A Beginner's Guide To Identifying Original Artworks

By Author: vikram Kuamr
Total Articles: 2912
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Many people purchase pieces that they think are original artworks but which in fact may end up being reproductions. If all you want is to add some color and beauty to your home's décor, it is not as much of an issue as it is if you are trying to invest money and build a collection. Often times, a website will sell art online and not make it perfectly clear whether someone is purchasing original artwork or a reproduction.
If you have purchased or found pieces and want to know if they are original artworks or not, here are some tips and tricks that you can use. It may not always be easy to tell whether pieces are original artworks if you are looking at them on a site that offers to sell art online but they can help you once you have the piece in your hands.
If you choose to buy from a site that is set up to sell art online, you need to make sure that it is a reputable website. Many artists will personally sell art online and if you are buying from an artist it is usually easy to tell whether you are purchasing original artworks or reproductions. Remember that limited edition prints that are available on some sites ...
... are not original artworks although they do have some value because there are only a limited number of pieces available.
Often, it is possible to find artwork at estate sales, auctions and even yard sales and can be an alternative to looking for sites that sell art online. For someone who is set on purchasing original artworks, this may be a great way to find pieces since it is possible for you to look at them in person and check for signs that they are not prints or reproductions.
When looking at a painting, you will notice that some tend to have thicker paint on them than others. Pieces painted with oil paints or acrylic paints will often have visible brush strokes and areas where the paint is thicker. This is a good beginning point to look at but it is not a hard and fast rule. Some oil paintings will have thinner layers of paint that do not have brush strokes that are as obvious. Watercolor paints are thinner as the paint will soak into the paper that it was applied to but brush strokes should still be visible.
If you are looking at a watercolor piece and want to tell whether it is a print, you need a magnifying glass or loupe. This will let you look at a portion of the piece. Check for a series of small dots that are a by-product of the printing process. Watercolor originals will not have these dots but prints will.
Taking the time to check out a piece before you purchase it can be a great way to avoid purchasing reproductions. If you are still uncertain as to whether you have purchased an original or a reproduction, taking the piece to a gallery, a framing store or an art appraiser should provide you with the answer you are looking for.

Author Bio.
If you want to find a great selection of Original artworks, check out ArtBoom. They Sell art online that is a mixture of originals and reproductions at fantastic prices.