FAQ'S
GENERAL STUFF
Where are you located?
United Wanderlust is an online, art shop based in Massachusetts.
From time to time, whenever possible, we also offer our timeless watercolor paintings and illustrations as wall art for your home decor, and gifts that travel lovers appreciate, at the annual MCAD Art Sale, held in Minneapolis, MN in mid- November, right before Thanksgiving.
Be one of the first to learn about art fairs and art pop ups we attend through our email list and Wander & Paint blog posts.
We create our fine art collection and graphic illustrations from home.
Do you have any retail locations?
Right now, our main retail location is online at www.UnitedWanderlust.com. When opportunities arise, we sell framed and unframed original art, canvas, giclee prints, art gifts and home decor:
- at local and regional art fairs & select art shows.
- or even at seasonal pop-up stores.
As we confirm each events, we’ll post the dates and locations in a blog post on Wander & Paint, publish the event in our calendar (coming soon), fire off an update to our email subscribers and have a mention on our main social media accounts:
- PINTEREST - @Wanderlustpaintedillustrations
- INSTAGRAM - @unitedwanderlust
- ALIGNABLE - Patricia Jacques
- FACEBOOK - @unitedwanderlust
Can I visit your studio?
Sorry, no can do. Maybe one day, yeah?
How and when should I contact you?
Email, or the contact form, is the absolute best way to contact us.
At any given time, we’re either knee-deep in alligators plotting the logistics of our next art travel destinations, madly painting in the studio -sans distractions- or (very likely) stalking local haunts and sniffing around for inspiration. Oh, and running an art shop.
If you have a burning question PRIOR to nabbing that art print for your home decor, and it has not been covered in the:
or, elsewhere on the United Wanderlust shop website…please do send us a note via email - we’re delighted to hear from you! The best way to reach us:
- EMAIL ADDRESS:
We’ll generally get back to you within:
- 36-48 hours
- during studio & office hours
- between the hours of 10am EST - 3pm EST
- MONDAY - FRIDAY
All things being equal, USPS delivery and mail is generally reliable. However, we STRONGLY recommend that you to select a shipping option with delivery confirmation and tracking to keep track of your watercolor wall art.
Once you receive confirmation that an item has been shipped, it’s in the hands of the USPS gods & goddesses.
Your tracking number will allow you to check the progress of your package at will. However, if you DO NOT receive your print within three to four weeks from shipping, do reach out so we can help you figure out what happened.
CUSTOM ART & ILLUSTRATION STUFF
ARTIST COMMISSIONS FOR PERSONAL USE
Do you accept custom projects?
AKA Artist commissions.
- Includes a Certificate of Authenticity sticker
- Includes up to 1 change request
- Includes the hand-lettered artist's signature
- Free Shipping: for orders $1,000 and above and for certain occasional promotions. FedEx or USPS with tracking.
***Please keep in mind that additional change requests, the type of painting style, quality of frames, rush fees, usage, and other considerations will affect the final proposal fee.*** (please read the related sections under Custom Illustrations for Commercial Use)
Depending on the workload and the type of artwork requested, please allow between three [3] to ten [10] weeks for completion, from the time the letter of agreement is received and the first installment payment has been deposited.
The first installment amount is 50% of the total project fee. This makes sure we can block out time in the calendar and start the sketching process. Once the funds clear, we will start your custom commissioned art piece or illustration.
The final fees of your project will depend on the scope and details of the project agreed upon. Below is are a couple of examples of standard agreement terms and important policies applicable to most designs or illustration projects (personal or commercial):
PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
50% first- installment & 50% by Project Completion (Asset transfer). The number of payments depends on the number of milestones completed. Design work starts only with a signed contract/letter of agreement and receipt of the first installment payment via cash, check (cleared), Zelle, credit card and soon, Bitcoin. This holds the client's spot in the design calendar for their preferred due date.
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CANCELLATION & TERMINATION:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
Cancellation fees are due based on the amount of work already completed.
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CHANGE ORDERS/ ADDITIONAL WORK REQUEST:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
When additional work or revisions are requested beyond those specified in the original agreement, the client will receive, fill out and submit a change order form with the change order fees. Client is billed at a separate rate of $100 per hour.
