Help Page
This page is designed to help you navigate our website. We realise there are many options to chose from on each page so we want to help you navigate our website with as much ease as possible so you get the most enjoyable experience searching for the paintings you are interested in.
Since this page is strickly designed to help you move around the website, any questions you have about our policies, paintings and ordering details can be found on our FAQ page.
This page is also designed in a narrow format, so you can have two windows open at the same time, this window and the main website window. Reduce both windows to fit side by side in your screen. By doing this, you can read the instructions as you navigate the site.
Use the links on the left side of this page, to quickly take you to the page where you need help or use the scroll bar on the right to scroll through this entire help page.
Details about the structure of this website
Our website is designed to give you an enjoyable experience with ease. All pages are accessable from anywhere in the website and contain the following:
Logo - Top left corner of page
Slogan - Top right corner of page
Sound Button - There is a sound button next to the bottom right of the logo. Click on 'Music Off' to turn the music off and 'Music On' to turn it back on again.
Top Horizontal Navigation Bar - Located under the Slogan. On this bar, you can access the following pages: Home, About, Order, Search (advanced search), Shipping, Contact Us.
Basic Search box - This is located directly under the Top Horizontal Navigation Bar to the right. For information on how this works see Basic Search.
Shopping Cart - Located directly under the logo when activated. This link appears only when any Buy Button has been clicked and an item has been placed in the Shopping Cart. For further details on how this works, click on this Shopping Cart Link
Left Navigation Bar - Located to the left of all pages on our website. On this menu, you can access the following pages: Specials, Gallery, Artist, Kids Gallery, Custom Sizing, Price Quote, Textile Art, FAQ(frequently asked questions), links and help. To find out more about any of these pages, click on their names to the left of this page.
Footer - located at the bottom of each page. This gives a link to the company who designed this website on the left and also links to our Policy Page, this Help Page, FAQ Page and our Request Form. Use the links to find out more about each of these.
How to use our Basic Search
The basic search is located under the Slogan and Horizontal Navigation Bar at the right. It can be used in three ways.
1. Enter any keyword in the input box and click go to search for that keyword for all paintings and artists. A partical word can also be entered which will give results of any painting or artist containing that part word. For example, if you enter the word 'star' in the input box, your search results will display any painting name containing the letters 'star' in it, including 'Starry Night' and 'Star Dancer On Stage'.
2. Select one of the categories in the dropdown box next to the GO button, then click GO. This will bring results for all that category.
3. The third choice is to enter a keyword in the input box and select a category as well, which is a combination of both. For example, if you enter the word 'star' in the input box and select 'Dance' in the categories dropdown box, your results will be narrowed down. Referring to our example in 1. you would no longer see a result of 'Starry Night' since it is listed under the 'sky' category, however you would still see 'Star Dancer On Stage'.
The results from your search will be listed alphabetically down the page, 15 results per page. By clicking on the Painting Name, you will see a small image of the painting, otherwise known as a thumbnail. You may click on the thumbnail which will take you to the gallery to view the framed image and find out further details about the painting. You can also click on the text 'For large image click here' under the thumbnail, to open a new window displaying a much larger image. This image includes a magnifier to view the painting in detail.
Request Form
Our Request Form is designed so you may request a particular painting or artist that we do not display on our website. It can be accessed from the Footer, or from either the Price Quote Page or the Custom Sizing Page. All input boxes are required, except for the 'Addition Information' box. The more information you give us, the more we can help you find the painting you are looking for, so give as much detail as possible. As soon as all information is entered in the boxes, submit your form by clicking the Request Button. We will endeavor to get back to you as soon as possible.
Policy Page Help
The Policy Page is a page of general rules that we follow for the process of ordering a painting. Please be sure to read this before making your purchase.
Shopping Cart Help
The Shopping Cart becomes available as soon as you click any Buy Button. When this is activated, a link which includes the amount of items in your Cart and the total amount of the paintings, is available above the Special Button. This link takes you directly to the Shopping Cart without the need to make another purchase. Each time you click a Buy Button, it will take you into the Shopping Cart with the updated information. The Cart displays the purchases you have made which you can also edit by changing the amount in the white box to the left or selecting an alternative method of shipping. Each time you make a change, click on the Update Button to update the figures and total price. Note: if the number 0 is entered in the amount box, the painting will be deleted from the shopping cart.
There are also several links and buttons below the shopping cart. From the left, you will see 'Continue Shopping'. This will take you back to the page you were previously at or to the Gallery so you can continue to shop. Next is a link to our Policy Page. Click this to read our policies and guarantees. The third link is 'Empty Cart'. This will remove everything from your shopping cart if clicked. The Update Button, when clicked, will update any chances you have made within the shopping cart and give you the correct totals. The last button is the Checkout Button. Click this when you are ready to proceed with your order.
