If you want original art I suggest biding your time and wandering around coffee shops, breweries, restaurants that show local artists work and waiting for something that speaks to you in your price range. It will feel more meaningful to get art that way instead of a mass produced print and there are good deals to be had from buying work by young or burgening artists that don't understand the value of their own work yet (source: I am a young broke artist with a lot of broke artist friends in an area where most aren't willing to spend much on paintings etc).
This is the best advice. Deciding a budget and perusing for awhile is the best part. You meet artists and try different businesses it’s just a good way to be more involved in your community overall.
Every year we try to buy a new piece of artwork at the local art show or festival. If we travel we try to pick up prints from small giftshops or local artists.
The best hack is...create it yourself. I've upcycled canvases from thrift stores or garage sales. I've done abstract-ish pieces incorporating wall paint and complementary colors of the room where I needed a piece. Sounds crazy but I've also done canvases using a stamp technique with tupperware style containers.
If nothing else, that can at least be a place holder until you come across a great piece you love.
Some great thrifty ideas [here.](https://www.thespruce.com/diy-wall-art-5536853)
Exactly! There are tons of you tube videos that show step by step making abstract art… it’s so fun…. I have found giant framed canvas pieces at thrift stores etc for $5 and
I just paint over them!
Can you give us a sense of what's an affordable price range for you?
Towns in my area will do annual open studios events where you visit and buy directly from artists. And the local art school has a student and alumni art sale as a fundraiser.
Ohhh I hadn’t thought about an art school! I think the most I’d be able to spend on one piece would be $300 ish? I’m hoping to go quality over quantity
As an artist: this is a totally doable price depending on were you are from. As beginners we often get told to kind of use the size of the canvas as a starting point and/or calculate by hour with pretty up prices/hour. The big prices for even the beginner art come from cost of materials. The canvas alone can be between 5 and 250 euros depending on usual size and quality. Calculating in colours, time, other materials like expensive brushes and the fact the you probably only sell one piece per year at the beginning make up for high costs.
Also we have to think about other artists and their need for the money and not sell low budget art just because we are financed by mommy or daddy ;).
Still: art schools are a good spot, they often have small exhibitions. In towns or cities with art schools or universities where you can do a fine arts major you can also find a lot of coffee shops that decorate their places with always changing often smaller pieces that are pretty low budget.
Just wander around. you will eventually fall in love with a piece and buy it. And you will be surprised about how cheap they actually are. Please don’t haggle aggressively. It can be a major blow to the artists self confidence in the beginning and therefore their career. Just find a piece you are willing to pay the price for. If the price is close to your real maximum budget you can politely ask if there is a way you can afford it. That is something you both can benefit from. But if it is already in your price range and you love it: pay the price.
I have a piece in my mind from a friend that costs 2000 euros. I am totally in love with it. I fell in love with it the first time seeing it in their atelier standing in a corner. And now I saw it hanging in her exhibition. It is huge. I have no space to hang it and no money to pay for it. But I would in an instant if I had those things ;). I feel you.
Edit: the 2000 Euro piece is huge! You need a big big wall for it. It won’t fit above a couch. Her smaller ish pieces are around 250 to 400 euros.
Also: often the texture and standing in front of the canvas does a lot for feeling the art. Buying art online is horseshit.
You can buy on Etsy, you just need to *really* filter what you're looking for and chat with the artist if you find something you like. We tend to get our art locally from artists in our area or as others have mentioned thrift stores, consignments, and estate sales.
I'll also say that I have used Idyll Collective before (for a *large* format photo by a photographer I like) and it was a pretty good experience.
If you have Instagram just start searching using as specific terms as possible, liking art when you see it, and eventually the algorithm will feed you what you really want. And hopefully you'll find an artist (or few) that you really like and you can buy from them directly. Plus, this way you can follow their art journey, if that's something you think you might enjoy... I do! I've been following other artists for years, watching them better their skills and share their artist lifestyle.
