As original art tends to come with a hefty price tag, many of us are driven to adorn the empty walls in our living spaces with prints and posters. And with a vast array of reproduced works available online in every conceivable style and size at affordable prices, it does seem like the obvious and practical solution.
But when it comes to art – and interior design – who wants to be obvious and practical?
The good news is the art world is beginning to wake up to the idea that original art should not be the sole preserve of the wealthy and privileged –and thanks to projects such as The Affordable Art Fair, everybody is now able to get a piece of the action.
Up-and-coming artists are able to promote their work to a widespread audience, while those looking for something more unique than a mass-produced print but with a limited budget are able to invest in great original pieces for less cash – and of course, you never know when an up-and-coming artist is going to ‘come up’.
But even under the new fashionable term of ‘affordable art’ original paintings still don’t come cheap – especially if you’re looking to fill a big wall with something striking. And this is where your own creativity comes in.
Yes, even if a B in GCSE art is about as far as your artistic talent has taken you, there are plenty of ways you can creative dramatic, original, eye-catching pictures and wall displays – and not one of them requires a paintbrush.
Here are 12 of our favourite DIY original wall art ideas.