1. Can these tiles be washed without the design coming off? Yes. The "paint", which is actually a low-fire over-glaze, is fired into the tile. When the tile is heated in the kiln the glaze on the tile and the over-glaze "paint" get soft and adhere. Regular cleaning with a mild detergent and an occasional dry with a soft cloth will keep your mural beautiful for a very long time. An abrasive or caustic cleaner should never be used on glazed ceramic tile.

2. Can they stand the heat of a stove top back splash? Yes. The tiles are fired between 1200 and 1500 degrees in a kiln, so the heat from cooking should never be hot enough to damage the glaze.

3. Can they be used for floor tile? No. Although some people use similar tiles for floors, I do not recommend it because the sand from people's feet would eventually make scratches in the glaze.

4. Can they be used for counter tops? Only if the counter is NOT used for food preparation because some of the glazes contain lead. Any glazed tile will scratch if abused but with normal everyday use should last quite well.

5. Can they be used for table tops? Once again, only if the table is NOT going to be used for food preparation.

6. Can they be used outside? Only if you live in a climate that does not freeze. There is the possibility that the tile will absorb moisture. If the moisture then freezes, it will expand and possibly crack the tile. However glazed porcelain tile can be used because porcelain does not absorb moisture.

7. Will you duplicate a picture that I send to you? No. Every painting I do is an original. I do not work from another artist's work, duplicate my own work or duplicate photos. I DO however appreciate any reference materials a client would like to send to give me a better idea of what it is he/she wants.

8. How much will the mural cost? I have tried to keep pricing as simple as possible. Please refer to my Tile Pricing page.

9. How and when do I pay you? Payment by check or money order is required to confirm an order. This means, full payment in advance.

10. How long will it take? Anywhere from two weeks to several months. There is no simple or exact answer to this question because it all depends on how many orders I am currently working on and what size mural you want done. So please call or e-mail for current time scheduling.

11. What kind of tile do you use? I paint on a pre-glazed manufactured tile such as Daltile brand tile. I prefer painting on white semi-gloss or matte 6" tiles, but can also use 4 1/4" up to 8x10".

12. Can't you use anything other than white tiles for my mural? Perhaps. I prefer white because it gives more "life" to my work, but other pale glazes are sometimes usable. However, a test fire is required to make sure that the glaze on the tile is compatible with the over-glaze that I use. Bright or dark tiles can NOT be used because the over-glaze is transparent in nature so would be discolored by the tile.

13. Can you paint on tile that I have already picked out for my project? I often do murals using brands other than Daltile. You would need to send me a tile that I would then "test" fire to see if it refires without cracking and that the glaze doesn't alter the colors of the "paints". Also, you would be responsible for sending me all of the tile needed for the project plus extra. Even after a test fire is done, problems sometimes arise during the production of a mural. The client will be charged for any extra work caused by the special tiles.

14. Can you match the color of my counter? The over glazes that I use come in many lovely colors. If you would like colors included in the mural to match as closely as possible or coordinate with your decor, you should send me paint color cards that come closest to the desired shades. If large amounts of high gold content colors (mostly purples, pinks and reds) are needed the price will be adjusted accordingly.

15. Do you paint things other than wildlife? I specialize in wildlife but am able to paint a variety of subjects. I often paint domesticated animals but cannot promise a likeness to a particular pet. Some subjects that I feel are outside of my expertise are firearms and cartoon characters.

16. Do you provide a detailed sketch for me to approve? No. I do not work from detailed sketches. I could provide a rough placement graph if desired.

17. What if I don't like the mural when it is done? I would gladly refund 100% of the cost of the tiles upon safe return.

18. Why is there a separate ship/handling charge? The ship/handling is figured separately in case a client wants the mural shipped faster.

19. Can I get a catalog of available tiles? I'm sorry but I do not currently offer a catalog.