Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
I. How you use the materials
We always use primed cotton canvases. They are stable and offer proven longevity and a surface that will not flex or warp with the passage of time. There are many factors may cause damage to your oil painting (e.g. humidity, temperature changes, re-stretching, etc).
All our paintings are hand-painted with premium Pe’beo oils from France. Oil paint is essentially one or more pigments combined with a binder (the oil) and a thinner (such as turpentine). The oil functions as a carrier to hold and apply the pigments, while the thinner makes the paints easier to apply to surfaces with a brush. Linseed oil is the most popular oil in these artistic paints because it dries faster and provides more flexibility than other oils, such as walnut or safflower. Oil paints take longer to dry than other paints, such as watercolors. This provides more time for artists to work and make changes. Oil paints provide for a wide range of hues and a rich depth of color, as they can be layered and mixed more freely than other paints, such as watercolor or acrylics. Artists can subtly change the richness and tone of their colors by adding minute amounts of other colors. This is possible because oil paints take longer to dry relative to other types of paint. Oil paints can be applied to surfaces in a greater variety of ways than other paints. They can be made into thin glazes or thick impastos. Oil paints can be mixed to appear opaque, transparent or anything in between, as well as have a matte or glossy finish. Oil paints do not show dramatic change in color, texture or finish once dried. This makes it easier for artists to gauge what the finished product will look like compared to other paints, which may change their appearance after drying.
II. How you paint
We believe we have some of the most talented reproduction artists in our studio. They are educated and experienced artists who have spent many years studying the techniques and palette of the artists whose work they recreate. We guarantee that every one of our oil paintings is 100% hand-painted. All our painting reproductions are done in the traditional way the original artist would paint. The oil painting reproductions are usually completed within 2 or 3 weeks, subject to size and drying time. At every stage of the oil painting, it is checked thoroughly by two separate members of our team. For the final step, a highly accomplished senior artist will be called in to offer a professional opinion and render the final approval.
In general, there are 3 main steps to finish an oil painting:
Step 1: Each oil painting starts life as a bare canvas, which is then stretched over the frame and a gesso primer is applied. The painting is then sketch out by the artist and their palette is prepared.
Step 2: The artist will outline the painting with the main parts of color. Then the oil painting is meticulously recreated, brushstroke for brushstroke.
Step 3: Oil painting will be painted in more detail to reflect the spirit of the museum quality painting.
III. How you pack
Our oil paintings are shipped rolled in a sturdy tube ready for stretching and/or framing by your local outlet.
We do not sell frames with the painting. There are reasons for this.
Frames are very personal and we leave the decision to you.
Every home has its own design and architectural characteristic, therefore it is usually best that our customers choose and decide the frame to match their painting.
However, all paintings are prepared with a large clean white border 4cm (1.6"} so that your local framer can easily stretch your painting. This also means that paintings can be stretched over the wooden frame, with or without the requirement of a decorative frame.
IV. How to choose a product
1/ How can I search for oil paintings on your website?
To find your favorite oil paintings quickly, you can search by artist, art styles, and categories on the menu bar.
2/ Will the oil painting I order look like the picture on your website?
The oil painting reproduction itself will look exactly like the picture, but there may be a slight color distortion on the online images as the settings on each computer screen may be different. Besides that, for the sizes that needed to be ordered, there is a possibility that the reproduction will have some minor variations compared to the pictures as all of our paintings are hand-painted.
3/ Are your oil paintings hand-painted?
Yes. Our paintings are 100% hand-painted oil on canvas. You can see, touch and feel the actual brush strokes on each and every one of our paintings.
4/ What is the difference between a hand-painted oil painting and a print?
Prints, or digital or inkjet prints are actually machine or computer generated that made to look like an oil painting. What we offer is genuine hand-painted oil painting on canvas by artists who paint one brushstroke at a time.
5/ What about copyright?
All the paintings on our site are either in the public domain (no longer protected by copyright) or being sold under license, meaning you need not worry about infringing on copyright.
6/ Could you paint a painting that I can not find it on your website?
Yes, we offer you the ability to acquire a custom hand-painted oil painting that you will be able to cherish for years to come. If there is something you are looking for that you are unable to find on our website, or if there is an oil painting that you see on our website, but want to have painted in either a custom size or with a custom change, let us know. Simply fill out the form on the menu bar at CUSTOM ORDERS or CONTACT US, which will include free shipping and handling for the custom hand-painted oil painting of your choice.
7/ Could you paint on my T shirts or table cloth or any other gifts?
