Interested in selling art prints but don’t know where to start?
After you figure out how and where to print copies of your artwork, one of the first major questions that comes to mind is usually …
‘What size should I make these prints so that people will actually buy them?’
This issue can be big or small. After all, it can decide whether or not the art prints you sell can be considered lucrative for an art business.
You might be able to get by looking at market research and just following along with what others do. However, if you want to truly understand the nature of selling fine art prints, you should take the time to learn the standard art print sizes agreed upon by most artists so that you can maximize the returns on your artwork:
Contents
10 Best-Selling Art Print Sizes
The following are the standard art print sizes most artists recognize. If you want to know what size art prints sell best, the list below should provide a helpful guide:
No. 1: (Binder Print) 8 x 10 inches
The enthusiasts of the art world want to buy prints of original work for two main purposes. Either they want to hang it up as decor or keep it safe and protected in binders or picture frames for the sake of collection.
The 8 x 10 size prints are considered the most popular because they can serve both purposes.
Advantages:
- Best Collection Size: Paper of this size is just large enough to see all the details when framed without being so big that it can’t fit in binders and plastic sheet protectors.
- Easy to Print: 8 x 10 prints can be printed both at home and at very little cost, which makes it popular for artists who only want to start a small business.
Pricing: The cost of prints this size is often around $20 – which is the average cost of a meal for two at a fast-food restaurant! Suffice it to say, it’s easy on the wallet and very affordable!
No. 2: (Poster Print) 16 x 20 inches
Most customers buy art prints in order to decorate the walls of their rooms. Because of this, a 16 x 20 or 20 x 16 size poster art print is one of the most popular art print sizes.
It’s just the right size for wall art without being too big to the point that it would be considered too expensive for most consumers to buy.
Advantages:
- Best Small Wall Art Size: The 16 x 20 or 20 x 16 wall art print sizes are perfect for hanging on the walls without the need for frames or canvas. It doesn’t take up too much wall space either, allowing for other smaller prints to be hung beside or around it for extra decoration.
- Moderate Price Range: This size falls right in the middle, and so does its pricing. Most people can afford it if they save up for some time.
Pricing: Large art prints of this size usually cost around $40-50. The artist may charge more or less depending on the paper used or whether there are any embellishments or extras.
No. 3: (Postcard Print) 5×7 inches
Of the art print sizes that can be considered “Postcard Size”, the 5 x 7 art print size is the most popular. Compared to most other standard art print sizes, it’s definitely on the extreme end of being small. But it’s not necessarily less valuable.
After all, if you take a look at how much some of Basquiat’s postcard-sized art is selling, you can see that small prints are quite popular with enthusiasts.
Advantages:
- Versatility: A 5 x 7 art print is small and can be used almost anywhere. It doesn’t make as large a statement as poster or canvas prints, but its more intimate size adds a personal touch to it that makes it extra charming.
- Cheap Price: The pricing of postcard-sized prints is definitely the most important factor to consider. It’s cheap to print, so you can print it in large batches without being too burdened as to whether it will sell or not. After all, it costs just as much as a large cup of milk tea!
Pricing: The average pricing of a 5 x 7 fine art print is around $5-10!
No. 4: (Canvas or Framed Print) 24 x 36 inches
Of the sizes that can be considered ‘canvas size’, the 24 x 36 print size is considered the most standard by artists. The artwork size is big, but it’s not considered a larger canvas print.
Note, if you’re interested in this size, you might want to consider Giclee printing to increase the print’s collection value. A giclee print is done with archival inks, top-of-the-line inkjet prints, and a high-resolution image. This produces a crisp and clean copy of your artwork that is certain to withstand the test of time.
Advantages:
- Best Gallery Wall Art: This size is the perfect decoration for art gallery walls. It occupies just the right amount of wall space to stand out with or without a frame and is the best size for hanging.
- Affordable Canvas Art: Canvas art is definitely more expensive than regular prints. Because of this, most art enthusiasts prefer smaller canvas sizes like the 24 x 36 so that it would be more affordable.
Pricing: Gallery wall art of this size can cost up to $100-200. Limited edition or special edition wall art that is specially printed, decorated with embellishments, accompanied with personal signatures, etc. will cost even more — up to $300-500.
No. 5: 11 x 14 inches
Of the art print sizes we’ve talked about thus far, this is the first that vacillates between two ‘types.’ That is, the 11 x 14 size can be considered both a binder and a poster print.
It’s because it’s in-between that it’s so popular amongst print sizes. It’s larger than other collectibles, and thus undoubtedly looks more impressive. But it’s not so big that it can’t be kept in a binder. It’s also just the right size to hang up as wall art without looking too small.
Pricing: This is a bit more expensive to print than most common small-to-medium art print sizes. But its selling point is accordingly a bit higher — ranging from $25-35. Most art enthusiasts can still afford to buy prints of this size on a regular basis, but they may start to hesitate whether it’s worth it around this range. Especially if what they’re looking for is wall art.
No. 6: 6 x 8 inches
If you’re looking to send more postcard-sized art prints, then 6 x 8 is one that you can consider. The dimensions of this print are small and compact, a bit bigger than the 5 x 7, so you can print the original art in more detail.
The aspect ratio, 3:4, is also very comfortable to look at as a standing photo frame — if you want some standing decorations to go along with the wall art in your art space.
Pricing: The average price for a 6 x 8 art print is $15. It can be considered as one of the most affordable print sizes.
