FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you are interested in having work done in the near future, please provide enough time to plan and prepare for the upcoming job. Time slots may not be available for several weeks, so it is important to plan with ample time. It is also important for the client to already have at least a basic idea of what is requested. See the designs if you need inspiration. If you are a new client, you are required to fill out the estimate request⁠ form before receiving even a rough estimate.

Steady Hand Creations focuses on the hand-painted side of custom art services, including window painting, seasonal and holiday designs, whimsical artwork, and casual temporary lettering. The style offered is artistic, colorful, and handmade, and is best for clients who want something fun, personal, and visually charming.

Services do not include work intended to closely replicate vinyl graphics, computerized design styles, formal logo rendering, or highly technical sign production.

For face painting, henna, and other body art services, please use the separate service link provided for those offerings.

The first step in getting the most life out of your painting is being clear with the artist about your goals and how long you want and need the design to last. The artist has different paints for different types of jobs.

The client agrees that they understand that all of these signs are temporary, meaning that they have the ability to be removed. A sign meant to last years will not be painted with the same paint that is meant to come off in weeks. Some designs will wear off within a few months because they were in a place where they take a lot of weather abuse, while others with the exact same paint have lasted multiple years with no sign of wear because they were in a protected area and no one was disturbing the sign or causing damage to it. A big part of the longevity depends on the environmental factors.

These designs are hand-painted and are subject to occasional flaws. Painting on glass isn't like sticking on a decal. When the light shines through the paint, you will be able to see the brush strokes. Additionally, there sometimes will be imperfections in the design. One side may be slightly higher than the other side; you may be able to see where the paints overlap, or the letters may not be exactly the same width.

These signs are typically meant to be seen from a distance. The eye will simply skip over most small flaws. These flaws are difficult to spot in photographs, but these are normal and are a result of the custom, hand-painted design. However, the artist uses only professional-quality paints, which are highly pigmented, as well as methods to reduce the occurrence of these imperfections as much as possible.

Clients must also be aware of weather and temperature conditions that would create problems if we were to proceed in less than ideal conditions. Please consider the option of having the windows painted from the inside, to be viewed from the outside, when weather conditions would prevent painting in a timely manner. Jobs that cannot offer this option will have to wait until the weather is ideal.

The risks associated with working in less than ideal conditions are as follows:

Rain/High Humidity – Paint might not dry in a timely manner, cure and harden, or properly adhere to the glass. It might also be more prone to dripping paint streaks. This is the #1 reason for a repaint.

High Winds – Paint buckets may spill. Winds may tip ladders over, causing dangerous injury to the artist, building, or people passing by. Paint can be thrown off the paintbrush by the wind.

Cold Temperatures – The paint may freeze and will not flow properly. It may look clumpy if applied in weather that is too cold. If the design is intended to last for more than a few months, this is not acceptable. Additionally, the artist may be too cold to paint without shivering too much. Quality of work will suffer when hands are too stiff.

Hot Temperatures – The biggest danger is heat exhaustion for the artist. To avoid a potentially dangerous situation, the artist may choose to work in cooler hours during the day, but this may also prolong the paint job itself if painting from the inside is not an option.

The agreed-upon fee does not include repaints for any reason once the job is completed and invoiced. This is why it is extremely important, and in the client’s best interest, to understand why we must pay attention to the environmental factors and wait for ideal conditions before proceeding.

Please make sure that the area is cleared for safe working conditions. The windows must be free of debris and stickers, and the area around the windows must be free from obstruction. The ground must be flat and solid. The artist will not paint on soft soil, rocks, or sand—especially if a ladder of any height must be used. Additionally, the artist will not squeeze behind any bushes with thorns or into tight areas that limit mobility, nor paint in an area with limited mobility that requires reaching and could cause an imbalance on a ladder, which is a major safety hazard.

Please provide the artist with someone on site, or a reliable phone number, in case any questions arise.

Unless other arrangements have been made and noted elsewhere in this contract, please be prepared to pay the artist the same day upon completion of the job.

Clients must inform the artist if the window is tinted or made of plexiglass. Problems resulting from this, without the artist being informed and it being noted elsewhere in this contract, are not the liability of the artist.

If it has not already been agreed upon and noted elsewhere in this contract, it is the client’s responsibility to make sure the windows are clean and ready to be painted on. If the area is not prepped by the client, then the job may need to be postponed by the artist.

Decals, stickers, and paint will need to have a protective covering or be removed by the client. Do not clean with Windex or any other window cleaner that is streak-free, as those chemicals can prevent the paint from sticking properly. If the client fails to have the area cleaned of old paint and excess dirt, there will likely be a delay in the start of the job.

If the client cannot complete this task, the artist may be able to do it if it does not cause a hardship for the artist, but it will also cause an increase in price. Please do not sign this contract if you are not able to have the area prepared in time for the start of the job and you need the artist to remove old paint and debris.

