Standard Art Print Sizes to Sell

When selling digital art prints on Etsy, or other online marketplaces, one of the key decisions you’ll need to make is what size to offer your prints in. While there are a wide variety of sizes to choose from, there are certain standard sizes that tend to be the most popular size and widely used in the art world.

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at some of these standard art print sizes to sell on Etsy and explore the pros and cons of each.

Whether you’re a seasoned Etsy seller or just getting started with art online yourself, understanding the most popular art print sizes can help you create prints that appeal to a wider range of customers and increase your chances of making a sale.

Benefits of Different Art Print Sizes

While it might seem like more work at the start, providing multiple sizing options for your art prints can be a smart strategy for boosting your sales over time.

By offering different sizes, you set yourself apart from the competition and increase the chances of making a sale.

Think about the last time you shopped for art. Did you find an image that you liked only to discover that it would not fit the space you were trying to fill? Was it too big or too small for the space? 

Did you decide not to buy the print simply because it wasn’t the size you needed?

If you had the option to purchase the same print in a size that worked for you, would you be more likely to make the purchase?

The answer is likely yes.

As a seller, offering multiple art print sizes removes the potential obstacle of sizing, giving customers another reason to buy physical prints.

How to Size Printables

Printables can come in all shapes and sizes. When you consider what size printable to create, look at what sells the best in the category you’re trying to sell in.

Look at popular Etsy listings in your niche, and then choose sizes. 

You can also look at popular printing sites like Shutterfly. 

Shutterfly is one of the most popular online printing websites in the world. According to the site, the most popular sizes it deals with are:

• 10” x 8”
• 10” x 14”
• 12” x 12”
• 24” x 10”
• 36” x 12”
• 20” x 16”
• 20” x 30”
• 24” x 36”
• 16” x 16”

Popular Art Print Sizes

The top three print sizes, in order of popularity, are 10” x 8”, 10” x 14”, and 12” x 12”.

Shutterfly says the 10” x 8” canvas print is suitable for fill-ins on art gallery walls. What’s more, it works well in both landscape and portrait orientation. 

The 10” x 14” is a popular choice because it’s an enhanced version of a 5” x 7” print size. An important thing to note is the importance of the aspect ratio when creating art prints, as this matters just as much as the size of the art print itself.

The 12″ x 12″ art print size is a popular choice among customers and artists alike, thanks to its versatility. This size is well-suited for displaying a single image or creating a photo collage. Additionally, like the 10″ x 8″ canvas, the 12″ x 12″ canvas is ideal for filling small spaces within an art wall. These factors make it a great option for customers who want to add a pop of color or a personal touch to their space without overwhelming it with large art prints.

Aspect Ratio

Using vector graphics software like Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator is one way to create art prints to sell online. 

Vector graphics software allows you to shrink or enlarge a print without distorting the image. By doing such, you can create several different-sized digital art prints from a single work of art.

The reason this is possible is because of the aspect ratio.

What is Aspect Ratio?

The aspect ratio describes how an image’s width relates to its height.

The aspect ratio is different from the size because different-sized items can have the same aspect ratio. By the same token, two images with the same aspect ratio can be completely different sizes.

For example, a 12” x 12” print is a different size than a 16” x 16” print. However, the two size prints have the same aspect ratio of 1:1.

The same can be said for an 8” x 10” print and a 16” x 20” print. In this case, the two images have the same aspect ratio of 4:5.

Art Print Sizes and Aspect Ratios

1:1 Ratio: For any print which is 1 x across the bottom and 1 x up the side

• 10” x 10”
• 12” x 12”
• 14” x 14”
• 15” x 15”
• 16” x 16”
• 18” x 18” 
• 20” x 20”

2:3 Ratio: For any print which is 2 x across the bottom and 3 x up the sides, e.g. 4x6in or any combination of the same

• 4” x 6”
• 6” x 9”
• 8” x 12”
• 16” x 24”
• 20” x 30”
• 24” x 36”

3:4 Ratio: For any print which is 3 x across the bottom and 4 x up the sides, e.g. 6x8in or any combination of the same

• 6” x 8”
• 9” x 12”
• 12” x 16”
• 18” x 24”

4:5 Ratio: For any print which is 4 x across the bottom and 5 x up the sides, e.g. 4x5in or any combination of the same

• 4” x 5”
• 8” x 10”
• 12” x 15”
• 16” x 20”

5:7 Ratio: For any print which is 5 x across the bottom and 7 x up the sides

• 5” x 7”
• 10” x 14”
• 20” x 28”

Other aspect ratios include 2:1, 3:1, and 5:6.

