Cover illustration: a conceptual comparison of one singular artwork and several matching prints. It is not a photograph of the shop’s products or production process.
An original artwork is the individual work made by the artist. An art print is a physical printed object carrying an artwork or design. The two can share the same image, but they are not the same purchase.
At The Soul Strokes, every item currently shown in Shop Art Prints is sold as a physical art print. The product page tells you which paper or canvas, size and framed or unframed options are available. A canvas selection is still an art print; it does not become the original painting. Original or commissioned paintings are discussed separately with the studio.
Start with the product type
Read the title and the first clear format statement on the product page. Look for specific words such as original painting, art print, digital download or commission. These labels answer different questions.
| Label | What you are buying | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Original painting | The individual painted work itself, when specifically offered or commissioned. | Medium, full dimensions, framing, condition, availability and exactly what documentation is included. |
| Art print | A physical printed version of an artwork or design. | Paper or canvas, printed image size, framed or unframed option and finished measurements. |
| Digital download | A file supplied electronically, only when a listing explicitly says so. | File format, resolution, permitted use and delivery method. |
| Custom painting | Artwork developed around an agreed brief and quotation. | Scope, medium, dimensions, approval stages, schedule, framing and delivery. |
The current Shop Art Prints listings are physical products, not digital downloads. If a listing does not state that a digital file is included, do not assume that one will be sent.
Look beyond the image
A product photograph or standalone artwork image shows you the composition. It does not, by itself, tell you whether the object for sale is the original work or a print. The written product type and selected variant do that.
Room scenes are useful for comparing colour and mood. They are styling mockups, so they do not establish the exact scale, frame construction or surface of the delivered piece. Use the product description and selected option for that information.
Understand what “print” can mean
In everyday online shopping, an art print often means a printed reproduction of an existing artwork or design. In art history and printmaking, the word can also describe an artwork created through a printing process such as woodcut, etching, lithography or screenprint. In those cases, the print itself may be the original work of art rather than a copy of a painting. The V&A’s introduction to print explains this distinction.
That is why the word print alone is not enough to establish the process, rarity or value. Check whether the listing names a printmaking method, a printer, an edition or a source artwork. The current Soul Strokes print listings do not claim to be hand-pulled etchings, woodcuts, lithographs or screenprints. They also do not state that they are numbered editions.
The source process for every current design is not specified in the listings. Do not infer from a watercolour-style texture that you are buying the individual watercolour painting, or from a canvas option that paint has been applied directly to that canvas.
Do not assume an edition, signature or certificate
A limited edition should tell you the size of the edition and how the individual impression is identified. A signature should be described clearly: for example, whether it is hand-signed on the physical work or reproduced as part of the image. A certificate should say what it certifies and who issues it.
These details can be useful when they are actually offered, but they should never be filled in from expectation. The current Shop Art Prints pages do not promise numbered editions, hand signatures or certificates, so this guide does not claim them. If any of those points matters to your purchase, ask the studio about the exact artwork and variant before ordering.
Check the physical format you selected
After confirming that an item is an art print, check four practical details:
- Material: choose from the paper or canvas options actually listed for that artwork.
- Printed image size: at The Soul Strokes, sizes such as 5 × 7 and 8 × 10 inches describe the printed image. Borders, mounts and frames are additional.
- Framing: a frame is included only when you select a framed option. Confirm the finished outer dimensions if they affect your wall plan.
- What is pictured: use the standalone artwork image for the composition and treat room scenes or format previews as illustrative unless identified as photographs of the physical product.
Our art print size guide explains how to measure your wall and allow for framing. The paper-or-canvas guide lists the finishing questions to ask before ordering.
When an original painting is the better fit
An original painting may suit you when the individual physical surface, scale and singular object are central to the purchase. A print may suit you when you want a particular image with a choice of format, size or framing.
The choice is personal, but the product label should remain precise. A print is not a lesser version of the image simply because more than one can be made, and an original is not automatically the right fit for every wall or budget. Compare the object being offered with the way you plan to live with it.
For an original painting or artwork made around your space, use the custom art project enquiry. Share the wall dimensions, palette, number of works, preferred medium, budget range and target date. Each project is quoted individually for its requirements, quantity, medium, complexity, time, framing and delivery.
A final check before buying
- I know whether the listing is for an original painting, an art print, a digital file or a commission.
- I have checked the selected material, printed image size and framing option.
- I have not treated a room mockup as proof of exact scale or finish.
- I have confirmed any edition, signature, certificate or original-work claim rather than assuming it.
- I know what will arrive and which details still need an answer from the studio.
Ready to compare the current physical prints? Explore Shop Art Prints. If you want the individual painted work or a custom piece, share your brief with the studio.
A buying guide from The Soul Strokes.