How Long Does a Custom Painting Take? An Artist's Honest Timeline (2026)

You have decided to commission a custom painting. Maybe it is a portrait for an anniversary, a piece for a new home, or a mural for your business. Then comes the most natural follow-up question: how long is this going to take?

It is the second-most asked question I get, right after cost. And the honest answer is: it depends on the size, the medium, the complexity, and where the artist's queue is. But there are realistic ranges, and I am going to walk you through them — without the vague "every artist is different" non-answer.

The short version: most custom paintings take 4 to 8 weeks from approval to delivery. Murals, large oil works, and highly detailed portraits can take 10 to 14 weeks. Order at least 6 to 8 weeks before any meaningful date.

The 5 Stages of a Custom Painting

A custom painting is not just paint going onto canvas. The total timeline includes everything from your first message to the box arriving at your door. Here is what happens at each stage, with realistic durations.

Realistic Timelines by Painting Type

Here is how the stages add up for the most common types of commissions I receive. These ranges assume my queue is at typical capacity — peak season (October through February) can add 2 to 4 weeks.

Why Oil Takes Longer Than Acrylic

The single biggest factor in painting time is medium. Acrylic dries in 15 to 30 minutes, which means I can paint a layer, take a coffee break, and come back to keep working. Oil paint takes 24 to 72 hours to dry between layers — which is exactly what makes oil paintings so beautiful (the wet-on-wet blending, the depth, the slow build of glazes), but it also means an oil painting that requires 6 to 8 layers physically cannot be finished in less than a few weeks.

Oil paintings also need to cure — fully harden — for 2 to 6 months before varnishing. I can ship before that, but the final protective varnish goes on later. Acrylic skips that step entirely.

Bottom line: if you are time-sensitive, choose acrylic. If you have time and want the depth and texture only oil can deliver, plan for it.

How Murals Are Different

Wall murals follow their own rules. The on-site painting time is shorter than people expect (most residential murals are 3 to 7 days of actual painting), but the prep, design, and surface work add weeks on either side.

A typical mural timeline:

• Site visit and measurement — 1 day, scheduled within a week of inquiry.
• Concept sketches and colour study — 1 to 2 weeks.
• Wall prep — done by you or by me, usually 1 to 3 days. Surface must be clean, primed, and fully dry.
• On-site painting — 2 to 10 days depending on size and detail. I work in 6 to 8 hour daily blocks.
• Sealing and finish coat — 1 day, 24 hours after the final layer.

For commercial spaces, I plan around your operating hours — early mornings, late evenings, or full days when the space is closed. This can extend the on-site window without affecting your business.

Planning for Birthdays, Anniversaries & Holidays

The single most common timing mistake I see is people booking a custom painting for an event that is two or three weeks away. Here is the realistic guidance for major occasions:

1. Birthdays and anniversaries: book 8 weeks ahead for an acrylic painting, 12 weeks for oil, 4 weeks for a pencil portrait.
2. Wedding gifts: book the moment you receive the save-the-date — 10 to 12 weeks ahead is comfortable. A late commission (under 4 weeks) is not impossible but limits your options to small acrylic or pencil work.
3. Christmas: contact me by mid-September. December commissions are extremely tight and frequently full by October.
4. Memorial portraits: these are emotional and important, and I never want to rush them. Plan for at least 6 weeks.

Can a Custom Painting Be Rushed?

Sometimes — but it depends on what you are asking for. Here is the honest breakdown:

Possible to rush: small acrylic portraits, pencil drawings, and digital studies. With a clear brief and good references, I can occasionally complete a small acrylic portrait in 10 to 14 days for a rush fee (typically 30 to 50 percent extra). It depends entirely on whether my queue allows it.

Cannot be rushed: oil paintings (the drying physics simply do not allow it), large works, detailed murals, and pieces requiring multiple subjects. No fee can speed up paint drying or replace careful detail work.

Better alternative for tight timelines: commission a piece on a longer timeline as the "main gift," and pair it with a printed sketch or reference photo for the actual occasion. The recipient gets something on the day, and the real piece arrives later — often more memorable than a rushed painting.

A painting made in 10 days will look like a painting made in 10 days. A painting made over 6 weeks looks like something you will hand down to your children. The time is not waste — it is the work.

How My Queue Works

I take on a limited number of commissions each month so that every piece gets the attention it deserves. When you reach out, I will tell you honestly what my next available slot is and what date your piece would realistically be delivered. If my queue does not work for your timeline, I will say so up front rather than over-promise.

I work from my Toronto studio and ship across Canada, the United States, and internationally. Local clients in the GTA can usually do an in-person consultation and pickup, which both shortens the timeline and lets you see the painting in natural light before it is packaged.

Final Thoughts

The honest truth about custom paintings is that they take as long as they take. The artist who promises you a large oil portrait in two weeks is either cutting corners or about to disappoint you. The realistic ranges in this guide come from years of actually finishing commissions — including the unexpected delays, the rush jobs, and the pieces that needed an extra week because the eyes were not quite right.

If you are planning a commission, the most useful thing you can do is reach out early. Even a quick conversation gives me time to plan, holds your slot in the queue, and gives you space to think through what you actually want. Send me a message with the date and the idea — I will tell you exactly what is possible.