Illustrated Prints

Illustrated Prints, Created from Original Paintings and Lettering

two line art floral prints in black frames, hanging above a cabinet

All of my Illustrated prints are created from original paintings - whether that's gouache florals, hand lettered quotes and typography, or glittering gold foiling, every single print starts life as a scribble in a sketchbook. I started creating prints from my paintings whilst I was still in university, and it was the sale of some of my very first British Bee Prints which gave me the confidence to continue creating designs and selling them in my shop. 

Art Prints - Made in the UK

a floral print hanging on the wall above a cabinet decorated with candles and a boquet of cottage garden flowers

Discover my selection of beautiful, Illustrated art prints, created from my original artwork. Every print is designed be me, and the printing is sourced right here in the UK, absolutely wherever possible. It's taken many years to hone the production of my prints, and I have experimented with many suppliers to find the perfect balance of brilliance, texture, resilience and cost to create prints that reflect the original artwork, will stand the test of time, and come at a reasonable cost to you!

Over the years, I've found it's important for every print to be printed with thick, sturdy cardstock, to prevent any wrinkling in the frame, and to give it some resistance to creasing and bending when it comes time to switch around frames or artwork. That's why I always choose to use 300gsm or above cardstocks (which are a similar thickness to greetings cards) when I source my prints.

Eco Responsible Prints

a daisy-style flower print with green background, sitting on a floral patterned background

I also try to use suppliers that work with Sustainably sourced papers wherever possible, to ensure that all paper products - no matter how long their lifespan - are responsibly sourced. To keep prints safe, dry and clean whilst on the shelves and on their way to you, they are packed in a cellophane bag made from biodegradable cellophane. Whilst recycling these is still not a perfect system - they will break down in industrial composting or inceration settings, which I believe is preferable to plastic for the time being. 

 Interested in more info on sustainability? Read the sustainability policy.

Digital, Giclee and Foil Prints

a print of a painted crane bird against a background of pink blossom, framed, sits on a bedside table

Choose from a selection of Digital, Giclee and Foil Prints, all designed by me, and carefully selected for beautiful quality papers, stunning finishes and affordability. 

What is a Digital Print?

My digital prints are created using a CMYK print process - this is similar to the way you might print using an inkjet printer at home. This method is a simpler, more afforable method of printing than Giclee or printing, which allows me to set my price points a little lower than traditional, archival style art prints, and gives you the freedom to switch up your styles more often than when investing in Fine Art prints. Nonetheless, these prints are printed on a wonderful, slightly textured paper with a thick finish, and rich colours that feel almost as if you could touch the paint texture on the paper. 

What are Foil Prints?

My foil prints are also printed digitally, using a CMYK print process to achieve the rich or subtle colours of my original paintings, but they are then finished with a layer of beautiful, shiny foiling to highlight certain parts of the design with a gold finish. This is perfect for twinkly, magical prints and Christmas designs! Foil prints come with a slightly "velvet" feeling coating, which gives them a deeper, richer colour and allows the foil to adhere correctly. These are best handled with care when framing to avoid fingerprints!

a gold foiled, celestial-motif print reads "to the moon and back"

What are Giclee Prints?

In contrast to digital prints, Giclee prints are designed to be much longer-lasting and fade resitant. They are printed on carefully selected paper with archival inks, to retain their clarity, colour and richness for a very long time. Giclee prints are generally more colour accurate, the dark hues are deeper, and the colours richer than digital prints, so they feel even closer to the original paintings. 

How I Make My Prints

annie, working on a painting of a pink flower on a black background

As an illustrator, all of my designs are created by me, starting life as a sketcbook illustration or a painting on paper. They are hand drawn and painted by me - typically using my favourite medium of Gouache paint. Then, I scan my paintings and manipulate the designs digitally to get the perfect, smooth background, crisp white areas and otherwise perfect and prepare them for print.

Then they are sent off to a selection of brilliant, UK - based printers, and printed using one of the print processes above to create the finished prints, made with FSC certified papers. Once they arrive with me, I put each print in a biodegradable cellophane sleeve, along with a sturdy backing board made of recycled paper, to keep it crisp and protect it from bumps. 

Curious how I scan and Digitise my paintings ready for print? My blog has the breakdown. 

Framed Prints

the corner of a gold-painted wooden frame

Finding gorgeous new prints for your space is the fun bit - actually getting them in frames and on the walls can be the painful bit! That's why I offer a small selection of simple, elegant frames in A4, A3 and A2 sizes. When shopping for prints, you can choose to add a frame right there in the product listing. Each of these frames is sourced from a UK company making frames in the UK, with wood and proper glass.

Whenever you add a frame to your print, your print will be mounted inside the frame, and will arrive wrapped in tissue paper, and carefully packaged with plastic-free paper bubblewrap. Occasionally, space inside the box may be filled with plastic void-fill: this is always repurposed from supplier deliveries giving it a second life, and is never purchased new. 

 

How to Hang Prints

hanging a print, using a tape measure to accurately measure up

Once your prints and framed and the layout has been planned, it's time to hang your prints! If you don't have a handy housemate or partner, making holes in the wall can be a bit daunting. I consulted my handyman for all of his top-tips on hanging prints evenly, equally and securely - whatever your walls are like. 

To ensure a perfectly hung print, you must know a few things:

What type of wall do you have?

It's important to know what type of walls you have before you hang your prints, because the type of wall dictates what tools and fixings are best to use. For example, stone and brick walls will need a drill & screws, where as plasterboard walls need a special plasterboard screw. Knowing your walls is also important to ensure you avoid any risks like wiring, pipes and even Asbestos inside your walls.

What are the measurements?

Eyeballing it is risky when you're making holes in the walls. To get perfectly hung prints, it's important to measure your space correctly! To get the perfect height, measure the distance from the floor to where you want the top of your frame to sit. Then measure the distance from the top of your frame to the hanging hook/loop. Take away the second measurement from the first - this number is the exact height to make your hole for your screw or nail. 

Learn More:

For the full lowdown on exactly how to mount perfect framed prints - follow my guide: How to Hang Perfect Prints

How to Display Prints in a Rental Home

annie, hanging a print of painted sunflowers, on a wall behind a dining table

When you are renting, it's not always possible to hang prints with nails and screws. Sometimes it takes a little ingenuity (and stop at the DIY store!) to find ways to add the colour and magic of prints to your home without damaging the walls. Here's 6 ways to display prints in a rental home that will get the home decor inspiration flowing!