Ideas for cheap art

[Gryphon]

To me, one of the things that distinguishes a nice interior from a mediocre one is good art on the walls. Unfortunately, it can be a budget buster.
Here's  a few ideas for getting a high priced look on a low budget:

MATS. Its cheap and easy to cut a mat, anyone can do it. Framed photographs should ALWAYS be matted. In fact, with the possible exception of true paintings or mixed media pieces, almost everything should have a mat. Nice, inexpensive frames are available from most art stores (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore).

If you can get your hands on auction house preview catalogs, the pages from them can make great prints.

Postcards. Nicely matted and displayed in good frames, postcards can be a great way to fill wall space. I've hunted ebay to find antique examples of places that have meaning to me. Same goes for greeting cards.

Your own photography. Black and white prints of places you see along your travels are great conversation pieces.

Calendars. Again, framed and matted, pages from nice calendars make good hangings.

Online. Ebay has great art for low prices.

DONT EVER hang cheap imitations of famous artists work. No matter that you love the Mona Lisa or "Sunflowers"...easily recognizable works scream cheap ripoff!

Scan the aisles of Homegoods, TJ Maxx, and similar stores for unusual low cost items.

Think outside the box. Ive seen screens/room dividers hung on the walls of tall spaces. Old doors or windows can look neat. Simple shelves, artfully arranged with items, are a great look.

[~Daisy~]

I have gone to places like Hobby Lobby and bought a poster version of neat artwork. The posters themselves are very inexpensive, then I have them mounted in nice frames so that they don't look like posters (and often spend a sizeable amount on the frames, but its still cheaper than buying original artwork!). It seems to pass the test.

[Sunny]

They sell a lot of prints, posters, & artwork at IKEA, at affordable prices also.

http://www.amazon.com/Loss-That-Forever-Lifelong-Mother/dp/0452272688/ref=sip_rec_dp_3/104-7737069-4816748?ie=UTF8

[Red Haired Girl]

They used to have a "Starving Artists" auction in Bluefield every year.  i have bought some really nice original art in nice frames there... and for not so bad prices!
The auction was usually in the winter, and was at one of the larger motels... are would be set up, and people would come in, look at the art, and after a while the auction would start... it was pretty neat ... fun to go and watch even if you never bid on a single piece.

Also, there are several local artists who set up in places like the Women's Expo, and art and craft shows around the area.  i like to go to those and shop, too.....

[~vxn~]

the art on my walls is created by my children.... (or photos i have taken and made posters or 8 x 10s of....) i have a painter, a crayoner and a contruction paper gluer.... lol....

[Red Haired Girl]

~vxn~, I am a kindergarten teacher... that sounds like my kind of art. :-).... I am sure that your little ones are proud of their displayed work, and will work even harder on the next pieces to grace your walls.

[Isabelle]

My refrigerator has "little ones" art work everywhere.  Any one think I should refer to her as lil Isabelle?

The idea of matting the front of cards was a very good one. I used it all the time and I thought I was being sneakie.... 

I love all the other great ideas also.  Thanks

[tallulahdahling]

Buy inexpensive lamp shades in neutral colors and paint them yourselves--get the kids to help!

[Sunny]

Buy inexpensive lamp shades in neutral colors and paint them yourselves--get the kids to help!

My MIL does these types of hings...and her home is always so warm & comfy. She also makes her own curtains, shams, table cloths, etc..

[followsthewolf]

My wife makes most of those things, but her forte' is braided wool rugs and quilts.

[Sunny]

Oooh...when do I get to meet your wife? 

I would love to learn how to quilt...I'm luckey to sew on a button for right now.

[Pa Kettle]

For music lovers, you can make either a great cocktaiil tabletop, or large art mat by taking old or second hand CDs, breaking some and leaving others whole, and making a mosaic.
Paint the tabletop black, and arrange the whole and broken CDs to your taste with some pieces showing the label side, and some showing the recorded side.
       Finish off with a glass top.
Old 45 rpm records used similarly make a great game room bar top.

You can make another interesting cocktail table top using playing card "hands" fanned out, and poker chips, coins, and dollar bills tossed here and there---again covering the design with a snugly fitted glass top.
Before decorating, the table can be covered with some colorful felt at a minimum expence.
       Irregularly sized pieces of torn brown paper bags can be overlapped and deccopaged over a cocktable or end table top for a sueded look, too.

Old silverware handles cut and ground for smoothness and length  make great drawer and cabinet door pulls in any room that features antiques or more obviously, a kitchen.

Oddly enough at rummage sales and flea markets, old magazine print ads bring good money by themselves, but the whole magazines themselves usually don't bring squat.
      When you can find 50's 0r 60's circa sporting, hobby, Hot Rod, or fashion mags, they usually have several print ads that can be framed individually or as a collection to great effect.






Believe it or not, a glass urn or vase can be partially filled with broken colored soda bottle glass for a neat effect.

[~Daisy~]

OOH I like the idea using broken CDs. I have so many that are scratched to the point that nothing will ever get them to play again...and some that my kids have stepped on somehow. I haven't pitched them YET, because I hate throwing things away.

Great stuff!