Looking for the best places to buy art online? There is an abundance of online galleries, marketplaces and individual artists’ websites to choose from when looking for a painting to spice up your space. In this review, find the best art selling websites and all their unique offerings.
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Where to buy art online?
Buy from either an online gallery, a marketplace like Etsy or from an artists’ own website.
Buying from a gallery can offer many benefits, some galleries offer advisory services for those who want to collect art, but don’t know where to get started. Other galleries offer insured shipping with competitive rates and return policies so if the art doesn’t work in your space, you can return it.
On marketplaces like Etsy you’ll find an array of individual artists selling prints and originals. On print on demand sites like Society 6, you can buy open edition prints at a much cheaper rate.
Saatchi Art
This online gallery showcases over 1.4 million original artworks by a range of talented high profile and emerging artists.
Browse through artists’ profiles to see their listed credentials, such as the galleries they have shown their work in, the exhibitions they have taken part in and the publications that have featured them.
They have their own art advisory service and curated collections with the top picks from their expert curators. Saatchi offers a 7 day money back guarantee and low shipping costs.
They are one of the most popular and well known online galleries, with an active social media presence, so you can join their 1m followers on Instagram for some serious inspiration.
The to scale room view images give you the ability to see art in the context of a home setting, so you can envision what it will look like on your wall.
Artfinder
An online gallery that connects collectors with 7,000 independent artists from all around the world.
Find original artworks like paintings, prints, collages, drawings, sculpture and digital art. Artfinder provides collectors with enough inspiration, from their decor ideas list and their trending and popular artists.
You can use their payment plan service for artworks over £300, if you love a piece but can’t afford to pay for it all in one go.
The great thing about Artfinder is the community of emerging and independent artists. They even have a commission feature, so you can order something custom from your favourite artist. 15,000 new artworks are added each month, so it’s worth browsing their vast catalogue.
Etsy
Etsy is a popular online marketplace, but it’s also a goldmine for finding one off pieces by independent artists. From giant textured acrylic paintings, to delicate watercolours, digital paintings or prints. Expand your collection and get a sculpture! There are a multitude of talented ceramicists waiting to be discovered.
Artists can offer a range of options on their product pages, like framed prints, or mounted prints. All the prices for shipping and extra costs are listed up front and shopping on Etsy feels more casual than going to a big online gallery. Prices for artworks tend to be cheaper and you will find a greater variety when it comes to types of artwork.
Society6
Society6 is a marketplace of over a million pieces of art, so you can choose something authentic to perfectly fit your style and your space.
The great thing about Society6 is the affordability of the artwork. Find art prints for under £10! Plus, you can get art printed on your choice of surface, from paper to canvas, panel or even metal.
Redbubble
From cool illustrations to whimsical watercolour prints, Redbubble lists artwork from 700,000 artists around the globe. Search for mounted prints, metal prints, canvas prints, regular art prints, t-shirts, stickers and more.
Redbubble is incredibly affordable, with some art prints selling for under £10. Buy prints of original paintings, such as acrylic, watercolour and gouache, or a print of a digital illustration.
Rise Art
Buy art online from their gallery representing the best emerging and mid-career artists that are on the rise.
Take their art personality test to find art to suit your style and view their category listings of abstract art, drawings and prints. Shipping is organised by the artists, but buyers report that paintings are delivered quickly.
Another interesting aspect of Rise Art, is that you can rent some artworks, to try before you buy. This allows you to see artworks and get a feel for the scale, texture and other elements before you commit to buying. Hang your rented artwork on the wall to test how it looks in your space, if you love it, then you can buy it!
Affordable Art Fair
The world famous Affordable Art Fair sells art directly through their website. Since their first fair in 1999, they’ve sold over half a million artworks around the world. Their fairs take place in Hong Kong, New York, London, Melbourne, Singapore and more.
Their online shop exhibits thousands of artworks in a range of mediums, including oil, acrylic, collage, prints and photography. Art from their online gallery is affordable for fine art, some pieces come at under £100.
Artsy
Find your favourite artists on this online gallery, Artsy lists pieces from leading figures in the art market. Browse works by blue-chip artists such as Jeff Koons and the legendary street art of Banksy.
