How Artkive Works: From Art Box to Finished Memory Book
Updated: Oct 7
Mailing your child's original artwork to someone you've never met takes a little trust. You want to know where the box goes, who handles each piece, and what comes back to you. All important questions that we're ready to answer.
This guide will tell you all about how Artkive works and what to expect from the day your box arrives to the moment your finished memory book lands on the coffee table.
How Artkive Works at a Glance
Step | What happens | Your part | Typical timing |
1. Order your box | Artkive sends a box made to hold kids' artwork | Fill it at your own pace | Your schedule |
2. Ship it back | A prepaid return label is included | Seal the box and send it | 5 to 10 business days in transit |
3. Photography and editing | Every piece is photographed and lightly edited | Nothing | 4 to 6 weeks (boxes are photographed in the order received) |
4. Invoice | You're invoiced for your piece count and products | Review and pay | 1 to 3 business days after photography |
5. Design and proof | Artkive lays out your book and sends a digital proof | Add captions, reorder, approve | 1 to 2 weeks to build, then your review |
6. Print and delivery | Your hardcover is printed and shipped | Wait for the mail | About 4 business days to print, plus shipping |
From mailing your box to holding the finished book usually takes about 10 to 13 weeks, plus the time you spend on your proof. Timing varies through the year, and the longest waits tend to fall between August and November.
Step 1: Order Your Art Box and Fill It
Your Artkive Box arrives pre-labeled and ready to pack. It's built to hold drawings, paintings, 3D crafts, and school keepsakes like report cards and birthday cards. The box holds roughly 300 to 400 pieces, and it ships back with a prepaid return label.
While it isn't mandatory to organize your box in order to send it, we do provide helpful packing tips curated by our customer experience team to help parents who appreciate this prep-step. Otherwise just send us your favorites, and you can organize your pages durring the proofing stage.
Not sure what can be sent? In addition to arts and crafts, parents have sent in trophies, jerseys, school photos, get-well banners, science fair ribbons, race medals, hand-painted t-shirts, recipe cards, and journals. If it isn't a biohazard or a safety hazard (such as glass), Artkive can photograph it.
Step 2: Ship the Box Back
Seal it up and send it off using the prepaid label. Allow 5 to 10 business days for the box to reach our studio in Los Angeles . Once it arrives, it joins the queue for photography.
Step 3: Every Piece Gets Photographed, Not Scanned
This is the step that sets Artkive apart. Each piece is photographed at a custom-built photo station by someone on the Artkive team. A flatbed scanner can't capture glitter, the lumps on a clay sculpture, or the shading on a pencil drawing. Photography can.
After photographing, each image is lightly edited for color and clarity, so the art looks the way you remember it. This stage takes the longest, about 4 to 6 weeks, and boxes are photographed in the order they arrive.
Step 4: Review Your Invoice
After your art is photographed, you'll receive your second invoice that follows the Artkive box purchase. This invoice is based on the number of pieces that were captured and any additional products or services you chose. If you're still planning and would like to get an estimate, you can see the current numbers on the pricing page, which has a slider to help you plan.
Books start at $75 for a 25-pieces, and you can add more pieces at a per-piece price.
Step 5: Design Your Memory Book and Review the Proof
Artkive's team lays out your keepsake book with your art in the order you send it. Then you get a digital proof, and this is where the book becomes yours.
On the proof, you can:
Add captions in your own words (or your child's)
Reorder pages
Remove pieces that didn't make the cut
Approve it when it feels right
Many parents turn the proof into a family project. Kids love naming their art as if they're gallery artists, and the captions become part of the story.
Step 6: Your Book Is Printed and Delivered
Once you approve your proof, the book goes to print. Printing takes about 4 business days, and your finished hardcover then ships to you. At approval, you can upgrade to faster shipping if you need the book by a certain date.
Artkive books come in two sizes, 8"x8" square or 11"x8.5" landscape, with premium matte printing and custom cover art. Each book holds up to 350 images, and each page shows one piece of art.
