You can buy a hand-painted painting in four ways: made to order from an online shop that commissions painters, as a mass-made picture from a furniture store, as a one-off directly from an artist, or you choose a canvas print instead. They differ in whether there is really brushed paint on the canvas, in price, delivery time and whether you can choose the size. Below is the comparison in one table and a list of questions to check any shop before you buy, including us.
The four ways at a glance
| Hand-painted to order | Canvas print | Mass-made picture from a store | One-off from an artist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What is on the canvas | paint applied with a brush | a printed photo of the painting | often a print with hand-applied varnish or texture, sometimes a quickly painted series | paint applied with a brush |
| Surface up close | visible brushstrokes and layers of paint | smooth, print dots under a magnifier | even “texture” that repeats | visible brushstrokes |
| Subject | famous paintings and decorative subjects, also from your own picture | anything | whatever is in stock | what the artist offers or you agree |
| Size | chosen from the range or made to measure | your choice | one or two sizes | by agreement |
| Price | medium | low | low to medium | medium to high |
| Time to delivery | a few days (in stock) to a few weeks | a few days | immediately | weeks to months |
| Lifespan | decades | depends on the inks, fades in sunlight | depends on the make | decades |
| Best for | you want a real painting of your chosen subject in your size | you want a low price or a photo | you need decoration today | you want an original work by a particular artist |
How to tell whether a painting is really hand-painted
- Look at it at an angle against the light. A hand-painted picture has raised brushstrokes that cast tiny shadows. A print is flat, even when varnished.
- Check the edges of the canvas. On a hand-painted picture the paint often ends unevenly at the edges, or the edge is painted by brush. On a print the edge is printed or white.
- Use a magnifier or your phone camera. Magnified, a print breaks up into dots. Brushed paint does not.
- Compare several photos of the same subject in the shop. If every picture is identical down to the last stroke, it is a print or a series.
8 questions to ask any shop (checklist)
- Is the painting done with a brush, or is it a print with added varnish or texture?
- Do I get a photo of my own finished painting before it ships?
- Are oil or acrylic paints used?
- Which sizes can I choose? Is a custom size possible?
- Is the painting shipped rolled, stretched on a frame or framed? How deep are the stretcher bars?
- When will the painting arrive, and what does delivery to my country cost?
- Who paints it, and where is it stretched and framed?
- Can I see photos of paintings hanging in customers’ homes?
A shop that answers these questions clearly and directly usually delivers what it promises.
How it works at svetslik.si
Since we ask you to put these questions to every shop, here are our answers:
- Paintings are hand-painted to order. They are painted by different painters in different places, depending on the subject and style. We do not sell prints as paintings.
- Oil or acrylic, depending on the painting and the order.
- You get a photo of the painting before dispatch, so you see what you will receive.
- You choose the size; for another size or your own subject there is the paintings made to order page.
- Rolled, stretched or framed: we stretch paintings on stretcher bars (2.5 cm) and frame them in our workshop in Slovenia. Multi-panel paintings are always stretched, without a frame. More on frames: how to choose a frame.
- Frames in 3D: before you buy, you can try the frame in a 3D tool with more than 60 frames.
- The painting on your wall: we place the painting digitally on a photograph of your wall, free of charge.
- Adjustments before dispatch: on request we adjust the painting after the photo (colours, details) and ship it only once you approve.
- Delivery: paintings in stock arrive within 6 working days, paintings made to order in 15 to 45 days.
- We have sold paintings since 2011, to buyers in Slovenia and across Europe. Photos from customers’ homes are in the article living room paintings.
When a canvas print is the better choice
A hand-painted painting is not always the right choice. A print makes more sense when you want your own photo, a poster or a graphic on the wall, when you need decoration only for a short time, or when the budget is very tight. But when you want a famous painting or a subject with the depth and texture of real paint on the wall that will last for decades, a hand-painted painting is worth it.
Related
What exactly a reproduction is and how it differs from a copy: what is a reproduction. Print and hand-painted painting in more detail: print or a hand-painted painting. A selection of famous paintings: reproductions of famous paintings. How to hang a painting: how to hang a canvas painting.
Frequently asked questions
Is a hand-painted reproduction of a famous painting allowed?
Yes, for works by painters who died more than 70 years ago, as they are in the public domain in the EU. A reproduction is labelled as a reproduction and is not sold as the original.
Why does a hand-painted painting cost more than a print?
Because a painter sketches and paints it by brush, which takes several days of work for a medium-sized painting. A machine makes a canvas print in a few minutes.
How long does a hand-painted painting last?
Decades with normal care. Don’t hang it in direct sun, above a radiator or in a damp room, and dust it with a dry, soft cloth.
Oil or acrylic painting, which is better?
Both last. Oil paints dry more slowly and give deeper blends; acrylics dry faster and yellow less. On the wall most people cannot tell them apart.
Can I order a painting in my own size or from my own picture?
Yes. You choose the size on every painting; for special sizes or your own subject, send a request through the paintings made to order page.
Browse reproductions of famous paintings or living room paintings and choose the size that fits your wall.