Buying prints is an absolute minefield, of seeing something super cool on Etsy, then realising it's in dollars and will cost you five times the price to ship from the US, or traipsing around the 'art' section of Ikea, less than a bit inspired of the New York cityscape they're telling you to buy.
The good news is, with a bit of artsy savviness you can pick up excellent stuff for tiny prices direct from artists, meaning you can give your pennies to actual real people rather than the big dogs. Here's a list of some great finds that are up on my wish list, and also some ways to hang them that require little effort, and no drills.
What to avoid
There are no words.
Illustrators
You don't have to look hard, on sites like It's Nice That to find really cool illustrators who undoubtfully have small shops attached to their websites. Scour through Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram too to pick up some names and follow them to keep in the loop with their work.
Josh McKenna: Falmouth graduate Josh makes ace risographs, a printing process resulting in bold, block colours not achieveble using a standard printer. 'Court' uses cobalt blue and fluoro red and will definitely bring a bit of LA to your walls. £15, here.
**Sara Andreasson: **Another favourite of The Debrief, Stockholm based Sara made a name for herself over here when she got a top spot at the Pick Me Up festival at Somerset House. Her Tan Lines print can be bought for £38 in her tictail store.
Photographers
A great source of original artwork obviously comes from all the great photographers out there. It's hard to recommend as it's so down to personal taste, but these guys are much less likely to have an e-shop. Your best bet is to just drop an email showing interest in a print, and you'll find most people are really honored and willing to send you one for a small cost. Check out Wandering Bears and The Latent Image on Tumblr to find great artists.
Roxana Azar: One on my personal favourites, Phili based Roxana plays with colour and uses post-production in such a beautiful way. Her work lends itself amazingly to decorate the home, deifnitely not the kind of regurgitated stuff you find in IKEA. See works on her website here.
Max Zerrahn: Max has that compositional simplicity so down. Have a flick through the 'misc' images on his website. He's pretty happy to send out prints to those who email him, starting at just a snip for an 8" x 12" print of this beauty below.
Society6
Ready-made without the cringe factor, there's a tonne of cool artists using art-buying platform Society6. You can choose a design and get it as a phone case, mug, wall print or even a shower curtain! Have a browse around the artists they have, but here's a couple of recommendations.
Eugenia Loli: Regular Debrief contributor Eugenia turns out amazing collages, a bit of an update on your old cut and stick from school! Durban D3, 11" x 19", £22.69.
The Aesthete: If you really can't keep a house plant without killing it, here's your print. You can pick this one up in a giant 28" x 38" for just £41.
Galleries
All those visits to the Louvre in paris, MoMa in NY? Perfect for collecting prints and postcards for just pennies. But don't count out smaller galleries who are using social media to reach out. Editioned prints you'll find may start at a small fortune (or 2 weeks rent), while longer editions and mass prints will be much cheaper.
**Postcards: **If you've got into a habit of collecting stacks of postcards from any gallery you visit, make use of them by hanging them on your walls. Tape works great for this. I find this a really nice and cheap way to decorate, because you'll collect ones that are special to you and hold memories. Bonus being that if you've forgotten your mum's birthday you've definitely got a card within arm's reach.
**Telegram Gallery: **South London based Telegram gallery runs a weekly Instagram takeover (@telegramgallery), where prints are available to buy for £50 on their website. Favourites come from Joanna Cresswell and Thomas Bett.
Hanging
When it comes to hanging, who's got time to mess about with hammers and drills? Obviously, great if you're a dab hand at DIY or have hooks already hanging, but here's three options to hang your new artwork without the faff. For frames, I find Habitat your best bet. 'Alumninus' is a really nice thin frame in either white/black/silver, £18 for 30 x 40cm. 'Bangkok' is brilliant for no-fuss magnetic framing. £12 for 30 x 40cm.
**Lean It: **A picture leaning from the floor or a sideboard looks really nice, and is basically just a lazy option, so why the hell not?
**Shelf It: **These IKEA shelves are an absolute dream, perfect for placing pictures, alongside magazines and little cacti. At £7.90 you'd be rude not to really.
**Tape It: **Another favourite, pick out some coloured tape to stick up your postcards and smaller pieces. I like the wide fluorescent type from London Graphic Centre, as it adds a pop of colour, and looks great with black & white. Black tape would also work well.
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
10 Ideas To Decorate Your Small Living Room In Your Rented Flat
Follow Anna on Twitter: @annarosejay
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.