FAQs
Here are some common questions asked and answered. If you don't find your answer here, please contact us for more info.
Where are you based and how can I see your work in person?
Snail Candy Arts Studio is based in Colorado, USA. Studio hours are by appointment only, but if you’d like to schedule something, contact us prior to your visit to set up a time.
How can I find where you are exhibiting?
• Check out the current events page to see what's happening now and where!
• Sign up for the Snail Candy Art Letter, sent quarterly for stories, tips and seasonal news.
• Follow Snail Candy Arts on Instagram @Snail.Candy.Arts
• Follow Snail Candy Arts on Facebook @SnailCandyArts
Learn about Tif's new works, print giveaway contests, works in progress and other fun news on these social sites.
How do I buy art products and paintings?
• If you are interested in buying any art product, just click on the ADD TO CART button after selecting the variant you want. Follow the instructions to purchase it through Credit/Debit Card (secure server) or PayPal. If you have any questions, CONTACT US.
• To buy an original artwork, use the contact form to CONTACT US and list the title of the painting in the comments section. If a painting is not marked sold it is available for purchase. Once payment is received we will prepare your painting for shipping.
Do you do commissions? Yes, regularly! *Currently my commission calendar is closed until Spring 2024, please reach back in February 2024.
Do you ship overseas? Yes, we ship worldwide. Please allow up to 5-7 weeks for international orders to arrive.
How are shipping costs determined? Shipping costs are determined based on the price, dimensions, and weight of the artwork(s) purchased, as well as the shipping destination. Shipping costs include packaging and handling. Please note that artwork may be subject to duties, taxes and/or fees according to your country’s regulations. Please consult your local customs office for more details about duties and taxes. For a shipping cost estimate CONTACT US and inquire.
How will my large artwork be shipped to me? We work with qualified art framers in my local area. They handle Snail Candy artwork with the utmost care and will package your painting safely. Large paintings are removed from the wooden bars and rolled in a tube. Any good framer can re-stretch the canvas for you, or if you are really handy, you could do it yourself.
Do you have an in-store pick up option if I live nearby? If you are near Boulder County, CO, you can most likely come pick up your order at my private studio. Not all our print and framing options are available with this delivery method, as most products, prints and style finishes are handled by our production partners. However, we do have a variety of prints and products available for pick up, if desired. Just CONTACT US, and let us know what you'd like to purchase, and we'll check to see if it's available for pick up.
How does Snail Candy Art Studio package my order? Depending on what your order consists of, we will put rolled paper and canvas in secure shipping tubes, while stretched canvas and framed pieces are protected with cardboard corners, bubble wrap, craft paper, and a secure shipping box. Art products will be packaged appropriately for safe delivery.
What Forms of Payment do you Accept? We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal, Apple Pay, Meta Pay, Google Pay, Shop, and Venmo.
How Long Will my Artwork Take to Arrive & How is it Shipped? Average Printing, Packaging & Delivery time is between 5 -14 days. All items are carefully packaged to prevent damage during transit. Your new artworks and products will normally be shipped via USPS , FedEx and/or UPS. A tracking number will be provided by email to give you the ability to track your order throughout the shipping process. If you ordered more than one item, it may come in separate shipments, on separate days, shipped from different locations depending on whether the items are shipping from our studio or from one of our print partners.
Thanks for your patience, we try to keep it a small, simple operation here in order to stay sane. Once your order is shipped, you’ll receive an email with tracking.
ORIGINAL WORK
How long does it take for me to receive an original painting? Thank you for your recent purchase. Each painting requires time for drying, varnishing, and in some cases framing, then is carefully packaged. Please allow up to 2-3 weeks for domestic orders and 5-7 weeks for international orders to arrive.
How do I care for my new original artwork? Original Art is finished with a clear, protective coating. Paintings can be wiped clean with a slightly damp cloth. As with any painting or original artwork, we also recommend keeping your art out of direct sunlight as much as possible. UV rays may cause certain media and colors to slightly change over time.
