Original or print

[ma1den]

Naive question I know,but how can an untrained eye detect an original from a print ? My two paintings appear to be water colours,they have no print numbers visible and do have a signature on the canvass,the backs are intact and original.

[swedeheart]

You COULD get yourself a pigeon, they are able to discern the difference between a watercolour and a pastel so telling a watercolour from a print should be a cinch I imagine http://www.telegraph....ood-art-from-bad.html ;-)

...but seriously though, googling:

watercolour or print "tell the difference"

...will render you a multitude of threads. My best bet would be to look at the texture of the paper but I'm no expert. Still if it's watercolour paper it's always at least slightly grainy isn't it? And thickish. But it can be tricky, obviously, and I don't think you could ever be sure, as an amateur.

[Chalkheart]

I agree with swedeheart but would add this...a print is almost always on a slightly shiny surface, chalk coated (Kaolin) card-like. A watercolour will not be shiny and, as swedeheart has already mentioned, you can easily see the grain of the paper. The paper is also likely to `watermarked` somewhere too ie; `Arches` or `Winsor & Newton` etc; and can be very rigid with frayed ends where the paper was pressed. . MB* Some illustrations done in inks or watercolour can be on something called CS 10, museum board etc. Hope this helps?