How to Download Free Vintage Art
For years I would buy vintage art prints on Etsy, until I found out that most of the time, this art is public domain and exists out on the internet FOR FREE if you're willing to do some searching.
Per the National Gallery of Art, public domain works “are available free of charge for any use, commercial or non-commercial, under Creative Commons Zero (CC0)".
I have nothing against small business owners capitalizing on this art! I just want to give you the option to look for your own vintage artwork if you please! These Etsy shop owners have done the searching for you, and I believe they deserve the (typically rather small) fee they ask to download the art!
But like I said, if you're willing to do some digging yourself, you can find some real gems!
How to Find Free Vintage Art
Museum Websites
My personal favorite museum to find art at is the Art Institute of Chicago. I find their search and filter options to be the most user-friendly. On this page, click the "Collection Page” link. Then, use the search bar to use keywords (e.g. winter landscape, snow trees), and use the filter to select "Show Only” > "Public Domain.” You can play around with different filters and keywords until you find something you love, then download it!
Other great museum websites with open access art are: The Met and The Smithsonian.
Google Image Search
If I see a piece of art I love and want to see if it's open access art, I use Google Image Search. It's just like a normal Google search, but instead of keywords, it uses pictures.
To start, search "Google Image Search” on your browser. Tap the camera icon. If you're on your phone, this pulls up the options to upload a picture from your gallery or use your camera to take a new picture. From here, you may see options to buy the art. You may also see links to a museum site, Wikimedia, or rawpixel. If you do, good news — those are all public domain sites! If not, the artwork may not be considered public domain at this time. But Google Image Search can help you find similar art that may be under public domain!
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Once you've found your art, it's time to decide where to print it! Read my tips here.
