Print or Canvas: How to Choose (Part One)

Print or Canvas? How do I choose? Is one better than the other? These are questions we get asked frequently. Let’s first discuss talk about the differences to help you make up your mind. But ultimately, the decision you make will depend on your personal preferences, your budget, where you are hanging, what you are hanging, as well as your design style.

Let’s discuss each option.

PRINTS

If you like the traditional look of artwork, then a print is for you. The type of paper that your print is printed on makes a big difference in the overall look. We will discuss three of the most popular types of paper - luster, fine art, and archival matte.

LUSTER PAPER: Here at Susan Newberry Designs, we like the look of luster photo paper. This type of paper is a favorite of digital artists and photographers. Luster photo paper falls in between glossy and matte. There is a soft shine and colors tend to pop. Details are crisp and vivid. Luster photo paper is favorite choice when printing photographs. We use high quality archival inks that will last under glass for over 200 years. Our prints are archival, water-resistant, and fade-resistant.

FINE ART PAPER: We use fine art matte paper for printing our digital watercolors. This paper has the ultimate thickness and feel with a slight watercolor texture. This type of paper is a high-quality, archival grade, acid-free paper, and has a textured surface. This surface replicates that of traditional watercolor artist papers.

ARCHIVAL MATTE PAPER: If you want a matte finish, then archival matte paper is for you. Archival Matte Paper is a smooth, neutral-white, matte paper. We use premium, heavyweight matte paper using high quality archival inks. If you prefer matte paper, just ask.

CANVAS PRINTS

We use premium polycotton canvas and high quality archival inks to make our canvases.

Stretched or Unstretched? Stretched or gallery wrapped canvas is canvas that has been stretched over wood frame (stretcher bars) ready for display. Unstretched or rolled canvas, is simply the print without the stretcher bars. At Susan Newberry Designs, we sell Hanging Canvas Art and Gallery Wrapped Canvas.

HANGING CANVAS

If you are looking for a rustic, yet contemporary look to your room, hanging canvases might just be for you.

GALLERY WRAPPED CANVAS

Because they are printed on thick and luxurious poly-cotton blend canvas, our wrapped canvases are very durable. The canvas is pH neutral and acid free and will not yellow over time. Canvas is stretched over kiln dried pine stretcher bars that ensures that it does not warp or bow. Canvases come ready to hang (with hardware attached).

Our wrapped canvases come in two widths - .75 and 1.5 inches. The width is up to you although we recommend the larger width for larger canvases.

TYPES OF WRAP

There are three types of wraps for canvas art - mirror wrap, image wrap, and solid border wrap.

IMAGE WRAP: This is the classical canvas effect where the main image continues over the sides of the canvas. This effect is more pronounced for the gallery wrap stretching option (1.5" thick).

MIRROR WRAP: The edges of the image gets reflected or ‘mirrored’ over the sides of the canvas. This effect is recommended if there are details in the image near the edges and you don’t want them stretched over the sides of the canvas. This is the wrap that we typically use.

SOLID BORDER WRAP: The edges of the canvas are a solid color. Black and white are the most common colors, but you can also choose any color of your liking. This effect is also good for images with details near the edges.

Hopefully, I have explained the differences between print and canvas. Our next blog will discuss the pros and cons of each which will help you make your decision.

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