Society 6 Shop
Art Print Review
I recently spotted a free worldwide shipping offer on Society6 and decided to take advantage of it to buy a framed print I'd been eyeing for some time!
And since it might be useful to other potential Society6 customers out there, I thought I'd write a review of my purchase...
Please note that the links to Society6 from this page are affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you buy a product from Society6 via one of the links. This won't affect your order at all. Thank-you in advance if you do make a purchase :)
The framed print arrived in a sturdy cardboard box (as shown above), and inside was simply the product wrapped in bubble wrap, and an order receipt. Nothing to write home about, but there was no damage to the product so the packaging did what it needed to do!
I was probably expecting something a little more artistic, but on the other hand, I hate excessive packaging so in that way, it's very good.
The print I ordered is called 'A certain kind of magic' and is currently (mid-2016) a very popular and often-featured design on S6. It had been on my wishlist for a while and I just love the burst of colour.
I opted for a 'Mini' size print with a 'Vector Black' frame. This cost $36 in total.
I ordered from the UK but luckily no customs fees were charged this time...phew!
I do get charged import tax and customs fees on most of my international orders unfortunately, but that's the chance you have to take (unless you keep your purchase under £15 of course).
It took no longer than 3 weeks to arrive, which included a few days in 'production'. That's pretty good for the long distance it traveled, so no complaints there at all.
Looks fabulous, huh?
The description for the product on the website was as follows:
"The Vector frame is made from solid wood with a contemporary, angular profile measuring 0.87" wide x 0.87" deep. A gesso coating gives the moulding rich color and a smooth finish. Premium shatterproof acrylic protects the art print, while an acid free dust cover on the back provides a custom finish. Includes wall hanging hardware.
Paper size 8" x 10". Printed area 6" x 8". Framed fine art print on natural white, matte, ultra smooth, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using an advanced digital dry ink method to ensure vibrant image quality."
This description proved to be accurate; the image is certainly vibrant and has excellent crisp detail, plus all of the measurements stated in the description are correct. The print is exactly how I expected it to look going by the image on the computer screen, and the colours haven't come out muted at all.
Since this print is all about that (literal) burst of bright colour, it's vital that the colour saturation is spot on...and it is!
I have to say it has exceeded my expectations in terms of image quality and so I'm very pleased with my purchase.
The frame is smooth and matches the print very well. On very close inspection, there is a tiny dent on the top edge, and a few even tinier marks on an inside edge that looks like something has scraped over it. It's not perfect, but you really have to look hard to find the defects; they're not noticeable when the art is on the wall.
The only other time I've ordered a frame online (from a different shop) there were a couple of tiny marks/dents on that too, so I'm starting to think that frames are just really hard to ship totally damage-free!
Note: If you'd like to know exactly how much space this particular frame would take up on your wall, then the answer is an area of 11.5" x 9.5"
You can buy framed or unframed paper prints on S6, as well as canvas prints.
The art prints are available in Mini, Small, Medium, Large and X-Large sizes, whilst the framed prints are available in Mini, Small, Medium and Large sizes (where the medium and large prints are gallery-quality Giclée prints).
Canvas prints are Small, Medium or Large.
If you opt for a framed print, you get a choice of 8 frames. The choice is as follows:
Scoop Black
Scoop White
Vector Black
Vector White
Vector Red
Conservation Walnut
Conservation Pecan
Conservation Natural
....All of which are shown in the image below going from left to right, top to bottom.
It's so handy that Society6 allows you to preview how the print would look inside every available frame design. This way, you can see which looks best before you buy, and makes the decision a lot simpler!
Prior to making this order, I had purchased an unframed art print - this time of one of my own photographs called Through The Window - and decided to buy a frame separately.
However, I personally preferred buying the print and frame together in one go since it was altogether a quicker process, and much more convenient. Plus, due to the free shipping offer I made use of, it didn't even cost me more compared to getting the print framed myself.
The size I chose for the unframed print was 'Small', which measures 17" x 13". It came rolled up in a sturdy cardboard tube and so was in perfect condition on arrival... but it did have to be unrolled, laid flat and weighed down at the edges with books to reduce the curling of the paper.
I looked especially closely at the areas of solid dark colour on this photo to check the quality, and I have to say I was once again impressed.
If you're wondering about the frame I bought for this print, it's a black wood frame I bought off Ebay (for around £15 or so) and had the white mat border included.
All of the art prints on Society6 come with 1" of plain border for framing purposes, so it's just a matter of finding the right size frame, and (if necessary) trimming the white border of the print to get it to fit the frame perfectly.
The paper itself is nice quality; thick not flimsy, smooth and soft to the touch. And just like the other print that I ordered, the printed image is a very accurate reproduction of the photograph as it it appeared on my computer screen.
Final Verdict on Society6:
I love that there is a good selection of frames and print sizes on the website, so creating a 'gallery wall' at home (which is very trendy at the moment) is a doddle.
I also appreciate the hassle-free shopping experience that Society6 provides, and I can personally say that when I have previously enquired about anything or had any problem, their customer service has been excellent; very helpful and prompt.
And apart from very minor dings on the frame, which I don't notice at all when it's hung on the wall, I honestly can't fault the product or service. I have been pleased with all orders I have placed on the website, and fully recommend them.
Lastly, I want to add that I do like the whole artistic community on Society6 and the ethos of promoting artists and paying them fair commission on every sale. That's always a good thing in my book :)
I hope you enjoyed my review!