| In a competitive field where supply is high, barriers to | | | | actually learning how to paint. |
| entry low, and demand weak as in the art field, | | | | What can you do as a purchaser of original art? |
| sellers turn to creating items which appear fine but | | | | Protect yourself by considering the following points |
| are in effect, bogus. This counterfeit representation | | | | before purchasing: |
| is part of the art world today. By a layman's | | | | - Obtain information about the artist such as training |
| definition an art object is original, one-of-a-kind item | | | | (formally at a school is a better indicator than |
| with no "Made In Country X" stamped upon it. | | | | self-taught), number of years as an artist, when did |
| Unfortunately today, too often a painting | | | | they begin, i.e. establish you are purchasing from a |
| masquerading as original art or as a copy of an old | | | | professional artist (or their gallery representative). Not |
| master is, in fact, anything but original art. | | | | taking the time to determine the artist's credentials is, |
| Painted over photographs have become a quick and | | | | well, P.T. Barnum said it all. |
| dirty way of selling original art to unsuspecting | | | | - Buy directly from an artist or art gallery. Buying |
| purchasers. These purchasers should save their | | | | from other venues such as furniture stores and craft |
| money and buy a paint-by-numbers kit, they would | | | | shops increases your probability of purchasing a |
| achieve the same result and spend far less. | | | | bogus original. Craft shop owners, while often very |
| Here's what is happening thanks to ever-cheaper | | | | knowledgeable in the area of crafts, may not have |
| technology. Giclee printing, a fancy name for printing | | | | the expertise to sell fine art originals. |
| using inkjet technology albeit with better inks than | | | | - Look at other examples of the artist's work. Often |
| the average printer, is now done on canvas and | | | | paint-by-numbers artists will try their hand at actually |
| other artistic surfaces for surprisingly little cost and | | | | painting on a blank canvas. Their technique, colors, |
| with no expertise required as in silk screen printing. | | | | style and especially brushwork will be radically |
| Many legitimate artists and photographers offer giclee | | | | different between the two types of paintings. Now |
| prints on canvas as reproductions but scammers | | | | before you jump on me for this last thought, yes, I |
| took this reproduction method and added a twist. | | | | too paint very differently depending upon subject, |
| Very simply, paint over a print on canvas and call it | | | | medium, and surface. But my line style is always the |
| My Masterpiece. Make sure the print is in color so | | | | same which gives an underlying commonality to my |
| that you don't have to be too careful about edges, | | | | paintings. |
| blending, and other messy details artists are normally | | | | - If buying online, find out the return policy or trial |
| concerned with when painting. Or better yet, take | | | | period. Usually professional artists will gladly refund |
| your masterpiece print, apply a coat of glossy | | | | your money less shipping and handling costs if the art |
| varnish, frame it and sell your original for big bucks. | | | | is returned. This policy has nothing to do with the |
| Or enter your masterpiece into shows. Make sure | | | | scam described herein but indicates an artist less likely |
| the shows are local for national art shows have | | | | to be scamming you if they offer such a policy. |
| already caught on to this scam and will not allow | | | | - Find out what other line-of-work the artist is |
| painted over photographs to be exhibited. | | | | currently doing. This may seen irrelevant but artists |
| I was introduced to this scamming technique at a | | | | who are also involved in businesses listed above are, |
| well-known gallery. A customer, a jeweler with loupe | | | | unfortunately, suspect. |
| in hand, showed me one painting by an artist who | | | | As well as art buyers, professional artists such as |
| had painted over a color print on canvas which was | | | | me, who train for many years and practice their craft |
| being sold as an original. We were both appalled, he | | | | for many more years before becoming professionals, |
| at the price and I at this new paint-by-numbers trick. | | | | cannot ignore what many local businesses, online |
| Today, by using this scamming method, unscrupulous | | | | websites and even fellow artists are doing to draw |
| furniture stores, print shops, and framers can offer | | | | uninformed art buyers to this type of original art to |
| real oil paintings of old masters, photographers are | | | | make a sale. And these buyers, bless their hearts, |
| now artists, and artist want-to-bes sell original | | | | need to realize that, as in everything else, it's buyer |
| paintings without going through many years of | | | | beware. |