It’s common and understandable to assume that “real” art is expensive or unattainable, and that only the “rich” buy pieces from an artist. Galleries and art fairs have done a good job of creating this idea, but I’m going to share a new perspective with you. One that shows how you can find art you love, and get it using the budget you have.
As a working artist who sells both original paintings and art prints, I want to let you in on something: you can find beautiful, unique, and even large-scale pieces for under $500, and you can build a collection you absolutely love, on a budget. You just need to know where to look, what to prioritize, and learn a few insider tricks that make affordable pieces look far more expensive than they are.
Here's how to do it:
Start With One Statement Piece, Then Fill In With Prints
One of the smartest approaches I've seen interior designers and art consultants use is what I call the "splurge and fill" strategy.
A recent customer of mine did exactly this. They invested in one of my larger original paintings for the most prominent spot in their home, above the sofa, and then filled the rest of their walls with more affordable art prints. The result was a space that felt curated and intentional, without spending their entire budget on a single piece.
Here’s the difference between an original painting and art print: an original painting is created by the artist's hand, meaning it is one-of-a-kind and not a reproduction or copy, and an art print is a high-quality reproduction of an original artwork, usually made through scanning or photographing the painting and printing the image on fine art paper.
If an original painting exceeds your budget, then start with an art print for your statement piece. Once you've found a piece you genuinely love, and if you have leftover budget, that's when you can fill in the other areas of your home with more affordable art prints. Those pieces don't need to carry the same emotional weight. They just need to complement the space and the mood you've already established with your statement piece.
💡 Here’s a tip: For those on a tight budget, you can get a small print and frame it with an extra-large mat, making the border 6-10” wide on each side, to fill up the wall space. It’s also a way to make a piece look unique and unlike anything you’d traditionally see at a store.
Above: "Salt in the Air" Original Painting (SOLD)
How Big Can You Go for Under $500?
Here's something most people don't realize: a large-scale print can actually be reasonably priced.
In my shop, a 30x40" art print is big enough to be the focal point above a sofa, bed, or in a dining room, and comes in under $500 unframed. That's a real, wall-filling, statement-making piece of art for less than what many people spend on a single piece of furniture.
If you're shopping for art and assuming "big" automatically means "expensive," it's worth checking print pricing. Many independent artists offer large-scale prints at prices that rival (or beat) mass-produced art from big box stores, except yours will be one of a much smaller run, not hanging in five other houses on your block.
If you browse my art and see something you love, but want a size that’s not listed, I can make my art prints in any size you need. Just reach out with your dimensions to get pricing.
Above: "Out of Office" Art Print
The Tricks That Make a $100 Print Look Like a $1,000 Piece
This is the part most budget art guides completely skip, and it's honestly one of the strongest opinions I have on this topic: How you frame a print matters just as much as the print itself.
Here's what I mean:
Ditch the off-the-shelf frame and mat
Most people take a print, pop it into a frame with a standard mat that they find at a store, and call it done. It's fine to do this, but it's also what everyone else does, and so it doesn’t give that original art feel.
Instead, try:
- Float mounting the print within the frame, so it appears to be floating on top of the mat rather than pressed under it
- Using a non-traditional mat size, specifically a larger margin at the bottom than on the top and sides. This is a classic gallery framing technique and it instantly makes a piece feel more considered and high-end. Or, as I mentioned earlier, go with an extra-large margin for the mat border on all 4 sides.
Upgrade the paper for an artisanal feel
The second trick is about the print itself, before it even goes into a frame. Standard prints are usually on smooth, straight-edged paper, which is fine, but it can read as "printed." If you want a print to feel more like an original, handmade piece, opt for:
- Watercolor paper instead of standard smooth paper. The toothy texture alone changes how the piece feels in person.
- Hand-torn (deckled) edges instead of clean, straight-cut edges. Hand-torn edges are a small detail that gives a print a handmade, artistic quality that straight edges simply can't replicate. This detail is beautiful and should only be used if you are float-mounting the piece on top of the mat, since the paper’s edges can be seen.
💡 Combine both of these: Float-mounted with a hand-torn watercolor paper print, and you've got something that visually elevates itself well above its price point.
Going with a unique style of framing or upgrading the paper are two of the easiest ways to take a budget-friendly print and make it feel like a one-of-a-kind piece.
Above: "We Are One" & "We Are Many" custom art prints made on watercolor paper with hand-torn edges, float-mounted in frames
Where Else to Look for Affordable Art
Independent artist shops (like mine) are a great place to start, since you're often getting better prices than you would through a gallery markup, plus you have the option to ask about print sizes, paper upgrades, or custom framing — things that aren't always possible with mass-produced art. Not to mention, you would be directly supporting an independent artist and we thank you for that 🙌
If you want to browse a wider range of styles and artists, these curated online marketplaces have a good reputation and are worth a look:
💡 Here’s a tip: If you find a piece you love on one of these platforms, look up that artist's own website too. Many artists who show on these marketplaces also sell directly, sometimes with print versions of their original work, sometimes at a lower price point, and sometimes they have other works that aren't available through the marketplace. It's worth knowing that these marketplaces take 40-50% of the sale, so the artist actually gets 50-60% of what you paid for it.
A lot of people search Etsy for art, and while it does have some good options, I don't recommend purchasing artwork from Etsy because I've witnessed a lot of fraudulent pieces on their site. Scammers will take low-res images from artists' websites and create listings on Etsy with them. They use those same low-res images to print from, resulting in poor quality prints. This same issue happens with a lot of Amazon sellers, so I would avoid buying artwork from there too.
Above: "Mountains & Valleys" Art Print
Putting It All Together
Buying art on a budget isn't about settling for less. It's about being strategic with where your money goes and knowing a few tricks that stretch it further.
To recap:
- Consider a "splurge and fill" approach: One larger statement piece, paired with more affordable prints elsewhere.
- Don't assume large art is expensive. Large-scale prints under $500 absolutely exist.
- Pay attention to framing: float mounting and an oversized or atypical mat can transform a simple print.
- Consider paper upgrades for art prints, like watercolor paper or hand-torn edges for a more artistic, handmade feel.
- Start with independent artist shops, then explore reputable, curated marketplaces if you want to browse further (avoid Etsy and Amazon). When you find an artist you like, go to their own website to see what else they offer, and don’t be afraid to ask them about other sizes or upgrades. We love questions!
A home filled with art you genuinely love at a price that you want is definitely within reach. It just takes a little knowledge about where to look and how to make the most of what you find.
If you liked the art you saw here, you can browse my art prints or original paintings. You can custom-order my art prints in any size, upgrade to watercolor paper, or have the edges hand-torn. You can also customize the size of the mat if you opt for one of my framed prints. Just reach out to start a conversation.
I hope this helps!
Kim
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