Creating an Art Gallery at Home is Easier Than Ever
Advertising Disclosure: This article is sponsored by one or more of the featured brands.
For the past year or so, most of us have had to embrace a homebody lifestyle; however, with it came more time to spend on ourselves and our family. And like many people, this extra time permitted me to not only enjoy more creative arts, but also to make my own.
With my mind flowing full of ideas, I rekindled my passion for photography and drawing. And for the concepts that were too grand for my self-taught skills, I found ways to borrow the expertise of professional artists.
Now, I had a bunch of awesome stuff that I wanted to display and share with people, but most of it was in digital format. That’s where Shutterfly came into the picture (pun intended!) with its countless options for creating custom wall art from just about anything that can be uploaded.
I’ve used Shutterfly for more than a decade to print custom cards, photo books, and other small media, but this was my first time trying a large format style. It was so easy and turned out so nicely that I have more art prints planned for the remaining bare walls of my house.
I’d like to take you through the process of creating my first-ever custom wall art with the hope that I can inspire you to do the same.
Letting the Artwork Speak for Itself
I recently had an opportunity to collaborate with the very talented painter and illustrator, Brenda Chi, and she helped bring to life an idea that I’ve had marinating for a very long time. It’s an expression of my multicultural Asian-American upbringing that we lovingly titled “MSG Girl.”
At first glance, it’s a playful mash-up of savory icons, but if you look closer, you’ll see that Brenda added tons of details, including design elements inspired by vintage Chinese cigarette posters and delicate textures and weathering effects that give the piece an authentically antique feel.
I knew immediately that “MSG Girl” needed to be printed as large as possible so that everyone could see and enjoy even the most subtle details of Brenda’s creativity.
Choosing a Printed Format and Frame Design
Shutterfly offers a variety of wall art formats – canvas, metal, mounted, acrylic, and wood – all of which can be customized with your own artwork. There’s no right or wrong way to present your art; it’s all about personal style and the aesthetics of your home.
After uploading a high resolution file of “MSG Girl,” I used Shutterfly’s design and visualization tool to preview what the final product would look like, experimenting with sizes, mediums, layouts, and frames.
Ultimately, I settled on a mounted art board inside a floating white frame in an effort to preserve the original presentation of Brenda’s artwork. And since the frame configuration doesn’t include a clear cover, you can experience “MSG Girl” directly without any distortion or reflections. Please look, but don’t touch!
I’m very happy with how well the wall art turned out, from the accurate image reproduction to the sturdy construction of the frame – it really feels like it belongs in an art gallery.
If you’d like to try building your own artistic showcase, now’s the time to do it because Shutterfly is offering up to 50% off almost everything, and you can save an additional 5% with Slickdeals’ exclusive promo code GRABMY5, which is valid through the end of this year.
Although if you’re ordering a large format print like I did, you’ll save more money by foregoing the extra 5% and using promo code SHIP89 instead to receive free shipping on orders $89 or more.
Search the Art Library for Inspiration
If you’re not sure where to start, or don’t quite have your own artwork ready, you can always browse Shutterfly’s Art Library for inspiration or simply purchase the prints on display.
I chose a watercolor flower print with a contemporary black frame for my guest bedroom so that visiting family can feel refreshed and relaxed.
With Art Library selections, you still have the freedom to customize everything about the frame, and you can always replace the image for your own at the last step if creativity suddenly strikes.
At a minimum, we all have more photos on our phone than we know what to do with. So why not have our favorites bring a smile to our faces as framed artwork for the home. Complete and purchase your design by December 15th to have it arrive in time for the holidays.
Our editors strive to ensure that the information in this article is accurate as of the date published, but please keep in mind that offers can change. We encourage you to verify all terms and conditions of any product before you apply.
