Many of us have large open areas of wall in our living or work spaces just begging for a large, impactful piece of art to hang there to really make a statement and enhance our decor. If you were a wealthy noble during the Renaissance you might have commissioned an artist to paint a masterpiece for you - the cost of the commission saying as much about you as the artwork itself! Fortunately we have many more choices of wall art today. Yes, you can still commission yourself a painting, but let’s explore why you might want to consider a fine art photographic print instead.
Cloud Portal. ©James Thompson Photography
A fine art print is an archival quality print made from a high resolution digital file of original artwork meant to be a piece of art in its own right. I create fine art prints of imagery I capture along Canada’s west coast.
While I’ve explored the benefits of hanging images of nature throughout your home elsewhere, let’s consider some of the other advantages of fine art prints have over paintings.
Subject
While the subject matter of paintings may tend to have a general universal appeal, if you’re looking for a particular subject, a fine art print is for you. A fine art print can convey a very specific moment or story, be rich in context and illustrate your own unique aspirations or emotions.
Orca Power. ©James Thompson Photography
Realism
While we’re talking about subject, a fine art print can display an incredible amount of detail that is difficult to reproduce in a painting. This realism helps the subject to really jump off the wall, increasing its impact value.
Spirit Bear Yin Yang. ©James Thompson Photography
Stylistic Variety
Not too fussed about realism? No problem! Fine art prints come in a fantastic array of styles to suit your space. They are endlessly customizable in terms of size, shape, colour, and subject matter. From beautiful abstracts, to powerful portraits to stunning landscapes, there’s a fine art print to suit everyone’s taste.
Liquid Metal. ©James Thompson Photography
Choice of Medium
A painting has its own unique look but fine art prints offer a broader range of media as options that provide visual appeal in many settings. Prints on paper can be matted and framed in a classic style. Prints on canvas have a wonderful 3D texture and look great framed or mounted as a contemporary looking gallery wrap. For an ultra modern look, prints can be sublimated onto metal for a rich glossy look full of vibrant colours and deep blacks.
Rufus Hummingbird and Spring Flowers. ©James Thompson Photography
Modern printing techniques combined with high quality pigment based inks mean that fine art prints strongly resist fading and cracking (weaknesses of painting on canvas) and will still look great many years from now.
The humid environment won't bother this metal print one bit. Primordial Soup. ©James Thompson Photography
Accessibility
This fantastic array of sizes and styles, along with generally lower production costs make photographic fine art prints typically less expensive than paintings. This makes high quality artwork accessible to more people. Again, however the choice is yours. A massive metallic print may cost thousands but definitely makes a statement. A smaller, framed and matted piece might be more appropriate as a gift or for someone on a tighter budget.
Large or small, the choice is yours. Layer of Gold. ©James Thompson Photography
Ease of Display
Along with the many choices of size and substrate, fine art prints usually come with mounting hardware that makes hanging a breeze.
Consistency
Need several pieces to carry a theme or decor throughout your home? Or perhaps you’re looking for a consistent visual style between different business locations? One of the strengths of fine art prints is their consistency of quality and reproducibility. Producing each print using only the best materials and processes ensures each piece maintains the same high quality and colour accuracy.
Painterly Starfish. ©James Thompson Photography
Conclusion
While paintings have a classic look and feel, fine art prints offer much more in terms of subject, style, and medium choices, versatility in blending with an existing decor, and generally less cost. Whether you’re looking for big impact or subtle beauty, there’s a fine art print for you.