Guide
Artwork sizing guide: how big is big?
Size decides presence. A brilliant small study can disappear on a living-room wall; a mediocre large canvas can hold a room. Before you paint, print, or price, know what each size actually feels like.
Small — under 40 cm / 16"
Reads as intimate. Best in clusters (salon walls, shelves, hallways) or as gifts. Rarely commands a serious price on its own unless the artist is well known.
Medium — 40–90 cm / 16–36"
The Etsy sweet spot. Big enough to anchor a bedside, above a desk, or as one of a pair over a sofa. Ships flat, frames without special hardware, and photographs well at web sizes.
Large — 90–150 cm / 36–60"
Statement scale. One piece owns the wall. Higher price ceiling but higher shipping cost — cardboard triangle tube for canvases, crate for glass. Photograph next to a doorway so buyers read the scale.
Monumental — over 150 cm / 60"
Museum and gallery territory. Requires art handlers, freight, and often a client with a specific wall. Sell with a scale reference (person or door) in every image.
Show the size, don't state it
"60 × 80 cm" means nothing to most buyers. A true-scale wall mockup means everything — the same 60 × 80 next to a doorway reads instantly. That's what detailshots does.