- Design Advice
- How To Make A Canvas Print
How To Make A Canvas Print
Do you want to have your most treasured pictures printed on to a canvas, but don't want to pay hundreds of pounds? Here's how to print your own canvas at home.
By Conrad McKee
Whether you fancy a canvas print of your favourite photo or want to make reproductions of your artwork, the process is pretty simple.
The finished look will be very similar to that which a conventional canvas printing company can give you, but you will be restricted by the size of the printer you have in your home. If your canvas needs to be A4 or smaller then the following guide will help you to print your photo from start to finish.
- A digital photo or image to print
- A pack of printer canvas sheets. You can find these in your local office supply store, such as Staples, in the same section as photo paper for your printer.
- Double sided adhesive tape, or a frame, to show off your handiwork
Skill
Easy, as long as you have a good quality, high res image (and get the paper the right way up...)
Budget
20 sheets of canvas cost approximately £20.
Time
Five minutes to print, then five minutes to dry.
Step one: Choose your image
Select the photo or picture that you wish to put onto canvas. If it is not a digital file on your computer (for example, from your camera), then you will need to scan the image with a good quality scanner. Always make sure that the scans are over 300 dpi.
Step two: Get your canvas ready
Insert a canvas sheet into your printer where you would normally place your printer paper. Be sure to get the canvas sheets to sit as flat as possible to avoid jamming.
Step three: Open the image file
Open the digital image file on your computer (most PCs running Windows will automatically open it in the Windows Photo and Fax Viewer). Select the print icon in the toolbar just below the image, which should bring up the Windows Photo and Fax Viewer Photo Printing Wizard box.
Step four: Use the photo printing wizard
Windows Photo and Fax Viewer should then show you a list of image thumbnails where you can select other pictures you wish to print. The image you want to print should be first and already selected with a check mark, so click 'next'.
Step five: Check the print quality settings
Follow the on-screen instructions until the printing options screen appears. Select the best quality print settings for your printer. Once your printing options are set to your needs, click 'next'.
Step six: Select the print size and ...print!
The next page allows you to select the size of the print. Select the size you wish to print, from wallets, to 8x10, or full page. Double check your printer to make sure the canvas sheet is lined up properly and ready to feed into the printer. Click 'next' to begin making your canvas print.
Step seven: Exhibit your art
Allow the ink on your canvas print to dry completely before handling, or the print will smudge. Drying time is approximately five minutes. Once the print is completely dry, tack the print to the wall using double sided self adhesive tape. Alternatively, you can frame it in a conventional picture frame.
If you need to make a print larger than the capacity of your home printer, you will need to source a canvas printing company. There you will be able to have your image printed onto a gallery-wrapped canvas that can be hung directly on the wall, with no framing.
This option is a little bit more expensive but a good option if you want a bigger canvas print than your home printer can give you. A good canvas printing company can usually print up to a metre square without losing any picture quality.
Most canvas printing companies operate online and there are literally hundreds to choose from. A simple search engine query will bring up the top ten companies, but keep the following in mind:
- The bars upon which the canvas is stretched should be 100% European pine (preferably sourced from managed forests). Some companies use cheaper bars that are prone to warping.
- The canvas should have been bought within the United Kingdom, rather than imported cheaply from overseas. UK canvas is generally 100% cotton, whereas the cheaper imported canvas tends to be polyester.
- Canvas naturally loses tension with age, but a good canvas printing company will supply all the frames with wedges, so that you can adjust the tightness later on.
- A good printing company will include a free hanging kit.
- Check what courier service they use. Try to use a printer that uses a reputable shipping company.
Conrad McKee is the MD of CanvasDezign, one of the UK’s leading printers of bespoke canvas prints.
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