What Happens to the Original Artwork?
You choose. At checkout, you can ask to have your originals sent back, or you can let Artkive recycle them. Neither is the right answer for every family, and it's fine to take your time deciding.
Some parents keep a handful of favorites and let the rest go. If you're still deciding, our post on what to keep and what to let go can help, and these kids artwork storage ideas covers what else you can do with the pieces you decide to keep. One parent described how it felt to let them go:
"I feel good that the items are recycled in a responsible manner and that I am able to make edits and adjustments to the final product before sending to print." ~ Kristin O'Neill
If you ask for your originals back, plan on about 14 to 28 business days after your order is complete.
Why Parents Choose a Memory Book
A keepsake book does a few things a storage bin can't. Paper fades and glitter falls off. A printed book holds up, and your digital images give you a backup if you ever want to reprint a page.
It also gives your child something to look through. Here's how one mom described her kids' reaction:
"My kids absolutely love their book! We started Artkive when they were very young and have been doing it every year since! They both love going through the old books every year and seeing how much they've progressed." ~ Dora K.
You get your space back, and your child gets a real book with their name on it. Grandparents often ask for a copy, and we've rounded up gifts for grandparents made from kids' art. Some parents pair a book with mosaic framed art for a few pieces they want on the wall. You can see those options on the kids art frames page.
Making Artkive a Yearly Habit
Starting your first book? Send in a stack of older art projects now, and keep the yearly rhythm going from here. One parent said it best:
"This is my 3rd year using Artkive and it's literally become a part of our annual cadence. Collecting art for the year, selecting the items to add to our book, and celebrating together when the final photobook comes in the mail!" ~ Sheri V
Plenty of families treat this as a school-year tradition. Keep a bin or folder through the year (this guide to organizing school papers and kids' art helps), send the box in when school wraps up, and get one book for each year.
Over time, the books line up on a shelf like a growth chart for your child's creativity.
Is Artkive Right for Your Family?
Artkive is one good way to turn kids' art into a book, and it fits families who want the result without the sorting, photographing, and designing. If you'd like to see the other routes first, these posts walk through them:
How to turn kids' art into a book: the three ways to do it, side by side
Seven reasons to make a kids art book: why a keepsake book beats the bin
Artkive vs. Scribble: how the two services compare
What parents say in Artkive reviews: the review round-up
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Artkive legit?
Yes. Artkive has been turning children's artwork into keepsake books since 2012, and parents rate it 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot across more than 500 reviews. You can also read parents' own words in our reviews round-up, and the process is laid out step by step above.
How does Artkive work?
You order a box, fill it with your child's artwork, and mail it back with the prepaid label. Artkive photographs and edits every piece, designs your book, and sends you a digital proof to review. After you approve it, the book is printed and shipped to you.
How long does it take to get my Artkive book?
It takes about 10 to 13 weeks from mailing your box to receiving the finished book, plus the time you spend reviewing your proof. Photography is the longest stage, at 4 to 6 weeks. Timing varies during the year, and the longest waits are typically August through November.
How much does an Artkive book cost?
Books start at $75 for a 25-piece book, and you can add more pieces at a per-piece price. The Artkive Box is sold separately, and its price varies depending on sales. The pricing page has a slider to help you plan.
What can I send Artkive?
Kids drawings, paintings, 3D crafts, and school keepsakes like report cards, trophies, jerseys, and birthday cards. Artkive can photograph almost anything that isn't a biohazard or a safety hazard.
Can I change the book before it's printed?
Yes. Your digital proof lets you add captions, reorder pages, and remove pieces before you approve the book for printing.
What happens to my child's original artwork?
You choose whether to have your originals returned or recycled. Returned originals arrive about 14 to 28 business days after your order is complete.
Ready to Save Your Child's Art?
Your child's story deserves to be told, and a finished book on the shelf is a good place to start. When you're ready, get started with your Artkive Box and keep the memories without the clutter.
