Large Fine Art Prints On the Cheap

When I saw my little girls go through printed photos we had in boxes, and the joy on their faces as they flip through photo books, I knew that experience is what I wanted for my clients.
I stopped pushing canvases and fine art albums in exchange for proof prints and photo books that were a joy to touch and share and smell with their family. My clients are busy, as am I. When we're done shooting, I don't have time to sit and "sell" and neither do they.

Because of this, all of my clients receive personal printing rights to all of the photos they purchase in order to bring in those fine art pieces into their homes that they are looking for.

But here is the thing - I. Go. Big.

Every image on my walls in my home is at least 16x20 with the largest print (without a mat) reigning in at 24x36. We live in a 2 bedroom, 1000 sq ft townhome and I feel that the simple design of a few very large prints looks much cleaner than cluttering the walls with several smaller prints (like I used to do).

 

I have been holding out on buying a print of all three girls for their room for about 2 years.
Instead, I kept 3 16x20 hand drawn portraits I drew of them up that they loved. When I caught this with my camera last week, I knew I finally had the image that I'd been waiting for.

Now, are your kiddos like mine? Does the thought of having a several hundred dollar canvas hung within reach of sunbuttery fingers make you kind of light headed? I have a solution that will help you bring modern fine art prints into your child's space without breaking the bank.
 

Here's my very simply process:

  • Order large print (I prefer White House Custom Colour as they print truest to color)
  • Go to Wal-Mart (we live in a small town with no Target in site. Target, KMart, etc, do have similar products and prices )
  • Buy the largest frame your image will handle. (this is a 20x30in print for $27.50 in a 27x40 in frame for $19.97)
  • No need for a mat! When you get home unwrap the frame, take the cardboard backing off, flip over the display image in the frame so that the white back is facing out. Using masking tape, carefully tape your print to the display image.
  • Since the frame is plastic, be sure to do all of this in a dust free area, and keep the image and the frame dust free by keeping a baby wipe and paper towel nearby to clean.
  • Pop the cardboard backing back on, and hang up that bad boy.

    Try it out, let me know how it goes!