What Is Canvas Printing?

By Sean Davis

A staple of every Wes Anderson film, a necessity to museums, and a mainstay of empty wall space of homes all over the world, canvas prints are some of the most versatile and most recognizable styles of wall art. With a varied amount of canvas sizes and shapes, canvas printing can both tie a room together and break it up into aesthetic zones. 

Though you can go to your local drug store or bargain bin for a variety of quotes on canvas, custom canvas prints are a fast and affordable way to bring your personality, memories, or home decor to life.

What Material Is Used for Canvas Printing?

As the name implies, canvas printing happens on canvas, a basic plain-woven fabric, a textile weave that’s formed in a criss-cross over-under pattern of right angles that is both durable and flexible. Generally made of cotton, linen, or PVC, the canvas is one of the oldest movable print materials, originally made of hemp in the 13th century. 

Types of Canvas Print Layouts

Though canvas prints have limitations, the layout isn’t one of them. Whether you want to show a single flower in a field or a forest full of trees, canvas printing affords you the luxury of choice. 

Single Canvas

The most common type of canvas prints, single canvas prints are one of the most recognizable types of house decor. Easily the most varying in sizes and shapes, single canvas prints allow for the most amount of customizations from depth to print wrap.

Multi-Panel

Multi-panel canvas prints have a historic relevance often related to narrative-based triptych art, classically seen in religious settings depicting scenes from religious texts. Modern multi-panel canvas printing is generally used in a similar fashion.

However, wider scale application for things like panorama-based art, collages, or general split canvas prints. Since canvas doesn’t always need to be framed, using full-bleed printing art can depict one scene seamlessly in concert with other panels for one grand image, without the need for a big canvas.

Canvas Prints Shapes and Sizes

Because of the woven quality of canvas, canvas printing can come in all shapes and sizes, with the only limitation being at the hands of the printer’s technology. Though canvas printing covers a wide variety of shapes, there are benefits of using some shapes over others.

Square

One of the more common shapes for mini canvas printing, square canvas prints are perfect for single canvas prints of memories or Brady Bunch-styled collages. Depending on the dimensions of the square, square canvas prints can visually anchor a room or personalize a corner.

Rectangular

The most recognizable shape of canvas for art, the rectangular canvas’ use is fully dependent on the orientation of the canvas itself. In a vertical orientation commonly known as “portrait,” a rectangular canvas is perfect for portraits or art. When turned longways, or landscape, the rectangular canvas is perfect for panoramic-type scenes of nature or abstract work.

Hexagon

The geometric building block of nature is the hexagon. Known as nature’s perfect shape, the hexagon allows you to create honeycomb-type layouts, providing complex patterns and depth of field using negative space. Hexagonal canvas printing is perfect for collages or multi-panel 70s-inspired layouts.

Mini-Sized

As mentioned above, the many canvas shapes available all have unique design, placement, and use possibilities, but when scaled down to smaller sizes, canvas printing can become a far more personal and physically versatile decor option.

• 4×4: Four-by-four canvas prints are perfect for gridded multi-canvas prints that have many pieces, for a mosaic-styled outcome.
• 4×6: Four-by-six canvas prints are perfect for landscape images, or the side panels of a triptych-styled multi-panel layout on a bookcase or wall near a desk.
• 6×6: Just as the four-by-four is perfect for grid-designed multi-panel canvas images, a six-by-six is perfect for a tic-tac-toe array, most famously seen in the title card of the Brady Bunch.
• 5×7: Like the four-by-six, the five-by-seven works for landscape images, but it is most commonly known for portraits.

Small- to Medium-Sized

For canvas printing with a bit more detail, but still far more on the personnel than large and oversized canvas, small to medium size prints are ideal.

• 8×10: Perfect for a single face image, portrait, or printed drawings. Also works for the side panels of a ten-by triptych.
• 10×10: Perfect for an oversized three-by-three grid.
• 10×20: Perfect for the middle piece of a small triptych or a landscape image.
• 11×14: Perfect panoramic-styled pieces.
• 12×12: Typically the same size as a record cover, so perfect for album art.
• 14×16: Perfect for medium-sized art prints. 

Large and Oversized

For statement or commercial pieces, canvas can be printed in large and oversized combinations which are perfect for the following circumstances: 

• 20×20, 24×24 & 36×36: Perfect for wall sized three-by-threes, this size creates a grid that’s a collective statement piece.
• 20×24 & 24×36: Two of the more common sizes for art prints and gallery-styled work. 
• 30×40: Perfect for large empty spaces that need a statement piece, like a giant family photo or a map.

Popular Design Styles for Canvas Prints

Now that you know what canvas prints are and how many types of prints are out there, let’s take a look at some of the most popular design styles for canvas prints! 

Family Photos

Everyone wants their family photos to last forever. Canvas prints last for about 100 years, and that’s pretty close to forever.

Pets

Just like we want to hold onto our family photos forever, a canvas print of a pet is a perfect way to keep them in your life, long beyond their years.

Nature and Landscapes

Nature and landscape images are perfect for multi-panel canvas prints.

Modern & Abstract Art

Due to canvas being the most recognizable texture art generally appears, a modern or abstract print on canvas just makes sense.

Maps

To get an authentic feel of a treasure map, a canvas print is perfect, not only because of its woven nature but also because in an oversized print it works perfectly.

Advantages of Canvas Prints

• Canvas prints can last pretty much forever if maintained.
• Canvas prints don’t need to be framed, but you’ll have the option to frame them if you’re looking for aesthetic styling. 
• Though not weatherproof, canvas prints can have a protected coating added.
• Canvas prints add texture to a room in a way that a flat photo or print never could.

Art That Will Last a Lifetime

Canvas has stood the test of time. It’s a style of art that is good enough for the Met, so why not get your own canvas print to spruce up your home and last you a lifetime!

Let Print Bind Ship help you with all your canvas printing needs. Get a quote today!

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