What type of materials do you use and how do you finish your paintings?Most of the work by Tif is created using acrylic and water based media. On occasional use, pastels, watercolor inks, and other mixed media as a part of the layering process. Canvas originals and some works on paper are varnished (a liquid sealant) to protect the paintings from dust and light exposure. For works on paper, framing behind a glass is best for protection and preservation.
OUR ART PRINTS
What types of prints do you offer? Our art prints are made using 100 year archival inks, all are fine art prints. See our page with descriptions on all of our print options HERE
What is a fine art print? Fine art prints are made with high-quality archival inks on acid-free fine papers using a high-resolution large format printer. These are also known as fine giclee prints. These exquisite fine papers are acid-free because the acid content of other photographic print paper can make them brittle and crack over time and turn yellow from too much exposure to light.
Fine art prints made with acid-free paper have a lifespan of over a hundred years and usually do not fade, crack, or turn yellow. Fine paper has to meet specific quality criteria to be considered fine paper. Fine prints are highly sought after by photographers and artists when they select a paper for their clients.
Can you give me some tips on how to care for my art print?
Unpacking your prints:
If the package looks undamaged, Best Practice is to let the package rest undisturbed overnight if it has been exposed to extreme weather conditions. Temperatures in the back of a truck can exceed 140 degrees Fahrenheit on the one extreme and well below freezing on the other. Sometimes with stretched canvas prints, there might be a small crease from packaging materials that might take a day or two to work itself out. Artful use of a hair dryer can tighten these creases quickly. Heat the back of the canvas while constantly moving the heat over the affected area, then let it rest for a bit.
Hanging your prints:
Paper Prints should be framed as soon as possible to avoid damage. For stretched canvas prints, they can be hung directly as is or placed in a floating frame of the appropriate size. Remember to keep them away from water and direct sunlight. No art prints should ever be placed in direct sunlight or near direct sources of heat or air conditioning. Ideally, they should not be exposed to challenging environments such as bathrooms or kitchens. Climate controlled spaces are always best to avoid temperature extremes, but also to avoid excessive moisture which might condense behind the glass and mold or stain the print or mat.
If you light your prints, do so only when you wish to display them. The high intensity light will take a toll on them. Use hanger hardware on the wall, that is appropriate for the size and weight of the piece. Use two hooks whenever possible for stability and security. Paper prints ideally should be placed behind UV blocking glass as they are normally not coated with UV blockers as with our canvas prints. They should be mounted with acid free materials and archival techniques. The print should not contact the glass, when mounted. The best rule of thumb is that you should treat your reproductions as if they were originals.
Cleaning your prints:
I cannot stress enough the need to hang paper prints behind UV blocking glass. The glass can then be lightly dusted with a “Swiffer” type device or even sprayed with an aerosol duster. If your back is to the wall and you must use liquid to clean the glass, spray very light amounts of a household glass cleaner on a soft, absorbent cloth and apply the cleaner to the glass with the cloth to avoid allowing any moisture to get behind the glass. Never spray glass cleaner on the glass. Similarly, canvas prints can be damaged by virtually any cleaning products. Avoid them. Even using excessive amounts of warm water can damage the print without removing the soil. A light dusting is always possible, but should not be required more than once every couple of years.
Cleaning is always difficult and seriously hazardous to the print. Your hands should be thoroughly washed to remove any dirt and oil before handling the print. Acrylics are used in the processes that, while water resistant, are not water proof. Try any cleaning technique on an edge first (usually the bottom edge which is the least noticeable) to see what the print will tolerate. A soft cloth lightly moistened with water is best. Dab the soiled area lightly to slowly remove the soil. Do not rub vigorously and support the canvas by placing your other hand behind the area of the canvas that you are cleaning. Go slow and avoid putting enough water on the cloth to allow it to run over the surface of the print. Professionals who do cleaning after disasters such as floods or fires often have the most up to date information and products to restore badly soiled pieces. Use anything but a moist cloth only in the most dire situations.
Storing your prints:
When not hanging, store prints standing upright, not stacked, with protection surrounding them. Do not put in spaces that are not temperature and humidity controlled, like unfinished basements, attics, or garages.
