Art Print Sizes Explained: Inches, Centimetres and What Fits
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Our sizes are listed in inches because that is how the print house works. If you think in centimetres, here is the whole range converted, plus what each size is actually for.
The full size chart
| Inches | Centimetres | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 × 17 | 28 × 43 cm | A narrow wall, a shelf, one of a pair beside a door |
| 12 × 16 | 30 × 41 cm | A desk, a hallway, a small cluster |
| 12 × 18 | 30 × 46 cm | The workhorse size for a gallery wall |
| 16 × 24 | 41 × 61 cm | Above a bedside table or a console |
| 18 × 24 | 46 × 61 cm | A single piece that has to hold a wall on its own |
| 20 × 30 | 51 × 76 cm | Above a bed or a two-seat sofa |
| 24 × 36 | 61 × 91 cm | A statement piece on a large wall |
Not every design offers all seven. Our romantic oil painting line stops at 20 × 30 in, because the original artwork does not carry enough detail to print larger honestly. We would rather leave a size out than sell you a soft one.
Ratio matters more than size
Every size above is a standard photographic ratio — 2:3, 3:4 or 4:5. That is not an accident. Standard ratios mean an off-the-shelf frame fits, and a custom framing bill often costs more than the print.
If you are buying a frame first, buy to the ratio, not to the centimetre. A 30 × 40 cm frame will not hold a 30 × 46 cm print, and trimming a print to fit ruins the margin the composition was designed with.
How to pick without measuring twice
- Above furniture: aim to fill about two thirds of the furniture's width. Our sofa sizing guide works through the arithmetic.
- On an empty wall: go one size larger than feels comfortable. Prints always shrink once they are on the wall.
- In a set: measure the whole block of frames, gaps included — not one frame. Five 12 × 18 in prints with 5 cm gaps span roughly 170 cm.
A note on paper size versus image size
The size you choose is the paper size. If you use a mount (a mat), the visible image will be smaller — usually by 4–7 cm on each side. Frame first, then decide whether you want a mount, or buy the next size up so the image still reads from across the room.
All sizes are printed on the same 180 gsm archival matte paper, made to order in the USA and dispatched within 10 business days.