How to Find Affordable Art:
The Ultimate Online Source List
Buying art is easier than ever these days, as the online art scene flourishes and websites offer multiple ways to learn about and buy prints, paintings and photography. What follows is a slew of resources for aspiring collectors, or those simply wishing to fill a wall.
PRINTS & POSTERS
If you're not ready to invest in original art, then prints and posters are your best friend.
- Tiny Showcase: Every Tuesday, Tiny Showcase releases a limited edition of prints from both emerging and established artists.
- Art.com: Probably the biggest online seller of prints online, with art from major names from history. You can also print your own photos on canvas through them (but that's another post).
- Minted: This member curated gallery features tons of fresh, modern prints.
- Poster Cabaret: This site (run by Sebastion Foster below) focuses on modern concert posters and art prints.
- Society 6: Has a huge selection of prints, starting around $15.
- Little Paper Planes: Established by artist and curator Kelly Lynn Jones, Little Paper Planes sells artwork and goods online and from their storefront in San Francisco.
- 1000 Museums: Sell prints of masterpieces from museums all over the world.
- 20 X 200: This perennial favorite is back! Browse Jen Bekman's curated picks starting with prints at $24.
BOTH PRINTS & ORIGINALS
You can have it both ways with the following sources, where both original art as well as cheaper prints are sold.
- Etsy: Look for both new and vintage works are here. It's a bit daunting at first, but once you start working your way through listings, there's no doubt you'll find something you like and can afford. Don't forget to mark your favorites for later.
- Sebastian Foster: Offers contemporary art from emerging artists from his Austin-based gallery. He also runs Poster Cabaret.
- Kindergallery: Collection of fine artwork from around the world, geared towards kids and adult kids.
- Saatchi Online: Saatchi has a large selection of paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography in a range of prices. Many are available as affordable prints as well. There are many ways to search, and collections are often guest curated.
- Artstream: Online shop for the Artstream gallery, featuring a small selection of works from emerging and established artists.
ORIGINAL ARTWORK
These next ten fall somewhere between sites that sell affordable prints, and galleries with artwork that lists in the thousands. If you're just starting a collection, this is a great place to start.
- Cureeo: Aims to make buying original art easy, helping along with the way and teaching us a thing or two. Browsers can save pieces to their own collections.
- UGallery: Emerging and mid-career artists apply to be a part of this online gallery. You can try out artwork for a week to see if you like it.
- Enormous Tiny Art: Sells impactful art of diminutive size.
- Zatista: A site that wants buying art to be easy. There are multiple ways to search their extensive selection.
- Buy Some Damn Art: Started by Art Hound blogger Kate Singleton. Each Tuesday she introduces a new selection of exclusive pieces from up-and-coming artists.
- Lumas: Hand-signed limited edition photographs, with a special section for young artists new to the art scene.
- The Beholder: Connects collectors with artists via the power of the internet. Work from 70 artists is searchable by price and size.
- Lost Art Salon: A fine art collection of over 7,000 works from the 20th Century. Most paintings are priced under $1,000 and most likely come framed.
- eBay: This is another wader site, which will take time out of your busy day. But you can find great undervalued stuff, and often times it will already be framed.
Re-edited from a post originally published 3.5.2014 - AB
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Jen