Should You Choose Canvas or Framed Prints?

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If you’ve recently moved and have some bare walls to cover or maybe need a refresher of your existing art, you have a choice to make. There’s a wonderful new photo of your kids, your dog, you and your hubby or that epic landscape of your latest vacation; maybe it’s all of those. You know what you want up on the wall, but can’t decide whether you want a traditional framed print or a canvas print.

The Cost

Let’s get this one out of the way. You probably assume that a canvas print will be more expensive than a paper print, and in general, you’d be right, but let’s explore this a little closer.

Frames can be very expensive, unless you go for a cheap plastic one, and that’s clearly not your style or you wouldn’t be considering canvas. A canvas print is generally hung without a frame, therefore bringing those prices much closer together. There are also discount canvases available that make the cost difference pretty well disappear.

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The Glare

A framed print will inevitably have a glare to it, especially when under glass, which is often the case, causing you to have to stand at a certain angle just to see the photo properly. A matte photo can reduce this somewhat, but you won’t have any glare at all with a canvas print.

The Look

A framed photograph printed on quality paper can be very appealing, and the right frame can fit your décor well. A frameless canvas print will complement any room, so you won’t have to stress over picking the right frame color and style. A canvas print brings with it that special artistic quality from the woven fabric, which gives it a painted, museum quality feel. Consider the overall décor you are planning to complement when deciding which will fit better.

The Weight

A canvas print weighs less than a framed photograph. An especially large frame can be difficult to hang and transport, whereas a large canvas is considerably lighter. This is a welcome relief when you need to move or decide to swap the art out on your walls.

The Versatility

Any image can be printed on canvas: your wedding photos, travel landscapes, even your Instagram collage, and they will pretty much all look good. Canvas can also be nearly any size, from a small 6 x 6 inch to as much as 80 inches long or more, if you get it custom made. In addition, an attractive option with canvas is splitting your image and printing it across multiple canvases. The right photograph can be given new depth, granting your room an extra dose of class.

One area where a framed photo is more versatile than canvas is the ability to swap out photos for different ones whenever you like. Once it’s been mounted, the image on a canvas print is permanent. The positive side of this is that it makes your canvas print more of an heirloom to be passed on.

Choose Canvas or Framed Prints?

There’s a place for both framed prints and canvas prints in your home, but in the right room, canvas can certainly up the awe factor.