FAQ: Our Collages, Guarantees, and More
Tell me about your "30-Day Happiness Guarantee"
We want you to genuinely enjoy living with your piece.
If something doesn’t feel right, please get in touch within 30 days of receiving your order and we’ll make it right.
That might mean fixing an issue, replacing an item, offering a digital adjustment, or, if the piece simply isn’t a good fit, providing a refund.
In many cases there’s no need to return the item. If a return is necessary, we’ll sort out the details together so the process is simple and nothing gets lost or confusing. Return shipping costs are normally the responsibility of the buyer.
Your happiness matters to us, and we stand behind every order.
Where do your natural history illustrations come from?
Our field guide collages are made from vintage and antique natural science illustrations, vintage maps—and lots and lots of research!
After combing through the text of a novel or deep-diving into the flora and fauna of a place that will be the basis of a collage, we make lists of all the flowers, trees, birds, mammals, fish, and insects we can find. Then we seek out the best botanical and zoological illustrations that match the literature or the location.
We use a wide variety of public domain resources, including:
🌐 Archive.org
🌐 Biodiversity Heritage Library
🌐 New York Public Library Digital Collections
🌐 Smithsonian Open Access
🌐 The British Library’s digital archives
🌐 The Met, Open Access
🌐 The Polish National Library
🌐 USDA
🌐 Wikimedia Commons public domain images
...and more!
We double-check the old drawings and make sure the illustrator truly identified the species correctly. If we can find more than one illustration, we choose the best and most compatible image. Then, we digitally restore and clean the drawings, and at last digitally collage them in our unique style.
For a Literary Field Guide, we also find the passages in the book that match the illustrations. That way, you can connect the art with the text.
How are your items made?
All products are designed from our design studio in the Netherlands, but produced in the country or region where you live wherever possible.
Each product is created individually at the time you order it, using a variety of professional production partners. Because each piece is made one by one, small variations in color or placement are normal—and, to our way of thinking, part of the charm of having artwork produced just for you.
What are the Natural History Collages journals like inside?
Our journals are designed as writing spaces. Each one opens with three pages that introduce the imagery on the cover by pairing literary excerpts with vintage natural history illustrations. After this opening section, the journal continues with 200 lined pages (100 sheets) for writing, notes, or sketches.
At 5.75" × 8", the journals are intended to be portable, durable companions for everyday use—part notebook, part inspiration.
Are your physical posters printed "museum quality"?
Yes! All our shipped, physical posters are printed by our production partner on thick matte paper with a weight of 189 grams per meter squared, using multicolor, water-based inkjet printing that yields brilliant results. Our framed posters are printed on 250 gsm (110 lb) paper.
What about support?
You can email us anytime at hello@naturalhistorycollages.com. We'll get back to you within one business day (often much sooner).
What's it like to receive a small 8"x10" print in the mail?
Because all our prints — even the smaller 8"×10" ones — are rolled for safe shipping and shipped in a sturdy triangular mailer, they may look compact when you first open the mailer. This is completely normal. Once unrolled, the print will relax and flatten within a day or so, ready to look its best in a frame or however you choose to display it.
This is what it's like to receive a small 8"x10" print in the mail and pop it into a vintage frame.
I'm thinking of buying a digital download. How does that work?
If you buy a digital download from our catalog, you'll get it immediately. If you order a custom collage, it'll be ready to download in about a week—after we've worked with you to approve the species list and the art proof.
You can print your download on your home printer if you have one, or you can print it at a local print shop. There are also services online, as well as large chain stores that will make beautiful prints.
If you need a gift right away, purchasing a digital download from our catalog is a fast way to go. Print it at home, pop it into a store bought frame, and you've got a gift in minutes.
Check out our free PDF download "Printing At Home" for lots of tips about printing at home or at a local print shop.
Check out this PDF, too -- "Printing Example" -- for a specific example of resizing your downloaded image, printing at home, and trimming it to fit a frame.
Is it difficult to get it printed at a local printer?
Not at all! You can send them your print file, most likely via email. They'll tell you how. You might need to resize the download files to your frame size -- refer to the two PDFs above.
This video shows what it's like to pick up your print, flatten it for a few hours, and then pop it into a frame. These two prints are hanging at a local cafe.
What sizes are your digital downloads?
For all collages, whether in our catalog or custom-made, you'll get both high-resolution JPG and PDF files, 300 dpi or greater, in the following aspect ratios:
- 2:3: Use to print 6"x9", 8"x12", 12"x18", 20"x30", and 24"x36".
- 4:5: Use to print 8"x10", 12"x15", 16"x20", 20"x25", and 24"x30".
- A-Series (International sizes, similar to 5:7): Use to print A5, A4, A3, A2, and A1.
That way, you can print them to whatever frame or mat size works best for you.
You'll also get the PDF referenced above for tips on printing at home.
What can I do with my art print?
Just about anything you'd like, as long as it's only for your personal use and you do not re-sell it. If you have questions about this, email us and we'll discuss it.
I would like other customizations not mentioned in the product description. Is that possible?
Definitely maybe! Reach out to us before you submit your order to discuss your request beforehand.
Is there a way to compare print sizes so I can get the one that works best for me?
This chart shows the available sizes for artwork in our catalog.
If you have a special size request for a print size, please let us know, and we will try to accommodate you!
EU GPSR-related production information for unframed posters and mugs
Manufacturer contact information:
Printful
support@printful.com
Raina bulvaris 25, Riga, Latvia, LV-1050
Age restrictions: For adults
EU Warranty: 2 years
Other compliance information: Meets the small parts and magnetic flux index level requirements.
Other compliance information: Meets the lead and cadmium level requirements.
EU GPSR-related production information for framed posters, posters printed on canvas, and wood prints
Manufacturer contact information:
Gelato
support@gelato.com
Dronning Eufemias gate 8, 0191 Oslo, Norway
Age guidelines: For adults
EU Warranty: 2 years
EU GPSR-related production information for journals, note cards, and postcards
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Care instructions for our journals: Use a soft, clean and dry cloth to gently brush any dust or dirt off from the center of the journal outwards.