Print and Sign Editions

What is an edition?

Usually an edition is a set of identical prints. What is the proper way to sign an edition? 

    Sign the prints of the edition using a pencil, usually a 2B pencil.

    The edition size and the number of the print in an edition is repersented by a fraction.

    For example, the 4 of the fraction represents the number of th print within the sequence of the edition.  The number 20 in this example, the denominator of the fraction, states the total number of prints within the edition.

    Sometimes there are additional prints in the edition that have been"removed" from the edition because of unwanted marks, slightly inferior printing, or some other reason.  These are labeld as AP (Artist's Proof).

    An Artists Proof should be identical to the editioned prints and usually does not exceed 10% of the edition size ie 2 A/Ps if edition is 20 etc.

What is the proper way to sign a monoprint/ monotype? 

 To write out the word "monoprint" is the preferred way.  A monoprint is often signed 1/1 or designated 'monoprint' or even 'mono'. A/P is plain wrong! An Artists Proof should be identical to the editioned 
prints and usually does not exceed 10% of the edition size ie 2 A/Ps if edition is 20 etc.

There may be only one impression and a "ghost" for a monotype....and 8 to 10 impressions of a monoprint. Each impression of the monoprint may be slightly different but can be essentially alike because of the reproducable matrix. These editions are often called "Edition Variee" ( variable edition)and are numbered as E.V. 1/8, E.V. 2/8, etc.

Some suggest that in this specific situation that you could designate a monoprint 
as an AP and number the other prints as E.V.'s.