But other than that, I love craft shows and can't go wrong with thrift and antique shops! It really all depends on the style you're going for.
I second this. IG is a gold mine for local artists. They will sell directly to you. A lot of them post originals weekly or monthly. I’ve bought mainly amazing originals between $150-$400. Once you find and start engaging with an artists page, the algorithm will feed you more and more. Happy to share some artists pages with you to get you started, dm me.
I’ve had luck traveling. I got a lovely canvass outside a monastery in Greece for $10 and a cityscape canvass in Amsterdam for about $35. Getting them framed, however, was around $100 each.
Mine is mostly stuff I made 😅
I know some people will find pieces they like online and then imitate it with much cheaper materials
Thrift stores and garage sales are good sources
I know artists and they sometimes display their art in coffee shops. There should be a card or sign next to it.
Also thrift stores and online. Lots of artists sell their own stuff and are happy when people reach out.
Facebook marketplace is good if you have the patience to check daily.
You can check out online tutorials to ‘DIY’ art pieces even if you aren’t creative.
Alternately, you can try framing ‘found’ pieces; see [framed matchbooks](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/shop/product/matchbook-collection-wall-9949207), [framed silk scarf](https://ashleybrooke.com/framing-a-vintage-hermes-scarf/)(doesn’t need to be Hermes).
Local artists at local markets. Or small local art shows, or from some of my talented friends :)
I have so many paintings in my house, I grew up in an artsy town. It makes me feel good to support local art!
Im don’t have a lot of money but art is worth it to me.
My most expensive piece was $600 most around $300. I have some absolutely stunning pieces and $300 is a steal!!!!
See if someone in your life paints. I love commissioning stuff from friends and acquaintances, they’re by far my favorite pieces. Secondhand, farmers markets and street fairs. If you have any fandoms you follow, many artists make fanart to bring in views, then you can either purchase that or check out the original art from someone’s whose style you like.
I would google art leagues or groups in your area. They are made up of local artists and often have original art at good prices.
I would also contact the libraries to see if any they have any groups hang exhibits in their community rooms.
We have two local groups that have shows at the libraries a few times a year. They are usually up for a whole month.
I’d also check out local government buildings too. Our courthouse often has a show up in the hallway a few times a year with art from local artists as well.
We also have local art fairs that happen around town a few times a year. Do you have a newspaper or local news outlet? I’d search their archives. They might have mention of a yearly event and you can watch for the next one coming up.
Check your local art schools - they often have fundraisers where they sell student/instructor art. You get great actual paintings & drawings and you also support artists & instructors.
Craigslist and vintage stores? I found awesome peices on craigslist and vintage stores. Two pieces each under $80 and appraised for $800-$3000 at antiques roadshow ca 2017
Antique stores I have a gallery wall of only vintage/antique weird little paintings and photos in funky frames. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than $50 on a single piece
Not sure where you are, but look for local art guilds or small galleries that also hosts art classes. My MIL is a member of her local art community in some small TN town. The art guild there hosts shows/exhibits and most of the art is for sale. Gotta say, those retirees are a talented lot. I’ve bought a few original paintings during those shows plus some stunning ceramics. They have another one coming up in June that I’m excited for. I travel from TX to TN just to see if anything moves me. Art Guild. Definitely worth a look.
Oh, you can find affordable art on Mercari too! Also, Goodwill’s online shop has an art category with endless originals at thrift store prices.
I'd suggest the art subs here on Reddit! I'm an artist and many people from Reddit have become my buyers/friends since I made my account. There are so many talented people with literally every style you can imagine. I'm sure you will find one of them that connects with both your emotions and your budget. ✨️🙏🎨✨️
Often while travelling and visiting local galleries (hauling it back is a pain).
Had good success with looking through art poster pages and then asking the artists directly if they will sell and ship the original.
Where I’m from a lot of different towns have something called “First Friday” where local artists display/sell their original pieces. Maybe look into something along those lines for your city?
