Canvas or photo paper
Photo paper wins when sharp detail matters most. Canvas wins when you want the picture on the wall as it is, with no frame and no glass in the way.
Detail on paper, presence on canvas.
Photo paper has a smooth, even surface, so every fine line in an image lands exactly where it should. Canvas has a woven texture that breaks up the very finest detail, and gives you a softer picture with a painted feel. Neither is better. They are different ways of showing an image.
Look at your picture
| Your image | Lean towards |
|---|---|
| Landscape with lots of fine detail | Photo paper |
| Portrait, family or wedding photo | Either, canvas flatters skin |
| Painting or illustration | Canvas |
| Anything with small text or a map | Photo paper |
| Slightly soft or older photo | Canvas, as texture hides a lot |
| Strong graphic shapes | Either |
Then look at the room
Glare is the deciding factor in bright rooms. A stretched canvas is unglazed, so there is no glass to catch a window. A framed paper print behind glass will reflect whatever is opposite, unless you pay for a non-reflective glazing. In a kitchen or above a radiator, though, neither is ideal, and you should keep a print away from heat and steam.
Now the part that gets missed: the finished cost
Prices are not like for like, because a paper print is not ready to hang. Here is what each stage of the list looks like.
| Option | A2 | A1 | A0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo paper 190gsm, loose | £17 | £30 | £40 |
| Heavyweight artist canvas, loose | £34 | £48 | £58 |
| Canvas stretched over a 36mm frame | £59 | £79 | £119 |
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Paper looks like the lower figure, and it is, until you add mounting or framing. Stretched canvas already includes its frame, so compare it with the framed cost of paper and not the bare print. Framing is priced on request, so ask us if you want the two side by side.
Things you give up
With canvas, you lose some of the picture. Stretching takes the edges of the print around the bars, so a tight crop needs thinking through. Our guide to canvas over 36mm bars explains how.
With paper, you take on more care. It creases and marks more easily while loose, and a large unmounted sheet needs a backing or frame to stay flat. See poster or mounted board for the choices.
If you are still torn
Look at your picture at full size on a screen, then step back to where you will normally see it. If you find yourself walking in to look at the details, go with paper. If you take it in as a whole from across the room, canvas will do it justice.
Canvas and paper on the wall.
Your questions.
Can canvas be framed as well?
Yes. Framing is available on request, and a slim frame around a stretched canvas gives it a more finished edge.
Which one lasts longer?
That depends more on light, heat and damp than on the surface. Keep any print out of direct sun, and it will stay looking its best for longer.
Do I need a higher resolution file for photo paper?
It helps, because the smooth surface shows more of what is in the file. Canvas is a little more forgiving, but it still cannot add detail that is not there.