7 Best Shopify Art Stores You Can Learn From

2. Artze – a large inventory store with easy navigation

Artze is an online store selling unique wall art printed in the UK and shipped worldwide. It has an impressively large product catalog with the focus on gallery wall art, matching pieces, and framed posters.

This is a great example of a store with a large inventory that maintains clean design and focuses on showcasing products without unnecessary distractions. For easier navigation, Artze includes a mega menu with a wide category selection, dropdowns for nested lists, and quick navigation elements throughout collection pages.

Artze enhances user experience by featuring thoughtful subcollection pickers at the top and “Quick buy” buttons, allowing customers to add products seamlessly without interrupting their shopping journey.

Here is what else Artze does well:

• Cross-selling through related products in subcollections.
• Large selection of frame and size options on product pages.
• Customer-oriented categories of artworks by color and by subject.

Visit the store: Artze

Artze’s theme of choice: Symmetry ($340)

3. Grace Digital Art – fast-loading store with aesthetically pleasing design

Grace Digital Art is a Shopify art store run by an Australian artist living in London. She sells prints and framed art of her own photography and graphic designs. Grace Digital Art has been shipping artworks all over the world for over a decade.

Built on the Dawn theme, Grace Digital Art is remarkably fast-loading. The website seamlessly combines functionality and aesthetics by using a clean design and a monochrome color scheme that perfectly complements the artwork on display. From home page to collections and product pages, the store makes the customer journey seamless and visually pleasing.

There’s a lot you can learn from Grace Digital art, but if we had to pick one feature, it would be the cleverly designed size guide, ensuring that customers can quickly and confidently select pieces that will fit into their spaces.

Here is what else Grace Digital Art does well:

• Captivating hero banner featuring an art collage.
• Carousel of customer testimonials placed in the footer.
• Compact product pages with all the essential info available within one screen.

Visit the store: Grace Digital Art

Grace Digital Art’s theme of choice: Dawn (free)

4. Andy Okay – mission-driven Shopify art store

Andy Okay is an art store that is unique on many levels. Founded by an artist working with WWF, PETA, and UN, Andy Okay is dedicated to raising awareness about environmental challenges and improving lives through accessible art. The store allows you to donate to a charitable organization of your choice while buying limited-edition, certified art pieces.

Built on one of the premium Shopify themes, Prestige, this website makes a striking visual impact. The hero section boldly communicates Andy’s mission, prominently featuring logos of the non-profit organizations he works with. Figures and statistics throughout the site validate the impact of each purchase, reinforcing the store's commitment to making a difference.

The store uses several sales-driving tactics, but the most prominent one is the sense of scarcity cultivated by stock counters beneath each product. On top of that, strategically placed headings, such as “ALMOST GONE” and “LOST FOREVER,“evoke a fear of missing out (FOMO) that subtly influences purchasing decisions.

What else you can learn from Andy Okay

• Sections featuring reviews both by customers and media outlets.
• Lead generation – email discount offer pops up when you head to exit.
• An extensive catalog is neatly organized into collections on the home page.

Visit the store: Andy Okay

Andy Okay’s theme of choice: Prestige ($350)

5. James Niehues – single-artist store selling original art prints

James Niehues is an artist who’s been hand painting trail maps and aerial views of ski resorts for over 30 years. His works feature mountains from all over the world including the United States of America, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand. In his store, you can order prints and original hand painted works.

The visual concept of this store is built around simplicity. It greets visitors with a minimalistic hero image that doesn’t just set the right mood from the start but also enhances the website’s speed for improved SEO. With a palette of natural colors, which mirror the calming tones in James’ artwork, the store’s aesthetics complements the showcased pieces.

Product pages have a clean design with details deliberately collapsed by default, recognizing that for visual evaluation, these specifics may not be crucial. An insightful addition is the artwork backstory section under the product images, fostering a deeper connection between the buyer and the piece.

Here is what else James Niehues does well:

• Product recommendations in the “Related pieces” block.
• Social proof featured on separate page for press coverage.
• Videos on the “About the painter” page adds a personal touch.

Visit the store: James Niehues

James Niehues’ theme of choice: Aurora ($340)

6. Olivia Serrill – small catalog art store on Shopify

Olivia Serrill is an artist specializing in original oil paintings inspired by satellite images. She captures the essence of global landscapes through a unique artistic lens. Her collection includes locations from all over the world.

This small catalog store is built on a free theme, named Studio. The design is intentionally minimalistic and product-centered, creating a visually pleasing contrast between white and deep blue color schemes. The hero slideshow on the homepage serves as a captivating introduction to the artist's unique painting style, providing a glimpse into the essence of their creations.

Each product page includes essential information on shipping and returns, enhancing the overall customer experience. A notable feature is the inclusion of a reference photo of the location depicted in the painting, accompanied by a brief description. The arrangement of option values as buttons is a smart solution, presenting all available variants at a glance.

Here is what else Olivia Serrill does well:

• Featured timelapse of the painting process on the home page.
• Detailed FAQ for those willing to order an original piece.
• Embedded Instagram photos of Olivia’s artworks.

Visit the store: Olivia Serrill

Olivia Serrill’s theme of choice: Studio (free)

7. Artxzay – Shopify art store with a socially conscious approach

Artxzay is founded by Zeinab Fofana, a visual artist from Philadelphia, PA. For many years, Zeinab’s motivation has been creating representation for African American Muslim women in the art world. The store features original paintings, prints, apparel, and accessories inspired by that approach.

One thing you can learn from the Artxzay store is the bold, yet elegant design decisions. This is yet another example of a well-optimized, small inventory store using the color scheme that echoes the same colors predominantly used in the artist’s creations. The carousel in the hero banner quickly introduces artwork categories, and the compact menu at the top makes navigation a breeze.

Another important detail that Artxzay does well is lead generation and engagement. For example, new store visitors are greeted with a welcome 20% discount offered in exchange for a text promo signup. While often overlooked, list-building is the best tactic for artists who want to be able to notify potential customers about new pieces, sales, or special offers.

Here is what else Artxzay does well:

• Noticeable, yet unobtrusive rewards program promo.
• Well-rounded, authentic social media presence strategy.
• Various lead magnets (“freebies”) designed to generate leads.

Visit the store: Artxzay

Artxzay’s theme of choice: Dawn (free)

What will your Shopify art store look like?

If you landed on this article because you’re planning to open an art store on Shopify, hopefully, you’ve already found an idea or two to help you get started.

If not, here is what you can do. Select a store whose navigation logic and design resonate with your vision and find out what theme the store is using. If you’re on a tight budget, there are a couple of free Shopify themes you can try, but keep in mind that paid themes are always more versatile in terms of customization. Plus, paid themes always include built-in marketing tools – such as popups, stock counters, Quick buy buttons, hotspots – that will help you boost engagement and drive sales.

Having marketing features built into your theme will save you hundreds of dollars on 3^rd-party apps, annually.

Once you find the theme that works for you, take the best practices we’ve covered above and implement them in your own store. Remember that if you’re experiencing difficulties setting things up, you can always contact the support team of the theme you’ve chosen.

The digital art space is a canvas waiting for your unique strokes. So, take the plunge, express yourself, and let your art shine in the world of online stores.