Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

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DEEPJOY
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Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by DEEPJOY »

Hi All

I have 6 canvas's to wrap of two different sizes, 500mm x 500mm and 250mm x 250mm. It is usual for the image to continue around the sides of the stretcher bars to complete the desired look. There is however, a problem in loosing some of the image elements / detail if it were to be wrapped in this fashion. There is a image date and location name in the bottom right hand corner of the canvas, if I was to use 20mm standard thick stretcher bars, this detail would lost around the bottom edge of the frame.

What is the solution?
a) Stretch it so only a wee bit of the image returns around the sides? - Difficult to do to deliver an equal margin when you are stretching.

b) Recommend an alternative route to display the canvas's? - If so, what way?
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by theframer »

I would let the customer decide how they want it make it there problem and not yours,
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by DEEPJOY »

theframer wrote:I would let the customer decide how they want it make it there problem and not yours,
Dave
Hi Dave

Thanks for the enclosed.

When I have a solution on how to stretch it, or an alternative to framing it, it will be at that point I go back to the customer.
Regards
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by prospero »

I'll be glad when this fad dies out. :lol:

If the image wasn't printed with the intention of it being wrapped around the sides of the stretchers then there is
no way you can do it without losing a bit somewhere.

You could use deeper bars. :D

All in all it would be better if the folks who printed these things also stretched them.
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by DEEPJOY »

You could use deeper bars. :D

Thanks Mr P.

What do you mean about the deeper stretching bars? To get the full image on show you would have to get it right to the edge of the bars, this would then show the white of the canvas on all four edges. Is this easily doable? I think stretching the canvas to get the edge of the print either on line with the edge of the bars, or just slightly over the corner may be difficult. The customer would have a reference point in the edge of the image to access the overall straightness of the image once stretched.

The only thing I can think of, is to stretch it to just start to return down the sides of the stretcher bars and then frame it, at least the frame rebate would lose any slight inaccuracy in the stretching process.
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by prospero »

You've lost me. :roll:

If you are going to frame it in a conventional frame, why wrap it?
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by theframer »

I thought you was just going to stretch them, in which case you only have 2 options full wrap around bars and loose some of the image or leave a mostly visible white edge on the sides thats why i said let the customer decide,
If you are framing it just stretch so the image just slightly goes over the sides as the frame will hide the white sides,
dave
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by Steve N »

Are you going to frame the stretched canvas or not

If you are going to frame the stretched canvas, then hardly any of the image will need go around the size of the stretchers if any as the rebate of the frame will come over the image by around 5mm

It's only if you are doing a Gallery wrap ie, the canvas is not being framed , that the image is taken around the edge of the stretchers, BUT you can stretch the canvas with the image only just going around the sides of the stretchers, so showing the white of the printed canvas - Customers- Personal choice - either is acceptable . Now the only problem is, do you have to have enough canvas to go around the back of the stretchers so you can staple into the back of the stretchers, so the staples are not showing on the sides, (this doesn't matter if you are framing the canvas as the frame will hide the staples) Lion used to sell a white canvas tape around 25mm wide, I have used it on canvases that have been gallery wrapped and have marks on the white of the canvas that would have shown at the sides, the canvas tape was used to cover the side bits of the canvas.
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by Not your average framer »

I was under the impression that wrapping some of the image around the sides was a practice that was dying out. It originally started out as a method of presenting and selling cheap canvases and photo-prints of canvas, why people started doing this to original artworks has always been something which I've never understood.

Personally, think that the long term damage that results from doing this destroys any potential future value of any paintings that are treated like this. I can understand artworks of little, or no value being treated like this, but there are more than just a few customers want me to do this to original artworks. I just don't understand this! Also I have to admit that I never liked the look of wrapped canvases in the first place.
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by pramsay13 »

When I get a canvas in to frame I always check how the customer wants it done and if they are going to frame it or just stretch it.
If it's to be stretched with the image around the side I check they are aware that they will lose some of the image.
I recently had one of these 5 in a row canvases. Each one had an extra strip printed all round so it was definitely to be stretched around the side and wouldn't have worked otherwise.
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by DEEPJOY »

Sorry for any confusion.