POLICY QUESTIONS
What if I Want to CANCEL My Print Order? Your order may be cancelled and a full refund issued as long as your order has not gone into production. Production times vary and can commence anywhere from an hour after receiving your order to several days. If you must cancel your order please CONTACT US immediately with your order number and details.
What is your Policy on Returns/Exchanges/Refunds on Fine Art Prints?
ALL orders are made to order, so please consider carefully prior to ordering. Please email your questions before purchasing. We work diligently to ensure the images displayed on the website depict the art accurately. Due to variations in screen brightness, color calibration and resolutions, printed art and frame finish coloring may differ slightly from what is shown on a computer or device.
We do our best to ensure your order arrives in perfect condition. If you do happen to receive a defective item, CONTACT US within 3 days of delivery via email, we will let you know what steps to take. Providing these terms are met, we'll replace the damaged item or credit your account. No other returns will be accepted.
What is your Policy on Returns and Refunds for Original Paintings?
Snail Candy Art Studio offers an easy approach to returning Original artwork. From the time you receive your original artwork, you have 7 days to return your order.
CONTACT US within 48 hours BEFORE returning. You are responsible for return shipping costs.
Original Artwork(s) must be returned in their original condition and original packaging to the artist. If you accidentally dispose of the original packaging, you will be responsible for purchasing packaging materials to send the artwork back safely to the artist. On artwork where shipping was included in the purchase, the Artist's shipping and custom costs will be deducted from the Refund. Your return amount owed will be refunded to your original source of payment (less shipping cost which includes custom fees for the artist’s country) within 7-10 business days of your artwork return and approval.
What Must I do to Receive a Problem-Free Refund for Original Paintings?
You will be responsible for the artwork return and must use a courier with traceable shipping. The tracking information must be provided to Snail Candy Art Studio
CONTACT US with this info.
• Tif Choate/ Snail Candy Arts is not responsible for undelivered returns. Once the artwork arrives back to the studio, the refund will be processed back to your account.
• Artwork returned to the studio NOT in its original state, or within the 7-day period will not be refunded.
• Additional shipping fees may apply for International returns. Please note this may be avoided by informing the courier that this is a returned item.
Can I Resell/ Reprint your Art or Product?
No. Never. The physical product is yours, for personal use. However the image is always owned by the artist. All images on this site, created by Tif Choate©, have a registered copyright and belong to the artist.
All products purchased in the shop are for personal use only. Images may not be downloaded, printed, or used without permission in any way. After the purchase of original art, the copyright to the original art stays with the artist—the artwork cannot be reproduced or resold.
Images are not to be used as blog, twitter, or any other type of website background unless we entered a signed contract due to collaboration.
It is always better to ask us how to approach the request you might have.
Who Holds the Copyright to the Artwork Once I Purchased It?
As mentioned, the artist retains the copyright to their imagery. Copyright law states that copyright does not transfer to art buyers. You will need to get permission from the artist in order to reproduce the imagery.
What is your privacy policy with regard to my personal data?
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR as it is more commonly known), we are required, as are all businesses that hold your personal data, to provide you with certain information in relation to the lawful grounds for our ongoing processing of your personal data.
In order to fulfill that obligation, Snail Candy Arts has put together a new privacy notice (May 24th, 2018) that clearly sets out how we collect and process your personal data, for what purposes we use your data, the legal grounds of processing such data, how we keep your data secure and your rights in relation to such data.
To view a complete Privacy Policy Statement, click here
You may be receiving direct marketing newsletters from me via email because you have previously opted in to receive such communications from me. However, if at any time you would like to stop receiving email communication from me, you may simply click the "Manage Your Subscription" link at the bottom of any email you receive from me, and under "Your Current Subscriptions", click the checkbox beside "Unsubscribe me from all future mailings." Be sure to click the "Save Changes" button to ensure you are removed from our mailing list.
Any other Questions? CONTACT US, one of the Snail Candy Arts crew will be happy to answer your questions to the best of our ability. Thanks