What is the appeal of canvas?

[cstojano]

I look at pricing and just dont get what I am missing with canvas. They tend to be 3x more expensive than a print of the same image and look cheap to me. So what am I missing here? The image quality always looks inferior to me and the shellac coating gives an awful glare. The only benefit I see is that they can be hung without a frame or can be framed without glass.

[nbr3bagshotrow]

I look at pricing and just dont get what I am missing with canvas. They tend to be 3x more expensive than a print of the same image and look cheap to me. So what am I missing here? The image quality always looks inferior to me and the shellac coating gives an awful glare. The only benefit I see is that they can be hung without a frame or can be framed without glass.

Looks more like a real painting. Far from inferior IMO. Wish i could afford some the alex ross oieces i have on paper giclee on canvas.

[JadeGiant]

I look at pricing and just dont get what I am missing with canvas. They tend to be 3x more expensive than a print of the same image and look cheap to me. So what am I missing here? The image quality always looks inferior to me and the shellac coating gives an awful glare. The only benefit I see is that they can be hung without a frame or can be framed without glass.

Cheap? I think they look far superior to paper IMO.

[FROBAY]

Canvas vs paper

http://www.ehow.com/about_6611596_fine-prints-paper-vs_-canvas.html

I prefer Canvas to Paper.

[cstojano]

Thanks for that link. No doubt I am in the minority since the market prices accordingly. I happened into the Ltd/ Art Gallery in Seattle when I was there on business and expected the canvases to blow me away. But the link clear it up, paper is more detailed. I prefer this look. I struggled for a long time with the Frazetta Death Dealer canvas vs the lithograph. Ended up selling the litho, but just sold the canvas and plan to get the litho. I do prefer the look of framed pieces without a matte. But in my opinion 'the canvas looks more like a real painting' thing doesn't really hold up. Tastes I guess.

[risingstar]

Thanks for that link. No doubt I am in the minority since the market prices accordingly. I happened into the Ltd/ Art Gallery in Seattle when I was there on business and expected the canvases to blow me away. But the link clear it up, paper is more detailed. I prefer this look. I struggled for a long time with the Frazetta Death Dealer canvas vs the lithograph. Ended up selling the litho, but just sold the canvas and plan to get the litho. I do prefer the look of framed pieces without a matte. But in my opinion 'the canvas looks more like a real painting' thing doesn't really hold up. Tastes I guess.




That's because it isn't a real painting. I have canvas prints and real paintings displayed at home. IMO, you can't compare the two as you can tell which one is the fake. However, given the choice between canvas and paper, I would opt for canvas, though it depends on the quality of the transfer too. Like most things in life, there's good quality, and not.

[sjumani123]

Canvas Painting Surfaces are designed to accept and properly support all or specific types of paints. Canvas can be made from cotton, linen or other synthetic materials. Although only rolled canvas can be adapted to any size, stretched canvas is available in many different sizes to choose from.

mf husain (http://www.saffronart.com/artist/artistprofile.aspx?artistid=114)

[jedi_don]

For those prints whose original are acrylic on board or digital, canvas prints look odd. Canvas look best when the original source is an oil painting. Digital art and acrylic paintings don't look right with the canvas texture to my eyes.

[cstojano]

Thanks for all the comments. I see it i a bit more complex than just the paper vs canvas dichotomy. I also suppose taste comes into play as well as the look one is going for. Looking at the Death Dealer litho next to the canvas was no comparison, the litho was clean and sharp while the canvas was muddled, and the original of course was an oil.

[Hellboy]

It depends on the piece but I generally prefer canvas.

[nbr3bagshotrow]

It depends on the piece but I generally prefer canvas.

Ditto. I'd love to have a canvas of the Ross "Knight over Gotham". I have an AP paper print but would prefer the canvas.

