What to Expect When a Made to Order Print Ships

Made to order art is not stocked art. The honest answer to the shipping question separates production time from transit time, and gives real numbers for each stage.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

A custom-made Arthur Nísio print typically takes 3 to 5 business days to produce and another 3 to 10 days in transit, so most buyers receive it within one to three weeks of ordering. Framed pieces and canvases sit at the longer end. International delivery adds roughly a week, sometimes more at customs.

Production time comes before shipping

A made to order print does not exist when you pay for it. It is printed, dried, inspected and framed or stretched after the fact, and that sequence takes days rather than hours. Most sellers quote 3 to 5 business days for a paper print and 5 to 7 for a stretched canvas, because the medium needs longer to cure before it can be packed safely.

This is the stage that anxious buyers underestimate. The clock on the shipping estimate usually starts once the piece leaves the workshop, not when the order is placed. If a listing promises 5 day shipping, read it as 5 days in transit on top of production. Sellers who state both numbers separately are the ones worth trusting, because the combined figure is the only one that matters to you.

Transit times by destination

Once a print ships, distance does the rest. Domestic deliveries within Europe or the United States typically run 3 to 7 business days for a framed poster and a day or two longer for canvas, which travels in heavier packaging and moves through fewer depots. Cross border orders add customs handling, and that is the one stage no seller fully controls.

The format you choose changes the timeline more than most people expect. A framed poster like Oise at Pontoise framed ships faster than a stretched canvas because the frame is rigid and packs flat. If speed matters, compare formats before ordering, since the difference between a canvas edition and a framed print can be several days of production alone. Our guide to choosing between canvas and framed poster covers the trade offs in full.

What moves a timeline

Canvas prints cure longer before packing, adding roughly two days over framed paper
Customs can hold international parcels for several days with no notice to either party
Peak seasons such as late November stretch both production and carrier capacity
Rural delivery addresses often add one to two business days over urban ones

How to plan around the wait

Order backwards from the date you need the piece on the wall. Add production time, transit time and a buffer of three or four days, then place the order with that margin. For a framed print ordered domestically, four weeks is a comfortable allowance. For an international canvas order before a holiday, six weeks is not excessive.

One honest caveat applies here. Auvrique does not currently carry editions of Arthur Nísio's work, so the figures above describe made to order prints generally rather than a specific listing. Wherever you buy, the seller's own policy page is the binding document, and a seller who cannot state a production window in writing is telling you something. If a piece arrives damaged or late, the quality checks before ordering are worth reading, and questions about where to buy a high quality print online are answered separately.

The shipping clock starts when the parcel leaves the workshop, not when your card is charged.

Stage	Framed poster	Canvas
Production	3 to 5 business days	5 to 7 business days
Domestic transit	3 to 7 business days	4 to 8 business days
International transit	7 to 14 business days	8 to 15 business days

Typical made to order print timelines

Key takeaways

Expect one to three weeks total for a custom-made print, with canvases at the longer end.
Production time and transit time are separate stages and sellers often quote only the second.
International orders carry customs risk that no seller can guarantee against.
Order at least four weeks before any hard deadline such as a move or a gift date.

Related questions

Why does a made to order print take longer than a stocked one?

Stocked prints are packed the day you order. Made to order pieces are printed, cured and framed after payment, which adds several business days before the parcel is even handed to a carrier. The trade is a fresh print in your chosen size rather than warehouse inventory.

Can I track a custom print while it is in production?

Most sellers send a confirmation when production finishes and a tracking number when the parcel ships. The production phase itself is rarely tracked in detail. If a seller goes silent for more than a week after ordering, a polite email usually produces a status within a day or two.

What happens if a print arrives damaged in transit?

Reputable sellers replace damaged pieces at no cost when notified within a few days of delivery, ideally with photographs of the packaging. Check the seller's refund policy before ordering, because response windows and evidence requirements differ and the good ones state both plainly.

From the Auvrique collection

Made to order · Every size