How to choose literary art prints
A literary print should make a book lover smile and a visitor ask what it is. Here is what to look for, from the scene to the paper, so the print you buy is one you will still like in ten years.
The print from this post.
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Choose a scene, not just a quote
A famous line on a plain background is easy to find. A scene is harder to find and says more. Look for the moment a reader remembers: a tea party that never ends, a lamp-post in a snowy wood, a figure on a Whitby cliff. A good scene print needs no caption to be enjoyed and rewards a second look.
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Match the style to the book
The best literary prints borrow the look of the book's own century. A Victorian novel suits a wood engraving or an etching. A fairy tale suits a colour wood engraving. A gothic horror suits the deep black of a mezzotint. When the style fits, the print feels like a page from an old edition, not a poster.
Look for the story behind it
Ask what inspired the picture. Our prints carry a typeset caption naming the book, the moment and the artwork that inspired the style, and a QR code to a page that tells the whole story. A print you can explain is a print you will want to show people.
Check the paper
Heavy matte archival paper (200gsm or more) holds ink deeply and does not curl. Thin gloss paper looks cheap next to a book. Our prints are made to order on 200gsm+ archival matte paper.
Pick a size you will actually hang
A4 suits a shelf, a desk or a small gallery wall. A3 is for a wall of its own. 12 x 16 inches sits between them. Our size guide shows each on a wall.
More: Shop by book and Shop by style.
Questions
- What is a literary art print?
- A print of a scene or line from a book, usually in a style that suits the book's period, made as wall art for readers.
- What size literary print should I buy?
- A4 is the easiest to place and the best value, A3 makes more of a statement, and 12 x 16 inches fits standard frames.