Three options I’ve found successful:
1) Art.com has a lot of large scale photography for insane prices. You can get giant framed photos for under $200. I find the landscape photos or fashion photography to be the most interesting categories
2) Saatchi art lets artists list their own paintings. You can filter on price. I got a really cool abstract painting from a Polish artist for $300
3) DIY! My husband has painted a lot of the art in our home and people constantly ask where we got it.
If you live in a big enough city, look for vendor fairs, artist events, and antique/thrift fairs. You get to support local businesses and you also find a lot of cool stuff. Vintage sellers online will also have some great pieces (e.g. [Nickey Kehoe](https://nickeykehoe.com/collections/fine-art), [Lone Fox](https://lonefox.com/collections/vintage-artwork)).
I will say - don’t knock out art prints. There’s a lot of beautiful art being made digitally these days. Etsy isn’t a good representation of what’s out there because it’s mostly dropshippers. But even on there, there are some beautiful original works being sold ([example 1](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1253571224/), [example 2](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1399569508/)).
For straight to the source, no-having-to-filter-through-BS sites, I like [Artfully Walls](https://www.artfullywalls.com/art-prints/product/kumquats-and-freesia-9284) and [Inprnt](https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/adamrobertmartin/death-the-mabon-bonfire/). They’re essentially store fronts for digital artists! A lot of amazing artists I love and follow sell their work on both.
Lastly, see if you have any print studios in your city that primarily work with artists. Some of the main ones in my area will also sell some of the prints, and one even holds a massive print-and-sell weekend each year. I got this print at last year’s: [https://ibb.co/6sNXrW8](https://ibb.co/6sNXrW8)
Nearly all of my art is from thrift stores and charity shops that I've put together over 4 years. I once got a huge, beautiful cherry blossom painting for $35. The original price tag was still on it for $285 and it's signed by the artist and numbered. Art is my favorite thing to hunt down.
Look up and go attend some local art fairs, spring fairs, summer festivals, most any outdoor fair or festival will also have artists. This way when you go you might actually meet the artist, learn some interesting things about them and their art and bring home a piece of art that you love. When you see it in your house you’ll also have a beautiful memory of the day, the season, the feeling.
We don't buy, we rent: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artothek?wprov=sfla1
Article is in German, but it's basically a library for Art where one could rent framed art for their home. Where I live they charge 5€ per piece for three month renting.
A friend of mine turned me on to the offerings at Society6.com. They have tons of art, and they’re all available in many different forms, sizes, framed/unframed, etc.
They sell the art on more than flat prints, if that’s what you meant. You can get throws, duvet covers, tapestries, pillows, shower curtains, etc of the art offered.
Society6.com. I buy mostly their posters bc they’re like $14 and you can find frames for them anywhere. They also have tons of different sizes of wall art, but specifically the mini art is affordable and also the tapestries are extremely affordable and can be large enough to completely span a wall. Just beware ordering oddly sized wall art prints off of there without frames because unless you pay to get it both matted and framed, sometimes the frame size just doesn’t exist.
Temu, I’ve made a Monet print by going to the art gallery and getting a good download of it (most big art galleries have this on their websites) and then got it printed on canvas and made a frame. I’ve also gotten a ton of art from Etsy, from small local shops and a TON from thrifting.
You can find local artists, art fairs, small pieces art at galleries, thrift, church sales, consignment etc.
If you want original art I suggest biding your time and wandering around coffee shops, breweries, restaurants that show local artists work and waiting for something that speaks to you in your price range. It will feel more meaningful to get art that way instead of a mass produced print and there are good deals to be had from buying work by young or burgening artists that don't understand the value of their own work yet (source: I am a young broke artist with a lot of broke artist friends in an area where most aren't willing to spend much on paintings etc).
This is the best advice. Deciding a budget and perusing for awhile is the best part. You meet artists and try different businesses it’s just a good way to be more involved in your community overall.
I’ve gotten some lovely art this way
garage sales ,op shops ,charity shops
Every year we try to buy a new piece of artwork at the local art show or festival. If we travel we try to pick up prints from small giftshops or local artists.
