Engineering Prints as affordable art
Originally published September 15, 2020
Filling your walls with art is one of the most effective ways to bring a space to life, but it’s no secret that investing in beautiful art can get expensive quickly. If you’re looking for an affordable solution to help fill some of your blank walls, this simple DIY only requires a few steps.
1. Find your perfect piece
To start, I recommend sifting through downloadable art on sites like Etsy. While there are loads of shops that sell physical prints, the price can increase dramatically when larger sizes and shipping are involved. When you purchase a digital download, you get to choose what size you’d like (I always suggest looking at the size options before buying) and where/how you’d like to print it.
2. print it!
One of my favourite little tricks to printing large-scale art for a fraction of the price is engineering prints.
An engineering print is a large-scale, (usually) black and white print made specifically for architectural plans, line drawings, and landscape designs. At the time of posting, the price at Staples for a simple black and white print ranges from $2.69 - 10.99 (depending on the size you choose), but a 24x36” is only $5.39 CAD + tax per print. Keep in mind that you want to look specifically for options that will print well in black & white for this price point. You can print engineering prints in colour, too! I’ve done this in the past, but the price is higher so depending on what you’re looking for, you may prefer to go with a better quality paper/printer (not an engineering print, which is quite thin). Given the popularity of simple line drawings, typography, and neutral schemes, it’s a really fun way to try something new without investing a ton of money. If you’re in Canada, you can find a link to get started through Staples right here.
3. Accessible and affordable framing
I used this process to put together two large prints in our dining room and I’ve always loved the way they look. The one on the left was purchased, and one on the right is an illustration of my grandfather (drawn by an old friend of his) that I converted to a larger vector that I could scale up in size. We went for the medium (24x36”) print size and they fit perfectly in the largest version of the RIBBA frame from IKEA. These prints feel coordinated in matching frames leaned against our dining room sideboard, and create a casual statement that still feels polished.
If you don’t have the budget to purchase frames straight away, I love using washi tape as a creative way to hang and “frame” artwork. It’s also a great option for renting, particularly if you aren't able to drill or nail holes in your walls.
Using engineering prints is a great approach if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for when it comes to art but want something in the meantime. You can switch out prints depending on your mood or season without worrying too much about the cost and can recycle the paper if/when you’re finished with it. Here are a few of my favourite downloadable prints below:
