May
16
2010
Canvas printing is the process of creating a fine work of art using an image. Nowadays, usually giclee printing is done to create canvas pictures out of digital, scanned or a tradition photo. Canvas printing is a wonderful way of preserving memories. If you have a cherished photo which you want to preserve and show to the world, don’t keep it buried in a photo album where it will fade and lose color in 10-15 years. Instead get it made into a canvas pictures which will easily last for at least a couple of centuries.
You can get canvas print done in the UK easily. There are a number of websites based in the country which will do it for you. All you have to do is upload the image to their website and they will get the printing done. You have to choose the kind of framing you want and the canvas print will be delivered to you right at your doorstep. A canvas print has a historical and artistic feel to it which will appeal to your aesthetic senses. Canvas printing UK is also great for people who are looking for beautiful wall art but don’t want to waste a lot of money. Photo on canvas printing is an easy and inexpensive way to take a cherished photo and transform it into a work of art. Digital photos taken with a camera of at least 3 mega pixels will work best because of its good resolution. A traditional photo will also do. If the photo you want printed is old, you can get it restored for a small fee. You have to choose from a variety of framing techniques and sizes. You can choose between a Light Brush or Sepia stroke for your print.
Choosing the correct frame is important. A simple wooden frame looks good but if you want a decorative frame, you can opt for a tinted ornate one. But make sure that the wood that is being used is of good quality or the picture will lose a lot of its durability. The least expensive is the simple wrap where the print is stretched and wrapped around the frame. It is up to you what you want for your canvas picture. You will be surprised at the quality of image canvas printing can produce. The richness of color and sharpness will not be rivaled even by the original image. Previously, dye-based inks were used for this purpose which used to fade with time. But archival inks which are used for giclee printing are longer-lasting. If you like the black and white effect, you can opt to transform your image into a black and white one before the canvas printing. So whether you want to print a photo of your smiling baby, your family on a picnic, your graduation day, your pet or a random shot with your best friend, get it done sitting right where you are.
If you like the black and white effect, you can opt to transform your image into a black and white one before the canvas printing.
Apr
16
2010
I have taken a few photos that I would like to have printed on canvas.. not just blown up and printed on large picture paper. I was wanting to know if anyone knew of a good legit web site they have used or heard of that send photo prints and also prints them on canvas for mounting. Thanks!
Apr
03
2010
Canvas art is printing digital photos on streched canvas
Apr
01
2010
What is a Giclée Print?
Giclée is a French word (pronounced gee-clay) that simply means “the spraying of paint”. The term giclée has come into common usage to refer to a high quality duplication process using a unique print on canvas technique. Giclée prints are commonly used by museums to display works of fine art while the originals are being repaired or stored.
Museum stores and fine art galleries also generally offer high quality print on canvas reproductions created using the giclée print on canvas technique. A giclée print on canvas is simply the closest duplication of an original work of art or photographic image that is technically possible using the best printing equipment, inks, canvas and printing methods available.
What is the Giclée Print on Canvas Process?
If the print on canvas will be made from an original work of art (for instance, an oil painting) the painting is photographed with a digital camera or scanned into a high resolution digital file with the use of a digital scanner.
Once the image is a digital file it can be optimized by expert photographic editors to achieve the sharpest details and color tones and shading that most closely match the original.
The giclée print on canvas process uses especially formulated “museum quality” inks which offer a wide range of colors and a high UV resistance. Museum quality means the inks must be color fast for at least 70 years under museum archival conditions. Some inks used in the giclée printing process have been tested to guarantee lifetime (100 years) light fastness.
In the gicl̩e print on canvas process, a fine stream of ink Рmore than four million droplets per second Рis sprayed (similar to airbrushing, but finer) onto a specially treated canvas. Each canvas is hand-mounted onto a drum which rotates during ink spraying via six nozzles. The printer is able to make exact calculations of hue, value and density which produce a combination of 512 chromatic changes (over 3 million color possibilities) of saturated, nontoxic, water-based ink.
The expertise of the human printer and the quality of the printing equipment used in the giclée print on canvas process are both critical to obtaining a duplication of the subtleties and nuances of the original artwork. Each giclée print on canvas is individually optimized and sent to the ink jet printer one at a time which ensures that each final print will have color accuracy and apparent resolution higher than that obtained on lithographs or serigraphy.
Since they display the full color spectrum, giclée prints on canvas capture minute nuances in original paintings which other printing processes cannot match. The highlights are brighter, contrasts are better defined, and the colors are more exact than any comparable reproduction process.
When Should You Choose Giclée Print on Canvas?
If you own original works of art you wish to have reproduced or if you have print or digital photographs you wish to have enlarged and printed on canvas to be displayed in your home or office, you will obtain the truest and most long lasting results if they are reproduced using the giclée printing process.
The best online art galleries offering prints on canvas from photographs you send them employ artists and printers that are experts in using the giclée printing process, so this is one of the things to check out when choosing an online gallery.
Nathaniel Brown is an artist that appreciate the uniqueness of pictures in canvas. He always preserve his painting by sending them to a digital print on canvas companies.
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Mar
26
2010
I’m thinking about printing some of my photos onto canvas and selling them does anyone know the easiest/ cheapest way to print canvas or any other ways e.g large paper prints thanks
Mar
18
2010
Canvas prints from photos are simply a delight. There are a number of elements that go into the making of a quality piece of wall art. Canvas pictures are no exception. You will need a high-quality original image to print from. There are professional standards and your home equipment may not be adequate for the task. Next you want to print the image on quality canvas. The use of quality canvas is essential not only to assure a lasting quality, but also so that the initial image is a quality one with color vibrancy and distinction. Another element necessary in creating canvas prints from photos are quality inks. Not only must the inks be able to match the existing colors in the photos, but you’ll want ink that can last so your canvas pictures will retain the quality that you originally chose.
When choosing a frame for your canvas work you’ll want a frame that is fitting, not only for your canvas pictures, but for your walls. The size of the frame will determine whether the wall appears crowded once the piece is hung. The frames size will also need to be appropriate for the print that is wrapped on it. If the frame isn’t large enough or if it is too small some of your image may not be displayed. It is possible to resize most images digitally, but consider the appearance and the effect that resizing may have. Canvas prints from photos also require a solid frame to hold their shape. With canvas pictures the frame actually holds the canvas stretched out. This is an important detail and places a greater demand on the frame’s structural strength. A solid material and construction are necessary.
The choice of canvas and ink used in the printing of your canvas pieces are two distinguishing characteristics that can help you choose a quality printer. Giclee prints are prints that are created with discerning quality standards. It is necessary that the canvas be of a lasting high quality grade and that the inks be of archival quality for the prints to be considered giclee prints. Archival quality inks are quality tested and proven to last for decades. Giclee prints are the quality standard for many museums and galleries worldwide. If your prints are giclee prints they are lasting prints.
The last element that will determine much about your canvas pictures is the way you chose to display them. Canvas prints from photos can be displayed on walls. They are often printed with bleed. Bleed is a technique in which some of the image is printed to wrap around the side of the frame on the canvas of your canvas prints from photos. This allows for a gallery style display of your canvas picture on any wall. Another option is the use of a floor stand. Depending on the style of your stand you may want to design a print without bleed as it may not be viewable when placed on a stand.
Canvas Dezign can supply you with canvas pictures, giclee prints created from your own pictures. We use pine frames that are constructed to your specifications allowing for custom sizes.
Mar
14
2010
that prints photos on canvas? I know this is a tricky process and need the highest quality possible. Any feedback appreciated!
Mar
07
2010
Could anyone recommend printing houses that specialize in using the GICLEE process for fine art prints? Please respond from firsthand knowledge and not a search. If you don’t know, perhaps you might know a truly reputable source whereI could ask this queston. Thanks.
Feb
16
2010
I want to get a picture printed on a canvas and was wondering if anyone knew a coupon code or place that will do it for free. I know I will have to pay shipping and handeling… thanks so much i would really appreciate it!!
Dec
05
2009
A fine art reproduction (giclee print) consists of three elements; the medium, the ink and the top coat. If any one is compromised, the whole print is compromised.
THE MEDIUM
The medium is whatever the giclee is printed on. It can be anything from photo paper, a range of art papers, to canvas. Due to the nature of paper itself, all art printed on it, must be framed under glass. That is, if you want to get any longevity from your print. The glass will protect your paper from moisture, fingerprints and anything else that might find its way onto your art piece. And if you have kids you know what I’m talking about! Canvas on the other hand, is gloriously resilient. It can be displayed in an open frame without the glass. The breathable cotton and cotton/poly blends allow the fabric to dry should it get wet. It’s strong enough to stretch tight over wooden stretcher bars, flexible enough to resist punctures and tears with normal handling, and it doesn’t warp! Sounds perfect doesn’t it? There’s a catch. Most giclee printing canvases on the market are infused with optical brightener additives or OBA’s. The additives make the canvas bright and white. Giclee art needs bright white medium because ink jet printers do not use white ink. All the white in your print is the absence of ink with the medium shining through. So why would you care? Because the OBA’s break down over time when exposed to light, turning the canvas strange hues of blues and yellows. Your art print goes from beautiful to bazaar…How much did you pay for that piece?…Thankfully there is OBA free giclee canvas on the market. If the outfit you’re buying your art from does not tout the benefits of their OBA free canvas, you can bet their not using it.
THE INK
Almost everywhere you read about ink on the Internet, you’ll hear about them being ‘archival’. The claim is that they will last for 75-100 years or more! Well…we just don’t really know do we? They haven’t been around that long. Let’s assume that modern technology can simulate a “100 year” test and conclude that the ink will actually hold up. One thing I can tell you from first hand experience, ink is not water proof. Some sellers will tell you the ink is water resistant all by itself and doesn’t need a top coat. It’s not. I’d hate to see the neighbor kid blow a PB&J sneeze on one of those prints! Also, giclee inks deteriorate significantly when exposed to light. Sound familiar? That brings us to the next element of our print.
THE TOP COAT
Top coat doesn’t sound very exiting does it? Oh, but it is! The right top coat applied to your print can mean the difference between life and death (for your print, that is. Or maybe you, if you happen to be an overly emotional Artist). A top coat serves two ESSENTIAL purposes. Protection from ultraviolet light and protection from water. Did I mention essential? I’m trying to make a point here. A giclee print not treated with a top coat is doomed to a short life. Glass can protect the print from moisture but not from light. Most sellers of prints will tell you not to hang your print in direct sunlight. Even a giclee printed on water color paper or photo paper under glass should be treated with an ultraviolet / water resistant protective top coat. Here we go again back to modern technology. ‘Testing’ has shown that a UV top coat SIGNIFIGANTLY increases the longevity of ‘archival’ inks under exposure to ultraviolet light. For canvas giclee prints, one of the top performers in top coats is Glamour II. What it does for a print is just as the name implies. It makes the colors pop, acts as a barrier to all things evil, and virtually gives your print that rich oil painting feel. If the seller isn’t bragging about Glamour II or a high grade equivalent (like BullDog), their probably not using it. Or worse, they may not be using any top coat. Yikes!
So there you have it; the medium, the ink and the top coat. If any one of these three elements are compromised the whole giclee print is compromised. You don’t want to get stuck with a mess that was once called called Art. When you’re looking for that perfect print for the wall above the mantel, just make sure you’re getting your moneys worth.
Cathy Robertson is an Artist and writer for Fine Art Castle. Have fun, informative decorating & design articles delivered to you! Sign up for our monthly Newsletter today at http://www.fineartcastle.com/decoratingtipsanddesign.aspx . Or stop by and take a peek at our Fine Art Prints for your Canvas Art decorating needs at http://www.fineartcastle.com