A Master Printmaker, Spare has editioned work for many contemporary artists, including David Hockney, Robert Ryman, Francesco Clemente, Donald Sultan, Jim Dine and Keith Haring.

[4][5] Being able to watch Hockney at work on his sets for the Glyndebourne Magic Flute developed Spare's technical interests and appreciation of simple form.

In the early eighties, Spare was involved in printing the Banks' Florilegium in colour (Egerton-Williams Studio), the largest restorative printmaking project of the twentieth century.

Richard Spare's characteristic hand printed and watercoloured original drypoints are admired for their pared down, and unique, view of the world – 'the joy of being'.

[39][40] Spare represented the UK at the Ninth British International Print Biennale in 1986 alongside David Hockney, Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi, Howard Hodgkin, Peter Blake, Frank Auerbach, Patrick Caulfield, Joe Tilson, Tess Jaray, and Norman Ackroyd.

Kitaj and Elaine de Kooning from the United States, Tadanori Yokoo and Tetsuya Noda from Japan and Emilio Vedova from Italy.