No. 7: 18 x 24 inches
18 x 24 is a larger size print suitable for hanging as wall art in your living room. It falls under the category of ‘poster size’ and can be framed or hung as wall art plainly.
It might not be as popular as some of the more common print sizes, but a lot of artists choose these dimensions for limited edition or special edition prints of their work because they stand out a lot when framed and used as wall art.
Pricing: Most artists sell prints of this size at around $45-60. It might be more expensive (e.g., $75-85) if it is signed by the artist or especially framed or embellished.
No. 8: 12 x 12 inches
If you’re one of the many artists who enjoy drawing or painting in a 1:1 aspect ratio, then the first print size for you to consider selling is 12 x 12.
It’s the perfect square image size for wall art. Some people also like to use it to decorate their doors, above the fireplace of their living room, or the head of their bed.
Pricing: You can sell a wall art of this size for around $25-30. Also, because it’s one of the most popular sizes for hanging, a lot of artists sell it with photo frames so that the buyer can hang it up directly when they receive it.
No. 9: 36 x 48 inches
If you have artwork that you’re particularly proud of, then you can consider larger art print sizes for sale. Such large art may be a bit more difficult to sell than other artwork prints, but as long as you sell it as a limited edition, you should be able to get some money back.
Pricing: Because 36 x 48 artworks are quite large and not as easy to sell as smaller art, they are usually sold for a more expensive price. Serious collectors of your work can consider buying it for around $200-400. It all depends on what kind of art you create.
No. 10: (Sticker Print) 3 x 3 inches
If you like digital art, one popular print size that you can consider is 3 x 3. It’s very small, so it’s most suitable to be used as a sticker print, but artists also sell it as a regular print — often given as a FREE gift to advertise their other digital artwork that is for sale.
Pricing: The cost of printing such small prints is very low and can be done in bulk. So, most artists give it away for FREE. If you want to sell it separately, it’s best to print it as a sticker so that it can have extra use — at that point, you can sell it for $3-5.
Most Popular Art Print Types
If you’re still struggling with the size of prints to print for sale, you can consider choosing your favorite size from each of the following types:
- Postcard (Small Sizes):
- 5 x 7 inches
- 6 x 8 inches
- Binder (Medium Sizes):
- 8 x 10 inches
- 8.5 x 11 inches
- 11 x 14 inches
- Poster (Large Sizes):
- 16 x 20 inches
- 18 x 24 inches
- Canvas (Extra Large Sizes):
- 20 x 36 inches
- 36 x 48 inches
- 40 x 60 inches
- Special Sizes:
- Square Sizes: 3 x 3, 12 x 12
- Panoramic Sizes: 10 x 30, 12 x 36, 20 x 60
What is the Best Image Size for Digital Prints?
The best image file size for digital art prints depends on two things: DPI and PPI.
Let’s talk about DPI first. DPI stands for ‘dots per inch’, and it refers to the number of ink droplets a printer will produce per inch when printing an image. The general idea is, the more DPI (dots per ink) the printed picture has, the more detail can be seen.
If you want specific numbers, for fine prints of high quality, it’s recommended to have 300DPI.
As for PPI, or ‘pixels per inch’, it refers to the number of pixels contained within one inch of an image being displayed on a digital screen. The two are completely different, but the quality requirements are about the same. 300PPI is the end-all-be-all and is able to produce the best quality for smaller and medium-sized prints.
If you want specific numbers, you can calculate the correct size in pixels by multiplying the PPI with your desired print size. For example, for a 4 x 6 print in 300PPI, the digital art canvas size would have to be at least 1200 x 1800 pixels.
What Are the Best Aspect Ratios for Art Prints?
Another way to quickly decide what size prints to print is based on aspect ratios. Basically, based on the aspect ratio of your original artwork, you can choose smaller or larger sizes based on the same aspect ratio.
For your reference, the following is a list of the most common aspect ratios and the corresponding standard sizes for each aspect ratio:
- 1:1 Aspect Ratio:
- 3” x 3”
- 12” x 12”
- 30” x 30”
- 2:3 Aspect Ratio:
- 4” x 6”
- 10 x 15
- 8” x 12”
- 20” x 30”
- 3:4 Aspect Ratio:
- 6” x 8”
- 9” x 12”
- 18” x 24”
- 4:5 Aspect Ratio:
- 4” x 5”
- 12” x 15”
- 16” x 20”
- 5:7 Aspect Ratio:
- 5” x 7”
- 10” x 14”
- 20” x 28”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Most Standard Size Art Print?
The most common sizes used when printing artwork are 5×7, 8×10, 11×14, 16×20, 18×24, and 24×36 inches. You can start with these different sizes if you want to start an art print business.
Are There Any Benefits to Selling Art in Different Sizes?
Selling art in different sizes can help boost sales over time by increasing your chances of making a sale. After all, different customers have different needs. Some may want small art prints, whilst others prefer large art prints. Being able to cater to the different needs of each buyer will allow you to be more competitive.
What Canvas Size Do Artists Use?
For traditional art, standard canvas sizes are 11 x 14 and 16 x 20. For digital art, the starting size is usually 2048 x 2732 pixels and increases incrementally.
How to Get Artworks Framed?
To get artwork framed, you can get a custom framework or DIY at home. It’s recommended to do the former for original works and to bulk-purchase picture frames for prints that you want to sell.
Final Thoughts:
You should have a pretty good idea as to where to start with printing your artwork at this stage! If so, don’t delay. Start printing today!
You can check out some print-on-demand sites if you prefer to have it done professionally or buy a reliable at-home printer for small-business needs.