If the artist agrees to remove old paint and debris, the contract will need to be updated to reflect the new total pricing. The artist will give an updated price after determining the amount of removal work and any supplies needed, such as paint thinners, paint strippers, and other removal supplies.

Please note: Paint that has been on for several years is very difficult to remove in comparison to paint that has only been on a month or two, and it can quickly cause fatigue. Please plan accordingly.

Unless prior arrangements have been made and noted elsewhere in this contract, paint removal is not included in the window painting cost. There is a separate price for this. It is the client’s responsibility to remove the paint when they are ready to have it removed.

To encourage year-round clients, the painting may be removed for free at the time of a new application if another window painting of a similar size/cost is agreed upon and is to be painted immediately afterward, and it must be completed within 3 months of the original application or a fee will still apply.

REMOVAL PROCESS

Most designs are painted in latex/acrylic paint. This is especially true for seasonal work and other work that is intended to last for up to a few months. Oil-based paints are typically used when the area may be prone to rain hitting it, or when lettering that is meant to last many months to years is required, especially on “small” lettering.

Removal of acrylic/latex paint:

You need a scraping tool (a 3" to 4" wallpaper scraper is ideal) and a spray bottle of liquid with lightly soapy water. Spritz an area to give the dry paint some weight, and then scrape off the paint. Work with small areas at a time for best results. Let the scrapings fall into a container. Trying to scrape with a dull razor can be ineffective at removing the paint. Not spritzing the area will create “paint dust” that will seem to get everywhere and simply make the job much more difficult.

Sweep the area to collect every trace of the old paint from the sidewalk. You may want to use a general window cleaner to remove any remaining streaks. That’s all there is to it. This method conserves water, and you can dispose of solid scrapings instead of cycling wet paint into the environment.

To remove any oil-based paint:

You may be able to remove most of the design with the methods above for latex paint, but there is often residue that needs to be removed with a paint thinner or paint stripper from the home improvement store. Make sure to wear heavy-duty rubber gloves and protective eyewear. Be careful, though. Splashes from those chemicals will hurt.

Depending on the weather conditions at the time of application and the types of paint that may be used, an optional protective layer may be suggested to aid against weather and damage. This protective layer does not serve as a guarantee that the window art will not be damaged by weather, but it should reduce the chances of damage and prolong the life of the artwork.

This will be an additional cost because of the time involved and the supplies that are needed. This is another thing to consider when looking at the upcoming weather conditions.

The window painting fee listed does not cover any additional changes or additions to the pre-approved design, nor does it cover paint removal or window cleaning before or after the job is completed.

Fees are determined on a case-by-case basis, and both parties will agree upon them at the signing of the agreement. They can range anywhere from $150 to $1,500 and anywhere in between or more, so there is no way to tell a price without an estimate request being filled out and reliable contact information in order to gather pertinent information.

Once the job is completed according to the agreed contract, fees will become due the same day, or the next business day if agreed upon prior to starting and completed on a weekend.

Please make sure an authorized representative is available to provide payment.

If the authorized representative finds the contract to be acceptable, there are no objections from the owners of the building or another business partner, and they sign electronically with the promise to pay at the time services are rendered before the artist leaves the job site, unless prior written arrangements have been made, then Rebecca Hale of Steady Hand Creations will proceed to complete the job as agreed upon.

Acceptable payment methods are cash, card, business check, Cash App, or Venmo. Personal checks will not be accepted.

For returned payments, the client agrees to pay Rebecca Hale’s bank fee plus the total fee due for services rendered in cash or money order to avoid a 5% monthly interest charge, and the client is responsible for facilitating payment in a timely manner.

Most of the greater OKC metro!

Some of the most common areas served are: Oklahoma City, Edmond, Norman, Bethany, Choctaw, Del City, El Reno, Guthrie, Harrah, Jones, McLoud, Midwest City, Moore, Mustang, Newcastle, Nichols Hills, Nicoma Park, Noble, Piedmont, Spencer, Tuttle, The Village, Warr Acres, and Yukon.

Other factors such as limited or available hours, distance, size of job, and how soon it needs to be completed may affect the ability to accept a job at a certain location. Please provide ample preparation time to plan your request.

Instagram – @steadyhandcreations⁠

Facebook – Steady Hand Creations - Window Paintings OKC⁠

Google – Steady Hand Creations Window Painting (Limited to temporary styles: seasonal, holiday, characters and whimsical)⁠

Email – steadyhandcreations@gmail.com

Phone – (405) 582-0088

Feel free to contact by email, text, or voicemail, but all new clients will still be required to provide an estimate request form, as well as photos of the area to be painted and inspiration photos, before any estimate can be given.