FAQS

What is a giclée print? Do you sign them?

A giclée print is one which is printed using pigment inks and high quality fine art papers for maximum lightfastness and longevity.

I order your prints from a professional fine art print company, then I check them before signing them and sending them to you.

Do you take commissions?

At present I am very busy building up my business so I am not taking commissions though I hope to be able to do so in the future.

Do you work sustainably?

I have deliberately sourced UK based manufacturers for my products.

The giclée printing company I currently use, 'theprintspace', are based in London and have excellent sustainability credentials. They are carbon neutral and offset their carbon emissions via The Gold Standard.  You can find out more here.

The fulfillment company I use for my Home and Accessories products section is called Contrado Imaging Ltd. They are also solely based in London and source as many of their materials as possible locally and manufacture all their products here. You can find out more about Contrado's sustainability credentials here.

My cards are printed by another UK art print company who are FSC certified. They work with The Woodland Trust to support our native woodlands and use only carbon captured papers. You can find out more here. 

Many of my products and packaging are made with natural materials and, while I will use up current stock rather than wasting it, I will continue to work on sourcing more sustainable options for my packaging where possible in future.  

For my artwork, I would prefer not to use acrylic paint, however its properties for printing and painting are difficult to replace. I try to waste as little as possible and minimise the amount that enters the water system. All paints have their problems of course and no paint is entirely environmentally friendly, except perhaps painting with mud and coffee. I have found a great alternative for print-making however called Akua ink, which is soya based. I expect to continue to evolve and experiment with more natural substances as time goes on. 

One advantage of working digitally is that light fastness is not necessarily such a problem. I can, for example, use natural inks made from plants to create my papers or finished artwork, and once they are scanned it will no longer matter if the colours are not light-fast as they have been captured digitally to be used to make giclée prints.  Then of course, there is the matter of the sustainability of pigment inks used in giclée prints.........and so it goes on. 

Where can I buy a frame to fit my print?

It is possible to frame a print with or without a mount, however, the advantage of a mount is that it prevents the print from touching the glass/acrylic sheet where condensation can build up in humid environments.

Some good-looking frames are available for the square 8" x 8" and 12" x 12" sizes on sites such as Etsy, Amazon or eframe. 

The 11"x19" Gower prints could be framed in a 16" x 24" frame which are available ready-made but you would need to get a mount cut for them.   

Alternatively, visit your local framer to have a bespoke frame made. 

Can I request other sizes of prints?

If you need a different size then you are welcome to contact me using the form on this site to discuss your request.

How is my purchase packaged?

Smaller prints are backed with acid free mount board and placed in a cello bag and a board envelope to protect them from bending and any exposure to wet weather.  Large prints are rolled in a cellobag/polypocket and posted in a strong tube.  I am using up my current stock and will be switching to biodegradable cello bags where possible. 

Home and Accessories products are very well packaged (from my experience) by the print company who dispatch them directly to you. 

Can I cancel my order before it is dispatched?

Original artwork and giclée prints - Please contact me if you wish to cancel your order before it has been dispatched. 

Homeware and accessories - These products are custom-produced and shipped directly to you by a print company. The order goes straight through to the print company and turnaround times are very fast so it is unlikely that the order could be cancelled before production begins.  Once the production process begins you will need to go through the returns process instead.  

Please refer to the returns policy at the bottom of the page for further details.

Can I change the delivery address?

If you have given the wrong shipping address please contact me at barbarajanedesigns@gmail.com as soon as possible and I will attempt to rectify this for you before the order is dispatched. 

If the order has already been dispatched, it will have to go through the returns checking process and if accepted, I will then be able to either refund you or redeliver it out to the correct address.

How quickly will my purchase arrive?

 Items from different collections are dispatched separately as follows:-

Giclée prints

Although I keep a few prints in stock, I generally get requests printed to order by a professional printer, then inspect them and sign them before shipping them myself.  As such, please allow a 10 working day lead time for UK deliveries and a 17 working day lead time for international deliveries.  However, your items may arrive much more quickly, especially if I already have them in stock.

Once ready, UK orders are shipped by 1st class Royal Mail or via a tracked service for larger items.  International orders will be sent by standard international for small items or international tracked for larger items. 

Cushions and Accessories 

Examples of usual production times given by the printing company are listed below.  They are then sent by Royal Mail 1st class or couriers such as Fedex. They also use fast couriers for international orders.  

Cushions - produced in 1-2 days

Placemats and coasters - produced in 1 day

Please allow time for production and also for shipping by the carriers above. 

You will get an email when your order or part-order has been dispatched.  Please read the shipping policy at the bottom of the page for further detail  If your items have not arrived within a reasonable amount of time, please contact me.

Do I have to pay customs charges/duty?

All items are dispatched from the UK.

Giclée prints are dispatched by myself and the Homeware - Cushions etc. - products are dispatched to you directly from a print fulfillment company.

Giclée prints - customs charges and import taxes are not included for any of the products in this section.  The customer is responsible for any such charges incurred for these products.

Home and Accessories - most region's customs charges and import taxes for these products are covered by the print fulfillment company.  If you have any further queries about exactly which regions are not covered by the Home and Accessories print fulfillment company please let me know and I will request the information. 

Please read the shipping policy at the bottom of the page for full detail and updates.

What if the package is damaged in the post?

 If your artwork or item did not arrive safely with you due to being damaged in shipping then please take photos of the packaging and the condition of the piece as soon as it arrives.  Then email me straight away at barbarajanedesigns@gmail.com or use the contact form so that this can be sorted out for you as soon as possible.

Please refer to the returns policy at the bottom of the page for more details. 

What if my purchase is faulty?

Please be aware that my artwork contains textures and marks made by techniques such as sgraffito (scratching the surface) and other mark-making techniques.  These are an integral part of the artwork and not a flaw in the printing.  I check all my original artwork and giclée prints before dispatch and so there should be no problem with their condition at that time. 

If any of the items are faulty or aren't what you ordered, please take photos and contact me using the contacts page or at barbarajanedesigns@gmail.com and I will get it sorted for you as soon as possible.

Please see the returns policy for more details. 

I don't want my order, can I return it?

 You have 14 days after receiving the order in which to request a return if you change your mind. Please contact me with proof of purchase and a photo of the items at barbarajanedesigns@gmail.com to arrange this.  Items sent back without first requesting a return will not be accepted. 

You  have another 14 days to return the goods once you've requested your return and this request has been accepted. Your item must be received by us in the same condition as when it was delivered and it must be unused.  It  must also be in the original packaging for protection during transit, so please keep this until you are sure of your purchase.  Buyers will be responsible for the return shipping fees and any loss in value caused by the return process.

Once your return has been received, it will be checked and you will be notified of whether your refund has been accepted. If accepted, a refund (excluding original shipping costs and any other losses) will be issued within 14 days of our receiving it back in perfect condition.

Please see the returns policy section in the footer on further details of how to post your return.