Who are you and where are you located?
How is your gallery different from other online galleries?
Is it safe to order art online?
How secure is my payment information if I make a purchase?
How does your pricing structure work?
Do you offer framing services?
How is my painting shipped?
Why do other online galleries ship their artwork rolled instead of streched?
Do you ship internationally?
Do I have to pay sales tax on my purchase?
What methods and and what mediums do you produce artwork?
What materials do you use in paintings?
How do I take care of my painting?
Is an original piece truely a one-of-a-kind piece of art?
Do you sell authorized prints of copyrighted original artwork?
Does original artwork come signed by the artist?
How long does it take to get an original that I purchase?
Can I commission an original on a subject matter of my choice?
Will my custom portrait really look just like the photograph?
If I mail you a photo to be painted, will I get my photo back?
What other methods of sending/receiving photos are available?
Can you paint my picture in a background other than what is in the photo?
Can you paint a family portrait using photos of individuals?
What is a Giclee Reproduction?
How long does it take to produce a quality hand painted reproduction?
Do you only offer reproductions of artists found in your reproduction section?
How can you reproduce someone elses art, is that not copyright infringement?
Other websites have reproductions as low as $149, why do you cost more?
Who are you and where are you located?
Canvas Expressions is a part of Van Wijk Enterprises, LLC.
We are located in the Des Moines Metro, IA, USA
How is your gallery different from other online galleries?
Our goal is to provide quality artwork in every aspect of the word. We are not a large commercial operation designed to rush through projects in the name of profits through volume. Instead we take the time needed to do it right on every piece of artwork. Instead of shipping a freshly painted piece rolled up in a tube [the still tacky paint often sticks to the back of the painting or included wax paper], we ship our paintings in tact on their stretcher bars, or even framed if it is requested.
Is it safe to order art online?
We cannot speak to the safety of all online purchases, only the services that we provide at Canvas Expressions. It is completely safe to order from us, and all of your financial information is transmitted using state-of-the-art SSL incription. We are
verified through Comodo, an industry leader in identitty verification and the transfer
of incripted data.
How secure is my payment information if I make a purchase?
We use 128bit SSL incription on our purchase pages. This is military grade state-of-the-art encription that will absoltely protect your personal and finanical information from unauthorized parties.
How does your pricing structure work?
The price of our original artwork, custom portraits, as well as reproductions is based
on the size of the painting, the complexity of the composition, and other factors such
as framing. In most cases, our oil paitings are calculated based on a "price per square inch" formula that takes into consideration complexity.
Do you offer framing services?
Unlike 99% of other online galleries, we DO offer framing services. With this service,
you can pick out your preferred frame on our website, and will receive your artwork
stretched, framed, and ready to hang!
How is my painting packaged and shipped?
We believe we are the only online gallery that does not ship our oil paintings "rolled
up in a tube". It is our experience that shipping a freshly painted oil composition
"rolled up" often results in the tacky paint sticking to the back of the canvas, and even the wax paper that is designed to prevent this. This is especially true with galleries that are eager to move art in bulk and do not allow for proper drying time. We avoid this problem by shipping the artwork on its original strecher bars, which also means the painting is ready to frame, preventing the need to be put back on strecher bars (which not done properly can lead to the composition being distorted).
Why do other online galleries ship their artwork rolled instead of streched?
Money. The dimensions of an oil painting on its stretcher bars adds to the cost of
shipping it. Just about any size painting can be shipped in a tube at very little cost
to the shipper. At Canvas Expressions, we prefer a more balanced approach to cost vs customer satisfaction. The average art lover may not know where to get their artworked re-stretched, or may attempt to do it themselves. Framing adds a whole different dimension of cost that the customer may not have considered. We streamline this process, allowing a customer to unpackage their new masterpiece, and concern themselves only with where to hang it.
Do you ship internationally?
If a customer wishes to ship a painting internationally, a request needs to be made in
our "special requests" section. We can then discuss international shipping options and costs directly with the customer.
Do I have to pay sales tax on my purchase?
No. Internet neutrality means online purchases are not taxed in the United States,
unless the company has a physical store in the customer's state. We at Canvas
Expressions sell our artwork exclusively online to avoid this problem.
What methods and and what mediums do you produce artwork?
While the majority of our artwork are oils on canvas, we also offer watercolors on
specialized watercolor canvas. Special requests can be made for other mediums as well.
What materials do you use in paintings?
We use only the highest in quality canvas and paints.
