What Exactly Are Canvas Prints? Why Should I Buy One?

Canvas prints is the term that has come to describe a process by which a digital photograph is printed onto a canvas medium. What is compelling about this process is the depth and realism that can be achieved with this style of photograph printing. Even though canvas prints retain the vast majority of the smooth, realistic lines in the original photograph, the gentle diffusing of the edges and blending of colors actually adds to the original photo’s beauty.

Canvas is the preferred, traditional medium of oil and acrylic paintings. As such many avoid it as a photograph printing surface because they feel it is unauthentic or presumptuous. That may have been a consensus years ago, but it is no reason to avoid adding to the beauty of your photography now. Canvas printing has been on the rise for several years, and has quietly but securely won its way into the hearts of artists, photographers, and consumers alike.

There’s more than just an aesthetic advantage to printing on canvas, however. For example, have you ever tried printing a paper banner to put on display at an event like a sports game or trade show? I’m sure you discovered that whether you printed it on your home printer, or had it made at a shop, it didn’t last very long. Paper is overly prone to tearing, crinkling, bleeding, and falls apart of a rain drop even looks at it funny.

Canvas is none of those things. It is very heavy and durable. It is exceedingly difficult to tear. Properly printed and sealed canvas can be held under a water faucet and not bleed, weaken, or stretch. It can easily handle a few raindrops. Best of all canvas is heavy, so it won’t blow around in the wind, crinkle, crease, or distort in any way. It is truly the perfect medium for posters and banners, in addition to fine art prints.

Best of all, canvas prints are affordable. Unlike paper photograph prints, canvas doesn’t have to be put in an expensive frame with matte and glass. Even without a frame a well stretched canvas print is considered a finished product, and can be put on display as is. You don’t have to worry overmuch about protecting the canvas either – Just keep it out of heavy moisture areas like bathrooms, and away from prolonged direct sunlight. If you follow these few little suggestions, your canvas print will last for over 100 years without any visible signs of deterioration. That’s over four times as long as traditional photograph prints.

There are many uses for printed canvas, whether as an art piece, promotional poster, banner, or anything else you can think of. For example, I currently have a 3” wide 8” long unstretched canvas print covering an unsightly door. Not only does it negate the terrible aesthetics of the door, but it inspires conversation whenever I have guests. What else can you think of to put on canvas, or use printed canvas for? Let us know at ZaZaGallery.com and we’ll see if we can bring your imagination to life.

Tags: Canvas, canvas printing, canvas prints, digital photography, Photography, Photos on canvas, pictures on canvas