and to ensure that information will never be lost.