I'm sitting in my office, sipping OJ from a glass that most people fill with something either white, red or bubbly, and thinking about my newly set up office and its alarmingly empty walls. There are already a few nails ready to have art hang on but I'm just so, so picky about my own home and what art to actually decorate it with.
I guess many people can relate. So how to deal with it?
Firstly, I'd go with something I can print at home, which is no surprise given that I myself sell printables. This way I can justify keeping it on only for a bit until I switch my mind or find something EVEN better than the last pick I thought was just the best. You know - the possibilities are endless. Also,... I love the seasonal change. Who doesn't?
So I decided to do an experiment and pick a wild card - or rather four cards, four printable wall art pieces that caught my eye. I'll be curious to hear your voices to see which one I should choose to get (you can vote on my Facebook page - I'll post about my office wall art choices there).
Here are my autumnal picks for my office. Bear in mind, I live in Scotland, tutor maths (in this very office I'm talking about) and love nature and the outdoors. But will it reflect my choices for the office wall decor? Let's see what I found - while starting completely from blank "printable wall art" search.
At first, a custom city map print (I wonder if they can supply a printable version - I'm sure it can be arranged) caught my eye. But we just moved and as much as we (my partner and I) love our new place, it's not just about the town for us. Or me - after all, it's my office (plus sports equipment storage) so it's my decision what to hang on the wall. So no, not a city map print just yet.
Oh, this wild browsing is giving me so many ideas for further collections I'd like to create on the web. Once done, I'll add links throughout the post to relevant collections - so perhaps come back later to check it out =)
Mini-break - I think the roasted chickpeas in the oven may need my attention. Also, I need more OJ.
What did I find next? Honestly, the first results are returning my previous searches - personalised nursery, botanical art, boho abstract in neutral tones... C'mon, I need something new and wild this time!
Here we are... art with incorporated golden elements. I think my search results are copying my secret Pinterest board where I just put randomly everything that catches my eye enough to press the save button.
Can't go wrong with some nude classic...? Or can I? This would bring back memories from my art classes at college. But while nudes were part of the curriculum, I never really had the need of hanging any on my walls. So let's move on.
Right, the first Highland cow art, which I can imagine to hang on my wall (and probably will end up with at least one at some point) is for some reason bathing in a tub...? No... That's just not what I'm after. And nor the cow, I'd say. But I get it - certainly an original spin on a very traditional farmhouse art featuring plushy sweet Scottish coo.
Moving on, I spot a watercolour wolf painting. I had a wolf painting in my room as a child. I think we might be onto something. Given that I love watercolours, I may just as well look for watercolour wolf printable wall art. Let's do it. The winner will be shown below - the first out of four.
While browsing through wolf art, a raven popped up for some reason. But that's not a bad thing - as I can see a watercolour raven on my office wall too. It would remind me Karel, a raven I know and befriended (let's face it, he was more excited about my partner for some reason but he's friendly with me too) who lives in an animal sanctuary in my home town, hence I don't see him often as I live very far from there.
I think we're getting a theme here, slowly. Let's look up ravens then.
Watercolour raven printables are a bit more niche - not that many options and not many available as a digital download. What a coincidence that my eye caught a raven painting that was offered by three different artists. I have no problem with that - I'm not looking for an original necessarily, I'm looking for something I just like. And of those three, this one was in a nice vintage finish so that's the winner. At least out of all the other ravens I saw. And my second contestant.
Mini-break - I think the chickpeas are done... Yep.
Now, what should be the third option? Let's get back to the original wild search before narrowing it down again.
Hmm, I have probably set my mind on something nature-outdoorsy, probably with a rather autumnal feeling - it's November, after all. Wolves and ravens are spot-on. Now a forest landscape popped up. Good move, random search, good move.
While I love walks in the forest and it'll be nice to have forest artwork on my wall, I don't want just any random forest or landscape. I'd rather it be something more geographically exact. Say Scottish forest or Scottish landscape (sadly, we do not have that many large and ancient forests here anymore... but we have absolutely amazing and breathtaking loch and mountains). But I can just go to these places and take my own pictures. Although they may not be as good as photos from professional photographers, I'd enjoy more the fact that I was there and took the photo myself. So I'll look up Scotland landscape drawings and paintings - and other types of art than photography.
Let's see what I'll be able to find - see the best one below, that's the third wild pick.
And while I was browsing, understandably, through landscapes with fluffy coos, one (well, a set of two) caught my eye. I'd need to check with the artist but I'm pretty sure I can see Urquhart castle over Loch Ness and the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. I've been to both places, I have my own photos, but a watercolour version? I'd say yes to that. So that's my third pick.
Now, what should I browse next? While the algorithm learnt (and re-learnt just now) what I'm clicking on, I'll try to find some different piece of art that I could see hanging on my wall. Something wild. Or not...?
A map showed up. While we already have a huge map of the world at home and I have a map of Scotland already hanging in the office actually, maybe I could treat myself to some prettier version. This one is just from a tourist centre - given as a gift, so it's got some extra value but still... I can have it folded in a drawer and hang some painted one or more personalised one instead.
Let's browse Scotland map printables.
Well, a whisky map of Scotland sounds nice but I don't really drink whisky (crazy, I know right?) so maybe something a bit else...
There we go! Scottish map with clans represented by historical clan tartans. I wonder if my partner will be able to find his grandfather's one.
That means I have four contenders - but which one will win? Help me decide - I'll post about it on my Facebook page, there you can choose your favourite. That I should hang in my office.
A disclaimer - I may or may not be swayed by the votes (as I may end up getting more than one or I may find something else in the meantime - there's so much printable art to choose from) but it may be fun to see what others would choose. And another disclaimer - It's Printable Art is an Etsy affiliate, by clicking on some links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you or the sellers.
Now, the final decision awaits - which of these four should I hang on my office wall?
Watercolour wolf painting to remind me of the wolf wall art from my childhood bedroom?
Vintage raven to remind me of my friend raven in an animal sanctuary in my home town?
Scottish landscape paintings to remind me of places I love and have been to?
Historical Scottish map of clans in matching tartan to reconnect with my extended family's history?
An update: The map doesn't seem to be available anymore - there are other alternatives to it so I'll leave the note about this option here for inspiration.
Decisions, decisions... Let me know your thoughts (check out my Facebook page)!
Btw, the roasted chickpeas were perfect, just in time for an afternoon "late lunch" before my afternoon lessons. And the article is done now too. An afternoon well-spent.