[premium_substit]

I'm sure theres tons on google, but my personal oppinion.. If there is a professional/genuine solicited piece (i.e. giclee) offered on both paper and canvas, usually the canvas is offered for a reason and is the 'superior' version - the colours and detail 'pop' alot more to give it that dimension and it looks closer to an actual painting (i.e. colour and detail gained).. however if a canvas is just a 'gimmick' and not 'high-end'/done with the right printing tools, it is just that - a gimmick. For example, I got MK vs. DC kollector's edition because I wanted the Alex Ross canvas piece that came with it - some nice detail because of the resolution, but at the same time some detail isn't visible because of the material ('canvas') they used, they were just doing it as a novelty (which I knew would be the case for the price-point and market).

[Bullseye]

Besides most times looking better canvas also does away with the need to have glass and thereby it's lighter to hang.

[cstojano]

Well just got a rolled canvas in the mail and I have to say one HUGE benefit is that the thing isn't so sensitive to damage. With paper prints I unroll them like they are precious documents for fear of denting a corner or creating a smudge or wrinkle.

[OrangeCrush]

In the end, it all comes down to materials and personal opinion, which as we all know is subjective. There are varying levels of quality within each medium so you cant really compare one to the other across the board. A high end Giclee print will blow the socks off a low end canvas print and vice versa, a high end canvas print will destroy a low end Giclee print. There are a ton of different papers, canvases, inks, not to mention the different printers and printing technologies. Generally speaking canvas is usually the higher quality method. Some artists actually go back and add paint on top of the canvas, to make it look even more like a real painting.

That being said, There is a much larger selection of papers on the market, many of which are extremely unique and nothing short of mind blowing. Awagami Ink jet Paper (Japanese Washi paper) is a perfect example. That paper has created some of the nicest prints I have ever seen.

In the end, it depends on a lot of different things, most of all personal preference. I am more of a print person myself but I do own a couple high end canvas pieces by Robert Bateman that are spectacular.

[nbr3bagshotrow]

Are there shops where you can take a scan of a print and have it "printed" on canvas?

[Hellboy]

Are there shops where you can take a scan of a print and have it "printed" on canvas?

Yes.

[risingstar]

Are there shops where you can take a scan of a print and have it "printed" on canvas?



However, it isn't cheap.

[Bullseye]

Unless the image is high resolution it would not be worth your whole having it printed on canvas.

[OrangeCrush]

Are there shops where you can take a scan of a print and have it "printed" on canvas?

Yes, most full service print shops or studios will be able to scan an image and print it on canvas and there is definitely no shortage of print shops these days.

[premium_substit]

Just another point on this..

It is not so much the medium (canvas/paper) but the printing process which makes these 'collectibles' high-quality. For example, with screen printing you have the seperate layers and woven effect. For 'giclees', it is not just a fancy term :tongue:, it is a special kind of high quality printing process, if done correctly. Obviously, the nicer the material, the nicer the finish will be - gloss, etc (but it is the printing process that brings out the layers/lines, sharpness, etc). Even a 'giclee on paper' can look just as stunning as a 'giclee on canvas', because it has that special kind of printing process. You can not just find a high-res image (which it is very rare to find one as high-res as the studio) and print it on canvas to get the same effect. It will look really nice if it is hi-res, but it will not have that highest quality printing/image available, as you need the actual source material (data) to seperate the process during printing - which is why you can't just 're-create it' (even if you were to try immiate the printing process, you do not have the original data file to seperate the inks/way it is printed). Think of statues, if you don't have that master sculpt, detail is lost. However, a canvas will always have that nicer museum look, and if it is high quality 'fabric', it will benefit the way the 'giclee' process is done (the way the ink is 'woven' into the fabic). At least, that's what I've taken from some what I've seen and compared.

In summary, my PS3 Alex Ross Mortal Kombat vs. DC canvas looks like crap because it so small and doesn't use a special printing process :D

I know this thread will get lost, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents for the archives. Statue forum is a great place for the archives :D

[cstojano]

Well I just received a Frazetta Death Dealer lithograph and that blows away anything I've seen printed in the last 5 years in terms of quality. Any experts care to weigh in there? I had heard it was printed using some special process/technique/machine that doesn't exist anymore. And then there's the paper.