Knowing your aspect ratios will make it a lot easier for you to create your prints and even printables. When you know and understand aspect ratios, you can create several different-sized prints through resizing.

Standard Art Print Sizes to Sell on Etsy

Etsy is an international marketplace, so figuring out the most popular print sizes will depend on two variables. What type of digital prints are you selling, and who are you selling to? 

One thing to keep in mind as you are creating is that while Americans measure items in inches, many other countries, including Great Britain and Australia, use the metric system.

Below are some of the most popular types of digital prints on Etsy today, including the most popular sizes for American shoppers and shoppers who use the metric system.

Planners

Planners are another popular form of digital file sold on Etsy, and they can also come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

White Space Design Studio has a write-up on the different planner shapes, popular brands, sizes, and the paper that goes into them. Jacqui explains that Personal (3.75” x 6.75”), Medium (A5/Half-Letter Page), and Large (U.S. Letter Page) are by far the most popular on the list.

Printables for Kids & Games

If your shop sells printables such as coloring pages or party games, there are two sizes that you want to remember. 8.5” x 11” and 4.25” x 5.5”. 

The 8.5” x 11” is the size of a letter sheet of paper in the U.S., while the 4.25” x 5.5” is half of that size, meaning two of those could fit on a letter sheet of paper.

When you’re selling printables like coloring pages or party games, you want to make it easy for the buyer. Easy means using the most common size of printer paper.

Digital Art (United States)

When it comes to selling digital downloads of art, size can sometimes be just as important as the image itself. The question of the best size for digital art was posed to the Etsy community several times. Here’s what Etsy sellers had to say.

One artist said that because she sells mainly in the United States, the most popular sizes for her digital wall art prints are 5” x 7”, 8” x 10”, 11” x 14”, and 16” x 20”.

Another artist in the same thread said 11” x 14” and 16” x 20” are by far her most popular sellers. 

A third artist said her bestseller was 24” x 36”, followed by 16” x 20”. She added that because so many artists stick to smaller prints, you can make yourself stand out by selling the larger sizes. 

Digital Art (Metric)

When it comes to selling digital art in the United Kingdom, Australia, and other countries that use the metric measurement system, artists need to understand the sizing system.

In the United Kingdom, sizes are often listed as A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A6, with each letter and number combination representing a specific size.

One seller says that A3 (42 cm x 29.7 cm), A4 (29.7 cm x 21 cm) and A5 (14.8 cm x 21 cm) are his best sellers. 

Another seller says A3+ is bigger and, therefore, a better seller than the others.

How to Size Digital Prints for Your Etsy Shop

When creating digital art prints, it’s often best to start with the largest size you plan to offer and then scale down to smaller sizes.

For instance, if you’re planning to sell prints in 30×24, 20×16, and 10×8 sizes, start by creating the 30×24 print. Since all three sizes have the same aspect ratio of 5:4, it’s easy to scale down from the largest size.

Another helpful tip is to choose file sizes and ratios that are appropriate for your printable. Instead of creating all possible sizes and ratios, focus on the most popular ones in your niche.

Use common sense to determine which sizes make the most sense for your artwork. Check out similar listings on Etsy to get an idea of the most common sizes sold in your category.

Finally, consider uploading a PDF with links to Dropbox or Google Drive to make it easier for your customers. This way, they can access all the file sizes you offer and simply download the ones they need.

By providing easy access to different sizes, you can improve the customer experience and increase the likelihood of making a sale.

How to Resize Digital Prints Step by Step

The tips are great, but how do you actually move from one size to another with the same aspect ratio?

Below are some of the most popular platforms and how to resize your digital prints on each.

How to Resize Digital Prints in the Free Version of Canva Step by Step

Step 1

Open the digital print you want to resize.

Step 2

Click “Create a Design” in the top right-hand corner of the dashboard.

Step 3

Type in the dimensions you would like to make in inches or pixels.

Step 4

Click “OK.”

Step 5

Select the digital print elements you want to resize by highlighting the design with your left mouse pointer. Right-click to copy.