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PAYMENT: DUE UPON COMPLETION OF THE ART:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
We accept cash, debit, check or credit cards (Bitcoin coming soon). Payment is due immediately upon delivery of each milestone by the agreed upon time. I'm happy to make changes at the pencil sketch stages. One round of revisions is always included with all projects - depending on timelines. Check out our "Sample Design Process Journey" infographics at the bottom of the Custom Illustration for Commercial Use or the Custom Paintings Commission for Personal Use page.
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RUSH FEES / Turn-around time:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
Turn around time is two-weeks minimum for one illustration. If you need your artwork sooner, we can sometime accommodate you. A rush order fee of 100% of the original fee is applied.
Maximum rush time turn-around for one illustration is 3 - 5 days, depending on the complexity, size and nature of the commission. This allows us to put your project at the head of the queue, if there's an opportunity to do so.
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WATERCOLOR, GOUACHE, INK-BASED ILLUSTRATIONS:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
Substantial changes to composition and layout at the pencil sketch stages (thumbnail, rough sketch or final drawing) are welcomed if your project is not a rush order.
Due to the capricious and slow nature of the traditional mediums we use, once the actual painting process starts, that’s it. No major additional changes can be made to the artwork.
Minor changes, such as increasing contrast, adding textures, lines or white highlights with ink, gouache, color pencil or watercolor pencil etc. is sometimes possible depending on the artwork. At any time during this final painting stage, the submission of a work/change order will automatically result into a contract, for a new project, at a new rate or a kill fee for the total project.
Sometimes, an idea may no longer work out due to a last minute change of direction and that's okay. In this case, if a new illustration is needed from us, we'll close out the original project and confirm receipt of any remaining applicable milestone payments or installments.
Next, we'll draft a brand new agreement based on the new project scope or direction.
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USAGE - ORIGINAL ART COPYRIGHT:
The physical original art is the property of the client who commissions an original illustration or painting. The ARTIST retains and owns all copyright for the painting and its derivatives.
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CUSTOM ILLUSTRATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL USE [Synopsis]
The final fees of your project will depend on the scope and details of the project agreed upon. Below is are a couple of examples of standard agreement terms and important policies applicable to most designs or illustration projects (personal or commercial):
PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
A 50% first installment & 50% by Project Completion (Asset transfer). The total number of payments depends on the number of milestones completed. Design work starts only with a signed contract/letter of agreement and receipt of the first installment payment via cash, check (cleared), Zelle, credit card and someday, Bitcoin. This holds the client's spot in the design calendar for their preferred due date.
_________________________________________________________________________
CANCELLATION & TERMINATION:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
Cancellation fees are paid based on the amount of work already completed.
_________________________________________________________________________
CHANGE ORDERS/ ADDITIONAL WORK REQUEST:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
When additional work or revisions are requested beyond those specified in the original agreement, the client will receive, fill out and submit a change order form with the change order fees. Client is billed at a separate rate of $100 per hour.
_________________________________________________________________________
PAYMENT: DUE UPON COMPLETION OF THE ART:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
We accept cash, debit, check, credit cards (and someday bitcoin too!). Payment is due immediately upon delivery of each milestone by the agreed upon time.
I'm happy to make changes at the pre-determined stages. At least one round of revision is included with all projects - depending on timelines. Check out our "Sample Design Process Journey" infographics at the bottom of the Custom Illustration for Commercial Use page or the Custom Painting for Personal Use page.
_________________________________________________________________________
RUSH FEES / Turn-around time:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
Turn around time is two-weeks minimum for one illustration. If you need your artwork sooner, we can sometime accommodate you. A rush order fee of 100% is applied.
Minimum rush time turn-around for one illustration is 3 -5 days depending on the complexity, size and nature of the commission. This allows us to put your project at the head of the queue, should there be an opportunity to do so.
_________________________________________________________________________
WATERCOLOR, GOUACHE, INK-BASED ILLUSTRATIONS:
Applicable to both custom art and illustration for commercial and personal use clients.
Substantial changes to composition and layout at the pencil sketch stages (thumbnail, rough sketch or final drawing) are welcomed if your project is not a rush order.
Due to slow and temperamental nature of the traditional mediums we use, once the actual painting process starts, that’s it. No major additional changes can be made to the artwork.
