Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is it safe to use my credit card?

Union Art uses SagePay and PayPal SSL Secure payment gateways.

SagePay provides secure online credit card and debit card payment solutions for thousands of online and mail order businesses across the UK.

SagePay has achieved the highest level of compliance under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI). They adhere to the most stringent levels of fraud screening, ensuring that your details remain secure throughout the transaction process.

PayPal takes security very seriously. Automatic fraud screening and their Seller Protection Policy help keep customers safer. PayPal is PCI compliant.

What types of payment do you accept?

We accept Visa, Delta, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Eurocard, Maestro, JCB, American Express, PayPal and Union Art Gift Vouchers.

Does the price include a mount/frame?

The answer to this is different for each piece of artwork. How the artwork is finished will be included on the details of each item. If the artwork is described as "print only", you will receive a paper print that will need to be mounted and framed before it can be hung on the wall. Other artworks will be described as "mounted" or have the option to add a mount to your selected artwork. This will mean the artwork will arrive to you with a card mount that has been made especially for the artwork. Most mounts are fairly standard. A mount is an off – white card surround that protects the print. The mount is usually 3 inches wide and sits as a border to the print when it is framed. If the item is described as "framed" or has this option to add a frame, the artwork will arrive in a high quality frame that has been selected and made especially for the artwork. Box Canvas or stretched canvases do not need to be framed, they can be hung straight on the wall unless you opt to also have it framed.

What do the different art terms e.g. Giclee mean?

Limited Edition Prints

Artist Signature

Nearly all limited edition prints will be signed by the artist in pencil underneath the picture on the right hand side. The signature authenticates and guarantees each piece. The artist will only sign the print when they are completely satisfied that it is a true and accurate representation of the original.

Signed limited edition prints will often attract higher prices than unsigned work.

Certificate of Authenticity

Nearly all limited edition prints will come with a certificate of authenticity (COA). These are supplied by the publisher or artist.

Numbering

Limited edition prints will normally be numbered in pencil underneath the image on the left hand side. The handwritten number is vital as it guarantees not only the size but also the authenticity of the edition (e.g. 5/195 means the fifth print in a set of 195 identical prints).

Artist Proofs (AP’s)

Artist’s proofs are normally 10% of the total number of prints produced. They are identified by the abbreviation ‘AP’ and will normally be found underneath the image on the left hand side (e.g. AP  5/10 means the fifth print in a set of ten identical prints). Artist’s proofs were originally designed for the artist to keep but they can be sold in the same way as the other prints in the edition.  Artist’s proofs are often seen as more desirable because they are rarer and will attract higher prices.

Open Edition Prints

Open Edition Prints are high quality, archival grade, prints but unlike Limited Edition Prints they are not signed by the artist or limited in the number of prints produced. Purchasing an Open Edition Print is a great affordable introduction into buying art.

The different collections illustrate an unparalleled selection of attractive and affordable images for every taste, budget and decorative scheme. The prints feature traditional and contemporary subject matter, including a selection of the world's finest artists, from the great Old Masters to some of today's most talented designers.

Prints and Posters are printed in a variety of different ways, including offset litho and digital which are usually referred to as giclées.

Print Process Guide

Giclées

Giclée Fine Art Prints (pronounced “gee-clay”) are extremely high quality, archival grade, digital prints that use a ultra fine inkjet printing process to produce images of intense colour and vibrancy. Giclée printing is widely regarded as one of the very best photographic and fine art printing methods currently available and has become extremely popular with artists and photographers displaying their images in art galleries, museums and exhibitions. Although originally devised in America, the word “Giclée” comes from the French verb “to spray” and refers to the ink being sprayed onto the paper or canvas.

Lithographs

Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface.  In the lithographic process, ink is applied to a grease-treated image on the flat printing surface; nonimage (blank) areas, which hold moisture, repel the lithographic ink. This inked surface is then printed—either directly on paper, by means of a special press or onto a rubber cylinder.

Silkscreens

This method is a modern development of stencil printing. Paint is brushed through a number of fine silk screens, held taut in a wooden frame, onto the paper. One screen is used for each shade. The screen traditionally used comprises a fine weave silk, or similar, pulled over and secured to the frame. The silk is then masked excepting those areas where the paint is required to pass through. As each individual colour and shade requires a separate screen the whole process is lengthy and requires considerable skill. Slowly then, screen by screen, with precise alignment the final image is worked towards. The artist is involved during the creation of each edition, approving various stages and often making changes and additions, adding to the originality of the final item.

Finishes Explained

Hand Embellished

This is done to bring the piece closer to the essence of the original. Hand applied varnishes, paints, inks or gold and silver leaf are added to certain elements of the print.

Mounted Prints

Most mounts are fairly standard. A mount is an off – white card surround that protects the print. The mount is usually 3 inches wide and sits as a border to the print when it is framed.

Box Canvas

When a piece is on canvas it is often stretched over wooden bars to form a box. This will usually give the piece a depth of approximately 2 inches.

Unstretched Canvas

This means the canvas will arrive as a loose canvas piece and will require stretching over 4 wooden bars to form a box or mounted on to hard board before it can be hung on the wall. This gives you the freedom to choose how you would like the work to be displayed.

Framing

Most of our items are sold unframed however if you need help with choosing a frame we can offer advice and provide you with details of local framing companies.

Does the price include delivery? 

We provide a secure and safe delivery service, we do charge a delivery fee for this but there is no profit made on this fee.

UK Mainland £15 (Inc VAT)

Ireland, Northern Ireland & Isle of Man £20 (Inc VAT)

Europe & Channel Islands £25 (Inc VAT)

Rest of the World £35

How long does the delivery take?

UK Deliveries

UK deliveries will take approximately 5 - 7 working days, subject to availability. If there are any delays we will contact you as soon as possible to advise you.

International Deliveries

International deliveries will take approximately 10 - 14 working days, subject to availability. If there are any delays we will contact you as soon as possible to advise you.

Is there a guarantee/returns policy?

Unwanted goods may be returned for a refund or exchange if returned in their original condition within 14 days with proof of purchase.  Please notify us by email or phone, giving the reason for the return. Keep the packaging material and re-pack the item, include your name and order number with the reason for the return inside the package. You will be required to return this at your own cost including insurance for the goods.

What if I receive my order and it's damaged?

This very rarely happens but if you are unlucky enough to receive your artwork damaged then please notify us within 3 working days of receiving the goods. Please keep the packaging material and re-pack the item. Union Art will have the products picked up and you have the option of a full refund or a replacement at no charge to you.

Why do some prints say "sold out"?

If the item states that it is "sold out" it means that the edition is completely sold out and unavailable from the artists publisher or directly from the artist themselves. Limited Edition Prints are as the title suggests limited in number, once the edition has sold no further prints will be produced.

Do you provide valuations for artwork that I already own?

We're very sorry but we do not offer valuations for artwork that you have bought previously, from another company. It is very difficult to properly evaluate artworks over email or the phone. The best option for you would be to take your art to a local gallery or a good auction house/valuers.

If you aren't able to find an answer to your question from the above information, please do get in touch with us at mail@unionart.co.uk or give us a call on 0203 6647 417.