Yes, you are welcome. You should describe clearly on the menu bar at CUSTOM ORDERS or CONTACT US. We would be honored to serve your needs.
8/ What sizes do your paintings come in?
All our paintings are custom-made so you can order your painting with any dimensions you choose. In general, canvas sizes have ranged from 10” x 13” / 26cm x 33cm up to 72” x 108” / 183cm x 275cm, or 60” x 120” / 153cm x 305cm or 80” x 80” / 204cm x 204cm.
9/ Can I have the orientation of a painting changed to meet my space requirements?
Yes, you can. To meet your space requirements, our highly skilled artists can paint an oil painting that is regularly in a vertical orientation in a horizontal orientation, and vice versa. The artists are quite gifted at being able to make this type of change and still keep the painting beautiful by either adding or reducing some of the background of the painting to obtain the best outcome. There are many possibilities.
10/ Does Art Reproduction have a value?
This is an interesting question. Artists have been painting fine art replicas of paintings for centuries. Art reproduction was extremely popular during the Victorian era and further back. Pieter Brueghel's oldest son (Pieter Brueghel the Younger 1564 -1636) painted art reproductions of his father's work. His replica of his father's painting 'Flemish Proverbs' just sold recently at Christie's London for £1,721,250. However, I think the most important value of a reproduction is to bring you into the world of creative inspiration.
11/ Who buys Reproduction Art?
A lot of people . We provide high quality fine art reproductions to a wide variety of people who wish to enjoy classic art at a reasonable price and people who are looking for a unique and affordable gift to give their loved ones. We've delivered oil paintings and reproduction art to customers in the USA, Australia, England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Hong Kong, and Japan. People who buy from us are homeowners, realtors, galleries, builders, architects, interior designers, companies, hotels, resorts, and collectors.
12/ Do you sell or provide frames with the paintings?
We do not sell frames with the painting. There are reasons for this.
Frames are very personal and we leave the decision to you.
Every home has its own design and architectural characteristic, therefore it is usually best that our customers choose and decide the frame to match their decoration.
V. How to order
1/ How do I place an order?
You can place your order securely online using our automated order system by clicking into the painting image that you would like to purchase, next click to choose the size you want, and click Add to Cart. You can repeat these steps as many times as you wish when you want to buy more than one painting at a time. All choices will be automatically put in your shopping cart. Before payment, you can review all your choices. You also can remove as well as add additional paintings that you would like to purchase.
2/ What happens once I submit my order?
If your payment was accepted and your order was successfully completed, you will receive a confirmation email from us and from Bank of America.
3/ Can I change my order once it has been submitted?
No, you can’t, we are sorry for that. We highly recommend double-checking all information you submit before finalizing your order.
4/ Is it safe to order online?
Yes, it is. Our company, J Benjamin LLC, uses PayPal, a secure way to make transactions online and protect your personal information. As you go through the checkout process your browser will display a safety symbol to let you know that your payment information is protected. If you would like to place an order by other means, you may do so by emailing us and wiring money to our account with Bank of America, or by mailing us and paying by check or money order.
VI. How to pay
1/ How can I pay for my order?
After choosing your oil painting and adding it to your cart, click submit. Then, fill out your payment information in the form.
2/ What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept most major credit cards (such as Visa Card, MasterCard, American Express, Discover), Money Order, Personal or Business Checks, and Wire Transfers. We also accept Debit Cards (also called Check Cards, ATM Cards or Bank Cards) if they are Visa or MasterCard. Please note that all prices shown on our website are listed in U.S. Dollars.
3/ Can I change my payment method once I’ve submitted my order?
No, once the order has been submitted we are unable to amend the payment order.
4/ What currency are your prices in?
All prices on our website are expressed in US Dollars. Payments are accepted only in this currency.
5/ Do you charge Sales Tax?
Within the U.S., there is no sales tax charged on orders to customers located outside the State of Florida. Customers located within the State of Florida are charged sales tax. To the other countries, it depends on each country, and the recipient takes responsibility for paying sales tax.
6/ What are your shipping charges?
We offer FREE packaging, FREE handling, FREE damage insurance and FREE delivery worldwide!
7/ Do you have a minimum purchase requirement?
No, we do not have a minimum purchase requirement. You have the choice of purchasing just one oil painting to as many as you would like.
We appreciate having you as our valued customer, and look forward to serving you again.
8/ Do you have any special discount for big volume?
We often offer the discount coupon on holiday seasons. If you order for big volume, we could also give you the big discount.
