Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Which is preferable, framed canvas prints or Gallery Wraps?

That is by and large a matter of personal preference. Frames do add a degree of structural support and protection for the canvas, especially on the larger sizes, but they certainly are not required for the successful display of your canvas. A framed canvas works well with many different decors, from rustic to homey to sophisticated, to everything in between. Frames highlight the art within, and when done properly, complement the image by defining and delineating its space, accenting its color scheme, and generally giving the image a “finished” feeling. Framed images also seem “normal” to our eyes – we are accustomed to seeing prints in frames.

Gallery wraps tend to work best in decors that lean toward the modern. They are clean and minimalist, having no defining border around the front of the image. Their simplicity is their genius; there is nothing but the image to draw the viewer’s eye. Of course, this lack of a defining border leaves the viewer open to distraction from whatever may be in close proximity to the gallery wrap. For this reason, gallery wraps are especially effective in areas where the wrap has a bit of empty space around it, allowing the wall itself to lend significance to the image.

When considering a gallery wrap, it should be remembered that they, like all of our canvas prints, have a bit of thickness to them, and are not flat like a paper print. Though the finished piece will not have the depth of a traditional photo frame, all of our canvas prints are stretched on wooden stretcher frames. Gallery wraps, therefore, are still about an inch thick. The sides of the wrap will be black, white, or a continuation of the image itself, as determined on a case-by-case basis by what works best with each individual image.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Why should I consider canvas prints?

We find that canvas adds a beautiful texture and a classic feel to our images. The very slight roughness of the canvas surface lends a certain three-dimensionality to the images, emphasizing textures and depth. Additionally, many clients and visitors to our shows tell us that canvas evokes the impression of a painting; indeed, several viewers have actually mistakenly confused some of our canvas-printed photographs for paintings.

Additionally, no glass is used to frame a canvas print. Being glass-free has several advantages:

  • the necessity for glare control is eliminated.
  • the piece is lighter in weight than an identically-sized, framed paper print, and is therefore able to be hung in places where a heavy frame might be too much for the supporting structures.
  • no glass means no irritating streaks on glass that are difficult to remove.
  • shipping is safer, as there is no glass to break if the box gets dropped or mishandled. While severe mishandling could still break the frame, broken glass creates the possibility of damaging the print underneath, or more importantly, the person opening the box. No glass means no glass shards.