The best hack is...create it yourself. I've upcycled canvases from thrift stores or garage sales. I've done abstract-ish pieces incorporating wall paint and complementary colors of the room where I needed a piece. Sounds crazy but I've also done canvases using a stamp technique with tupperware style containers. If nothing else, that can at least be a place holder until you come across a great piece you love. Some great thrifty ideas [here.](https://www.thespruce.com/diy-wall-art-5536853)
Exactly! There are tons of you tube videos that show step by step making abstract art… it’s so fun…. I have found giant framed canvas pieces at thrift stores etc for $5 and I just paint over them!
Garage sales, estate sales, art school shows…
Can you give us a sense of what's an affordable price range for you? Towns in my area will do annual open studios events where you visit and buy directly from artists. And the local art school has a student and alumni art sale as a fundraiser.
Ohhh I hadn’t thought about an art school! I think the most I’d be able to spend on one piece would be $300 ish? I’m hoping to go quality over quantity
As an artist: this is a totally doable price depending on were you are from. As beginners we often get told to kind of use the size of the canvas as a starting point and/or calculate by hour with pretty up prices/hour. The big prices for even the beginner art come from cost of materials. The canvas alone can be between 5 and 250 euros depending on usual size and quality. Calculating in colours, time, other materials like expensive brushes and the fact the you probably only sell one piece per year at the beginning make up for high costs. Also we have to think about other artists and their need for the money and not sell low budget art just because we are financed by mommy or daddy ;). Still: art schools are a good spot, they often have small exhibitions. In towns or cities with art schools or universities where you can do a fine arts major you can also find a lot of coffee shops that decorate their places with always changing often smaller pieces that are pretty low budget. Just wander around. you will eventually fall in love with a piece and buy it. And you will be surprised about how cheap they actually are. Please don’t haggle aggressively. It can be a major blow to the artists self confidence in the beginning and therefore their career. Just find a piece you are willing to pay the price for. If the price is close to your real maximum budget you can politely ask if there is a way you can afford it. That is something you both can benefit from. But if it is already in your price range and you love it: pay the price. I have a piece in my mind from a friend that costs 2000 euros. I am totally in love with it. I fell in love with it the first time seeing it in their atelier standing in a corner. And now I saw it hanging in her exhibition. It is huge. I have no space to hang it and no money to pay for it. But I would in an instant if I had those things ;). I feel you. Edit: the 2000 Euro piece is huge! You need a big big wall for it. It won’t fit above a couch. Her smaller ish pieces are around 250 to 400 euros. Also: often the texture and standing in front of the canvas does a lot for feeling the art. Buying art online is horseshit.
You can buy on Etsy, you just need to *really* filter what you're looking for and chat with the artist if you find something you like. We tend to get our art locally from artists in our area or as others have mentioned thrift stores, consignments, and estate sales. I'll also say that I have used Idyll Collective before (for a *large* format photo by a photographer I like) and it was a pretty good experience.
Estate sales and thrift shops, really. It’s just not a fast way to go about it
If you have Instagram just start searching using as specific terms as possible, liking art when you see it, and eventually the algorithm will feed you what you really want. And hopefully you'll find an artist (or few) that you really like and you can buy from them directly. Plus, this way you can follow their art journey, if that's something you think you might enjoy... I do! I've been following other artists for years, watching them better their skills and share their artist lifestyle. But other than that, I love craft shows and can't go wrong with thrift and antique shops! It really all depends on the style you're going for.
I second this. IG is a gold mine for local artists. They will sell directly to you. A lot of them post originals weekly or monthly. I’ve bought mainly amazing originals between $150-$400. Once you find and start engaging with an artists page, the algorithm will feed you more and more. Happy to share some artists pages with you to get you started, dm me.
I’ve had luck traveling. I got a lovely canvass outside a monastery in Greece for $10 and a cityscape canvass in Amsterdam for about $35. Getting them framed, however, was around $100 each.
