When you turn art into prints, the process of creating high-quality reproductions of original artwork for sale. Also known as art reproduction, it lets you sell the same piece to dozens—or hundreds—of buyers without painting it again. This isn’t just about copying your work. It’s about turning time, effort, and creativity into a scalable income stream. Many artists think prints are for amateurs, but the truth? Top-selling artists on Etsy, Shopify, and even galleries make more from prints than originals.
What makes a print sell? It’s not just the image. It’s the print size, the standard dimensions buyers expect when shopping for wall art. Also known as art print dimensions, sizes like 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20 dominate sales because they fit standard frames you can buy at any store. Then there’s the digital art sales, the market for downloadable or print-on-demand artwork sold online. Also known as online art income, this includes everything from Etsy downloads to NFT-backed physical prints. You don’t need to be a tech expert. Tools like Printful, Society6, and even Canva make it easy to upload your art and let others handle printing and shipping.
People buy prints for reasons you might not expect. They’re not always buying your name—they’re buying a mood, a color, a feeling. A simple abstract piece in soft blues sells better than a hyper-realistic portrait because it fits more homes. That’s why artists who focus on turn art into prints succeed: they design with the buyer’s wall in mind, not just their own vision.
Look at the data: 8x10 prints move fastest because they’re affordable. 16x20 brings in the most profit per unit. 20x24 is growing fast as people upgrade from IKEA art to real artist prints. And digital downloads? They have near-zero overhead. One file, sold a thousand times. No shipping. No inventory. No returns.
You don’t need a gallery. You don’t need a studio. You just need one strong piece of art, the right size, and a simple way to get it in front of buyers. The posts below show you exactly how other artists did it—from pricing guides and print size stats to platforms that actually pay and techniques to make your art look professional without spending a fortune.
Learn how to turn your original art into high-quality prints with step-by-step guidance on scanning, color matching, printing, signing editions, and selling your work-without expensive equipment or professional help.