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Royalty-free images of the arts

Make your next project a masterpiece by incorporating royalty-free images of the arts. By exploring Shutterstock’s vast library of royalty-free art visuals, you can feel as if you are walking the halls of a fine art gallery. Thousands of talented contributors regularly add drawings and illustrations in a number of styles, as well as photographs of stunning sculptures and other 3D art, images of paintings and masterpieces, and so much more. Read on for creative tips on how best to incorporate images of the arts into your next creative project.

Using abstract art as backgrounds on websites

  • When it comes to selecting an image of abstract art for your website background, try using color psychology to your advantage.

  • Keep the purpose and tone of your brand in mind. Looking for a background for a yoga studio website or other mindfulness-related site? Go blue. Studies have shown that blue has a universally calming effect. An abstract watercolor painting that has soft washes of varying shades of blue can thus work well as a soothing backdrop.

  • If, on the other hand, you need a background image for the website of an exciting new restaurant or brewery, red is the way to go. Commonly associated with passion and action, red conveys a sense of confidence and strength. Plus, studies have found that viewing the invigorating hue actually makes people hungry.

Using abstract art as backgrounds on websites

Browse art images

Trending art images

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All about art imagery

Art is deeply human. From ancient cave paintings to modern digital arts, people have long valued the beauty of creative expression. Art has the power to speak wordlessly to viewers, to stir their hearts and inspire their imaginations. Within the (virtual) walls of Shutterstock’s image library, you will see a vast array of artwork, from retro art to fine art, and everything in between. Whether you are looking for an abstract watercolor image to set as your website background, or an eye-catching sketch to share on your Instagram, Shutterstock’s stunning library of arts imagery is here for you.

Questions about art images


How to find high quality art illustrations?

With Shutterstock’s easy-to-use search engine, high-quality art illustrations can be found in a snap. Simply type “art” into the search bar. Select “Illustrations” from the “All images” dropdown menu. Explore the many results and select whichever high-resolution image strikes your fancy. If you have something a bit more specific in mind, you can further narrow your results by using Shutterstock’s intuitive filter options. Looking for an artistic rendering of the mountains? Add the keyword “mountains” to the search bar. Want an image that will fit in smoothly with your website’s blue color palette? Select the blue color square from the “Color” filter option. If you would like artwork that features children, select “Children” from the “Age” filter. If you would prefer a more abstract image, select the “Without people” option.


What are popular image searches about arts?

Popular image searches about the arts include: Fine Arts: This refers to art made mainly for the sake of being appreciated for its aesthetic, imaginative, or intellectual content. Sculpture, painting, and architecture may be included in this category. Edgar Degas’s paintings of ballerinas and Auguste Rodin’s “The Thinker” sculpture are examples. Abstract Art: This art does not attempt to closely mirror reality but instead focuses on the use of textures, colors, and forms to create an effect and stir a feeling in the viewer. Examples include splatter paintings by Jackson Pollack and watercolors by Wassily Kandinsky. Digital Arts: Digital art utilizes digital technology to produce creative content. This includes pixel art, digital photography, and more recently, NFT, which stands for “non-fungible token.” These tokens are unique digital files that function as certificates of authenticity for a given virtual object.


Can you reproduce artwork?

You can reproduce artwork if you follow copyright law. According to the United States Copyright Law, art is considered copyright protected as soon as it is created and fixed in a tangible form. This means that if you copy another artist’s artwork and then sell it for a profit, that artist is entitled to the profits. If the artist went a step further and formally registered the work of art before the reproduction was made and sold, then the artist is entitled to “statutory damages,” which can be a significant sum. If an artist has been dead for over seventy years, you can legally reproduce any of their artwork without fear of repercussions. If the artist is alive or has died within the past seventy years, you will need to ask permission from the artist (if the artist is alive) or the artist’s estate (if the artist is deceased).


What is the difference between fine art prints and reproductions?

The main difference between fine art prints and reproductions lies in the way each is made. When it comes to printing, the artist is directly involved in every stage of production. The artist spreads ink onto a surface that has been carved with the artist’s design. This carving serves as a template that the artist can then use to print the same image many times. There is no original that is being copied, which is why prints are often labeled “limited edition” and tend to be more expensive than reproductions. Reproductions are essentially copies of an original painting. They are usually made mechanically without the involvement of the artist, in large numbers in a short period of time. Posters of famous paintings, such as Klimt’s “The Kiss,” are reproductions. The price of a reproduction depends in part on the type of surface it is printed onto and the quality of detail in the print.


What do you need for digital art?

To get started, you will need a graphics tablet and painting software. When it comes to hardware, the three main categories are graphics tablet, display tablet, and “All-In-One” tablet. The graphics tablet is the least expensive, as it has only two components: a touch pad and a stylus, also known as a digital pen. These tablets do not come equipped with screens, so it is necessary to have a laptop or computer to plug them into. Display tablets are a bit more expensive because they come with a built-in monitor. You can use your stylus to draw on the screen, which tends to feel more natural than the touch pad of the graphics tablet. The “All-In-One” tablets go a step beyond the display tablets as they can also function as computers. Once you have selected your hardware, you will want to download your painting software. A wide variety of such software can be found online.

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