All kinds of art comes to light at an estate sale. The owner may have been an avid collector of art and have tons of original paintings for sale. Or, they may have just enjoyed collecting prints of paintings and not have any originals. Armed with a little information, you can determine what the piece is worth and if it is just a print or an original painting. Here is a list of a few ways to tell.
Too Good To Be True
One of the first indicators of a true piece of art is the price tag. If the price tag seems too good to be true, chances are you are dealing with a print and not an original. Real paintings can differ in value by a lot, so this is not an exact science. A good way to tell is by looking up a similar painting online by the same artist or the print of the same painting. You can find out how much that is being sold for and have a way to compare the two items.
Texture
Does the painting have any texture to it? Or is it completely flat? A real painting will have texture for each brush stroke, and the paint will be layered on top of other paint. A print does not contain any texture. It is just a flat printing of the original painting. If you run your hands over the surface of the painting and you don’t feel anything, chances are you are looking at a print and not an original painting. Also, on a real painting, you may see a few bristles from the brush in the paint. They fall out of paintbrushes all the time. You won’t find that on a print.
Markings
Check to see if the painting has any notable markings. If it was signed, the signature will be on top of the paint. If it is a print, the signature will just appear as part of the print. You may notice tags if it was hung in a gallery or a museum that mark it as an original or a print. Bring a magnifying glass with you in order to see any tiny writing details or tags.
Signs Of Wear And Tear
Flip over the canvas and check for signs of discoloration or wear and tear. An older painting will show yellowing or signs of being hung multiple times. If the canvas looks to be a bright white color, but the tag says it is a painting from the 1800’s, you can be pretty safe in thinking that it is only a print.
Do your homework before purchasing a piece. Come ready to search the internet for any tidbits about a painting, and you could walk away with a real beauty. There is something to be said for purchasing a print that you really love, as well as an original piece of art. Just be sure you are getting a fair price for the item before you check out.