Is It Tacky To Have Prints of Famous Paintings?

Is It Tacky To Have Prints of Famous Paintings?

Are you wondering if prints of famous paintings are tacky?

Then you’re definitely in the right place because I’ll answer all your questions right here!

Are Canvas Prints of Famous Paintings Tacky?

It’s really a matter of personal taste when it comes to judging if canvas prints are generally tacky.

But!

What does the general public think?

With 12 years of experience as both an artist and an art curator, I’ve heard A LOT of opinions on this subject.

People’s opinions of canvas prints seem to be greatly influenced by two main things:

1. The quality of the canvas and of the print work itself (including the inks used).
2. Whether the print is of a photograph or a handmade piece of art (including paintings, digital illustrations, and sketches).

If you’re like me, you’ve seen some really low-quality, washed-out, floppy canvas art prints in stores before.

In my opinion, those are tacky.

But then, on the other side of the spectrum, there are really high-quality canvas prints that will impress almost anyone.

Last fall, I remember going to my friend’s house and I saw three new pieces of artwork on her wall. I had to get really close just to see if these were prints or original paintings.

These canvas prints were from iCanvas, an e-commerce site that sells affordable canvas and framed art prints. They were beautiful and really made her living room cozy.

And they were the opposite of tacky!

I actually think that canvas prints are best when the printed image is of a handmade piece of art, including famous paintings

Most of us don’t have millions of dollars to buy a Vincent van Gogh painting, so a canvas print of his work (iCanvas) is a great alternative.

Are Art Prints of Famous Paintings Tacky?

This one is a no-brainer because you can’t ever go wrong with an art print, as long as it’s framed.

In my opinion, and the opinion of many art buyers, framed art prints never look tacky no matter the subject of the artwork. This is especially true if the print is sharp with rich, vibrant colors, and the frame is made with premium materials.

Framed prints are practically fool-proof and they make ANY high-quality print of a famous painting look amazing.

Are Prints of Famous Paintings Worth Anything?

Prints of famous paintings are often seen as mass-produced copies of original artwork that aren’t valuable.

But prints are more than the monetary value associate with it. Even if you’re not buying prints as an investment, they can bring life into your home or office!

But…

Some prints of famous paintings are actually worth something.

Here are some factors that will increase the value of these prints:

• Limited editions: If the print is a limited edition (like they sell on Minted, Artfinder, or Saatchi Art), this means there are only so many prints of the original artwork that will be made. This increases the value of the print.
• Well-Known Artist: If you’re buying a print of artwork created by a well-known artist, you’ll be paying more than a print made from the work of an emerging artist.
• Signature: Usually, the value of a signed limited edition print is 2 or more times than the value of an unsigned print.
• Premium Materials: Uses high-quality printers and materials (archival papers and inks) that will make your print look amazing and last for decades.
• Popularity: If the artwork is featured in the news, books, museums, catalogs, websites, or other media, the prices of prints will most likely go up.
• The Story: If there’s a really cool story behind the artwork (like a famous person used to own it or it was a propaganda poster in WWII), then a print will probably go up in price.

Do Prints Go Up in Value?

If you’re buying art as an investment, I would recommend sticking to limited edition prints since they usually keep or increase their value over time. For more information about this subject, check out my article: What Are Limited Edition Prints?