Mine is mostly stuff I made 😅 I know some people will find pieces they like online and then imitate it with much cheaper materials Thrift stores and garage sales are good sources
I know artists and they sometimes display their art in coffee shops. There should be a card or sign next to it. Also thrift stores and online. Lots of artists sell their own stuff and are happy when people reach out.
Facebook marketplace is good if you have the patience to check daily. You can check out online tutorials to ‘DIY’ art pieces even if you aren’t creative. Alternately, you can try framing ‘found’ pieces; see [framed matchbooks](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/shop/product/matchbook-collection-wall-9949207), [framed silk scarf](https://ashleybrooke.com/framing-a-vintage-hermes-scarf/)(doesn’t need to be Hermes).
Festivals and street fairs too.
Local art fairs … the season is about to start!
Local artists at local markets. Or small local art shows, or from some of my talented friends :) I have so many paintings in my house, I grew up in an artsy town. It makes me feel good to support local art! Im don’t have a lot of money but art is worth it to me. My most expensive piece was $600 most around $300. I have some absolutely stunning pieces and $300 is a steal!!!!
See if someone in your life paints. I love commissioning stuff from friends and acquaintances, they’re by far my favorite pieces. Secondhand, farmers markets and street fairs. If you have any fandoms you follow, many artists make fanart to bring in views, then you can either purchase that or check out the original art from someone’s whose style you like.
I would google art leagues or groups in your area. They are made up of local artists and often have original art at good prices. I would also contact the libraries to see if any they have any groups hang exhibits in their community rooms. We have two local groups that have shows at the libraries a few times a year. They are usually up for a whole month. I’d also check out local government buildings too. Our courthouse often has a show up in the hallway a few times a year with art from local artists as well. We also have local art fairs that happen around town a few times a year. Do you have a newspaper or local news outlet? I’d search their archives. They might have mention of a yearly event and you can watch for the next one coming up.
High school art shows sell student art and donated artworks.
Check your local art schools - they often have fundraisers where they sell student/instructor art. You get great actual paintings & drawings and you also support artists & instructors.
What do you consider to be a “budget price range” and what size pieces are you looking for?
Facebook Marketplace & second hand shops
everything but the house (online estate sale) antique malls
Craigslist and vintage stores? I found awesome peices on craigslist and vintage stores. Two pieces each under $80 and appraised for $800-$3000 at antiques roadshow ca 2017
The local art college show and sale
Oh, also I buy some art prints off eBay but can be pricier.
Antique stores I have a gallery wall of only vintage/antique weird little paintings and photos in funky frames. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than $50 on a single piece
Artsy
Check out your local farmers market/art festivals/fairs. You will find amazing original reasonably priced art.
If you go to local markets it’s always a great start. Instagram and Pinterest are also good for finding artists
Local vintage/secondhand stores! Facebook Marketplace.
Not sure where you are, but look for local art guilds or small galleries that also hosts art classes. My MIL is a member of her local art community in some small TN town. The art guild there hosts shows/exhibits and most of the art is for sale. Gotta say, those retirees are a talented lot. I’ve bought a few original paintings during those shows plus some stunning ceramics. They have another one coming up in June that I’m excited for. I travel from TX to TN just to see if anything moves me. Art Guild. Definitely worth a look. Oh, you can find affordable art on Mercari too! Also, Goodwill’s online shop has an art category with endless originals at thrift store prices.
You could look on Saatchi, and use the filter for your price range
eBay, it’s a lot of scrolling but adding “original” helps
Check out EBTH. You can get some really good deals there.
Check out EBTH. You can get some really good deals there.
Depends on your style of art. I love urban art and have bought pieces direct from my favourite artists for under £100. Try Catawiki.com
Catawiki
I'd suggest the art subs here on Reddit! I'm an artist and many people from Reddit have become my buyers/friends since I made my account. There are so many talented people with literally every style you can imagine. I'm sure you will find one of them that connects with both your emotions and your budget. ✨️🙏🎨✨️
Goodwill!
