We are back with our wall worthy Wednesday monthly post! But this is going to be a bit different. I am going to share a personal review in addition to some ideas on displaying the oh so artfully chic, Gallery Wrap Canvases. Be sure and stay all the way to the end for inspirational ideas!
What are they? Who could they be good for? How are they made? We are going to cover all of those details in this post.
First on the agenda! They have a few different names. Many people call them canvases, others call them museum wraps. I personally like to call them gallery wraps as they always remind me of what you would see in a beautiful art gallery and truly when it’s your family… it is a work of art! Picasso has nothing on you darling. Now the ones we create for our families here at Marie Holmes Photography are fine art gallery wraps which basically is a term used to represent build and quality including the actual canvas sheet and materials, right down to the inks which are archival and designed to last for years of enjoyment. We don’t settle for having anything less in our product line and you will find that a large majority of our fine photo goods hold that same standard. Our canvases at the studio are UV coated and wrapped tightly around a 1.5″ wooden stretcher board. Then the edges are secured and folded neatly creating a crisp clean corner. We back ours with a solid and secure backing so the canvas bones and framing aren’t “naked” and top it off with a saw tooth hanger for displaying.
Friends I hate to break this to you but Walgreens, Costco, most online consumer (not professional) and all of our neighborhood labs- does not a good canvas make. Sorry guys!! I know they are cheap and it’s tempting SO tempting trust me I’ve been there. But don’t be the victim of having invested so much in your portrait session to make your family look amazing and leave the rest at the door with what follows in prints and products. Quality does make a difference. You’ll find after time it will chip and break (how on earth does that happen with just being displayed on the wall??!!…I’ll explain how and it does trust me!!) fading and just overall deterioration. You see, canvases that are cheap are made poorly so when a client gets a little bit hesitant about investing in one of ours, I get it…. there is quite a bit of a difference in price, but that’s the ONLY comparison.
Inexpensive build quality starts with canvas material that is thin (reason # 1 why it won’t last, alternatively ours is as thick as fabric if you can imagine). The image or photo print is then laid onto and adhered or glued to the canvas material (reason #2 why they won’t last!). This process is similar to an iron on tee shirt- so think about that for a second. And if you have ever made one how long has it lasted you after a few washes? The warmth in a room can easily soften the photo paper and detach the adhesive from the photo and canvas material. And heaven forbid it drops on the ground. The canvas will chip and peel like yesterdays lunch banana. Now here is where our process shines! Our fine art canvases are fed directly through the printer. Think like a fax machine. The canvas goes in the printer and the image is transferred right on the material using super vibrant and rich archival inks. The inks are embedded to each fiber in the canvas. It’s an incredible process ending with a beautiful work of art.
Next, let’s talk about the ideal candidate for a gallery wrap canvas. Is there really one? I don’t think so, but for all intensive purposes let’s just say that gallery wraps are statement art and statement art lovers are the ideal kind of owners for this masterful display. If this helps further, I find that gallery wraps can be uber traditional as well super fun and spunky for even the most eclectic family. The overall message conveyed about the piece also has to do a lot with where it is placed and what image is used with it. If you are farmhouse chic like the amazing Joanna Gaines you might go for a display with multiple gallery wraps for warm cozy feel or if you are modern and minimal one large showpiece may be all you need.
The downfall with gallery wraps is that when you get one- you can not change it. Unlike framing where you can install different prints inside of it over time. A gallery wrap image stays the same. So if you don’t mind 4 year old little sally displayed in your foyer (even though she is now 30) then you will get along great! But this is the reason why I recommend picking a canvas image that is a bit more artful so they don’t “age” out as quickly. A boy looking for fireflies in the dusk light, a girl twirling her skirt in the golden sun, a close up of two sisters hands holding the other. Because these types of images are more about the emotion or actions rather than just a traditional portrait and it makes it feel more like art in my opinion. Respectively there are families who opt for that traditional family portrait over the mantle in a fine art wrapped piece. And what exactly do you do when you want to change it out? Well, we have families who gift them to relatives such as grandparents etc. As the kids grow, another option is to preserve them safely and them gift them to the children when they move out of the house so that they can keep in their own home and displayed for their family as well. So there you go! I think I’ve covered most of what people ask and want to know, but if there is more I think of I’ll be sure to come back and share another post in the future.
source // fabyoubliss + the blink blog
a symmetrical alignment of canvases for a clean lined display
source // kristen duke photography
portraits showcases avariety of expressions adorable for a child’s room!
source // apartment therapy
source // house of rose blog
Mixing in canvases and artwork of other mediums make a for an eclectic display
source // honey kennedy
statement art that makes a big impact
source // pinterest
smaller canvas scattered about on free floating shelves