When the Checkout Button is clicked, you will be presented with a new page requesting the method of payment you choose to make your purchase. If you click on the Credit Card Button, you will go directly to PayPal which is a safe and secure way to make all your payments. We recomment this method. The other alternative is to pay by US check or Money Order. Fill out the required details so we may contact you and know where you would like the order to be shipped, then click on the Check or Money Order Button. Once clicked, you will reach the verification page. At this point, you can verify that all your order is correct. This page displays our address for sending the order to, your address and details so we know where to send your order and contact you, links so you may make changes to either your details or the shopping cart and a Print Button. Use the 'Edit Details' link to make changes to your details and the 'Edit Cart' link to change your order. Once everything is correct, ensure your printer is turned on and click the print button to printout your order. Select two copies if you wish to keep a copy for yourself. Enclose a copy of your order, with your check or money order and send it to our address printed on the form. Ensure all checks and money orders are made payable to John M. De Giuseppe.
Home Page Help
The Home Page is purely an introduction to the website. As we update our site, there will be notification here on these updates with links to appropriate pages. Be sure to bookmark this page!
About Page Help
The About Page tells you about A Perfect Painting.com and gives you information about the background of the company. There is also a link located on this page to our policies.
Order Page Help
The Order Page has two functions. Firstly, this is where you enter the information we have quoted for you through email. You will be directed to this page with every quote given if you wish to pay through PayPal. You simply follow the directions given in the email and submit the required information. Secondly, if you have any items in your shopping cart, this page will display the contents of your shopping cart. In other words, to place a purchase for an order we have quoted for you, you will need to ensure the shopping cart is empty.
Search Page Help
The Search Page is designed for more detailed searches and to give you a more defined search result. For a general search use our Basic Search feature under the Horizontal Navigation Bar at the right. For information on how to use this see Basic Search.
For the Advanced Search feature to work correctly, you are required to turn your JavaScript function on. This can be located in your browser under tools and internet options if it is not turned on, however, it is generally automatically set to on as a browser feature.
Start by checking one of the radio buttons to search for either a painting or an artist. These are located to the left and highlighted in orange type. You may only select one or the other at any given time. Once selected, the options in each box become available.
Search for a Painting - When selected, you have the choice of searching by either the painting name where you type a keyword into the input box or by selecting one or more options that contain dropdown boxes.
For a search by painting name: check the button next to 'by painting name' and the input box will become available. Type in your keyword, then check either 'Exact Word' or 'Partial Word'. For an example of how this works, if you type in the word 'star' and select 'exact word', you will return a result of any painting name with the word 'star' in it, eg 'Star Dancer On Stage', however it would not return the painting 'Starry Night'. If you check the 'partial word' button instead, then you would have 'Starry Night' returned in the search results.
For a search by selecting one of the dropdown boxes: check the button next to 'by selecting one or more of the following'. By doing so, the square checkboxes next to 'By Artist', 'By Category', 'By Price' and 'By Size' become available. Select any one or a combination of these options. As each is selected, their corresponding dropdown box becomes available. If the checkbox is selected, you must choose one of the items from that dropdown box. If you change your mind, remove the check mark next to that option by clicking on it again. By selecting more than one checkbox you can reduce your search results. For example, if you select 'Van Gogh' from the Artist selection, it will return all paintings by Van Gogh, however, if you select this artist and then select 'sky' in the category listing in addition, your search result will only give Van Gogh's paintings listed in the sky category. Please note that the more options you select, the more you confined your search is, thus fewer results are returned. If you receive none or only a few results, try to use less options. Whatever your selection, always click the 'search' button for the search to take place and return the results to you.
Search for an Artist - When selected, you have the choice of searching 'By Name', 'By History' or 'By Country'. Only one can be selected at any given time. By selecting 'By Name' or 'By History', the input box becomes available. Enter an exact name or word or partical word and check the appropriate button below. If you select 'By Country', the dropdown menu will become available with the list of countries that our artists are born in. Always click the 'search' button for the search to take place and return the results to you.
Shipping Page Help
The Shipping Page gives you all the information about our shipping policies. If you cannot find the information here, check both our policies and our FAQ pages. If you still cannot find the answer to your question, feel free to contact us through the Contact Us page.
Contact Us Page Help
The Contact Us Page gives you details on how to contact us. There is a form to fill out where you can include your message. We ask you to type in your email address twice, so that we know you have your email correct and didn't accidently hit a wrong key while typing. We do want to be able to return your enquiry. Please use the 'Quote Price' form for any quotes and check out the FAQ (frequently asked questions) page for answers to general questions.
Specials Page Help
The Specials page lists all the specials for the month. These will change each month. There is a display of up to eight specials for the month showing the special price with the normal price crossed out. Click on the Thumbnail (small image) to see the full details of the special including size and a gallery size painting displayed in a frame.
To purchase the special, click the Buy Button to the right and it will be listed in your shopping cart. The framed painting may be clicked on to display a larger image in a new window. With javascript feature turned on in your browser, you will also have access to a magnifying glass in this window to view the painting closely.