How do I take care of my painting?
Click here to go to our tutorial on how to care for your painting.
Is an original piece truely a one-of-a-kind piece of art?
If you purchase an original oil on canvas, it will truely be one-of-a-kind. While we
may offer a giclee reproduction of an original piece, it is just that...a reproduction.
You own the original that a reproduction depicts. Our artists will never paint another
original oil on canvas of the same composition.
Do you sell authorized prints of copyrighted original artwork?
All original artwork available at Canvas Expressions is copyrighted by us, or the
artist. We do offer authorized reproductions of original artwork in most cases. This
is an excellent way for you to own unique artwork at a much more economical price.
Does original artwork come signed by the artist?
All original artwork we sell comes signed by the artist, and includes a certificate of
authenticity, also signed by the artist.
How long does it take to get an original that I purchase?
With the exception of special commissions, original artwork is ready to ship so you need only wait for the amount of time it takes for us to get your new masterpiece from point A to point B!
Can I commission an original on a subject matter of my choice?
You certainly may! It is our goal to furnish art lovers with a painting that will bring
you joy for as long as you own it. If you wish for us to paint a particular subject
matter, you can decide on style, medium, paint, etc. Simply click on "Special Requests" and let us know what you want.
Will my custom portrait really look just like the photograph?
If that is what you want, that is what you will get! Sometimes customers prefer we
paint the people in the photo in different backgrounds, clothes, settings, etc. For
instance, do you have a favorite picture of you and your spouse, but wish it was of you two sitting next to a fireplace, we can make it happen! Sometimes customers want themselves painted in a renaissance setting, in gowns true to the period, simply send us the photo, and we will work with you to make sure you get exactly what you want!
If I mail you a photo to be painted, will I get my photo back?
We will send your photo back with the painting upon its completion.
What other methods of sending/receiving photos are available?
You may attach a digital photo to your order on the ordering page.
Can you paint my picture in a background other than what is in the photo?
Absoltely! Just send us the picture with your order, and send us your special request
on our Special Request page. We can accomodate just about anything!
Can you paint a family portrait using photos of individuals?
We can paint anything the imagination can come up with. If you want a family portrait, but cant get everyone in one place for a photo, send us a photo of each individual, and we can make your family portrait!
What is a Giclee Reproduction?
With the advent of giclee, (pronounced jhee-clay) the art of fine printing has become
even more precise. Because no screens are used, the prints have a higher apparent
resolution than lithographs. The dynamic color range is like serigraphy. In the giclee
process, a fine stream of ink- more than four million droplets per second- is sprayed
onto a specially treated canvas. Were it not for the lack of texture and brush strokes,
a giclee would be indistinguishable from the original.
How long does it take to produce a quality handpainted reproduction?
The answer to this depends on the size and complexity of the painting being reproduced. In most cases, a reproduction and be completed in about a month, but extra drying time is needed before shipping. This is something that is discussed between us and the customer after an order is placed, but before painting begins.
Do you only offer reproductions of artists found in your reproduction section?
No, simply visit our "Special Requests" section and let us know what you are looking
for. We can reproduce just about anything, as long as it is in the public domain.
How can you reproduce someone elses art, is that not copyright infringement?
If the original artist has been deceased for at least 70 years, the work is considered
to be in the "public" domain. Works in the public domain may be freely reproduced
without permission of the artist or their estate. It should be noted that such works
must be sold as reproductions, and it is illegal to attempt to pass a reproduction off
as an original.
Other websites have reproductions as low as $149, why do you cost more?
As is true with just about anything a person can buy, you absolutely get what you pay
for. We refuse to compromise on quality, which means we have to do a cost/benefit
analysis for each painting. Without compromising on quality, we know how long it will
take and how much work is involved with producing any given piece of art. Based on this analysis, we charge the lowest amount possible while still making it work our while to paint. Other considerations include the materials used, the size of the painting, packaging and shipping methods, as well as other factors.
For instance, a Montana client of ours purchased a reproduction of Renoir's "Ball at the Moulin de la Galette". While you may see this painting cheaply advertized on another website, was it reproduced in its original size? The original painting was 131 x 175 cm (51 1/2" x 68 7/8") in size. We reproduced it for our customer in its original size and then shipped it to her prepped, crated, and framed, which cost us an extra $300 in packaging/shipping costs. With Canvas Expressions you are not just buying something to fill the white space on a wall, you are buying a truely exceptional service and masterpiece that will become the focal point of your room.
|
