It might seem an obvious choice, especially if your budget is limited right now. But maybe there’s more to the decision than first appears.

Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons of both, as it’s worth giving it a little thought before jumping in and buying the cheapest option just because it’s the cheapest.

Originals

Pros:

• You’re the only person in the universe who owns that painting. Yes, there may be prints of it floating around, but ultimately, the original is the one that carries the energy of each brushstroke direct from the artist.

• Art is an investment. The value of the work increases as the artist continues their career. At some point, that original painting by that little known artist could be worth rather a lot more than you paid for it. {I’ll caveat this by saying I still think it’s best to only buy art you really love.}

• The original brings a little piece of that artist into your home - their beliefs, their loves, their experience, their learnings, their passion, their energy.

• An original painting can be a lovely centre piece in a room, and often therefore a great talking point too. Buying an original often comes with a good story - perhaps you met the artist at a show, or bought the work on a life changing trip somewhere.

• It’s the ultimate way to support an artist; you can guarantee that your purchase, while ostensibly about you, will mean a huge amount to the artist who created it, not just financially, but as a support of their heart’s work. You can’t really put a price on that.

• Original art is about more than decoration; at its best it lights you up or evokes wonderful memories every time you see it; it’s thought provoking or meaningful in some way. It carries energy the way a print doesn’t.

• Because of the energy factor, original art can help create a mood in a room. If you’re looking to make a calming sanctuary, for example, you can choose original work that supports that in its colours, textures, shapes and subject. Sure, a print can do that - sort of. It’s not quite the same though.

Cons:

• Original art is an investment, no doubt about it. It might need saving up for. Often artists or galleries will offer a ‘pay by installments’ option though, so it’s always worth asking. Sometimes there’s also the option to try a painting in your home to see if it feels right before committing to the purchase. Some artists, agencies or galleries will offer originals to rent.

• You want to be very sure you love it because of the investment factor. Typically we just know when a painting is meant for us, but sleep on it if you’re not sure. {But not too long! I ‘slept on it’ with a painting I loved once and someone else bought it. I still regret it, and can no longer afford the artist’s work!}

Prints

Pros

• Most obviously, they’re usually cheaper than originals. {With the exception of limited edition prints sometimes, or artists who are pricing their work too low!}

• They’re a quick and easy way to decorate your space.

• They’re more easy come, easy go; you can create a gallery wall of prints, and switch them in and out as the mood takes you.

• You can often get prints in a different size to the original, so you can have it larger or perhaps smaller, depending on your space. {See image above of The Crossing.}

• It can be cheaper to frame them if you decide to go for an off the shelf option.

• Prints are a way to own the work of an artist whose work you love while you save up for an original. They can be kind of a ‘gateway drug’ that way. ;)

• It’s still a lovely way to support a working artist.
  

Cons

• Lots of people will have the same print as you. This doesn’t bother some people, but it’s something to consider.

• You might value it less because of the low investment and the fact that it’s a reproduction. If it has less meaning for you, it’s not such significant addition to your home.

• Prints don’t carry the same energy of originals that I mentioned before. Energetically speaking, an original can shift the energy of a room with greater impact than a print.

There’s no judgement on whether you choose prints or originals for your home - I have both myself of course. We all have different circumstances, needs, and desires at different times in our lives. Hopefully this post has given you some food for thought.

If you’ve been wanting to buy something by me for a while but can’t quite stretch to an original at the moment, I have a selection of prints available of some of my most popular paintings. Just click the button below that works best for you right now!