Is it legal to make reproductions?

Yes, it is perfectly legal – we are not selling the art as original. ArtrAArt Masterpiece paintings are replicas for decoration purposes and for your pleasure. As for copyright, this applies to works made in the artist's lifetime plus 70 years which means anything produced after 1940 is not yet in the public domain. Modern art pieces (those produced after 1940) that are featured on the site are purely for your enjoyment online and cannot be replicated.

What is a Giclée Print?

Pronounced as “zhee-clay”, it is an invented name for the high quality, high resolution ink-jet printing process that is regarded as the very best fine art printing method available. Giclée prints are favored by artists, galleries and museums as their preferred method of art reproduction. The word “Giclée” stems from the French verb "gicler" meaning "to spray". Giclée prints produce truer shades and hues by utilizing more colours than traditional printers.

What settings should I use for digital photographs or scanning original photographs?

Digital images : Whether you are ordering an oil-on-canvas or a Giclée print, the image size of your photo needs to be large enough to ensure a high quality copy is produced. Images taken with a camera of 3 mega pixels or above is optimum for enlargements. Understanding Pixels : Many people are under the wrong impression that the file size of a photo is indicative of its quality. It is not the resolution that determines how large an image can be enlarged to. It is the total number of pixels the image contains that matters. The more pixels in a photo, the more you can enlarge it. You can find out how many pixels your photo has by looking at the properties of the photo file. The information would be presented in a form such as 1000 x 1000. To estimate the maximum size you can enlarge a photo without losing details and achieving a pleasing effect, you divide the height and width (in pixels) by 100. For example, a photo file with 1000 x 1000 pixels can be enlarged to 10 x 10 inches. A photo file with 2400 x 3600 pixels can be enlarged to 24 x 36 inches and so forth. What if my photo has a small number of pixels? Most of the time, our graphic designers can work on the image through Photoshop and increase the number of pixels. Send us the image and we will evaluate the image for free. What if I do not have a digital file for the image, only a paper print? Not a problem at all, as the image can be scanned. Please see below for instructions Scanned images Modern scanners are easy to operate and will create digital files of your photos. Here are a few pointers on scanning— 1. Check that the scanner bed and your photo are clean from dust. A tiny dust particle will be obvious when enlarged. 2. Select a high resolution for your scan. A DPI (dots per inch) of 1200 or higher is ideal and 600 dpi should be the minimum. The higher the DPI, the larger we can enlarge your photo. 3. After the initial scan, select the edges of the photo in the preview window to ensure that only the photo is being scanned and not the scanner bed as well. 4. Save the file as a JPEG to get a compressed file while preserving the number of pixels. If you have any problems with scanning or you do not own a scanner, you may either bring your photo to a local photo or printing lab to have it scanned for you, or you may send us your photo and we will scan it for you free of charge. You will receive the original photo back when we send you your order.

What is a subject?

A subject can be a person, a pet, a car, a complicated background or any other object that features prominently in the photo.

What are panels?

Paintings can be divided into different segments to create an original and interesting display. Diptych, Triptych, Quad A painting spread across several separated panels looks modern and is a great way to fill wall space. This is especially suited for landscape photos. A painting across 2 panels we call a Diptych; 3 panels is a Triptych and 4 panels we call a Quad. The number of panels is up to you. If you want anything more than 4 panels, please email us your photo and request. Warhol Panels Warhol sometimes divided a canvas in half or quarters, to show the same subject in different colour schemes. As our tribute to the father of Pop, ArtrAArt artists will help you create a painting in the style of Warhol. Honeycombs and Diamonds Paintings don’t have to come in rectangles and squares. At ArtrAArt we push boundaries and reject anything that restricts creativity. We offer Honeycomb and Diamond shaped paintings as our protest against the traditional rectangle shaped paintings. Order a few and make an eye-catching pattern on your wall.

What materials are used?

Unlike other companies who are interested in sacrificing quality in return for higher profit margins, ArtrAArt believes in using the best quality materials available on the market to ensure your painting/print can last a lifetime. We use deluxe cotton canvas and not polyester canvas. The difference in price is justified by the durability, thickness and finishing of the cotton canvas compared to the thin and cheaper polyester canvas. We use Windsor & Newton paints, which is considered the crème-de-la-crème in paints. All our canvases are laminated with a protective coating, guarding them from scratches and more importantly, lifting the colours to create a polished finishing.

What is gallery wrap?

Gallery wrap is a modern way to display art. The canvas is stretched and wrapped around the sides of the stretcher (see below for definition), with no staples visible on the sides. The artwork on your painting or print is extended to the sides, this means the painting or print does not require a frame and is ready to hang. The depth of the gallery wrap is one inch or 2.5 cm.

What is a “stretcher”?

In our context, a stretcher is a wooden frame upon which the canvas is stretched and attached using wire staples. We use a high-quality frame with wedges (“keys”) at the corners which will help adjust the tension of the frame to compensate for inevitable changes in humidity and will prevent the frame warping.