Step 6

Right-click to paste the digital print elements into your new design and resize them to make them look how you would like in the new document. Your design will automatically save.

How to Resize Digital Prints in the Pro Version of Canva Step by Step

Step 1

Open the digital print you want to resize.

Step 2

Within that design, click on the “Resize” button on the top left of your ribbon.

Step 3

From here, you can manually type in the size you want to resize your design to, or you can select from the sizes Canva offers.

Step 4

Click “Copy and Resize” to create the new digital print size.

Step 5

Your new design will open in a new tab and automatically save.

How to Resize Digital Prints in Illustrator Step by Step

Illustrator costs money, but it may be the most straightforward and efficient program to use when you’re resizing digital prints.

Step 1 

Use the “Selection Tool” to select the image you want to resize.

Step 2 

Choose “Scale” from the “Tools” panel.

Step 3a 

Now you have a few options. You can click on one of the sides and drag to make the image wider or thinner. Another option, you can click on the top or bottom and drag to make the image taller or shorter. You can hold “Shift” while you click and drag to keep the image’s proportions the same.

Step 3b

You can also click “Transform” and create new values for the image size on the “X” and “Y.” When you press enter, the image’s size will change.

How to Resize Digital Prints in Photoshop Step by Step

Step 1

Use the “Selection Tool” to select the image you want to resize.

Step 2

Select “Image” and then select “Image Size.”

Step 3

Choose “Constrain Proportions” if you want to make sure that the image keeps the same aspect ratio.

Step 4

Choose the new width and height of the image. If you selected “Constrain Proportions,” the image’s height will change when you adjust the width and vice versa.

For more details on resizing images in Photoshop, click here.

How to Resize Digital Prints in Inkscape Step by Step

Step 1

Select the item that you want to resize. If you are resizing an SVG, you may need to group all aspects of the image before you resize it.

Step 2

Click “Object” and then “Transform.” The Transform Panel will open on the right-hand side of your Inkscape screen.

Step 3

If you want the aspect ratio to stay the same, make sure the “Scale Proportionally” box is checked before making your adjustments.

Step 4

Choose “Scale” and then select a percentage to adjust the width or height.

Step 5

Click “Apply.”

How to Resize Digital Prints in Windows 10 Step by Step

Step 1

Double-click the image you want to resize, and it will open in Photos.

Step 2

Click the three dots in the top right corner of the new window and select “Resize.”

Step 3

A pop-up window will appear asking you to choose one of three preselected sizes. You can also choose to customize your dimensions.

Step 4

If you choose customized dimensions, make sure you check the “Maintain Aspect Ratio” box to keep the aspect ratio the same.

Step 5

Save the resized image. If you also want to keep the original, select “Save As” when saving.

How to Resize Digital Prints on a Mac Step by Step

Step 1

Open the file in “Preview.”

Step 2

Click on the “Tools” menu and select “Adjust Size.”

Step 3

Choose the size that you want to adjust the image to.

Step 4

Click “OK.”

Step 5

Click on the “File” menu and select “Save” to save your changes.

Advice for Resizing Digital Prints

Every printable you sell should be at 300 DPI for the best print quality. DPI means dots per inch. In other words, the number of dots that a printer will lay out per inch of paper. 

By creating something that is 300 DPI, you are making an image with a lot of detail. If your image has a lower DPI, say 100, the print quality will be much lower, and the image will appear blurry or smudged.

When you make the largest image first and then scale down from there, you will avoid stretching out those dots per inch, thus keeping the image quality at its best.  

Fonts in Digital Prints

Graphics and images can be much easier to resize than fonts. That’s because fonts need to adjust their point size to fit the image. 

When resizing a digital image, remember that you also need to adjust the point size on all fonts.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, offering a variety of art print sizes can increase your sales and help you stand out from the competition. Starting with the largest size and scaling down to smaller sizes can save you time and effort in creating your prints.

It’s also important to choose file sizes and ratios that make sense for your artwork and your target market. When uploading your prints to Etsy, consider providing a PDF with links to different file sizes and instructions on how to download them.

By providing clear information and guidance to your customers upfront, you can minimize the need for back-and-forth communication and create a better customer experience.

Remember, the more you can do to make the process easy and straightforward for your customers, the more likely they are to buy from you again in the future.

Check out E-Printables if you want a more step-by-step guide to selling digital downloads on Etsy.

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