Printing on canvas ?

[alexz]

I'm considering printing large (well, something like A3+) one of my recent street images, actually the only street picture of mine I'd consider hanging on the wall.
Have never printed on canvas, but recent visit to the lab where I used to print brought me the idea of printing that on canvas.
Obviously, quite expensive, but since I have never considered canvas up until now, I'm wondering what kind of images suit being on canvas more then others ?
Attached is the image I'd like to do...

 

[uhligfd]

Attached where? The link below leads to your whole suit of pics. Which one for canvas?

 

[alexz]

Oh.. my bad... sorry

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=115636

 

[payasam]

An image with a great deal of fine detail is probably not suited for canvas.

 

[alexz]

An image with a great deal of fine detail is probably not suited for canvas.

Great, thanks.
This is kind of advise I was hoping to receive.
More opinions are welcome a well.

 

[David William White]

I've done some pots of flowers on canvas -- they look pretty good. Abstract, bold colour patterns (like the wall in your photo) would look wonderful.

I assume you're talking about inkjet printing. Make sure you spray a sealant (like 3M Scotch) before you mount it.

 

[alexz]

Thanks David.
In fact, I wasn't talking about inkjets, I do not print at home preferring a good (hopefully) job of professional lab.
So I gather so far, a fine details resolution isn't probably the strongest side of canvas printing, but vivid color can do...

 

[David William White]

The labs use inkjet to print on canvas. Uppity shops sometimes call it "giclee". The lab won't seal it for you, although the framer might, if you ask.

 

[alexz]

Aha, I see... thanks.

 

[Al Kaplan]

To me photos are photos. Canvas makes it look like we're trying to imitate oil paintings.

 

[payasam]

That's a too narrow view, Al. If we use different paper surfaces, then why not canvas? Novelty value if nothing else. Like the white coffee mug I had with the Leica logo painted on it in green.

 

[bob338]

i own a picture frame shop and i deal with these things all the time.

in my experience, the biggest advantage for printing on canvas is to maximize the size of your print with minimal expense. i just stretched a 36x48" giclee this morning. it was about $150 for the printing and $160 for the stretching. if you print that size on watercolor or photo paper, the framing for it would be at least $500.
the downside to it is that they are very easy to damage. if you bump the face of it into something, it's a real pain to repair and sometimes i cannot repair it at all. if you scuff it, sometimes the ink will actually rub right off, and sealing it doesn't always protect it from that. if you hang it in direct sunlight, it ay develop ripples and need to be tightened up with an industrial heat gun.

any picture printed on canvas will lose a fair amount of detail, but sometimes they look really good. i think it's a fad that will probably last another couple of years.
if you have any more direct questions about it, feel free to PM me. like i said, i stretch these things all the time. i also work with a printer that is always trying out the latest and greatest papers, so i can usually offer an educated opinion on them.

bob