Heavyweight artist canvas
This is the canvas to ask for when a print has to behave like an artwork. It can be stretched for you, or supplied loose for a framer or your own bars.
Loose or stretched: decide this first.
Our price list shows heavyweight artist canvas as a printed sheet and, separately, stretched canvas prints over a 36mm frame. The right route depends on who is doing the finishing.
| Size | Loose heavyweight canvas | Stretched over a 36mm frame |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | £34 | £59.00 |
| A1 | £48 | £79.00 |
| A0 | £58 | £119.00 |
Inch sizes are available loose as well: 30in x 20in is £42, 40in x 30in is £71 and 60in x 40in is £120.
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Reasons to take it loose
- You already work with a framer you trust
- The piece has to be shipped, and a roll is simpler than a stretched frame
- You want to float it in a tray frame or fix it to a panel
- The work will tour and be re-stretched at each stop
Reasons to have it stretched
Stretching a large canvas evenly takes practice. Pull too hard on one side and the image can skew. Ours are hand stretched, so it arrives ready to hang, with no separate trip to a framer. Our page on 36mm bars shows how the depth looks on the wall.
If you are stretching it yourself
Remember that the image size is not the same as the sheet size. A canvas that wraps around bars needs extra material on all four sides, enough to cover the depth of the bar and to give you something to grip and staple. Agree that margin with your framer before we print, and tell us whether the image, a mirrored edge or a plain colour should fill it. Printed canvas can crack along a sharp fold, so ask your framer how they want it rolled and packed.
Showing it unstretched
Some artists pin or hang a loose canvas just as it is. That can suit a studio-style show, but the sides will want to curl, so think about hanging bars or a batten if you want it to sit straight.
How weight shows up
A heavier cloth feels more like a painter's canvas and has more body when pulled over bars. Its visible weave softens very fine detail, which suits paintings and many photographs, but small type can suffer. If you are unsure about a piece, a look at the surface up close will settle it.
Canvas as a surface for art.
Your questions.
Can a loose canvas be stretched later?
Yes, as long as it was printed with enough margin around the image. Say at the start if that is the plan, because the margin cannot be added afterwards.
Should the surface be sealed?
A protective coat can help a canvas that will be handled or displayed in a public room. Tell us where it is going and we will advise.
Will the texture show in a photograph of the print?
Usually very little from a normal distance. The weave is more obvious from close up or with raking light.