Canvas Prints: How to Choose Size, Wrap and Hanging

Canvas is a fabric, and it behaves like one

A canvas print is ink on woven material stretched over a wooden frame, which is why it reads softer and warmer than a glossy print. Fabric takes light gently, so a canvas rarely fights a window. It also hides the small imperfections a paper print would show, which makes it forgiving for photographs taken on a phone.

The fabric you choose changes the finish

We print on genuine canvas materials including Sihl Picasso Canvas Satin, Briteline Satin Canvas and General Formulation Wallmark Embossed Canvas. Satin surfaces keep detail in dark areas and read slightly warmer; an embossed canvas shows a visible weave that suits landscapes and painterly work. If the image has a lot of deep shadow, ask for satin — the weave can swallow detail on an embossed surface.

Colour comes from the ink set

We print canvas on Epson machines running UltraChrome GS3 nine-colour solvent ink. A wider ink set means smoother gradients and steadier colour across a large surface, which matters most on the pieces that get looked at from a metre away.

Decide the wrap before you order

The edge of a stretched canvas is part of the picture. A full wrap continues the image around the sides; a mirrored wrap keeps the composition intact but repeats part of it; a solid colour edge is the quietest option and behaves like a frame. Choose with the hanging position in mind: a canvas over a sofa is seen straight on, while one in a hallway corridor is seen from the side.

Size, stretching and hanging

• Custom sizes run up to 56″x96″, so a wall can be filled properly rather than approximated.
• Each canvas is stretched by hand onto a wooden frame and secured at the corners, so the surface stays flat and drum-tight.
• Hanging hardware goes on the back, so the front stays clean. A floater frame can be added if you would rather the canvas not sit directly against the wall.

See the texture before you commit

Photographs cannot show weave. Browse finished pieces in our portfolio first, then come to our showroom at 4860 N. Dixie Hwy, Oakland Park, and we will put a printed sample of your own image in your hand. If that is not practical, send the file to us with the wall's measurements and we will recommend a size and a wrap.

Photography by Mike Gedj.