Minor changes, such as increasing contrast, adding textures, lines or white highlights with ink, gouache, color pencil or watercolor pencil etc. is sometimes possible depending on the artwork. At any time during this final painting stage, the submission of a work/change order will automatically result into a contract, for a new project, at a new rate or a kill fee.
Sometimes, an idea may no longer work out due to a last minute change of direction and that's okay. In this case, if a new illustration is needed from us, we'll close out the original project and confirm receipt of any remaining applicable milestone payments or installments.
Next, we'll draft a brand new agreement based on the new project scope or direction.
_________________________________________________________________________
USAGE - ORIGINAL ART:
Original art remains the property of the Artist unless otherwise expressed in the Agreement. Client is responsible for the return of original art (if applicable) in undamaged condition within 10 days of first reproduction. Client shall also return copies of the art, and permanently delete all digital copies thereof, within 10 days after expiration of the Client’s usage rights, unless licensing agreements are renewed.
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ART PRINT STUFF
How are the prints created?
The prints are created from high resolution TIFF, PNG or PSD digital files scans of the original watercolor paintings or water-based artwork, at a minimum of 300 DPI.
Once the print file is ready for processing, we send it to our printer. United Wanderlust uses the made-to-order model.
A print gets produced only when a customer places an order. So we don't hold an inventory. Keep in mind that your order may come from several vendors depending on what item you've purchased:
- A beautiful, modern, unframed giclee canvas print, stretched on wood panels
- An atmospheric piece of art, printed on archival fine art paper
- Or, framed or unframed original art (from my own mobile studio :)
- Framed or unframed Limited edition prints (also from my studio)
- Other slow travel-inspired art gifts for your home decor or the perfect gifts for the travelers in your life
How do you do limited editions?
A handful of our visual art collection including watercolors, sketches and illustrations are capped at 300.
They come signed, numbered and with a certificate of authenticity but are not offered in the shop - only at art fairs. The majority of the editions we offer online are open and the shop's logo will be printed on the back of the canvas prints.
However, if you happen to be at one of the art fairs, pop up stores and art shows, we sometime participate in, you could definitely snag one piece there such as this expressive crustacean, Psychedelic Crab, inspired from strolling through a market in Nha Thrang, Vietnam.
If there is enough demand for this service, we’ll definitely assess how it could seamlessly offer it in the art shop.
Will the artwork include an artist’s signature?
All canvas include the shop's logo on the back of the canvas frame but not necessarily a signature. The paper prints include the artist's digital signature tucked away discreetly on the artwork itself.
Will I receive a certificate of authenticity?
We only offer this service for canvas prints or paper prints at local art fairs or .
The certificate of authenticity is included whenever you buy an original fine art painting. It’s affixed directly on the back of the canvas.
Our ethereal, original paintings are currently only offered at art fairs and through custom orders, and from time to time, in the art shop.
Email us to find out how to obtain a hand-signed piece, with a Certificate of Authenticity. Keep in mind that these may incur a Special Order fees and additional shipping fees. Email:
Can you help me to select frames for my artwork?
We don’t offer this service at this time. However, the lifestyle photos in the art shop can provide some inspiration for where to start.
At United Wanderlust, we’re HUGE fans of simple frames (white, black, natural or neutral), that allow the atmospheric mood of our watercolor wall art to shine through.
CANVAS PRINT STUFF
Will my artwork arrive ready to hang?
All canvas giclee prints arrive with simple hanging brackets to easily hang your art.
Can I hang my canvas print outside?
No silly. Why in the world would you ever want to do that? It's yours though. You do you.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER PURCHASE STUFF
Print on Demand - Art Shop Products
When will I receive my order? How long will it take?
For domestic shipping, expect that it will take approximately two weeks from receiving your shipping confirmation email sent with your tracking number.
If there are major disruption in the supply and production chain due to events beyond our control such as acts of god or human error, delivery could take a little longer:
Keep in mind, we are a tiny, teensy, independent art shop, and not a mass-market retailer with their own shipping department.
For art prints, canvas prints, and other products available in the shop, each order is printed on demand, one customer at a time.
Please choose a shipping option such as priority mail that includes delivery confirmation and tracking to make sure you know where your piece is at any one time.
