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davidcyclebackThe flexichrome is a hand colored photo-- color added directly to the photo. For the 1953 Topps, the artist made a painting on canvas, paper or board using a photo as the model. It's like painting using a live person in the painter's studio, except a photo of the person is used instead. The photo itself was not painted on.
If the original art for a card is described as an acrylic, oil, watercolor or guache, it's a real painting like with the 1953 Topps. A paint painting based on a model, photo or sketch, rather than physically on a photo. For acrylic and oil paintings, you will be able to see and feel the brush strokes.
Some original art will be hand drawn sketches, perhaps with added color or shades added by ink wash (much like watercolor). These would be based on models or photos, like with the 1953 Topps paintings. I have some magazine original sketches that are a combination of ink, wash, charcoal and pencil. They clearly look like hand drawn sketches and not oil paintings or colored photos. The artist likely used live models in his studio. The original art for Peanuts and Dennis the Menace cartoon strips are hand drawn pen and ink sketches.
If the original art is described as 'mixed media,' it was made from different techniques combined.
For many cards, one can't tell for sure what was the original art simply looking at the card. You have to see in person the art or listen to someone who has. Obviously the 1950 Red Man cards were made from paintings, but for others one can't be sure.