Original or Print? How to Decide
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I offer both originals and prints, and people often ask me which one is "right". There's no wrong answer. They're simply two different things. Here's how I think about it.
What an original gives you
An original oil painting is the only one of its kind. It's the actual canvas I stood in front of, with every layer, correction and brushstroke. You can see the thickness of the paint, where the brush dragged, where the colour was scraped back. The light moves across the surface during the day, so the painting never looks quite the same twice.
An original also carries a story: the time it took, the decisions along the way, the hand that made it. It comes signed, with a certificate of authenticity.
An original is right for you if:
- you want a centrepiece, a work the room is built around;
- texture and physical presence matter to you;
- you're starting, or growing, a collection.
What a print gives you
A good print captures the composition and the colour of a painting at a more accessible price. It's flat: no texture, no raised brushwork. But it brings the image into your home.
A print is right for you if:
- you've fallen in love with a work that's already sold;
- you want a smaller size for a specific spot;
- you'd like to live with my work before choosing an original.
My advice
If you can, stand in front of the original. Photographs flatten oil paint. If that isn't possible, ask me for a short video of the painting in natural light, and I'll gladly send one.