9/ Why do prices vary so much among art reproduction companies?
There is a reason for that, and the short answer is quality! Although most companies profess to paint museum-quality art reproductions, the standard really does vary.
VII. How to contact us
1/ How can I contact JBenArts?
The best way to contact us is by email, but you may also contact us by phone, or letter.
Email: service@jbenarts.com
Phone: +1 571 357 9271
Mailing: 205 Yoakum Parkway, unit 1523, Alexandria, VA 22304, United States
2/ Can I purchase over the phone?
We welcome your call and any questions you have about how we can help you best.
3/ What if I have other questions?
Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions!
4/ Can I visit you, or do you have a gallery?
We do not have a gallery. Our prices are always 60% to 70% lower than gallery prices. This is possible only because our paintings come directly from our artists. We minimize overhead as much as we can by not selling oil paintings from stock, but rather producing upon demand. Our website was established so that we could make our products available to you at the most economic prices possible. It also helps you to be confident in your purchases with us that you will be receiving the most value for the lowest price. There are many samples of masterpieces on our website for you to look at, whenever you please.
VIII. How to know my order is processed
1/ Can I know my order processed?
Yes, you can. When your order was placed, you should have received an automated confirmed email.
2/ How long does it take to produce a reproduction?
The whole process takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Delivery is made once the painting has dried sufficiently and is ready to be shipped.
3/ Do you sell your oil paintings worldwide?
Yes! We welcome orders from anywhere in the world.
IX. How To Open An Account With JBenArts.
1/ How can I open an account online?
To open an account with JBenArts, follow these easy steps:
1) Click the REGISTER button on the right-hand side of the homepage
2) Enter the requested information
3) Verify the information you entered
4) Click the REGISTER button. There will be a confirmation that you have successfully created an account with us.
2/ Why should I create an account?
There are five major advantages to creating a JBenArts account:
1) Save your favorite oil paintings and revisit them later.
2) Keep track of any orders you place.
3) Save your personal information for quick and easy ordering.
4) View your JBenArts information from any computer in the world.
5) View your past purchases.
3/ Forget your password?
If you have forgotten your JBenArts account log-in information:
1) Click on Forget your password?
2) Enter the email address you registered with.
3) An email will be delivered to your inbox that will contain the link to reset your password.
4) Check your email and follow the instructions to reset your new password.
I have more questions not listed here…
If you have any further questions, please contact us by using any of the methods on the Contact Us section, which can be found on our website menu.
Privacy Policy
In General
In our Privacy Policy, we outline what information we will collect, how it is used, and how it is protected.
We will not give your e-mail address or other personal information to third parties and we will never sell or rent your personal information to any third parties under any circumstances. We respect the privacy of every individual who visits our website and are firmly committed to protecting your privacy and keeping your personal information secure. Our website is designed so that no personal information is displayed online in unsecured areas or is accessible to the general public.
We keep all of your personal information confidential, and it is not recorded anywhere except by the processing bank or credit card company. We guarantee that every online payment and transaction you make with us will be secure.
Your consent
By using our site, you consent to our privacy policy.
If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use the website.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please send us an email at service@jbenarts.com
Your order
When you purchase a product or service from us, we ask you for information, such as your name, telephone number, billing address, delivery address, e-mail address, and credit card information.
All customer information is solely used for processing and delivering orders and communication of news via email. Email is used for communicating with you about your order. You will receive a confirmation of your order by email.
Policy on Minor Use of the Site
JBen Arts is concerned about the safety of children when they use the internet.
JBen Arts does not knowingly market to or collect information from any minors under the age of 18. You must be 18 years of age or older to register for an account and make a purchase on our website. If we learn that we have collected personally identifiable information from a minor under the age of 18, we will immediately remove their personal information from our database and files.
Cookies
This site does not use cookies to record information.
We will inform you first before we enable cookies to facilitate your use of this website.
Links to Third-Party Sites
This website may contain links to other websites.
This privacy policy only applies to this website. When you link to other websites you should read their privacy policies.
JBen Arts is not responsible for the content of any other web sites and is not responsible for warranties regarding any other web sites or the contents or materials on such websites.
If you decide to access linked third-party web sites, you do so at your own risk.
Notification of Changes
JBen Arts provides its services to you subject to the preceding policies which are updated and/or revised from time to time by JBen Arts without notice to you, which become effective when posted.
New policies will apply to all current and past users of JBen Arts and will replace any prior policies that are inconsistent with it.