A3 canvas prints
An A3 canvas is 297 x 420mm (11.7 x 16.5in), about the size of an open magazine. People look at it from arm's length, so small mistakes show more than they do on a big print.
A picture for narrow places.
This is the size for spaces that a large print would swamp: between two doors, at the turn of a staircase, on a shelf, above a desk or in a downstairs cloakroom. It is also the size many people order as a present, because it can be carried under one arm, and it does not ask the recipient to give up a whole wall.
Since it will be seen close up, the questions are different from those on a big canvas. Resolution is rarely the problem. A phone photo about 4,000 pixels long gives over 240 pixels per inch at A3. The trouble lies elsewhere.
Five mistakes we would steer you away from
- A wide group shot. Ten faces across a 420mm picture are each about the size of a fingernail. Crop in, or go up a size.
- Heads near the edge. The picture turns round the 36mm bars, so anything close to the edge may end up on the side of the canvas. Leave breathing room.
- Ignoring the shape. A phone photo is 4:3 and a camera file is usually 3:2. Neither is the same shape as A3, so something gets trimmed. Decide what goes before we do.
- Small wording. Canvas has a visible weave, and fine lettering, such as a date or a line of a poem, can break up. Keep it larger than you would on paper.
- A tiny file from a message. Pictures forwarded through chat apps are often heavily compressed. Ask the person who took it for the original.
Canvas, or a framed poster?
At this size you can reasonably ask whether canvas is the right call at all. A paper print is the lower cost starting point, though it will need a frame and glazing, and our £35 large format poster minimum can affect a single sheet, so ask first. The canvas is ready to hang, has no glass to reflect the window and has a softer, more tactile surface. If you want crisp detail behind glass, paper wins. Our canvas or photo paper guide sets out both sides.
| Format | Price for one | Comes with |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas, stretched over a 36mm frame | £49.00 | Ready to hang |
| Poster print, gloss or matt | £7.99 | A flat sheet; frame not included |
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Mixing it into a picture wall
A3 is a useful filler in a mixed group of sizes, because it can sit beside an A1 or A2 canvas without competing with it. The 36mm depth is the same across the range, so edges line up and the wall looks considered, even when the images differ.
Small canvases, seen up close.
Your questions.
Can an A3 canvas stand on a shelf without hanging?
Yes. It is light and has a deep edge, so it can lean against a wall on a shelf. Keep it away from the edge of the shelf and from direct heat.
Can you print an old family photograph on an A3 canvas?
Yes, if you can get a good copy of it. We can scan the original, and our guide to reprinting a damaged photograph explains what can be done with marks and tears.
Is A3 the same size as 16in x 12in?
No. They are close, but 16in x 12in is about 406 x 305mm and a slightly different shape, so artwork made for one will not exactly fit the other.