How to Inspect a Numbered Paris Birch Wood Art Board on Arrival

A numbered art board should be inspected before it is displayed, framed or customized. The aim is not to make every piece of natural wood look identical. It is to confirm what arrived, understand the normal variation of birch, verify the edition details and create a clear record of the board’s initial condition.

The Paris Edition is a physical A4-landscape art board made from 3 mm birch wood. Its train artwork is permanently laser-engraved, its individual edition number appears on the reverse, and a Chromatica Certificate of Authenticity is supplied with it. The worldwide edition is limited to 25 pieces, numbered from 01/25 to 25/25.

Use the following process soon after arrival, while the board, certificate and any supplied packaging can still be reviewed together. Work slowly on a clean, stable surface and avoid adding marks during the inspection itself.

What You Should Receive with the Paris Edition

Begin with a simple contents check. For this edition, the essential components are:

• One Paris City Series art board in A4 landscape format
• A detailed train design permanently laser-engraved into 3 mm birch wood
• An individual edition number on the reverse, within the range 01/25–25/25
• A Chromatica Certificate of Authenticity

Do not assume that a frame, hanging hardware, acrylic markers or other display accessories are included unless they were explicitly listed for your order. Keep the inspection focused on the board and its certificate.

Before handling the artwork, choose a clean, dry and uncluttered area. Remove objects that could scratch or press into the wood. Clean, dry hands are generally preferable to handling the board immediately after using hand cream, paint, ink or cleaning products. Lift it with support rather than dragging it across the work surface.

If anything appears to be absent, photograph all received contents together before separating them. Retain any packaging supplied with the order until the inspection is complete.

Create a Simple Arrival-Inspection Record

A useful condition record does not need to be formal. A dated note and a small set of clear photographs are enough to establish what you received before display or customization.

Record the following:

• Date the board was received and inspected
• Product name: Paris Graffiti Train Birch Wood Art Board
• Design reference: 03 Paris
• Edition number shown on the reverse
• Presence of the Certificate of Authenticity
• Approximate width, height and thickness if you choose to measure them
• A brief description of the front, reverse and edges
• Any area you want to ask Chromatica about
• File names or folder location for the arrival photographs

Use neutral descriptions rather than immediate conclusions. For example, write “lighter engraved area near the upper-right section” or “visible mark along the lower edge” instead of declaring a manufacturing defect. Natural wood and engraved surfaces need context, and clear observations are more useful than labels.

Keep the original photographs as captured. Cropped or annotated copies can be helpful for highlighting a detail, but they should supplement rather than replace the full images.

Confirm the A4 Format and 3 mm Birch Construction

The stated board size is A4 landscape, approximately 29.7 × 21 cm, with a thickness of 3 mm. In landscape orientation, the longer dimension runs horizontally when the artwork is viewed upright.

How to check the face dimensions

1. Place the board on a clean, flat surface without forcing it down.
2. Position a ruler or tape measure parallel to one edge.
3. Measure the longer side and then the shorter side.
4. Photograph the measurement if you need it for your records.

The published face dimensions are approximate. A casual measurement can also vary according to the tool, viewing angle and where its zero point is positioned. The purpose of this check is to confirm the expected A4-landscape format, not to manufacture a precision inspection result from a household ruler.

How to check the thickness

If you have a suitable measuring tool, check the board at an accessible edge without squeezing or marking the wood. The stated construction is 3 mm birch. A ruler may be sufficient for a general check, although it is less precise for a thin edge.

Do not press a metal tool into the engraved face or clamp the board tightly simply to obtain a measurement. If a reading appears inconsistent, photograph the board and measuring setup so the method can be understood later.

Examine the Permanent Laser-Engraved Linework

The Paris train artwork is laser-engraved into the birch rather than supplied as a removable digital image. Inspect the complete composition first, then review smaller sections.

1. View the front straight on in soft, even light.
2. Confirm that the overall Paris train composition is present.
3. Scan the design from left to right and top to bottom.
4. Look again with light arriving from the side to make surface detail easier to see.
5. Photograph the full face before taking close-ups.

Avoid judging engraving solely from one strongly lit photograph. Direct sunlight, a nearby lamp or automatic phone processing can make one area look darker, lighter or higher in contrast than it appears in person. Reflections and shadows can also exaggerate the wood texture.

Because the engraving interacts with natural birch, its apparent brightness can differ slightly across the surface. Grain direction, base color and local texture can affect the visual contrast. The result should therefore be assessed as engraving on wood, not against the expectation of a uniformly printed black line on white paper.

If one section concerns you, take three photographs: a complete front view, a medium-distance image showing where the area sits within the design, and a close-up. That sequence gives more useful context than an isolated macro photograph.

Recognize Normal Grain, Color and Texture Variation

Birch is a natural material. Grain, base color and surface texture vary from board to board, and differences can also appear across a single board. These characteristics may remain visible through and around the engraved design.

Normal visual variation can include:

• Grain lines running through the background or engraved artwork
• Lighter and darker areas in the natural birch color
• Changes in visible surface texture
• Slight changes in engraving brightness where the wood itself changes

These variations do not need to be “corrected” during an arrival inspection. They are part of assessing a design engraved onto natural wood rather than printed onto a perfectly uniform synthetic surface.

It is also important not to overstate the variation. The disclosed point is that birch can differ in grain, color and texture; it does not mean that every visible mark must automatically be accepted as a natural feature. If something looks unexpected, document its position, size and appearance without trying to diagnose it immediately.

Use more than one viewing angle

Turn the board relative to the light rather than bending it or pressing on it. A feature that looks dark in one direction may become less prominent when the light changes. This helps distinguish a tonal feature in the grain from a shadow cast by surface texture.