How do I look after my painting and preserve it for the future?

Your painting will last for many years if you observe a few basic precautions. Avoid displaying your art in direct sunlight. Likewise, avoid displaying, or storing, your art in conditions of high humidity and extremes of temperature.

What are your payment terms?

We use HSBC as our online payment gateway; it is free and secure. You need not have an account with HSBC. You may also choose to pay by PayPal. We accept Visa, MasterCard/Euro Card, American Express, Switch/Solo and bank transfer. Alternatively, you may place your order by calling us on (+44) 02071685307

What do you charge for postage and packing?

Packaging and worldwide delivery charge is shown on the Order page. For the largest paintings we use a professional courier service. For smaller paintings it is more sensible to use first-class registered mail. This includes insurance at no extra cost to you. When your order is dispatched we will send you an Email with a tracking number. Please note that we are not responsible for any local taxes, tariffs or custom taxes that may apply in your country. All Photo-to-ArtrAArt paintings and Paintings of the Month are delivered free of charge to most countries.

How long will it take to receive my artwork?

For print reproductions, we usually ship within 7 to 10 working days. For hand painted reproductions, the whole process takes approximately 4 - 6 weeks. Completion times will also vary depending on the nature of the painting and your framing choices. For photo-to-art orders, you will be able to review the options created by our graphic designers within 3-4 days upon ordering. After receiving your confirmation of your selection, we will ship your order within 7 to 10 working days. For hand painted photo-to-art orders, the process will take approximately 4 weeks. ArtrAArt aims to deliver your order as quickly as possible but we do not have control over unforeseen circumstances such as accidents and local disruptions. Also, more obscure locations will mean longer delivery times.

Can you do “Rush” orders?

Yes, we can. For Photo-to-art and reproduction prints a surcharge of 30% will apply. We will ship your order within 3 working days upon receiving your confirmation of your selected artwork. For Photo-to-art and reproduction hand-painted canvas, a surcharge of 50% will apply. We will ship your order within 2 weeks upon receiving your confirmation of your selected artwork. Please contact us, and we will give you more information on how to pay this fee.

How do you deliver my painting?

All oil paintings are well packed and protected, either rolled in a secure canister, or in a polystyrene box if already framed. Unframed watercolour paintings in smaller sizes will be posted in a hard-backed and securely sealed envelope. Larger unframed paintings will be rolled and delivered in a sealed heavy-duty cardboard tube. Miniature paintings are delivered either with stretching only or framed. All miniature paintings are packed with corner protectors, bubble-wrapped and delivered either in a double-wall, corrugated, custom-made mailing box or envelope. Photo-to-Art Paintings are delivered on stretchers, ready to hang.

Can I track my package once it is shipped?

Once we post your package, you will receive a notification email from us with your parcel’s tracking number and the website address of the courier service where you may track your parcel’s status. Alternatively, you may contact us via email, and we can track your parcel for you.

If I order a painting as a gift, can it be delivered directly to the gift recipient?

Yes, we can send your order to someone else to save you time and delivery costs, please contact us with the recipient’s address.

Can subjects from different photos combine to make a single artwork?

Yes, this is our Make your own Masterpiece option. You may choose the background of one photo and combine it with your profile from another photo. Or you may want an artwork featuring people from several different photos. The possibilities are endless.

What does Satisfaction Guaranteed mean?

At ArtrAArt, our priorities are ensuring quality and customer satisfaction. We have put in place a quality control system, which will guarantee that you will be satisfied with your purchases. All our artists have been selected based on their talents and experience. The materials they use are of the highest standards. For Photo-to-Art orders, we give YOU control over how the finished painting looks by asking you questions of your preferences at the ordering stage, the approval stage where you select one of the options worked on by our graphic designers and finally, a final proof before we send out the painting to you. Our customer service team is always here to answer any questions you may have.

What is your returns policy?

For reproduction and modern art paintings including those purchased from our Stock-in-Store and miniature sections, if you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it to us within 30 days of delivery for a full refund of the purchase price, in the form of store credit. Delivery charges and any local taxes and tariffs that were levied by local custom authorities cannot be refunded. For Photo-to-Art orders, our quality control system means that returns will be highly unlikely, as your approval is needed twice, at the start and at the finish, before being shipped to you. If after previewing the options our graphic designers have worked out and you decide that you cannot choose one that you like, you may cancel the order and a store credit will be issued for the full amount of the purchasing price. It is your responsibility to notify us of any changes you would like to be made to the artworks done by our graphic designers, for example colour swap or blemish removal, and the final approval you give us before we ship the print/painting to you will be taken to mean that you are happy with the art, and no refund will be issued if you subsequently change your mind. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more details.

What do I do if I receive my artwork damaged?

Contact us immediately with a photo of the damage, within 7 days of receiving the artwork. We will contact our shipping carrier to investigate the problem, but as all our shipments are insured, the matter will be dealt with swiftly and at the least inconvenience to you.

Any other questions?

Should you have any other questions, please Email us at info@artraart.com.