How to tell if a painting is an original or a print

1. Look at the surface at an angle

Hold a light to the side and look across the surface. An oil or acrylic painting shows raised brushstrokes, ridges and uneven thickness that follow the image. A print is flat, or its texture is uniform and doesn't match the picture.

2. Use a magnifying glass

A pattern of tiny regular dots (rosettes) means an offset print. Giclée (inkjet) prints show a fine, irregular spray of dots. Paint shows no dots at all: you see continuous color, brush marks and pigment.

3. Check the edges

On a canvas, look where the image meets the edge and wraps around the stretcher. Painters often leave uneven, unpainted edges or paint drips. Prints often have a perfectly straight image edge or a printed "mirror" border.

4. Look for "hand-embellished" strokes

Some reproductions have a few real brushstrokes of clear gel or paint added on top of a print. If the raised strokes don't match the colors underneath, or only cover a few highlights, it's an embellished print.

5. Turn it around

Look at the back of the canvas. Paint or print that has soaked through the canvas, old stretcher bars with wedges, labels from galleries or art suppliers all tell a story. A pristine white back with a printed brand or a hanging kit points to a mass-produced decoration.

6. Read the signature closely

A painted signature sits on top of the paint and has texture. A signature that is flat and part of the image was printed along with it. A pencil signature and a number like 45/200 in the margin of a work on paper indicate a limited-edition print, which can still have value.

7. Compare with known works

Search for the image online. If the same picture appears in museum collections or poster shops, yours is almost certainly a reproduction, unless you have strong evidence otherwise.

Still not sure?

Upload a straight-on photo, a close-up taken at an angle and a photo of the back, and our free estimate will tell you what it sees.