Gallery Page Help
The Gallery Page will show you all the paintings we have listed in our database. Each time you enter, a painting will be presented along with small images to the right. The small images, known as thumbnails, will be paintings with names beginning with A-B and are listed in alphabetical order. Use the letter links above the thumbnails to see paintings with names beginning C-F, G-L, M-O, P-R, S, T and U-Z. We have separated them into these categories to make the page load quicker for you and easier to find.
When you click on the Thumbnails, a larger image of that thumbnail will appear in the frame and will give further details about it. Above the framed painting you will see the name of the painting and the artist. Below it you will see a Quote button, a Buy or Price button and a link to view more paintings by the same artist. By clicking on the Quote button, you will be directed to our quote form where the details of the painting are already entered for you. If you see a Price button, there are multiple sizes and prices for this painting which will be displayed when this button is clicked. If you see a Buy button, it means there is only one size and price available at this time. By clicking this button, the painting will be added to the shopping cart.
The framed painting may be clicked on to display a larger image in a new window. With javascript feature turned on in your browser, you will also have access to a magnifying glass in this window to view the painting closely.
Artist Page Help
The Artist Page will show you the list of Artists we currently have listed in our database. Use the slider bar to the right of the list to see all artists. You may select any artist by clicking on his or her name. Once this is clicked, details about the artist are displayed along with any paintings by this artist which are shown as thumbnails (small images) on the right. You may click on any image to find out more about that painting. Above the framed painting you will see the name of the painting and the artist. Below it you will see a Quote button, a Buy or Price button and a link to take you back to the list of artists. By clicking on the Quote button, you will be directed to our quote form where the details of the painting are already entered for you. If you see a Price button, there are multiple sizes and prices for this painting which will be displayed when this button is clicked. If you see a Buy button, it means there is only one size and price available at this time. By clicking this button, the painting will be added to the shopping cart.
The framed painting may be clicked on to display a larger image in a new window. With javascript feature turned on in your browser, you will also have access to a magnifying glass in this window to view the painting closely.
Kids Gallery Page Help
The Kids Gallery is designed with paintings especially suitable for children. These paintings are also listed in the main Gallery. This page works the same as the Gallery Page with the exception that only children's paintings appear in the thumbnail list. For further information, read the Gallery Page details. In addition, we play music and animation is shown. The music can be turned off or on by clicking on the 'music off' and 'music on' links located between the logo and the horizontal navigation bar.
Custom Sizing Page Help
The Custom Sizing Page allows you to request paintings of different sizes that are not shown on our website. First select the painting you are interested in from the dropdown box and click 'go', or if the painting you want is not there, click on the request link to submit an email to us. Refer to the Request Page for further help on requesting a painting. Once your painting has been selected, you will be shown sizes currently listed in our database (with Buy buttons if you decide to choose one of these) and a small image of the painting. At any time you may select another painting from the dropdown box and click 'go' to retrieve this information. You will also be presented with a form where you add the size of the painting you require along with your name and email address. Please add your email address twice to verify it is correct, we do want to be able to get back to you! When all boxes in the form have been entered, submit the form by clicking on the 'Send Quote' button. We will receive your email and get back to you as soon as possible with your quote. This process should take less than 48 hours.
Price Quote Page Help
The Price Quote Page allows you to get a price quote for any painting we have listed in our database. Start by selecting the painting you are interested in from the dropdown box, then click 'go'. If you do not see the painting you want, click on the Request link to submit a request for your painting. Refer to the Request Page Help for further information about this feature. Once your painting has been selected and the 'go' button clicked, you will be shown any current sizes we have listed along with Buy buttons to make your purchase. The small image displayed will ensure you have the correct painting you are interested in. Enter your size requirements for the painting, along with the quality and postage option, then enter your name, email address and any special requests. Please add your email address twice to verify it is correct, we do want to be able to get back to you as soon as possible. When you have completed all the details, click the 'Send Quote' button to submit your request. When we receive your email, we will get back to you as soon as possible with your quote. This process should take less than 48 hours.
Textile Art Page Help
The Textile Art Page is a gallery of original artwork created in textiles from a New Zealand artist. The fabrics primarily consist of cotton and come with instructions on how to care for these fine artworks. Click on any of the small images to the right to retrieve details about that textile. When clicked, a larger image will appear in the center of the page, displaying its name above it with details of when it was created, its size and price below. Clicking on the Buy button to the left, will add the displayed item to the shopping cart.
FAQ Page Help
The FAQ Page (frequently asked questions) is a page with general questions about our policies, the paintings and shipping as well as many other questions you may have. Please check this page before emailing us as you may find the answer to your question a lot faster, however, feel free to contact us any time if you cannot find what you are looking for.
Links Page Help
The Links Page is designed to carry a list of external links that we recommend for your browsing. Feel free to make suggestions of sites you would like to see included here. We will consider your suggestion and after inspection of the website, will decide whether it is appropriate to include.