Canvas Prints - What are they?

When an artist paints a picture he will usually paint it on a stretched canvas. It has a unique quality and the texture of the canvas gives something special to the picture.

With modern technology we can now print digital images to canvas. Again, the canvas gives a unique texture and the image - your photograph - can be displayed in a whole new context.

The techniques of canvas printing are wide and varied. Some companies will mass produce prints and pay little attention to quality. We - at Dianella Pictures - believe that quality is important. We use the best printers, the best inks and print at a resolution of 1440 dots per inch. (dpi)

The canvas is of the highest grade quality and is stretched, by hand, over a wooden stretcher frame.

Your Photo to Canvas

To begin the process we need a digital image. This can be supplied by yourself - an uploaded photograph - or a choice from our online gallery. The image should be as large as possible and be in a jpg or png format. After we have checked for irregularities - red eye for example - the image is then cropped to your specified dimensions. We then colour-balance the image for the best possible printing results.

Our aim is to produce the best possible print. This means we want a sharp clear image with a high range of colours. To achieve this we print at 1440 dpi on an Epson Stylus Pro printer using Epson Chrome inks. The result is a sharply defined imaged, crisp and clear.

To protect your print, all our canvases are laminated. This increases UV resistance which helps to prevent image fade. It also helps protect against moisture and minor abrasions. The laminate enables the print to be wiped clean with a damp cloth.

Stretching the Canvas

When the canvas is printed it is then stretched onto a frame. We do this by hand to ensure it is done properly. Our stretcher bars - the frame - are of the highest quality and are obtained from renewable sources. We assemble the frame using traditional methods. The frame is checked for 'square' and then expanded by tapping wedges into the corners. This makes the canvas drum tight.

The beauty of this technique is that the stretcher frame can be re-tensioned if the need should arise. Canvas is made from cotton and is a natural substance. It will react to heat and humidity, and if you move to another location where the climate effects it, it can be easily re-tensioned.

Beware

Not all companies use stretcher frames. Some companies use prefabricated frames or stick the printed canvas to wooden board. It is cheap, but as so often in life the lowest price is often lowest quality.

Dianella Pictures

We strive to print to the highest standards, on the best canvas, and to stretch the canvas using the best techniques.

Our canvas prints are of the highest quality.