Buying a Made-to-Order Oil Painting: What to Check Before It Ships

Ordering a painting you have not seen in person asks for a little more trust than buying something off a shelf. The useful reassurance is a clear process: what is being made, what you can review and when it will be sent.

For made-to-order work, VALLORNE confirms the order details, prepares the painting, shares photographs or video for approval, completes agreed adjustments and then arranges tracked, insured dispatch. A studio preview is the point to check the actual work against the details you agreed.

Before ordering: be specific about the object

Save the work’s name, selected dimensions, panel count and finish. For a diptych, check whether the measurements refer to each panel. For a framed work, ask for the final outside dimensions if the wall has limited space.

It also helps to separate a standard catalog selection from a personalized commission. Changing the composition or palette can affect the brief, timing and return eligibility. Ask the studio to confirm those terms before the work begins.

When the preview arrives, check these four things

1. The whole composition. Start with a straight-on view of the complete painting. Compare the balance, orientation and main elements with the agreed work or brief.
2. Color relationships. Look at how the light and dark areas relate to one another. Screen brightness and lighting can alter apparent color; request another view if a particular area is hard to judge.
3. The surface. Ask to see brushwork and texture at closer range. An angled view or short video can help show raised paint that a flat photograph makes difficult to read.
4. The finish. Confirm the selected frame finish, edge treatment and panel arrangement. If the framing stage is still to come, clarify what remains before dispatch.

A hand-painted work can have small differences in brushwork and surface. That is different from receiving the wrong size, finish or composition. If something does not match your understanding, describe it clearly before approving release.

“Could you show the lower-left area in more neutral light?” is more actionable than “the color looks wrong.” If you want an adjustment, ask what is feasible and how it affects timing. Approval is most useful when everyone is looking at the same issue.

Allow for painting, approval and transit

VALLORNE’s usual estimate is 7–10 calendar days for painting and studio preparation, followed by 7–10 calendar days in transit. That is approximately 14–20 calendar days after order details are confirmed, excluding extra time for customer approval or agreed adjustments.

It is an estimate, not a guaranteed arrival date. Larger or framed works, personalized commissions, remote destinations and carrier or customs delays may require more time. If the painting is for a particular event, tell the studio the date before ordering rather than treating the estimate as a deadline commitment.

For U.S. delivery, separate import duties from sales tax

Import duties are included in the artwork price for all VALLORNE artworks delivered to the United States. Applicable sales tax is separate and is shown at checkout. Complimentary tracked and insured delivery covers supported destinations; unusual or remote delivery arrangements may need a separate quotation.

Read the current shipping and delivery policy for destination details. If a carrier requests an import-duty payment on a U.S. order, contact VALLORNE so the request can be checked.

Keep the packaging until you have inspected the work

Check the artwork after delivery and retain both the inner and outer packaging while doing so. If something appears damaged, photograph the work, packing, outer package and shipping label, then contact the studio with your order number.

Standard, non-personalized artwork may qualify for the 30-day return policy; custom and personalized work is not eligible for change-of-mind returns. Read the full return conditions before ordering.

For a question about a particular painting or a proposed change, contact the studio with the work’s name and the details you want to confirm. A short, specific conversation now is far more useful than uncertainty after the painting ships.