3 Questions to Ask Before Printing on Canvas
Printing on canvas is one of the best ways to get a gorgeous print for your clients (or yourself). My house is littered with canvas prints because I think it’s one of the best ways to show off my work that I’m proud of. Plus, my son loves pictures of himself.
But, before you start printing on canvas, you need to do some research. First of all, not all canvas print companies create the same quality canvas prints. If you don’t research your canvas printing company before you order, you will definitely regret it. I know I have.
But, you’ll also need to ask some important questions about printing on canvas if you’ve never done it before. We’ve created a list of our top canvas printing questions to get you started.
How's My Image Quality?
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a photographer for over a decade, you need to ask to make sure that your resolution is high enough for printing on canvas.
I’ve been guilty of it on more than one occasion. Every once in a while you’ll shoot a beautiful photo that just isn’t of a high enough quality for printing.
If your canvas printing company is seriously dedicated to helping photographers, this isn’t a question you’ll need to bring to someone because you should be able to find it on a FAQ page for the company.
As an example, CanvasHQ, a company I consider the top canvas printing company, features a FAQ page with answers about how high your image quality needs to be (800 by 600), how to take care of your canvas so it lasts a lifetime, and what the canvas creation process looks like.
But, if you purchase a canvas print with a less-than-reputable canvas printing company, they may very well just print your photo, regardless of whether it is of a high enough resolution to make a truly beautiful print.
So, it’s always best to be sure and go with industry standards. If your photo is less than 800 by 600, you shouldn’t print it.
Is the Composition of My Image Well-Suited for Canvas?
In order to create the best canvas prints possible, you don’t just need to make sure that your photo is of a high resolution and well lit, you also need to make sure that it’s composed beautifully.
Of course, some clients will fall in love with a photo you aren’t exactly thrilled with and will want it printed every which way imaginable. That’s going to happen, but if your client leaves the decision about which images they want printed up to you, then make sure the image you choose for printing on canvas is going to look clean on the wall.
To start, make sure that your photo is clear of any noise that could detract from the overall subject. If your photo is of people, make sure they aren’t situated in front of a table with a ton of empty bottles or food. Make sure nothing is coming out of anyone’s head (like a tree or telephone pole). Make sure everyone is smiling and focused.
On the other hand, if your photo is of nature, either wildlife or landscaping, make sure that there aren’t any people in the foreground or background, if you can make that happen.
The overall advice I can give you about the composition of your canvas is to start thinking about it way before actually sitting down to order a print. Make sure you’re thinking about the things to consider for canvas prints when you first start shooting.
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What Canvas Printer Should I Use?
Finally, when printing on canvas, you need to use a great canvas print creator.
I already mentioned CanvasHQ a while back. I was printing on canvas for years before I discovered this company and have vowed to make sure nobody else has to go through the trial and error that I did.
CanvasHQ makes your printing on canvas experience as seamless as possible through excellent customer service, a shipping timer on their website that ensures you know when you’re going to receive your package, and by simply creating a great product.
CanvasHQ only uses ink and canvas materials that are rated to last over a century, so you can use your canvas as a family heirloom.
They also create each canvas by hand, so if anything goes wrong during the process, it can be remedied.
If you choose a cheap canvas print maker, you may notice that your canvas is stretched inappropriately, which can lead to cracks in the ink or bubbles. When you choose CanvasHQ, your canvas is hand-stretched, and your canvas frame is handbuilt.
Plus, CanvasHQ, when compared to cheaper canvas print makers, aren’t even expensive. You can snag a canvas for as little as $20 from them.
