Original Way

June 27, 2009

A Guide to Buying Quality Canvas Prints

There are many ways to show off and present a photographic image. Having your photos on canvas is an original way of showcasing a favourite image. Unlike traditional methods of displaying a photograph, canvas prints offer a bold, contemporary alternative. Due to the chunky gallery frames used, the finished canvas creates a real statement when hung on a wall. It jumps out and is very eye catching.

Depending on the subject and quality of the supplied image the canvas can be as big as you like. No space is too big to fill. The printing process, however, remains the same no matter what size is needed.

The chosen photograph is uploaded to the computer, colour corrected and resized in Photoshop before being sent to the printer. The image is printed onto 100% natural cotton canvas using water resistant inks. When dry, the canvas should be treated with a water soluble varnish to protect the canvas from abrasion and fading as well as enhancing the colours in the photograph.

Once completely dry, the canvas is stretched around a kiln dried, fir pine frame or stretcher and fixed securely in place with staples on the reverse of the frame. To achieve the necessary tension on the canvas, wedges are inserted into the inside of the frame. These can be adjusted over time to ensure the canvas remains taught.

There are many companies offering a canvas art service and they vary greatly in the quality and cost that they offer. All claim to be the best available and are quick to point out why you should choose them over the competition. Unfortunately, there is no way to know that their claims of being the best are true until you have bought a canvas print from them.

Some use substandard materials in an attempt to keep down costs. Over time their frames may warp and twist. The inks that they use may also be of an inferior quality and these in time will fade and become washed out. It stands to reason that those companies offering their services at really low prices, just maybe, do not use the best materials available. As with most things in life you get what you pay for.

Filed under Random by

Permalink Print Comment