canvasphoto.co.nz
Do you need exquisite printing of photos on to canvas?
I have perfected the art of making beautiful prints on canvas for my own photography. To spread the joy and make use of the expensive equipment I set up canvasphoto.co.nz several years ago and was one of the pioneers of printing on canvas in New Zealand.
As my own work grew time available to print for others became scarce so I took down the website. This dropped the workload to a level I can handle - made up mainly of repeat customers, referrals and professionals who value quality.
There has been an explosion of cut-rate canvas printing options in the marketplace (mainly outfits doing work that can only be described as... well, crap). If price is your over-riding concern then I'm probably not your best option - but do read the 'Free advice' section below to arm yourself with knowledge.
But if you have good quality images you are proud of and want printed well talk to me. While I'm not the cheapest around I think I give the best value - supreme prints, personal service, and a fair price. I mostly do medium to larger prints in the $200 - $400 range. But they are very good prints :)
Prints on canvas: some free advice
If you are searching online or browsing the malls for printing options consider:
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Canvas type: some 'canvas' is in fact more plastic than canvas. I prefer a 100% cotton canvas because it looks and feels like canvas. The worst poly-canvas blends look like vinyl place mats. The argument for using a blend is that the canvas is more smooth, consistent and easier (= cheaper) to work with. But the inherent irregularity of 100% cotton canvas gives a character I like. Now and then I do use one canvas that has a little poly in it because it has a brighter base white which helps some images - it's all about selecting the right material for the image.
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Archival inks: Printers use pigment or dye inks. You need to make sure your canvas is being made with archival pigments - the best of these (Ultrachrome) are used in the latest generation Epsons. Be vary wary of Signage shops that advertise canvas printing, they generally used dye based inks which are meant for short term, disposable printing. I have seen these fade horribly within 6 months whereas the best pigment technology will outlive you and I.
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Laminate: All prints should be finished with several spray coats of a good liquid laminate. It enhances UV protection and provides a moisture resistant barrier so that any dust etc. can be carefully wiped off.
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Stretcher bars: the main consideration is the thickness. Fat bars (say 40mm thick) give the print a nice chunky look compared to thinner 20mm ones but also cost more. Check what you are paying for. A good printer will finish the back nicely with tape over the staples and a hanging string fitted so you can pop it straight on the wall.
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Aesthetics: With the common 'gallery wrap' you lose part of the image over the edge. This can drastically alter the look, especially on a smaller print. If an individual craftsman is making your print he or she will carefully adjust the cropping or maybe add extra image to the edges to preserve the look and feel of the print. Yes, this takes a bit of time, so is a step that the budget end of the market skips.
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Colour Management. Someone who knows what they are doing can spend a few minutes and radically improve the contrast, saturation and look of most prints. Of course if you are a professional you will be working to a colour managed system and expect your file with attached colour profile to print exactly as you intend. If your print maker says 'what's that?' when you ask about their colour management systems maybe you should look further.
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Copyright. Every now and then someone asks me to do a print when the original is obviously not theirs - something ripped off the web, scanned postcards, even professional photographer's work with their copyright logos still on! This is a no-no. If it is not your image, it can't be printed.
Well done if you have read this far. You are now more educated in printing on canvas than 95% of the population. As a present to yourself how about browsing my image galleries and enquiring about buying one of my beautiful prints, I am so confident you will enjoy it that I offer a full 30 day right of return - although I have never had a print returned.
Please do get in touch if you have any questions.
Bill Irwin