Downloadable Art Round-Up: Little Girl’s Room
Here’s the thing: we’re likely looking at a much longer wait before we can make our move to our new house, which means more living in this in-between period. We’re blessed to be staying at our in-law’s house, but as we reach the 6-month mark of being here, I’m coming to realize the toll it’s starting to take on us all to not be in our own space with our own things. Trust me, if this process has taught me anything it’s that the material is not important. And even in saying that, we have everything we need here to be comfortable, safe, and cozy, so it’s not like we’re suffering by any means. But I can definitely tell that Mabel is starting to feel weird about this all. She remembers her items that we packed up in boxes with the promise of unpacking them all again soon. She has been a champ, but she’s understandably starting to feel the instability of it all.
As I mentioned, we’re likely looking at a long wait still ahead of us, so I figured there are surely some affordable and non-permanent upgrades we can make to her current temporary bedroom that make it feel more like her own. I’ll share more about that process in another post soon, but one thing I know can make a big impact for very little cost is some artwork.
Which brings me to this post. I purchased a couple of very affordable downloadable art prints, had them printed in a poster size to frame, and plan to hang them in her little room with command strips. It can make a big impact for a small investment. And I really do mean small. All of these downloadable prints are under $10 (CAD) to purchase and can be printed in a variety of sizes through an online printer. Inspired by my search, I decided I’d share a roundup of cute downloadable print options for a little girl’s room here.
Up In The Clouds - This print would be so cute blown up on a large scale and is extremely versatile in tone and style. I would even consider adding some custom elements once it’s printed, like painting in a few little birds or a sweet little rainbow to add some more whimsy.
Delicate White Flowers - This print is classic and sweet. I can picture it framed in a little wooden frame and nestled in a cozy little reading nook.
Creative Juice - This would be a great print for a creative kiddo! It’s playful and fun and would work well in a poster size above a desk or art station.
Pink Mustang - I picked this print because our daughter regularly talks about the fact that she wants to drive a pink car when she grows up and I thought it would make a cute homage to that dream. Of course it may be a phase, but one of the best parts about downloadable art prints are that they’re so accessible and affordable that you can easily change them out as your kiddo’s interests change as they grow.
Pink Castle - Another homage to my own daughter’s love of castles. I love that you can pick pieces that speak to their interests, but that still satisfy a longing to have interesting (and not necessarily childish) art in your spaces.
Hot Air Balloon - Such a simple and sweet illustration.
Mermaid - Downloadable art prints are a great way to hit on your child’s desire for a theme without the cheese. I know mermaids are a huge interest for many little girls and I think this print would be a great ways to speak to that.
Sunny Side Up - I love typographic art. I thought this one was playful and fun without being explicitly childish.
Balloon Animal - Pink. Holographic. Balloon animal. No other words needed.
Graphic Pink Flowers - This print is a simple way to add a good dose of colour to a space with very little commitment. This print also is sold in a set of three with two other similar prints, making it a great option for filling a big blank wall.
White Daisies - Sometimes simple and understated art can make a big impact. I like the simplicity of this daisy print and think it could make for a fun counting challenge for little ones who are trying to fall asleep.
White Geese - The illustrative quality of this print reminds me of a classic piece of children’s literature. I love how sweet it feels and think it would look great in a small format in a vintage frame.
Pink Dino Truck - This print is hilarious and speaks perfectly to the imagination and curiosity of a child.
How do you find downloadable art prints?
The beauty of downloadable art prints are that they are so accessible. The nature of the downloadable format means that they’re easy to produce and sell, meaning that the market is saturated with options. In some ways this can make it difficult to narrow down your choices and find exactly what you’re looking for, but on the other hand, it means that you’re pretty well guaranteed to find the perfect piece. In fact, the ease of production means that many creators even offer customizable options, which can be fun to explore.
So how do you find what you’re looking for, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for? My first piece of advice would be to take your time to browse. Keep your mind open to ideas and see what’s out there. You may come across something that speaks right to you without you being able to conceive of it before you started looking. That’s always a fun surprise! However, if you do need some guidance, try filtering the search results with a few parameters or filters. Consider using specific search terms that narrow in on your general preferences or ideas, like for example, colours or styles. To find the pieces I shared above, I included search terms like: pink, flowers, mermaid, vintage, graphic, kids, funny, etc. If you find a piece you like, take note of what terms it uses in the title and search for similar terms to see similar (but other) options.
Where do you find downloadable art prints?
There are many places to look, but my favourite place to start is always Etsy. It is a dense and saturated marketplace and there are tons of options. Most downloadable art prints I have seen on Etsy are under $10. Another place I like to look is Juniper Print Shop. The downloadable prints are more expensive (in comparison to most Etsy shops), but it’s well curated, high quality, and still very affordable when compared to pre-printed options. Also, consider just googling the term! You never know what you may come across.
How do you turn the downloaded print file into a physical piece of artwork?
This definitely does take more effort than simply buying a piece of art from the store, but it’s easy and very worth it. Once your purchase is complete, you will be given instructions about how to download your digital files. Most downloadable art prints come with files in a variety of scales and sizes so that you can print it at whatever size you’d like.
Once you have determined the size you want your piece to be printed at, you will need to upload it to a printing service. There are many options if you do a simple search on Google - Staples, Costco, and Walmart are highly affordable options (but the cost reflects the quality). You may be able to find a local print shop that is willing to print it for you if you call and ask. There are also online services that print and ship it right to your house, such as Pikto (one of my personal favourites), Vistaprint, or mpix. If you’re looking for a small piece of artwork, you may even be able to print it yourself on your home printer. This step does add an additional cost, but there are a lot of options in a variety of price ranges, so it’s up to you how much you want to spend and the quality you want the end result to be.
Finally, you can choose to finish off your print in any way you desire. You could pick out an affordable art frame from somewhere like Walmart or even thrift a frame from a secondhand store. You could simply pin it to your wall or fridge. You could build a frame (this article has some good ideas). The options are endless and can cost whatever you want. Once again, the beauty of downloadable art is that it’s easily accessible and affordable - you can make it work with your budget, space, and/or timeframe.
I’ll leave it at that for today, but am hoping to create a few more downloadable art print roundups with other themes in the coming weeks. I love sourcing ideas and creating collections like this to inspire you with ideas. Leave a comment if you have a particular room or theme you could use some inspiration for, and as always, feel free to ask if you have any general questions about downloadable art.
