What a Made-to-Order Print Actually Takes to Arrive

Made-to-order means the clock starts when the print is made, not when you pay. Here is how production and transit stack up, and where the delays hide.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

A made-to-order Tretchikoff print typically takes one to two weeks door to door. Production of the print itself usually runs two to five business days, then transit adds roughly two to seven days depending on destination and framing. Framed pieces sit at the longer end because the frame is assembled after printing. Exact figures for any order appear in the shipping policy at checkout.

The timeline broken into two parts

Every made-to-order art print delivery timeline has two parts, and conflating them is the main source of anxiety. The first part is production. The file is printed, dried or cured, and checked by hand. For an unframed canvas or poster this usually takes two to five business days. Nothing about this stage is glamorous, and nothing about it can be rushed without risking a warped print or a misaligned cut.

The second part is transit, which runs roughly two to seven business days for most destinations. Framed editions take longer than unframed ones because the print is mounted and framed after it has been produced, adding a few days of assembly before anything ships. So a framed piece ordered on a Monday often leaves the workshop the following week. If you are working toward a fixed date, order at least three weeks ahead. That buffer absorbs a courier delay without turning it into a crisis.

What actually causes delays

Most late arrivals are not production failures. They are the predictable friction points that a buyer planning around an event should know about in advance. A print of Tretchikoff's Chinese Girl or one of his portraits is no more fragile in production than any other image, but large formats and framed formats both add handling time. The honest answer is that the calendar, not the printer, is usually the problem.

It is worth saying plainly that Auvrique does not currently offer Tretchikoff editions, so anyone reading this for that specific work should check the shipping policy of whichever seller they use rather than assuming these ranges. The mechanics below hold across most made-to-order studios. For a sense of how the works themselves differ, the guide to Tretchikoff's most recognizable subjects Tretchikoff's most recognizable subjects is a better starting point than any shipping page.

The same logic applies when comparing formats. A canvas piece such as the Piano canvas edition Piano canvas edition ships unframed and therefore moves faster through production than a framed poster, which must be glazed, mounted and fitted before it can leave. If your deadline is tight, choosing the format is often the single biggest lever you have.

Common causes of delay

Framed editions add several days of assembly after printing
Large formats need longer curing and more careful packing
Peak seasons such as December stretch both production and transit
Customs clearance can add days on international deliveries

Planning around a fixed date

If the print needs to be on a wall for a specific occasion, work backwards from that date rather than forwards from the purchase. Allow one to two weeks for production and transit combined, then add a further week as insurance. That gives you a realistic order date and removes the need to refresh a tracking page. A print that arrives four days early costs nothing. One that arrives four days late costs the occasion.

On arrival, give the piece a day flat before hanging, especially canvas, which can hold a slight curl from rolling. Framed pieces can go up immediately. If you are still deciding between formats, the comparison of canvas against framed posters canvas versus framed posters sets out which suits a deadline and which suits a wall. And if a piece arrives damaged rather than merely late, the refund policy Auvrique Refund Policy governs the remedy, which is a different process from a delay.

The print is rarely late. The calendar is.

Format	Production	Transit
Unframed poster	2 to 5 business days	2 to 7 business days
Canvas print	2 to 5 business days	2 to 7 business days
Framed edition	3 to 7 business days	2 to 7 business days

Typical made-to-order ranges

Key takeaways

Made-to-order prints take one to two weeks door to door in most cases.
Framed editions run longer than unframed ones because assembly follows printing.
Order at least three weeks before any fixed date to absorb courier delays.
Auvrique does not currently carry Tretchikoff editions, so verify timelines with the seller you choose.

Related questions

Do framed prints really take longer than unframed ones?

Yes, usually by a few business days. The print is produced first, then mounted, glazed and fitted to its frame before it can be packed and handed to a courier. An unframed poster or canvas skips that entire stage, which is why it is the faster option when a deadline is close.

Can I track my order while it is in production?

Most studios send a confirmation when the print enters production and a tracking number when it ships. The gap between those two points is the production window, and there is often nothing to track during it. If the stated production window passes without a shipping notice, contact the seller directly rather than assuming the worst.

Does ordering during the holidays change the timeline?

It can. December and other peak gifting periods stretch both production queues and courier networks, sometimes adding several days to each. The printed ranges on a product page usually assume normal volume. If you are ordering in a peak season for a fixed date, add a week to whatever the standard estimate says.

From the Auvrique collection

Made to order · Every size