For an accurate record, use both:

• Diffuse light: useful for recording the board’s overall color and engraved composition
• Low side light: useful for showing texture and the physical surface

Neither lighting method is definitive on its own. Side light can make tiny surface changes look dramatic, while flat frontal light can conceal texture. Keeping both views provides a more balanced record.

Check the Reverse Edition Number

Every board in the Paris Edition is individually numbered on the reverse within the sequence 01/25–25/25. The first number identifies the individual piece; “25” identifies the total worldwide edition size.

For example, a marking of 08/25 means that the board carries number 08 within an edition limited to 25 pieces. It does not indicate a quality grade, production rank or relative value.

Turn the board over carefully on a clean surface and locate the number. Record it exactly as shown, including any leading zero. Check that:

• The number is present on the reverse
• It falls within the stated 01/25–25/25 range
• Your written record and photographs use the same number

Do not add your own labels, adhesive notes or handwriting directly beside the edition number. If you need to associate notes with the board, keep them in a separate digital or paper record.

A particular edition number should not be assumed to be selectable unless that option was specifically available for the order. The arrival check verifies the number supplied; it does not establish that one number is more desirable than another.

Record the Certificate of Authenticity Separately

The Chromatica Certificate of Authenticity should be treated as a separate edition document, not as packing material. Confirm that it is present and photograph it independently from the board.

Certificate formats can vary, so do not expect information that is not actually printed. Instead, transcribe the visible details exactly as supplied. Depending on what appears on the certificate, your record may include:

• Artwork or product title
• City or design reference
• Edition information
• Individual number, if stated
• Any date, signature or identifying reference that is visibly present

If an edition number is printed on the certificate, compare it with the number on the reverse of the board. If the certificate does not show an individual number, do not add one to the document yourself.

Photograph the entire certificate before taking detail images. If information appears on both sides, record both. Keep it separate from marker tests, paints, drinks and other materials that could alter it.

The certificate documents the supplied artwork and edition context. It should not be interpreted as an independent appraisal or a guarantee of monetary or resale value.

Photograph the Front, Reverse, Edges and Certificate

A complete photographic record is more useful than many disconnected close-ups. Use a neutral background that contrasts gently with the pale birch without changing its apparent color.

Recommended photograph sequence

1. Received contents: the board, certificate and other order contents together
2. Complete front: the artwork photographed straight on
3. Front at an angle: a second view showing surface texture
4. Complete reverse: the entire back of the board
5. Edition-number detail: close enough to read the full number
6. Long edges: each edge shown without the hand obscuring it
7. Short edges: both remaining edges
8. Corners: grouped or individual views as needed
9. Certificate: a full, readable image of each printed side
10. Areas of concern: one contextual image and one close-up for each area

Switch off filters and avoid portrait modes that blur the edge of the board. Where possible, include a color-neutral background and keep the camera parallel to the face for the main front and reverse images.

For a close-up, capture one version without a ruler and another with a ruler placed nearby if scale matters. Do not lay a hard measuring tool across delicate areas or cover the feature being documented.

Use descriptive file names such as Paris-08-25-front, Paris-08-25-reverse and Paris-08-25-certificate. Replace the example number with the number actually shown on your board. Store the original files together with the inspection note.

Separate Natural Variation from Possible Condition Concerns

The most useful distinction is between a characteristic explained by natural birch and a physical condition that should be documented for review. You do not need to make a final technical judgment yourself.

Avoid rubbing, scraping, sanding, washing or applying a cleaning product in an attempt to investigate a feature. Altering the area can make the original condition harder to assess. The better approach is to stop, document and ask.

If you contact Chromatica, provide the order reference, edition number if available, date received, a full-front photograph, a full-reverse photograph and close-ups of the relevant area. Explain what you see and where it is located. This gives the reviewer context without relying on an unsupported defect label.

What to Do Before Displaying or Customizing the Board

Complete the condition record before making any permanent presentation or creative decisions. Once the board is framed, mounted or customized, it can become difficult to show exactly how it arrived.

Before display:

• Confirm that the front, reverse, edges and edition number have been photographed
• Store the certificate separately so it is not accidentally hidden, marked or discarded
• Choose a display method appropriate to the board’s A4 landscape format and thin 3 mm construction
• Avoid assuming outdoor, moisture-resistant or long-term environmental performance that has not been specified
• Ensure any frame, support or mounting method you select does not obscure the edition record unless that is your intention

The board is suitable for customization with suitable acrylic markers. If you plan to add color, lettering, characters or your own graffiti treatment, remember that the engraved train linework remains the fixed foundation of the piece.

Before customizing:

1. Finish and save the complete arrival-condition record.
2. Decide whether you want to preserve the board in its original engraved state.
3. Plan the composition away from the artwork rather than improvising directly on the edition.
4. Test your chosen marker and technique on a separate birch sample where possible, understanding that another piece of wood may not behave or look exactly the same.
5. Do not assume that customization will be reversible, waterproof, fade-proof or archival.
6. Keep the Certificate of Authenticity away from the working area.
7. Photograph the board again immediately before the first mark is added.

That final pre-customization photograph creates a clear boundary between the supplied edition and the collector’s later intervention. If the board will remain unmodified, the same arrival record still provides a useful reference for future handling, display changes or collection cataloguing.

The Paris artwork is an independent artistic interpretation of Paris Metro culture and is not affiliated with any transport operator. Its collectible details are the permanent engraving, natural birch construction, reverse numbering and accompanying certificate. Checking those elements carefully on arrival gives you a reliable starting record without treating normal wood variation as a flaw—or overlooking a condition that deserves closer review.