Firstly the customer just wanted the images stretched and that gallery wrap would be the finished result.

I inspected the canvases straight from the delivery tube. (No customer present). Like you have all kindly pointed out, it's usual to lose the edges of the image itself to the sides and rear. What became apparent was, if I was to do this I would lose important detail to the image on display. (Eg -it would crop crucial detail, like a foot or the top of a head.

So before I spoke to the customer, I wanted to present options and that's why I contacted you guys for your expert advise.

The customer can have it wrapped but they would have to except the sides would be mostly white canvas. If they did not like that then the canvases would need to be framed in the normal way.

The only thing I was confused about, was when Prosperous suggested using thicker stretch bars for the 'gallery wrap' look. I did not appreciate the 'gallery wrap' look requires thicker bars let's say 38mm, but if the canvases are traditionally framed, I could use 20mm bars.

What Steve N says is a good point in reference to there being enough canvas to go around the bars and enough to be stapled at the rear. This issue then crosses the line in using the right product for the job. I should use the thicker 38mm bars but it may be I have to use the 20mm bars to give me enough canvas to stretch round the rear.

Again apologise.
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by prospero »

These wrap around canvases are a pain in the wotsit basically. Cheapo photo canvases that you see in shops are
manufactured like that. They have that particular 3D slab look which looks fine in some situations.
But the image must be one that suits that method. Abstracts work well. Figurative stuff can work but can look awkward.
I really 'wall furniture' rather than art, A sort of 3D wallpaper. :P
Sometimes artists will paint on a deep canvas and paint the sides. Odd concept in my view. Gimmicky is the word. This is all
fine, but I've had people who have bought these paintings overseas and had them un-mounted so they can roll them up, the better
for transport. Once the canvases have relaxed however it's practically impossible to re-stretch them and preserve the original placement.

When you get a painting with vital detail close to the edge (some artists don't consider framing practicalities) you have to jiggle things a bit.
You can stretch it with some of the border encroaching over the front. Maybe 5-6mm. The make the frame to the sight size, that is with
the opening in the frame just slightly smaller than the actual image. Then all you have to do is secure the canvas so it sits in just the right place
so as to show the max image with no border.

Another way is the stretch as normal with the image edge sitting on the edge of the stretcher. This isn't always easy or even possible. :roll:
Then you can do it in the manner of a floater, but using a conventional moulding. The canvas sits inside the frame and doesn't go under the rebate.
Of course there is a lot of faffing about to do this and you should charge extra. Usually it's the artists who inflict all these complications on you that
'don't want to pay a lot'. :P :lol:
Perhaps they will learn one day that if they want cheap framing they should think things through before they go off on flights of fancy. :ninja:
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by Steve N »

If you going to gallery wrap, then the important info at the bottom, then there are 2 thing that can be done

1) Get the printer to move the info higher in the image and reprint it, so when yo wrap , it's still visible

2) cut your stretchers so than the sides can be wrapped and the hight stretcher slightly longer so you don't wrap the top and bottom, this is dependant on how high the canvases will be hung, if at eye hight, then the top and bottom of the stretched canvas will not be seen.

The main thing is you can only do what is possible, whoever designed these canvases should, if the intended idea was to gallery wrap, then they should have put the info in a better place, if the intended idea was not to gallery wrap, then well it's the customers problem, wanting something that was not intended :Slap:
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by prospero »

If the image is going to be adulterated by gallery-wrapping the I would think that having the signature visible
is of no importance whatsoever. :roll: :| :Slap:
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Re: Photo Canvas Wrapping by a canvas virgin.

Post by DEEPJOY »

I'll let you all know how I go on. :clap:
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