A few years ago, if you wanted a portrait of yourself you needed to hire an artist, which was a privilege that only rich people could afford. Not only was it expensive, but you had to spend hours standing still in front of the painter. Today you can take as many photos as you want, choose one you really like, rotate it, change the background, the color and even add some effects, store it in your computer and order a beautiful canvas online. It is affordable and easy to do, but when you select a canvas service there are some factors you need to take into account. Here is some information on the techniques used in canvas printing:

One of the most popular canvas printing technique is 'inkjet art'. In this type of printing, they use huge inkjet printers with pigment archival ink. The picture is printed on a canvas that can be up to 2880x1440 DPI large. The technique uses a special ink that makes the color stable and resistant to UV rays, dust, moisture and other factors that can impact the quality of the picture.

Cotton vs. Poly-cotton

The canvas can be made of just cotton or a mixture of cotton and polyester. The majority of canvas printing companies specify what type of canvas they will use on their website. Canvas prints on pure cotton are generally more expensive, but they also look more like a real painting, while poly-cotton ones look more like linen or plastic.

The Frame

Canvas companies use different types of techniques to stretch the canvas on a wooden frame. Some frames have wedges at corners to allow you to re-stretch it. It is better to opt for such a frame instead of just having the canvas sticked to the wood, as it will look loose after some time.

What Kind of Photos Can You Print on Canvas?

A photo that is less than 250KB in size is not suited for canvas as it will look 'pixelated' once enlarged. When selecting a company for printing your picture, make sure they have a picture checking tool on their web page. When you upload the photo it will tell you if it has the right resolution for the canvas size you want. You can find out the resolution of the enlarged photo by dividing the number of pixels of your photo (you find those in the properties box for most Windows and Mac systems) to the number of inches you want the canvas to have. If the result is at least 250 DPI, then the photo is good for canvas printing. However, canvas printing companies will use some software to enhance pictures with lower resolutions, but the result may show some small circles or squares.

Cropping and Resizing

A good canvas shop should show you the final layout of the photo before printing it. As pictures has various aspect ratios, the artist may have to crop from the picture and you might end up with a canvas you don't like. This is why you should choose a shop that gives you the possibility of doing the cropping or resizing yourself.

Returns and Cancellations

Canvas prints are considered personalized goods and you should check the vendor's terms and conditions on return and refunding. Most products you purchase online give you the option of trying them and getting your money back in case you don't like them. However, with canvas prints the situation is different. The simple fact that you are not happy with it doesn't necessarily give you the right to return it. The vendor may not give you your money back unless is damaged. If, for example, the artist did not crop it the way you expected, it may be not recognized as a fault.