Frequently asked questions

• What is "Keiken" and how do you pronounce it?
• How come (x) doesn't work?
• Do you accept credit cards?
• Can I buy something and not go through Paypal?
• Do you offer a layaway plan?
• Do you accept foreign orders?
• Do you have gift certificates?
• How much does it cost to commission a project?
• I owe Keiken Illustrations money for a commissioned project. Can I make a payment from the web?
• What if I receive damaged merchandise? (Returns)
• How long will it take for my order to be shipped?
• Will my order be insured? For free?
• Will my information be kept private?
• How much is the sales tax?
• Shipping charges & information
• Product list & prices

"Keiken" (pronounced KAY-KEN) means "experience" in Japanese. You may have noticed that many of the titles of the pieces are not in English. Some are in Latin, but many are in Japanese. Japanese culture also influences my art, since I am part Japanese, spent years in Japan, and am named after a Japanese relative.

In order for everything on the site to work correctly and look right, you need to be running a web browser version 5.x or above (preferably above) with javascript enabled. Also, do not use your own css (cascading style sheets) -- let the web page do that. If the shopping cart isn't automatically updating itself on the pages, my apologies. That part of the shopping cart doesn't work well on some browsers.

Currently credit cards are not accepted, unless you pay via Paypal. Through Paypal, Keiken Illustrations can accept the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AmEx and e-check. In addition, you can make payments directly from your checking or savings accounts. Of course, good ol' money orders and certified checks are fine, too.

Paypal also converts foreign currency automatically to US dollars, which makes things easier for all concerned.

Sure. You can choose one of two easy ways to do this:

1. Just e-mail Keiken Illustrations and say what item you would like to purchase. It will be put on hold for up to one month until your payment in the form of either certified check, cashier's check or money order is received. (You will get an e-mail informing you of your total cost. Your item will be sent after payment has cleared.) Or,

2. Go to the online order form, print it out and mail it in with your payment. It's that easy!

Absolutely! You can take up to 4 months to pay for an item (minimum total purchase price of $300.00). All you have to do is pay 20% down and make equal payments of the remaining balance for the next 3 months. When the item is completely paid for, it will be shipped to you. There is no interest added to paying via layaway, and you can pay by paypal, money order, or certified check. If you think you will have a problem making payments you must notify Keiken immediately (I can't work with you if I don't know what's going on). Expired layaways, with no communication from the customer, are returned to stock and the down payments forfeited.

To purchase something by layaway, just e-mail Keiken and state what you would like to purchase, how much you would like to put down for an initial payment, and by what method you would like to pay.

Due to the complexities of shipping outside the domestic U.S., only certain areas are guaranteed orders. Basically, any place that is not in a war that disrupts mail service or where the government steals mail, I can send mail. The list on the right are places that I'm pretty sure there no problems sending shipments to. If your country is not on the list, please contact me, since I may still be able to ship to you.

Order placement is acknowledgement!

This is the fine print about international orders: Your country may impose additional customs, duties, or other costs that you will have to pay. Please check your customs office for more information. Keiken Illustrations will NOT guarantee an international package, other than breakage. Flat out NO. (Due to the way the postal services are set up internationally.) If you order anyway, do not hold Keiken Illustrations responsible for customs seizing your stuff (which is a possibility). This varies according to country, and you know your customs regulations better than I do. Duties, if required by your customs, are the responsibility of the buyer. I mainly aim this at those of you whose customs nails anything over $75 (U.S.) and opens the rest of the stuff that isn't over that.

Sure do! They come in $ 20.00 increments. To increase gift amount, just change the quantity ordered on your shopping cart. Make sure to include the name and address where you want the gift certificate sent, along with any messages from you! THIS IS IMPORTANT: Enter " PAYMENT " in the voucher area of the shopping cart so you're not charged shipping.

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It depends on what you'd like done. The prices listed here are GUIDES. The best way to get an exact quote is to contact me.