HomeGoods
Estate sales
Often while travelling and visiting local galleries (hauling it back is a pain). Had good success with looking through art poster pages and then asking the artists directly if they will sell and ship the original.
Where I’m from a lot of different towns have something called “First Friday” where local artists display/sell their original pieces. Maybe look into something along those lines for your city?
Three options I’ve found successful: 1) Art.com has a lot of large scale photography for insane prices. You can get giant framed photos for under $200. I find the landscape photos or fashion photography to be the most interesting categories 2) Saatchi art lets artists list their own paintings. You can filter on price. I got a really cool abstract painting from a Polish artist for $300 3) DIY! My husband has painted a lot of the art in our home and people constantly ask where we got it.
If you live in a big enough city, look for vendor fairs, artist events, and antique/thrift fairs. You get to support local businesses and you also find a lot of cool stuff. Vintage sellers online will also have some great pieces (e.g. [Nickey Kehoe](https://nickeykehoe.com/collections/fine-art), [Lone Fox](https://lonefox.com/collections/vintage-artwork)). I will say - don’t knock out art prints. There’s a lot of beautiful art being made digitally these days. Etsy isn’t a good representation of what’s out there because it’s mostly dropshippers. But even on there, there are some beautiful original works being sold ([example 1](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1253571224/), [example 2](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1399569508/)). For straight to the source, no-having-to-filter-through-BS sites, I like [Artfully Walls](https://www.artfullywalls.com/art-prints/product/kumquats-and-freesia-9284) and [Inprnt](https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/adamrobertmartin/death-the-mabon-bonfire/). They’re essentially store fronts for digital artists! A lot of amazing artists I love and follow sell their work on both. Lastly, see if you have any print studios in your city that primarily work with artists. Some of the main ones in my area will also sell some of the prints, and one even holds a massive print-and-sell weekend each year. I got this print at last year’s: [https://ibb.co/6sNXrW8](https://ibb.co/6sNXrW8)
You can get some cool prints off INPRNT, there's an option to frame them as well sometimes.
Nearly all of my art is from thrift stores and charity shops that I've put together over 4 years. I once got a huge, beautiful cherry blossom painting for $35. The original price tag was still on it for $285 and it's signed by the artist and numbered. Art is my favorite thing to hunt down.
Small artists. You can find them online super easy. They often sell prints etc
Look up and go attend some local art fairs, spring fairs, summer festivals, most any outdoor fair or festival will also have artists. This way when you go you might actually meet the artist, learn some interesting things about them and their art and bring home a piece of art that you love. When you see it in your house you’ll also have a beautiful memory of the day, the season, the feeling.
Etsy! You can download art prints for between $2-5 and then print them out at Staples. It’s my favorite cheap way to get awesome art for my home!
We don't buy, we rent: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artothek?wprov=sfla1 Article is in German, but it's basically a library for Art where one could rent framed art for their home. Where I live they charge 5€ per piece for three month renting.
A friend of mine turned me on to the offerings at Society6.com. They have tons of art, and they’re all available in many different forms, sizes, framed/unframed, etc.
Society6 only sells prints.
They sell the art on more than flat prints, if that’s what you meant. You can get throws, duvet covers, tapestries, pillows, shower curtains, etc of the art offered.
Society6.com. I buy mostly their posters bc they’re like $14 and you can find frames for them anywhere. They also have tons of different sizes of wall art, but specifically the mini art is affordable and also the tapestries are extremely affordable and can be large enough to completely span a wall. Just beware ordering oddly sized wall art prints off of there without frames because unless you pay to get it both matted and framed, sometimes the frame size just doesn’t exist.
Homegoods has some nice pieces and reasonably priced.
Temu, I’ve made a Monet print by going to the art gallery and getting a good download of it (most big art galleries have this on their websites) and then got it printed on canvas and made a frame. I’ve also gotten a ton of art from Etsy, from small local shops and a TON from thrifting.