Their network includes the world’s leading galleries, fairs and auction houses. From the old masters, to pre 20th century, to contemporary street art, find all the big names on this site.
Christie’s
Head to Christie’s for online auctions of luxury and fine art by critically acclaimed artists. Prices can range from $200 to $100 million. Works by Monet, Matisse from Peggy and David Rockefeller’s private collection, fetched a record price for a single collection sale at Christie’s auctions.
Join an online auction to bid on works from the comfort of your own home—Christie’s hold around 350 auctions per year, so if the luxury fine art market is something you are interested in, it’s the place to go. Each item is researched, authenticated, the ownership history and condition is evaluated, then the artwork is priced accordingly.
Artplode
Connect with galleries, dealers and artists directly, with no commission charged, allowing sellers to keep 100% of their earnings. Browse through listings of quality originals, sculptures, prints and more.
Artspace
Listing works by internationally acclaimed contemporary artists, they have an email newsletter which gives exclusive interviews with artists and access to private art events. Shop prints, photos, paintings, sculptures and mixed media works on their online gallery. Artists include Orit Fuchs, Damien Hirst, Yoyoi Kusama, Banksy and many more.
Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s is the oldest and largest marketplace for luxury fine art. Buy art online from a number of esteemed fine artists. Sotheby’s sells in several ways, through auctions, private sales and on their ‘buy now’ emporium. They have a range of ‘collection starters’ priced at under £100 in their ‘buy now’ section.
Exhibition A
Exhibition A launches new artwork weekly in collaboration with contemporary artists. Their listings include a wonderful selection of archival pigment prints, silkscreens, originals and hand embellished reproductions.
Fine Art America
A marketplace where hundreds of thousands of independent artists, photographers, designers and illustrators sell their work. Choose from canvas prints, wooden prints, or regular art prints. Choose artwork based on your favourite style, like impressionism or abstract, or based on your favourite artist.
VSUAL
An awesome marketplace of prints to brighten up your space. Use VSUAL mockup feature to see the artwork in a room setting to help you envision how it will look on your own walls. Choose to mount and frame your print so it arrives ready to hang on the wall. Create a collector’s profile with this gallery to add to your own gallery and keep track of your favourite pieces.
Poster child prints
A print store selling a wonderful collection of limited edition designs at modest prices. It’s a unique online store with some cool designs. Read through artists’ profiles to get a feel for their style and inspirations.
MoMA Design Store
The Museum of Modern Art design store sells prints and reproductions of famous artists’ works such as Andy Warhol, Matisse, Rothko, Pollock and Gustav Klimt. Prints are made using advanced printing techniques, including screen printing, letterpress and digital printing.
Art Star
Using museum quality materials and pigments to create their quality, limited edition prints, Art Star’s team travel to international exhibitions, fairs and galleries to curate their unique collections.
UGallery
UGallery is an online gallery of prints and original paintings from artists around the world. Currently, around 300 artists showcase their work on this site, from bright colourful abstracts to tasteful still lifes, to relaxing seascape paintings, you’ll be sure to find something to suit your tastes.
On UGallery, you also have the option to commission an artist to get something bespoke for your walls. This site, while smaller than Artfinder and Saatchi, stocks work from some talented emerging artists that are worth checking out.
Citizen Atelier
An online gallery that curates works on paper, including prints, drawings and paintings with a focus on premium, arty photography. Pieces from Citizen Atelier collections hang in offices of Fortune 500 companies worldwide.
Singulart
Singulart is an online gallery that specialises in contemporary art and emerging artists. Visit artists’ profiles to see their credentials and and follow them if you like them! This gallery hosts flash sale events where selected artists’ works are sold at a low, discounted price for a limited time, look out for these if you want to buy art online, on a budget.
Artfully walls
Artfully walls is an online shop of art handpicked by in-house curators, sold at an affordable price. This site specialises in prints and creates awesome gallery wall layouts, which gives some inspiration for how to decorate your own space.
Minted
Minted is another print site that features work from a community of talented artists and designers that span over 100 countries. Art is sourced from this global community, the best designs are voted on then made into prints and other products.
Collect an assortment of fine art prints, including photos, drawings, paintings and digital works. This site is affordable and perfect if you want to create gallery wall setups.
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