Art, humour and London.
How to choose, hang and frame art without the beige. Gift ideas that get a laugh. And the best of Covent Garden, from a man who spends every weekend there.
Buying art
Pop art prints in the UK: how to buy one you won't get bored of
Looking for pop art prints in the UK? London artist Luis Alvarez on what makes a good one, what to pay, and the slogan prints people buy most. From £20.
Affordable art prints in London (that don't look affordable)
Affordable art prints in London that don't look cheap. Covent Garden artist Luis Alvarez on where to buy, what to pay and how to make a £20 print look expensive.
Unique wall art in the UK: how to stop your home looking like everyone else's
Bored of the same wall art in every flat? Covent Garden artist Luis Alvarez on how to find unique wall art in the UK, from hand-painted originals to cheeky prints.
Funny art prints in the UK: a guide from a man who sells humour
The funniest art prints in the UK, picked by the artist who paints them. Bathroom rules, champagne problems and house rules, from £20. Hand-painted in London.
Original artwork under £200: how to own real art without a trust fund
Yes, you can own original artwork under £200. Covent Garden artist Luis Alvarez on where to find it, what to check and the hand-painted originals from £55.
Art print vs original: what's the difference, and which should you buy?
Art print vs original artwork: what the words mean, how prices compare, what 'limited edition' really means and how to decide, from a London artist who sells both.
How to start an art collection on a budget
How to start an art collection on a budget: set a small monthly amount, buy from living artists and mix prints with small originals. A London artist's guide.
Art at home
Art prints for your first home: a room-by-room starter kit
Just got the keys? Covent Garden artist Luis Alvarez on art prints for your first home: what to buy first, room by room, on a first-home budget. From £20.
How to choose art for your home (without overthinking it)
How to choose art for your home without overthinking it. London artist Luis Alvarez on picking art by room, colour, size and gut feeling, with real examples.
What size art print for a living room? The simple rules
What size art print do you need for your living room? Simple rules, a size table (A4, A3, A2) and how to make small prints fill a big wall, from a London artist.
How to frame art prints (and make a £20 print look like £200)
How to frame art prints so they look expensive. Mount sizes for A4 and A3, glass vs acrylic, frame colours and DIY vs a framer, explained by a London artist.
How to hang art without damaging walls (a renter's guide)
How to hang art without damaging walls: adhesive strips, picture ledges, rails, leaning and tiny-pin hooks, with weight tips for renters. From a London artist.
Art for student flats: how to make a tiny room look like a person lives there
Art for student flats on a student budget: £20 prints, £12 notebooks, how to hang without losing your deposit and making a tiny room feel like yours.
London
The Covent Garden art market: a stallholder's guide to Jubilee Market Hall
Visiting the Covent Garden art market? An artist who trades there every weekend on Jubilee Market Hall, what is on when, and how to find his stall.
The best art markets in London, from someone who stands in one every weekend
The best art markets in London, from Covent Garden's Jubilee Market Hall to Spitalfields and Greenwich, picked by an artist who trades there every weekend.
Covent Garden shopping guide: a stallholder's map of the good bits
A Covent Garden shopping guide from a local stallholder: the markets, Neal's Yard, Seven Dials, where to find art and gifts, and how to dodge the crowds.
Christmas shopping in Covent Garden: a stallholder's guide
Christmas shopping in Covent Garden from a stallholder who's there every weekend: the market halls, art gifts, timings, getting there and click and collect.
Last-minute Christmas gifts in London (that don't look last-minute)
Left it late? Last-minute Christmas gifts in London: walk out with a print, original or tote from Luis Alvarez's Covent Garden stall, or order online and collect.
Where to buy art in London (and what's near Covent Garden)
Where to buy art in London, from artist markets and independent galleries to art near Covent Garden. An honest local guide with prices, by Luis Alvarez.
Gifts
Art gift ideas in the UK: how to give art they'll actually hang
Art gift ideas for every budget, from £12 notebooks to one of a kind originals. Covent Garden artist Luis Alvarez on picking art someone will actually hang.
The best gifts for art lovers (chosen by an artist)
The best gifts for art lovers in the UK, from originals and commissions to notebooks, totes and gallery days, chosen by a Covent Garden artist.
Funny Christmas gifts that people actually keep
Funny Christmas gifts that people keep: cheeky art prints, house rules, rude slogans and joke totes from £12, from Covent Garden pop artist Luis Alvarez.
Christmas gifts for mum (that she'll actually hang)
Christmas gifts for mum that beat another candle: kind, funny and fashion art prints from £20, totes and one of a kind originals, picked by Luis Alvarez.
Christmas gifts for your best friend (that prove you actually know them)
Christmas gifts for your best friend that prove you know them: funny prints, rude prints, fashion jokes and totes from £12, from Covent Garden artist Luis Alvarez.
The best Christmas gifts for him and her, 2026 edition
The best Christmas gifts for him and her in 2026: funny art prints, slogan sweatshirts, totes, notebooks and originals from £12. Picked by a Covent Garden artist.
Secret Santa gifts under £20 (that won't end up in the charity bag)
Secret Santa gifts under £20 that people actually keep: funny art prints, notebooks and cheeky stationery from Covent Garden pop artist Luis Alvarez.
Christmas gifts under £30 that look like you spent more
Christmas gifts under £30 that feel expensive: art prints at £20, tote bags and hand-painted antique images at £25, notebooks at £12. Picked by Luis Alvarez.
Stocking fillers that aren't plastic tat
Funny stocking fillers that aren't plastic tat: art notebooks from £12, art prints and tiny originals from Covent Garden pop artist Luis Alvarez. UK delivery.
Valentine's day art gifts (better than roses, and they last longer)
Valentine's day art gifts that beat roses: love prints, cheeky slogans, commissions in your own words and Galentine's gifts from £12. From a Covent Garden artist.
Unique housewarming gifts (that aren't another candle)
Unique housewarming gifts in the UK that beat another candle: funny house-rule prints, art for the new home and cheeky totes, from £12. From a Covent Garden artist.
Art stories
Pop art history: from Warhol to now
A short history of pop art, from 1950s London and Warhol's soup cans to Lichtenstein, Peter Blake, Keith Haring and today's slogan art. By a London pop artist.
How to support independent artists in the UK (some ways cost nothing)
How to support independent artists in the UK: buy direct, leave a review, share their work, commission a piece. Some of it costs nothing. From a London artist.
Art that makes you laugh: why funny prints are trending
Why funny art prints are everywhere: the end of beige, the rise of personality at home, and why a laugh is the best thing a room can give you. By Luis Alvarez.
Antique book page art: what is it, and why do people love it?
What is antique book page art? London artist Luis Alvarez explains painting on antique book pages and old portraits, why each piece is unique and how to care for it.