The 2008 Computer Drawing series has had mixed success over the years. The series is an important step in the evolution of Hockney's digital series, as it marks the turning point. Being made up of both portraits and landscapes, the series range in price from £20,000 to in excess of £300,000 depending upon edition. Within the private market, 'A Bigger Green Valley' and 'Autumn Leaves' have been the most in-demand but it has proven difficult to get buyers and sellers to align on price. The limited supply of the popular landscapes means that this market has been unable to develop the same level of momentum as the Arrival of Spring in Woldgate series. However, in the long term owning a Computer Drawings work may prove to be a trophy work for the most series of Hockney collectors. 

 

By Jacob Harmer, Published 27th August 2024

Annual auction revenue for the Computer Drawings has been volatile over the years but with a general positive trajectory. The record years have usually been defined by a single large auction result. By example 2021 currently holds the record with total revenue of $585,738 but the 'A Bigger Green Valley' sale made up $434,482 of that. On the whole, the total market size of the Computer Drawings remains a small market relative to the other digital series. 

In recent years, roughly 4-6 computer drawings come to sale by auction each year. This is a similar quantity compared to the Arrival of Spring series. However, as the compositions of the works vary so much from the landscape to the portraits, this means less comparable sales are coming up each year. Good comparable sales are the key to inspiring confidence in a market and we believe this is why the Computer Drawings series have struggled to gain as much market momentum as some of the other digital series.