How to Sell Art Prints Online: A Beginner's Guide for Artists

Why sell prints alongside originals?

An original painting sells once. A print of it can sell again and again, to people who love your work but can't spend hundreds on an original.

• More people can buy from you. Prints sit at a lower price, so a casual follower can become a customer.
• Your best work keeps earning. Even after an original has sold, you can keep selling prints of it.
• Originals stay special. A print is a reproduction. The original is still the one-of-a-kind piece, and many artists find prints introduce buyers to their originals rather than replacing them.

Two ways to make prints

Before you sell anything, decide who will do the printing.

If you're not sure, start with print-on-demand. It costs nothing to try, and you can always add a hand-finished limited edition later.

Image resolution (DPI) explained

A print can only be as sharp as the image file you give the printer. This is where most beginners run into trouble, so it's worth getting right.

The key term is DPI, or dots per inch. It's how much detail is packed into each inch of the printed piece. For art prints:

• 150 DPI is the minimum for a print that looks sharp.
• 300 DPI is the ideal, especially for fine detail.

Here's a quick reference for common sizes:

How to photograph your artwork

Your photo is the master copy for every print you sell, so it's worth taking time over. Glare, shadows and wonky edges in the photo will all show up in the print. You don't need expensive kit. A recent phone and a window will do the job for most work.

1. Use soft, even light

• Daylight is best. Shoot near a large window on a bright but overcast day. Direct sunshine creates harsh shadows and glare.
• No window? Use two lamps. Place one on each side of the artwork, at roughly 45 degrees, using matching bulbs so the light is even across the whole piece.
• Turn off the flash and other lights. Mixed lighting makes colours look off, and flash bounces straight back off paint and varnish.

2. Get the camera straight

If the camera is tilted, the artwork turns into a trapezoid, with the edges leaning inwards. That's very hard to fix afterwards without distorting the picture.

• Hang the artwork on a plain wall, or rest it upright on an easel against one.
• Put the camera level with the middle of the artwork, facing it directly.
• Turn on your phone's grid lines. When the edges of the artwork line up with the grid, you're straight.
• Use a tripod, or prop the camera on a stack of books. Use the timer so you don't shake it when you tap the button.

3. Get the camera settings right

• Shoot at the highest quality. Use your camera's full resolution, and avoid digital zoom. If you need to fill the frame, move closer instead.
• Tap to focus on the artwork. Then hold your finger on the screen to lock the exposure, so the brightness doesn't change as you shoot.
• Take a few shots. Slightly lighter and darker versions give you something to choose from.
• Keep the artwork flat to the camera. Leave a small border of wall around the edges. You can crop it out later.

4. Deal with glare

Glossy paint, varnish and glass all reflect light. If you see bright patches, move your lights further to the sides, or take the artwork out of its glass frame. For very reflective work, polarising filters help, though most artists manage without them.

5. Check the colours

Colour is the thing buyers notice most when a print arrives. Hold the original next to your screen in daylight and compare. If the photo looks too warm or too cool, adjust the white balance in your phone's editor, or in a free editing app, until it matches. Make small changes only.

6. Crop, straighten and save

• Crop right to the edge of the artwork, and straighten if needed.
• Save the full-size version as a high-quality JPEG, or a PNG or TIFF. Don't use a copy that has been through social media or messaging apps, as they shrink and compress images.
• Keep the original file safe. You can always create smaller copies for your website.

Choosing print sizes

Your painting probably isn't the same shape as a standard sheet of paper. A square 20 × 20 inch canvas won't fit a 16 × 20 inch sheet without something giving way.

That shape is called the aspect ratio, the relationship between width and height. Two ways to handle it:

• Pick sizes close to your artwork's shape. A portrait painting suits 8 × 10 or 12 × 16. A square one suits square sizes.
• Check what happens to the edges. Some services crop your image to fill the paper. Others shrink it to fit and leave a border. Know which one you're getting before you sell.

Offering three or four sizes is plenty. Too many choices can make buyers hesitate.

Paper, canvas and finishes

The material changes how your work feels, so it's worth choosing deliberately. The options vary between print providers, but these are the most common:

• Matte paper: a smooth, non-reflective surface. A good all-rounder, especially for watercolour and acrylic.
• Fine art (giclée) paper: a heavier, often textured paper made for gallery-quality prints, and the usual choice for collectors.
• Canvas: printed on canvas and stretched over a wooden frame, so it can be hung without glass.

Order a sample print for yourself before you launch. It's the best way to check the colours and quality, and you can photograph it for your website.

Pricing your prints

The mistake artists make most often is charging too little. Start from your costs, then add your profit on top.

1. Find the production cost. With print-on-demand, this is what the partner charges to print the piece. If you print yourself, add up paper, ink and packaging.
2. Add your profit. A common starting point is to charge around double the production cost, then adjust as you learn what your audience will pay.
3. Remember the fees. Payment processors charge a small fee on every sale, and some platforms take a commission too. Both come out of your profit.

Here's an example only, to show how the numbers work:

Your own production costs will differ. Always check the real figures from your print provider.

Shipping

Posting a large print is more awkward than it sounds. It needs a sturdy tube or flat packaging, and international orders bring customs forms and higher postage.

If you're printing yourself, work out postage for your main destinations before you set prices, and decide whether to charge shipping separately or build it into the price. With print-on-demand, the partner handles packing and posting, and most services show the buyer the shipping cost at checkout, so you don't have to guess it.

Quick checklist

• A sharp, evenly lit photo: taken straight on, at least 150 DPI at your largest print size.
• Three or four sizes: chosen to suit the shape of your artwork.
• Prices that leave a real profit: after production, shipping and payment fees.
• A sample print: ordered for yourself, to check quality before you sell.
• Somewhere to sell: your own website, linked from your social media bios.

Selling prints on Showplace

If you'd like a ready-made way to do all of this, Showplace is built for it. It's a website builder made for artists, with print-on-demand built in alongside your originals.

1. Upload your image. Files can be up to 50MB (JPEG, PNG, TIFF or WebP), at a minimum of 150 DPI.
2. Choose your sizes and prices. Each size shows an estimated production cost, and your price needs to be at least 10% above it. Most artists charge a good deal more.
3. We print and ship it. When someone buys, the order goes to our print partner, who prints and ships it. Shipping is calculated at checkout.
4. Your whole artwork is kept. Showplace fits and centres your image on the paper rather than cropping it.

Showplace takes 0% commission on print sales, and Pro members get 10% off print production costs. For the full picture, see how Showplace works.

Weighing up other options? We've written honest side-by-side comparisons: Showplace vs Art Storefronts and Showplace vs FASO.