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The Dessine Art buying guide

Choosing art for your walls

Everything you need to pick the right paper, size, frame and mount, and to hang your print so it looks its best.

6 minute read
01

Choosing your paper

Every print is made to order with pigment inks. The paper you choose changes how the artwork feels on the wall.

Fine Art Paper is smooth and crisp. Museum Paper is heavier with a soft texture. Museum Canvas has the woven feel of an original painting.

Fine Art Paper

A smooth matte paper with crisp detail and rich colour.

  • Smooth, even finish
  • Sharp lines and type
  • Our most popular choice
Best for graphic art and posters

Museum Paper

A heavier, archival paper with a soft natural texture.

  • Gentle texture you can feel
  • Deep blacks and soft tones
  • Gallery-quality finish
Best for paintings and old masters

Museum Canvas

A textured canvas that feels like an original painting.

  • Woven canvas texture
  • Gallery wrap or floating frame
  • No glass, no reflections
Best for statement pieces
TipNot sure? Graphic art and posters look sharpest on Fine Art Paper. Paintings come alive on Museum Paper or Canvas.
02

Finding the right size

We print in five sizes, from 8 × 12 to 24 × 36 inches. Start with the space: measure the wall or the furniture the art will hang above.

Small sizes work beautifully grouped together in a gallery wall. One large print makes a calm statement on its own.

Shown to scale. Sizes are the print size, frames add a little around the edge.
8 × 12 in20 × 30 cmShelves, desks, gallery walls
12 × 16 in30 × 41 cmBedside, hallway
16 × 20 in41 × 51 cmAbove a console
20 × 28 in51 × 71 cmAbove a bed or sideboard
24 × 36 in61 × 91 cmAbove a sofa, a statement wall
TipCut paper to the size you're considering and tape it to the wall for a day. It's the easiest way to be sure.
03

Picking a frame

Our frames are handmade and arrive ready to hang. Choose a colour that echoes something in the room, such as wood floors, black lamps or white walls.

Canvas can be gallery wrapped, or set in a floating frame in any of our four frame colours. The canvas sits inside the frame with a slim shadow gap all round, so it looks like it's hovering: a modern, gallery finish.

For paper printsFine Art Paper and Museum Paper, with an optional free mount.

Natural WoodWarm and light. Suits almost any room.
BlackCrisp and graphic. Great for bold colour.
WhiteFresh and airy. Lets soft colours glow.
Dark BrownRich and classic. Made for old masters.
No FrameThe print on its own, ready for your own frame.

For Museum CanvasGallery wrapped, or set in a floating frame: the canvas sits inside the frame with a thin shadow gap all round, so it looks like it's hovering.

Gallery WrapCanvas stretched over a frame. No moulding.
Natural WoodFloating frame
BlackFloating frame
WhiteFloating frame
Dark BrownFloating frame
TipHanging several prints together? Using the same frame colour ties the wall together.
04

Mount or no mount?

A mount is the off-white border between the frame and the artwork. It's free on any framed paper print.

Your frame size stays the same either way. With a mount, the artwork is resized to sit perfectly inside the border, giving it a classic gallery look.

Same frame size
Without a mountThe artwork fills the frame, edge to edge.
Same frame size
With a mountThe artwork is resized to sit inside an even off-white border.
TipMounts suit detailed artworks and old masters. Bold graphic prints often look great edge to edge.
05

Hanging it right

A good rule is to hang art so its centre sits at about eye level, around 145–150 cm from the floor.

Above a sofa, sideboard or bed, leave a gap of about 15–25 cm and aim for art that's roughly two-thirds the width of the furniture.

Centre about 145–150 cm from the floor 15–25 cm gap About 2/3 of the furniture width Sofa, sideboard or bed
TipFor a gallery wall, lay the frames out on the floor first and keep the gaps between them even.
06

Caring for your print

Hang prints away from direct sunlight and damp areas such as bathrooms. Dust frames with a soft, dry cloth, and clean glazing with a gentle glass cleaner sprayed onto the cloth, never onto the frame.

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Common questions

Do framed prints come ready to hang?

Yes. Framed prints arrive with fixings in place, ready for the wall.

Does adding a mount change the frame size?

No. The frame size stays the same. The artwork is resized to sit inside the mount.

Which size should I choose above a sofa?

Aim for art about two-thirds the width of the sofa. For most sofas that means our larger sizes, or a pair or trio of prints.

Can I see the frame colours on my chosen print?

Yes. On each product page, switch between frame colours to see the artwork framed before you buy.

Ready to find your print?

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