A custom piece can start from one of our designs or from an idea of your own. You can change the verse, the colour palette or the size, or describe something entirely new. Our Iranian calligraphers write the Persian by hand, our designers build the piece around it, and you see proofs — as many rounds as you need — before anything is printed. There is currently no extra charge for the design work.
Four ways to make a piece yours
- Change the verse. Keep a design exactly as it is and replace the words with a line that means something to you.
- Change the colours. Keep the composition and have it recoloured in a palette that suits your room.
- Change the size. Many customers love a design but need it larger for a particular wall.
- Start from an idea. Describe what you have in mind, and our designers develop it with you, step by step, until it is right.
Who writes the Persian
Most of the Persian text in our designs is written by hand by Iranian calligraphers, in nastaliq or its faster, freer form, shekasteh nastaliq. The calligraphy is scanned and brought into our design software, so what you see on the canvas is a calligrapher's hand, not a font. That matters: typefaces that imitate calligraphy repeat the same letter shapes, while a calligrapher adjusts every word to the ones around it.
How the process works
- Tell us what you want. The design you like, the verse (in Persian if you have it), the colours, the size, and a photo of the wall if you can. Email service@oriavi.com or message us on WhatsApp.
- We find the verse. If you only know a line in English, we trace its Persian original. Many lines shared online as Rumi's have no Persian original at all; if that is the case, we will tell you, so you can choose a genuine verse with a similar meaning.
- Calligraphy and design. The calligrapher writes the text and our designers build it into the piece.
- Proofs. We send you the design to check, and revise it as many times as you need. The final approval is yours.
- Production and delivery. Once you approve, the canvas is printed and shipped like any other order.
How long it takes
A simple change — a new verse or a new colour palette — is usually designed within one to two days. A piece developed from scratch takes as long as the conversation takes: every round of feedback adds a little time, and that part is in your hands. After approval, the usual timings apply: two to five working days of production and three to seven in transit, so most orders arrive within 8 to 12 working days. If the piece is for a particular date, start early.
Three things to prepare before you ask
- The exact words. Typed Persian if you have it, and the poet and poem if you know them. Our guide to checking what calligraphy says explains why each matters, and our gift guide and guide to the poets can help you choose.
- How names should sound. A name such as Sophie or Daniel can be written in Persian script in more than one way. Tell us how it is pronounced, and check the spelling on the proof carefully.
- The wall. A photo and a few measurements help us suggest the right size; our size guide shows what to measure. Screens and canvas never show colour identically, so for a recoloured piece see how to judge colour on screen.
Returns on custom pieces
Until you approve the final proof, everything can change. Because a custom piece is designed with you and approved by you, it cannot be returned for a change of mind once production has started. If it arrives damaged or defective, it is refunded or replaced like any other order; our guide to delivery, damage and returns explains how.
Browse the custom collection for designs made to be adapted, or start from any piece in the full catalogue.
Questions
Does custom design cost extra?
Not at the moment. You pay the price of the canvas in the size you choose.
How many revisions can I ask for?
As many as you need. The design is printed only when you approve it.
Can I use a verse I only know in English?
Yes. We trace the Persian original, and if a line turns out to have no genuine original, we tell you.
Is the calligraphy written by hand?
Most of it, yes — by Iranian calligraphers, in nastaliq and shekasteh nastaliq, then scanned into the design.
Can I order a design in a larger size?
Yes. Tell us the wall and we will suggest a size that works.
How long does a custom piece take?
Simple changes are usually designed in one to two days; after your approval, most orders arrive within 8 to 12 working days.
