People are wary of giving art. It is personal. It goes on a wall where the giver will see it on the next visit, or will notice that it isn't there. If you get it wrong, the other person is left with something large that they feel obliged to hang.
That risk is real, and it can be made small. A well-chosen piece is one of the most lasting presents there is. This guide shows how to choose when you are not sure what they like.
Look for clues first
You probably know more than you think.
- Their home. What is on the walls now? What colours are the sofa, the bedding, the cushions? Is the place spare or full? Modern or traditional?
- Their photographs. Pictures they post of their rooms, their desk, their holidays.
- Their clothes. Someone who dresses in black and grey won't want a pink picture. Someone who wears bright prints might.
- Their phone. The wallpaper and the case are things they chose to look at fifty times a day.
- Their interests. What they watch, read, play and listen to. Where they go on holiday. What animals they love.
- What they have admired. Anything they have ever pointed at and said they liked.
- People who know them. A partner, a flatmate, a parent or a close friend can answer in one message.
Ten minutes of this is worth more than any rule.
Safe subjects
If the clues run out, some subjects please nearly everyone.
- Landscapes. Mountains, forests, water, sky. The safest subject in art. Blue Mountain Fog is calm and suits almost any room.
- Space. Stars and nebulae appeal across ages. Light Nebula, Starlight City.
- Gentle animals. Frost Owl, Cosmic Deer.
- Soft abstracts. No subject to dislike. Liquid Metal Mist Pink, Chrome and Blue.
- Their city, or a place that matters to them. See Chicago skyline art.
Subjects to avoid without knowing
- Skulls and dark or gothic themes. Loved by some, disliked by many.
- Anything religious or political.
- Humour. A joke that doesn't land hangs on the wall for years.
- Faces and figures. People react strongly to them.
- Very loud neon, unless you know they like it.
- Text and slogans.
- Anything tied to a fandom you only think they follow.
None of these is bad art. They are personal, and need knowledge of the person.
Safe colours
- Blue is the colour most often named as a favourite, by people everywhere. Blue art is the safest colour choice.
- Neutrals. Black, white, grey and silver go with any room. See black-and-white art.
- Soft and muted is safer than bright and saturated.
- Cool colours are easier to place than strong warm ones.
If you know the colours of their room, choose a piece that shares one of them. See should art match the room or contrast with it.
Safe sizes
Size is where gifts go wrong most often. A huge canvas demands a wall the person may not have.
- Small to medium is safest: 11 × 14, 12 × 16 or 16 × 20 inches. It fits a hallway, a bedroom, an office, a shelf or a gap between windows. It can lean on furniture.
- Avoid very large pieces unless you know the wall.
- Portrait shapes are easy to place. All our canvases and posters are portrait.
Safe formats
- A framed poster. It arrives finished and ready to hang, so the gift makes no work for them. It looks complete. Black and white frames both suit most homes. See black frame or white frame.
- A small canvas. Also ready to hang, and light. It can stand on a shelf.
- A poster is cheap, and it leaves them to find a frame. Good for students and younger people.
- A tapestry is for someone you know has a big bare wall, such as a student.
See canvas vs poster vs framed poster.
Lower-risk ways to give art
If a picture for the wall feels like too big a guess, give the art in a smaller or more useful form.
- A desk mat. It is art, and it is useful. Anyone with a desk can use one, and it doesn't claim a wall. See desk mats for work.
- A keychain or a pin. Small, inexpensive and no commitment. See gifts under $20.
- A small print that can sit on a desk or a shelf.
Give the reason with it
A picture with a reason attached is far harder to dislike. Write a line in the card.
- "It reminded me of the mountains on your trip."
- "You said your new office had bare walls."
- "An owl, for the start of your course."
The thought is then part of the present. Many of our pieces have meanings you can draw on. See wolf symbolism, bird symbolism, koi and dragon symbolism and portals and doorways.
Or simply ask
There is no shame in it. Three ways to ask without spoiling things:
- Ask indirectly. "What colour are you doing the living room?" "Have you put anything up in the new place yet?"
- Offer a choice. Send two or three options and let them pick. They still get a present, and it is one they want.
- Choose together. For a partner, a parent or a close friend, looking through a collection together can be the gift.
A point about returns
Everything we sell is made to order. That means we can't take a piece back because the person didn't like it or it was the wrong size, and we don't offer exchanges. A damaged or faulty item is a different matter, and we put those right. So with made-to-order art, the choosing has to be done before the order. That is the reason for all the care above. See our refund policy.
When you give it, say plainly that they are free to hang it wherever they like, or to pass it on. It removes the pressure, and people are more likely to enjoy a present they don't feel bound by.
By occasion
- Housewarming: see art for someone else's walls.
- A colleague: something small and neutral for a desk. See new job gifts.
- A host or an in-law: a calm landscape in a frame.
- Someone who has everything: see gifts for someone who has everything.
A quick checklist
- Have I looked for clues, or asked someone who knows?
- Is the subject one that few people dislike?
- Is the colour blue, neutral or soft?
- Is it small enough to fit anywhere?
- Does it arrive ready to hang?
- Can I say in one line why I chose it?
If the answer to most of these is yes, give it with confidence. Each piece is made to order, so allow 2 to 7 business days for production and 3 to 7 for US delivery. Browse the framed posters and canvas art collections.