How to Print Digital Wall Art

You have bought a digital print and there is a file on your computer. Here is exactly what to do next, whether you are printing at home or having it done.

Choose matte, not gloss

For soft, illustrated artwork, matte paper is almost always the better choice. Gloss adds contrast and reflections that fight watercolour-style work, and it shows every fingerprint.

Ask for matte photo paper or a heavy matte card, ideally 200–250 gsm. That weight is what makes a print feel bought rather than printed.

Printing at home

Home printing is fine up to A4. Load good matte photo paper, and in the print dialogue choose Actual size or 100% rather than "fit to page", "fit" quietly scales the image and can crop it.

Set the paper type in your printer settings to match what you loaded. Skipping that step is the most common reason a home print comes out dull or over-inked.

Getting it printed

For anything above A4, a print service will beat a home printer for very little money. Almost every country has an online one that posts to your door, and most high-street print and copy shops will print from an emailed file or a USB stick. Photo counters in large supermarkets and pharmacies handle the standard sizes like 8×10 cheaply.

Ask for matte, and tell them not to auto-crop or auto-enhance. Both will alter the artwork.

Or skip the printing entirely

If you would rather it simply arrive, we print any design as a poster, framed print or stretched canvas and post it to you. Each order is produced by the printing partner nearest you rather than shipped from one country, so it arrives in days rather than weeks wherever you are.

Framing on a budget

Inexpensive frames in 8×10, A4 and larger are sold by most large homeware and department stores. A frame with a mat will make a modest print look considerably more expensive than it was.

Keep frames identical if you are hanging more than one. That consistency does more for the finished look than the price of the frame.

Rather not print it yourself? We will have any design framed and posted to you, printed close to wherever you are.

Choose a design

Common questions

What paper should I use to print digital wall art?

Matte photo paper or heavy matte card, ideally 200–250 gsm. Matte suits soft illustrated artwork better than gloss, which adds reflections and shows fingerprints.

Where can I get digital art printed?

Any online print service that posts to your address, or any local print and copy shop. Most will print from an emailed file or a USB stick. Photo counters in large supermarkets and pharmacies cover the standard sizes such as 8×10.

Why did my print come out cropped?

Almost always the "fit to page" setting, which scales the image to the paper and trims the edges. Choose "actual size" or 100% instead, and make sure the paper size matches the print size you want.