How to photograph and prepare artwork for Etsy.

Use soft, even light

Place the artwork near bright indirect window light or use two matching lights at roughly 45-degree angles. Avoid mixed color temperatures, direct glare, and harsh shadows.

Keep the camera square

Center the lens on the artwork and keep the camera sensor parallel to the surface. Use a tripod or stable support and step back slightly to reduce perspective distortion.

Include a neutral reference

A gray card or known neutral surface can help you correct white balance. Remove it from the final listing image, but keep the reference while editing.

Correct the photograph, not the painting

Adjust exposure, highlights, shadows, white balance, and crop until the screen matches the physical work under neutral light. Avoid filters that invent saturation, texture, or contrast.

Build a useful image set

Include a clean front view, close details, an edge or texture view, a scale reference, framed or room context when accurate, packaging, and any flaws a buyer should know.

Export and review

Use a high-quality color-managed source, create marketplace-ready copies, add a subtle watermark only to public previews, and inspect every image on both desktop and phone.