Even if you aren’t a professional photographer, there must be some cherished photos on your phone that you’d like to show off. And once you’ve decided which pictures to print, you’ll need to select the right printing material. The choice of printing medium is vital – and today classic photo paper is just one option among many. Prints on canvas and metal panels are becoming increasingly popular too – so should you go with the traditional look of canvas or the more contemporary metal option? Let’s find out!
IMAGE: CANVAS DISCOUNT
What Is A Canvas Print?
A canvas print is basically a printed piece of canvas fabric, usually stretched over an inner frame. Some companies also offer unstretched canvas prints but these are aimed mainly at artists and experienced DIYers with the necessary skills and equipment to stretch the prints themselves. Pre-stretched canvas prints are a more suitable choice for anyone wishing to spruce up their bare walls.
Canvas has a long history as a wall art foundation – used for oil paintings as early as the 14th century, the material has now been adapted to the needs of digital printing. These days, leading printing companies mostly use man-made fabrics instead of traditional choices like hemp or cotton. Thanks to this switch, canvas prints have become much more durable and resistant to daily wear and tear – in fact, high-quality canvas prints should retain their initial vibrancy for at least 75 years.
What Are The Benefits Of Canvas Prints?
Canvas prints are:
- Affordable. The rise of automated, large-scale printing means producers can rely on economies of scale to keep prices low. And some discount companies – CanvasDiscount.com, for example – offer canvas at factory prices, allowing customers to save even more.
- Versatile. Canvas prints can look great in almost any home. Thanks to their simple lines and borderless aesthetic, canvas prints blend in seamlessly without losing their character and style.
- Timeless. Even though custom canvas prints are digitally printed, they retain the charm of an old-school painting. That could explain why canvas is an evergreen wall art solution that never goes out of fashion.
- Hypoallergenic & eco-friendly. The best canvas prints are environmentally friendly and can be safely enjoyed by everyone in the family.
What Is A Metal Print?
Simply put, metal prints are prints on composite metal panels. Usually they consist of a polyethylene core that is enclosed by a pair of metal sheets. The image, depending on the technique used, can be either directly printed on the metal surface or printed on photo paper and then laminated onto the panel. Either way, the result is a superbly glossy and sleek print that brings out all the details of the photo reproduction.
Metal prints are a relatively recent addition to the custom print range – meaning that most people are still to discover their many advantages. For the time being, this means metal prints have a touch of exclusivity about them – you won’t see them everywhere in cafes, hotels and other public spaces.
What Are The Benefits Of Metal Prints?
- Great aesthetic impact. Metal prints have a distinctive contemporary feel that makes them perfect complements for interiors designed in a minimalist, industrial or eclectic style.
- Bold design. Metal prints are thin and lightweight, with clean lines and a hidden hanging system that makes it seem like they’re floating against the wall.
- Brilliant colors and glossy finish. When it comes to color vibrancy and character, nothing beats metal prints – radiant colors and shimmering reflections create an unparalleled visual result.
What Is The Best Option For Your Home?
The short answer is – it depends on your current decor scheme and the aims of your design project. According to both interior designers and customers, metal prints work best for bright, vibrant pictures that suit a modern, minimalist aesthetic. By contrast, canvas prints evoke the charm of a bygone era and can serve as an interconnecting medium between past and present.
Some images look particularly good when printed on canvas – portraits, for example. The textured canvas fabric is forgiving to the natural imperfections of human skin, adding soft pastel overtones to the image and smoothing out those little defects. Metal prints can have quite the reverse effect – they tend to bring out every single pixel of an image, so it’s best if the photo you choose is at least in the neighborhood of flawless.
Conclusion
All in all, canvas prints and metal prints aren’t that far apart in quality or price. Metal prints are usually more expensive, but this doesn’t mean they need to cost a fortune – discount companies such as CanvasDiscount.com now offer budget metal prints too.
To choose between a canvas or metal print, you’ll need to have a clear vision of your future wall art display – will it be romantic or expressive? Vintage-styled or boldly contemporary? Matte or glossy? Find the answers to these questions and the choice will be clear,
IMAGE: CANVAS DISCOUNT
If you are interested in even more design-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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