Each print needs time to dry, to be packaged appropriately, handled and mailed via First Class USPS Mail or Priority mail.
The entire process may take up as little as one week to three weeks.
International shipping, if it’s offered, can take up to eight (8) weeks.
For either domestic or international orders, we STRONGLY recommend ordering EARLY if your wall art is meant as a gift for the demanding traveler or foodie in your life or for a special occasion - like an upcoming holiday or anniversary.
If you plan to purchase atmospheric living room wall decor in time for a big event, we recommend placing your order two-three weeks ahead of time.
Find out more about our SHIPPING POLICY.
How do I track the progress of my artwork shipment?
Once your order is shipped, if you chose a shipping method with tracking you will receive a confirmation email with your tracking number.
Can I cancel an order prior to shipment?
ALL SALES ARE FINAL - just like at a physical art fair. Your art item is made to order, just for you.
Once you’ve made the payment for your print, your order and payment is sent directly to the printer automatically.
The printing process begins as soon as the order is confirmed with a payment. So cancellations are not possible. All sales are final.
Please review our Refund & Exchange Policy carefully and make sure you’ve selected the right print(s) size, style etc. PRIOR, to hitting that buy button.
Can I return a print or product if I’m not satisfied?
ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
As a small artisan, independent shop, we depend on your purchases to allow us to continue creating uplifting wall art decor for your homes and art gift ideas for your friends and family. For this reason, just like at an art fair, all sales are final.
As a customer, it can be difficult to assess what you’ll receive when making an online purchase, especially if you are unfamiliar with the process.
For this reason we've describe as thoroughly as possible your piece and have included several images to get an idea of what you'll receive. Also please contact us with any clarifying questions you may have prior to ordering.
We STRONGLY recommend that you review the product description and our policies (at the bottom of the page) thoroughly prior to making your purchase. We are unable to offer returns or exchanges at this time.
****Please visit our Refund & Exchange policy page********
What do I do if I received a defective order?
Now, if an order arrived defective: i.e the frame is broken, the canvas fabric is ripped, it looks like it went through a firestorm, survived a deluge etc. please reach out to us immediately with clear photos and a detailed description of the problem at:
If the issue is on our end, we'll definitely do our best to discuss options on a case by case basis.
What do I do if I never received my order?
If you have not received your online order three to four weeks after you’ve placed your order, and you have a tracking number, please follow up and contact your shipping carrier directly. Once your order leaves our printing facilities, we no longer control it. However, this is where your tracking number from the shipping company comes in handy. Contact your carrier directly to request assistance in tracking your order.
We strongly advise to always choose a shipping option with a tracking number such as priority mail. This gives you peace of mind, plus it makes it easier and much quicker for you to resolve any potential delay issues.
How do I make changes to an order I’ve already placed?
We are a very small shop, unfortunately, once an order is placed, changes cannot be made - unless it’s a custom commission. Please see the relevant section above under Custom Art & Illustration Stuff. Also take a look at these pages:
Other than that, please make sure to review your order to be certain that you are ordering the correct print size, format or style.
MONEY STUFF
Can I get any discounts?
From time to time, we share free shipping coupons codes with our email list subscribers.
On other occasions, you may sometimes see automatic discounts applied at checkout, when a customer purchases more than one item in a single order, also in the form of free shipping.
Can I make installment payments?
We don't offer an installment payment program at the moment for print-on-demand items in he shop.
Automatic installment payments are established at the beginning of a custom commercial or artist commissions, in the form of project milestones payments where payment is due once a specific milestone is reached. Find out more in the relevant sections above under Custom Art & Illustration Stuff. More details in these pages:
Pro tip: saving up for your art purchase is an excellent option! On the other, if you're already imagining where your piece will go or whom it will delight, then credit cards accomplish much the same goal as an installment payment plan - with more flexibility, more control and less hassle for you.
CORPORATE STUFF
Do you accept wholesale purchases from corporate art consultants and interior designers?
Yes we do. We welcome inquiries. To discuss your specific needs, contact us at:
Do you rent, license or lease your art and what are your fees?
Yes we do. We welcome inquiries and would be happy to review your specific needs.
To tell us about the scope of the project, contact us at:
Are you interested in being contacted by galleries or agents?
Sure, why not! To discuss what you have in mind, feel free to reach out at :
