# Printing Large on Canvas



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

Has anyone done this and how were the results? 
Are there things better suited for canvas than others?
Any thoughts are appreciated!
I'm thinking about getting one of my Autumn Impressionistic shots printed approx 5x3ft to fill a large wall on the landing half way up the stairs.


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

Oh and how much would you expect to pay for a canvas print that large? A friend gave me a quote and it seems way cheaper than I expected it to be.


----------



## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 11, 2012)

I won a free 2x3 professional canvas and had this pic done.  But the normal price was a little over $200 bux.


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

LOVE that!! 
Wow, ok, yep, unless there is a huge difference in the canvas (?) he is giving me a great price.


----------



## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 11, 2012)

PixelRabbit said:


> LOVE that!!
> Wow, ok, yep, unless there is a huge difference in the canvas (?) he is giving me a great price.



Thanks and indeed he is, prices go up exponentially as size increases


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

I was so distracted by the price I forgot to ask (highest he quoted was less than half that for 3x5ft on monet canvas), where you happy with it on canvas?


----------



## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 11, 2012)

Yeah I am amazed the detail captured on the canvas


----------



## KmH (Oct 11, 2012)

If the price is low, check to make sure the 'canvas' is actually canvas, and not textured plastic. I would also want to know about the inks/dyes being used.

I would expect to pay about $500 for a museum quality 60 x 36 gallery wrapped canvas, and at that size I would expect the gallery wrap to be 1.5 inches to accommodate the needed stretcher bar size.


----------



## MLeeK (Oct 11, 2012)

CG Pro Prints Home

How close are you going to be viewing this print? It sounds as if it is incredibly close in which case it's not such a great place to put it and a gallery of smaller images that the eye can process would be better. 
Images need to be printed and viewed properly. For example you wouldn't put an 8x10 in the middle of a 20' wall to be viewed in a 20x20 space. That would be a great scenario for your gigantic canvas. 
BUT an 8x10 or a bunch of them would be appropriate in a stairwell where you are viewing from nearly point blank range... 

Now if this is an open stair where it'll be viewed from the room below-that's a good candidate for a larger print...


----------



## MLeeK (Oct 11, 2012)

Let me add that CGPro doesn't have the 100 year guarantee that Simply Canvas has. I sell them as my 'cheap' canvas. I am incredibly impressed with them. Better than COD or several of the others I have tried and CHEAP AS HELL.


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

Here is a pic from my iPod so excuse the quality.





The picture that is there is 32x24, thoughts?


----------



## MLeeK (Oct 11, 2012)

I think a nice large vertical would be great there. 
You are going to view from both extra close and far away. I'd fall in favor of the far away.


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

And this is the one I'm thinking about printing...


----------



## Big Mike (Oct 11, 2012)

The term "canvas print" can mean several different things.

For example, the lab I use (here in Edmonton) has a 'traditional canvas' option where they print the image on metallic paper and then lift the emulsion and put it onto a blank piece of artist's canvas, then embed it with heat and pressure.  The metallic quality of the paper, combined with the texture of the canvas, gives it an amazing quality when viewed in person.  I've found that images with rippled water seem to actually ripple as you walk by and change the light reflections.  I've got a 50"x30" gallery wrap in my livingroom.
The print itself was $200+ and to have it professionally stretched and wrapped onto the frame was another $200+, so a total more than $500.  









The other type of canvas print that my lab offers, which is much more common with other labs, is to use a paper that is already embedded with canvas and just run it though a wide format inkjet printer.  The results can be pretty good, but it lacks the 'wow factor' of the traditional canvas prints that I have done.  

So with your 'unbelievably cheap' offer, I'd guess it's the paper option (which is OK) but it may not include any type of mounting/stretching.


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

Thank you thank you thank you.

I will look onto the canvases he quoted, he did say the lower priced option was two sided, one plastic but the Monet canvas was not, I will research.
I think for a first time giving this a shot (printing ANYTHING let alone BIG lol) coupled with being tight on money right now I'll go for it as long as I'm not overpaying.


----------



## MLeeK (Oct 11, 2012)

Canvas is also more forgiving than print. It's a texture, so you can get away with more. Plus your shot is more of an impressionistic painting, right? It's a great candidate!!!


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 11, 2012)

First, Mike, forgot to say that print is gorgeous, I would love to see that effect in person.

Mleek, thanks  since I started playing with the impressionistic shots I've had the goal of getting shots that when printed on canvas look like a painting not a photograph. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this one achieves that when its 5ft tall lol


----------



## Big Mike (Oct 11, 2012)

Yes, I also think your photo is a great candidate for a large canvas that will look like a painting.

And yes, canvas can be a lot more forgiving of things like a lack of resolution.  The print I have was shot with an 8MP 20D, and there is 2.5 inches on each side for the wrap...so the photo was printed at something like 55" x 35".....that's pretty big for only 8MP.  Of course, part of a large print is that you don't view it from up close, so you can often get away with less.


----------



## 21limited (Oct 11, 2012)

I tend to choose images for putting on canvas that lend themselves to looking like paintings, and a number of people have assumed that they were paintings. Including one old guy who told me his nieces painting style was almost the same as mine. I'm assuming his eyesight is going but I've seen a number of people arguing over whether it was a painting or a photo, and some have even come to me to find out. I do get a little antsy when people try to figure it out by touching the canvas however.


----------



## Directway (Oct 11, 2012)

Mike, if you don't mind me asking, what lab do you use in Edmonton?


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 15, 2012)

Well the file has been sent in, he is going to do a couple 100% test prints on Monet canvas first. Is it normal to be ...nervous(?) about this the first time around? Lol
I think I might be scared this isn't going to turn out the way I see it in my mind and the fact that someone else is in control of printing which I know very little about is kinda freaky!


----------



## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 15, 2012)

Hope you post a pic of the results.


----------



## Big Mike (Oct 15, 2012)

Directway said:


> Mike, if you don't mind me asking, what lab do you use in Edmonton?


I use Technicare for most of my printing.  Home | Technicare
They are mostly a professional lab, servicing professional photographers...but I think they do have a 'consumer' option as well.


----------



## Big Mike (Oct 15, 2012)

PixelRabbit said:


> Well the file has been sent in, he is going to do a couple 100% test prints on Monet canvas first. Is it normal to be ...nervous(?) about this the first time around? Lol
> I think I might be scared this isn't going to turn out the way I see it in my mind and the fact that someone else is in control of printing which I know very little about is kinda freaky!


I had no idea what mine would look like.  Well, I'd seen several in person...but that was the first from my own photo.  It was way better than we expected...like I said, the metallic paper really goes well with something like rippled water.  I'm glad I (we) choose the photo we did, rather than one of my 'still water' shots.

Don't sweat it and don't build it up too much...I'm sure it will be great.


----------



## PixelRabbit (Oct 26, 2012)

Just got an email from him holding up the test print.





Have to stop in and see it in person... **** just got real!


----------

