What is a certificate of authenticity?
A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is an important document that accompanies a piece of artwork. This certificate serves several critical functions:
Proof of Authenticity: The COA verifies that the artwork is an original piece created by the artist, rather than a counterfeit or reproduction. It is a formal declaration that the piece is genuine.
Details of the Artwork: The certificate typically includes essential details about the artwork, such as the title, dimensions, medium, and the date of creation. It may also include an image of the artwork.
Artist Information: Information about the artist, including their name. This helps establish the artist's identity and reputation.
Edition Information: For limited edition prints, the COA will specify the edition number and the total number of prints in that edition (e.g., 15/30). This information is crucial for collectors who value the rarity and exclusivity of limited edition pieces.
Signature: The artist's signature (or logo) on the COA is a significant element, as it further authenticates the artwork.
At Lama, we acknowledge the importance of adding this certification to each of your print, which is why we built a specific feature that we hope you'll love! This article provides clarity on how COA work and are managed on our platform.
How it works
On Lama, you can choose to add a COA for each print edition you create, whether the edition is "open" or "limited", but we strongly advise you to add a COA in both cases.
A few things you need to know:
You can choose between two methods to add a COA to your art print:
"Method 1 - auto-certificate": We automatically generate a professional COA for you based on your product information. This is the method we recommend as once activated, the certification is done "automatically" and you don't have to do anything. Our certificate includes an holographic sticker (see photos below).
"Method 2 - upload your own": you upload your own design.
Once the COA is activated, every time the print is ordered, the COA will be printed with your print and the two are shipped together. It will cost you an extra €0.50.
We print your COA on a FineArt White Smooth 230g and the print size is 2'x3' (post-car format - 10 x 15cm), single-sided printing
Method 1 - auto-certificate (recommended)
Step 1 : upload your digital signature
Before activating the auto-certificate to your art print, you must fill in your general info:
Navigate to Studio > Dropshipping > Certificates tab
In the "Method 1 : auto-certificate" tab, click on "Manage my info"
A popup will appear. Fill in your general COA info, such as your artist/photographer name, choose your language (FR or ENG), and upload a scan of your signature (or logo) in .png format. Ensure the file is of good quality with no background color, as the signature is a very important aspect of your COA and collectors are very sensitive to it. Save your changes.
Your "Auto-Certificate General Info" is saved, and once you activate this feature on one of your prints (see step 2), this info will be used to generate your certificate automatically.
Step 2 : activate the feature from your product page
Navigate to your artwork Studio product page and scroll to the down to the edition tab you want to activate this feature for.
In the "Certificate" card, click on the "Edit" icon.
A popup will appear. Select "Method 1: Auto-certificate" and then validate your artwork title. This title will appear on your auto-COA, so make sure to enter it properly. Save your changes.
Your auto-COA is now active. Note that your certificate tag now indicates this.
From now on, every time your print is ordered (whether by a customer on your Store or manually by you in the Studio), the COA will be generated and added to your order. This method is recommended because your COA dynamic parameters (e.g., print date, print number for limited editions) are automatically updated. For limited edition prints, the print number will be automatically indicated on the COA (e.g., 10/30), which is very convenient.
If you want to deactivate the feature, simply click again on the edit icon, and then on "delete certificate"
Method 2 - upload your own
Add a template to a specific edition
Navigate to your artwork Studio product page and scroll to the down to the edition tab you want to activate this feature for.
In the "Certificate" card, click on the "Edit" icon.
A popup will appear - select "Method 2: Upload your own" and then whether upload a new design or select a certificate from the ones you've saved (see below). Save your changes.
Your own COA is now active. Note that your certificate tag now indicates this.
From now on, every time your print is ordered (whether by a customer on your Store or manually by you in the Studio), this file will be printed and added to your order. We do not recommend this method, as your COA dynamic parameters (e.g., print date, print edition number) can't be updated easily since your uploaded file is "static."
If you want to deactivate the feature, simply click again on the edit icon, and then on "delete certificate".
Manage my templates in my Studio settings
Every time you upload a new COA file, it is saved in your Studio settings. To access and manage your own certificates:
Navigate to Studio > Dropshipping > Certificates tab
In the "Method 2 : upload your own" tab, click on "Manage my COA"
There, you can add new COAs to use in the future or delete some of your old designs
Note that if you delete a COA linked to an existing print, that print will no longer have a COA
See the certificate in the Studio cart page
Now that you've activated your COA feature, you will see a green tick indicating that your COA is included in your order when you add your print to your Studio cart. You can also see the total number of COAs included in the order in your Summary card.
