iStyle: Artists against the wall

Original works don’t have to cost a fortune, as Trish Lorenz discovers

Art is a great way to personalise your interiors and if you’re looking for affordable original work there are several arts events that are worth a visit this week. The annual graphic-arts festival Pick Me Up at Somerset House (somersethouse.org.uk) began yesterday and the London Original Print Fair (londonprintfair.com) opens at the Royal Academy of Arts on 25 April. .

Original prints aren’t copies of paintings, they’re works of art specifically created to be printed. Woodcuts or linocuts, engravings, etchings, lithographs and screenprints are the most common forms and because there is usually more than one of each image, prints can be an affordable way to own a piece by a big-name artist.

For those who can’t make either event, take a look online. Culture Label (culturelabel.com) offers a selection of original pieces from leading artists. Signed and Original (signedandoriginal.com) also has a broad range – and if street art and graffiti are your thing, Incandescent Artists (incandescentartists.com) is worth a look.