There comes a time in a person’s life when you must take down the action movie posters and hang up some quality artwork. This should represent a meeting ground between personal expression and interior design, speaking to you personally but also flowing with its surroundings. Of course, this all begs the question of where you find said artwork. You can check out the nearest art galleries in your city as a start, but we prefer shopping online these days. or you can find the best places to buy art online, putting thousands of artists and works at your fingertips. We’ve put our favourite art-buying websites to save you the trouble of embarking down the wrong path. Here is a list of the best places to buy art online.
Best Places to Buy Art Online at a Glance
Highlights from our list include the following options:
- Best overall: Fine Art America
- For original works: TWFINEART
- For rare pieces: 1xRun
- For prints: Society6
Now you’ve read our favourites, let’s check out the complete list.
Table of contents
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1. Fine Art America
As the world’s largest art marketplace and print-on-demand technology company, Fine Art America is a no-brainer regarding the best places to buy art online. Since 2006, the company has allowed artists, photographers, graphic designers and illustrators to share their work with the world. Better still, Fine Art America allows the artists to set their own prices for print-on-demand products before producing them at one of the brand’s 16 global production facilities. With over 500,000 independent artists earning an income through selling their art on its platform, Fine Art America should be top of your list on places to buy art online.
Based: Santa Monica, California, United States
Founded: 2006
Style: Print, Photography, Fine art, Graphic design
Shipping: Global
2. Great Big Canvas
From Great Big Canvas, classic artists like Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne are next to the hottest contemporary names. The site goes big on customisation, meaning you can adjust everything from the frame to the size and the canvas style. Meanwhile, their customer service is second to none.
Based: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Founded: 2006
Style: Classic, Fine art, Contemporary
Shipping: Global
3. Bluethumb
Australia’s largest digital art marketplace and one of the best places to buy art online, Bluethumb is a living community that promises to put unforgettable work in your hands and on your wall. They offer various prices and styles and feature established and emerging artists.
Based: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Founded: 2009
Style: Fine art
Shipping: Global
4. SINGULART
The Singulart founders scour the world for the best in art and bring the results directly to their online community of enthusiasts and collectors. In a welcomed move toward complete transparency, they keep the artists themselves squarely in the loop at every stage of the process.
Based: Paris, France
Founded: 2017
Founders: Vera Kempf, Brice Lecompte, Denis Fayolle
Style: Fine art
Shipping: Global
5. Art.com
The name pretty much says it all. Thankfully, Art.com’s operation does far more than merely capitalising on a valuable domain name. Indeed, this is one of the easiest and best places to buy art online.
Based: Emeryville, California, United States
Founded: 1998
Style: Fine art
Shipping: Global
6. State of the Art Gallery
This online gallery and marketplace started in South Africa and has recently expanded to Australia. They review local submissions one at a time and select what they think has the most potential. Think of it as a traditional high-end gallery exponentially diversified by the power of the Internet.
Based: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Founded: 2014
Founder: Victoria McGregor
Style: Fine art
Shipping: Global
7. TWFINEART
Brisbane’s foremost art gallery is also one of the best places to buy art online. Shop among their range of prints and original works, and rest assured you’ll be exposed to some of the hottest artists on the international stage.
Based: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Style: Fine art, Graphic design
Shipping: Global
8. Minted
Some retailers adapted to the digital tide while others were created by it. Minted is a perfect example of the latter. The online marketplace is home to many creatives who offer up their work for the public to vote on. Winning entries are then produced in various forms, including wall art and wedding invitations, giving you a great taste of affordable art.
Based: San Francisco, California, United States
Founded: 2007
Founder: Miriam Naficy
Style: Fine art, Graphic design
Shipping: Global
9. Etsy
Like an artisanal cousin to eBay and Amazon, Etsy is ideal for artists and galleries to reach out directly to collectors. Naturally, the affordable art selection is virtually endless. To call Etsy one of the best places to buy art online would be more or less redundant.
Founded: 2005
Style: Direct-to-consumer, Affordable art
Shipping: Global
10. 20×200
Since 2007, 20 x 200 has lived by one core motto: “Art for Everyone.” Such a warm welcome practically obliges people from all walks of life to partake, and the site offers a full spectrum of styles and prices to ensure no one gets left behind.
Founded: 2007
Style: Fine art, Affordable art
Shipping: Global
11. Tappan
In art, it’s all about the next big thing, and Tappan has its fingers on the world’s pulse. Come here to buy the best emerging and affordable art before it costs ten times as much.
Based: Los Angeles, California, United States
Founded: 2012
Style: Fine art, Graphic design, Affordable art
Shipping: Global
12. Society6
Buying great art doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. In addition to the latest gadgets and apparel, online retailer Society6 offers a completely affordable range of brilliant art prints. Find the ones that speak to you, and let them enrich your life and your decor.
Based: Santa Monica, California, United States
Founded: 2009
Style: Fine art, Graffiti, Graphic design
Shipping: Global
13. 1xRun (One Times Run)
Working exclusively on limited-run pieces, 1xRun is the premier online art dealer for rare or one-of-a-kind works. Most pieces have a graffiti or streetwear vibe, but you can also score some pretty handy pieces from photographers and traditional modes.
Based: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Founded: 2010
Style: Graffiti, graphic design prints
Shipping: Global
14. YellowKorner
This photography-based online art dealer is for the true purist. The artworks start at around $200, but prices jump for the more recognised producers.
Based: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Founded: 2006
Style: Photography
Shipping: Global
15. Zatista
If you are a fan of fine art and looking for a place to buy art online, Zatista might be your best bet. The curated collection offers a range of artworks from established and emerging artists perfect for home decorators, designers, and art lovers alike.
Based: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Founded: 2006
Style: Fine art
Shipping: Global
16. Sebastian Foster
Based in Austin, Texas, Sebastian Foster is the brainchild of founder Lad and his good friend and artist Matte Stephens. After nearly 10 years in business, the online operation has emerged as one of the best places to buy art online. The collection features artists from over 20 US states and 11 countries.
Based: Austin, Texas, United States
Founder: Lad
Style: Modern, Fine art
Shipping: Global
17. Saatchi Art
Los Angeles-based Saatchi Art makes shopping for drawings, paintings, sculptures and photographs a breeze through a tremendously approachable layout. Their team of curators find the latest and greatest artists from around the world and brings them straight to your computer screen and then to your door. Expect a full range of styles, prices, in-depth articles, and videos.
Based: Santa Monica, California, United States
Founded: 2010
Style: Classic, Fine art, Contemporary
Shipping: Global
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