Original artwork: Depending on the size, what media the piece will be created with (ie. pencil, pen & ink, watercolour, sculpture) and the complexity, the price varies quite a bit. A fairly easy piece (like a simpley designed pencil picture from a photograph) not framed or matted costs about $ 20.00. A fairly large matted & framed picture by watercolours would run about $700.00.

Murals: The prices depend on the size, location and complexity. Easier murals cost around $ 5.00 a square foot. Complex or hard-to-reach murals cost between $ 15.00 - $30.00 a square foot. (Most murals fall into the "easier" category.)

Business graphics / logo designs: Basic designs delivered on computer discs cost around $ 200.00. (To have them printed on shirts, bags, etc., I only additionally charge the cost of the items to have the design printed on.)

Website design or re-design: The price depends on the size & scope of the site. This site is set up in a non-standard way because the content is artsy, which gives more design-freedom.

Absolutely. You can pay in $ 100.00 increments. (If, for example, you owe $ 350.00, you can change the quantity to "4" in your shopping cart and receive a $50.00 refund, or change the quantity to "3" and still owe $50.00.) THIS IS IMPORTANT: Enter " PAYMENT " in the voucher area of the shopping cart so you're not charged shipping.

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If you receive damaged merchandise, you will be given a full refund or credit. All orders are filled with merchandise in perfect condition and are VERY carefully packed. However, there are occasions when merchandise is damaged during shipment and arrives in unacceptable condition. You may return it at your expense to Keiken Illustrations with a COPY of your receipt, complete phone number, e-mail address, and return mailing address. Before receiving ANY package, check it before you sign for it. The shipping companies don't accept responsibility once the package has been signed for. Contact Keiken Illustrations BEFORE returning product.

Return any damaged merchandise immediately. NO RETURNS MAY BE MADE AFTER 2 WEEKS AFTER THE PRODUCT HAS BEEN DELIVERED. All returns MUST have a tracking number.

It depends on what you order. Calendars, cards & bookmarkers ship 1-2 days after receiving and processing the order and payment, generally speaking. Original art and trays may take as long as two weeks to ship after receiving payment. Why? Trays need to be made and some art needs to be framed, matted, and hardware installed all prior to shipping. Some original art is already set to go and just needs to be packed, and those ship much more quickly. You can check the status of your order by going to the status page. If you have questions about a particular piece, please contact me.

Yes to both questions. Your order is shipped fully insured at no extra cost to you. That's why you MUST examine packages for damage before signing for them from the carrier.

Absolutely! I detest when my information gets sent to someone else, so all information that comes to me will ABSOLUTELY NOT be sold or given to anybody else. For more detailed information, please see the privacy policy.

Zero, zip, nada. There are NO sales taxes charged.

Items purchased will always be shipped first class via the US postal service, UPS or FedEx. Include your phone number (and/or the phone number of where the package is being shipped to) in your order. UPS/FedEx may need to contact you for delivery. All prices, including shipping charges, must be paid in U.S. dollars.

Shipping charges are based on your order total. Keiken assumes a higher dollar amount equates a heavier package. I understand there are exceptions, but the ultimate goal is to break even on the true shipping and packaging costs. I do not intend to make a profit on shipping.

** Please make sure there's someone at the address Keiken is shipping your order to who can sign for your package if it costs more than $100. To ensure that you receive your order, signature services are used unless requested otherwise. If someone will not be available at your home, consider having the package shipped to your work address (include company name in shipping info). If your package is returned to Keiken Illustrations, additional shipping charges will be applied to ship it out again. If you choose not to ship it out again, a 30% fee will be deducted from your refund for return shipping charges and restocking**

FOREIGN INFORMATION: Customs or other international shipping charges imposed by your country are the responsibilty of the buyer. Also, Keiken Illustrations does not guarantee delivery to, or process orders from, some countries. See the "Do you accept foreign orders" section for more specific information. If you have any questions, please e-mail me. I apologize for any inconvenience.