Our Gift Wrap & Personal Message Service

Choose Canvas offer a unique Gift Wrap & Personal Message service. This is ideal if you are buying the canvas print as a present for a friend or family member. If you will be unable to see them in person then take advantage of our service. For a small additional fee we will gift wrap the canvas print & add a personal message onto a card and include this when we post it.

If you would like to use our Gift Wrap & Personal Message service then you can select this when adding your chosen canvas to the shopping basket. Then just add your personal message into the comments field when completing the check out process. If local to us we may even deliver in person.

You order, We print & gift wrap, We then post direct to the person you require us to.

Please click here to find out more about our Gift Wrap service.

New Prints added to website

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Over the past few weeks we have added some new prints to our website. These can be found in our Abstract, Animals & Wildlife, Flowers, Legends, Landscape & Seascapes categories.



All of these canvas prints can either be printed in landscape or square format depending on the requirements.


The new prints include a Stormy Sea’s print, an abstract yellow flower print & a friendship inspired print which can be found in our Animals & Wildlife section

Click here to purchase the canvas print above of stormy seas.

One of the Printers we use - Canon W6400

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As a complete professional printing solution the compact W6400 delivers quality, high resolution prints no matter what the deadline. This new model features increased usability, compatibility and an ingenious new Canon print driver.

Features

Full bleed photo printing
Fast output – full colour A1 photo in 1.3 min.
High definition – max. 2400 x 1200dpi resolution, UV resistant pigment inks
High capacity, single ink tanks
Small footprint
Compatible with wide range of media
Full network support for Mac and PC(Option)
Interchangeable Photo and Matte Black





The new Canon W6400 combines best in class image reproduction, cost-effective performance and new enhanced technology to offer more powerful productivity and greater business impact than ever before. Increased maximum resolution, an ingenious print delivery system, new print driver and improved usability and compatibility, ensure the W6400 delivers against the tightest deadlines with higher quality. A compact, complete professional printing solution with a small footprint, it will play an invaluable role in building your business.


Get through more work in less timeUnique bi-directional printing is made easy by Canon’s one inch wide high-density print head. Featuring 7,680 nozzles (1,280 per colour) the print head enables high resolution printing over a wide area in a single pass, saving time and ensuring absolute colour stability. And with Canon’s advanced MicroFine droplet Technology™ ejecting more drops, more quickly, print times are accelerated even further.


UV resistant inks ensure lasting imagesFor outdoor media and prints exposed to bright lights, durability is a must. The W6400 uses full-colour, UV static, fade free pigment inks. The result is unsurpassed colour fastness and bright, vivid images that look as good as the original, and stay that way.


Borderless printing brings images to lifeNothing is more impactful than full-bleed printing, especially for photographic work. The W6400 supports fast, mess-free output to all four edges on 10”x12”, 8”x10” and B2 and B3 posters and 6-colour printing process ensures enhanced colour precision and tonal depth. Large capacity ink tanks and continuous ink supply are perfect for extra-long printing and ink tanks can be replaced during printing without affecting print quality.


Productive network support and flexibilityThe W6400 supports both Mac and Windows environments, fitting seamlessly into your network and enhancing its value. With an output plug-in for Adobe Photoshop and HDI Drivers for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, this new printer offers greater usability. Plus Canon’s NetSpot® Suite software enables integration management of every printer on your network.

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ApplicationsDigital images and photographs, Proofs, Storyboards, Presentations, Impositions, Packaging concepts, Concepts & layouts, POD final posters, Computer-created artwork, Reproductions, Photographs/Manipulated photographs, Special sized artwork

How to Stretch Canvas - Part 3

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Move to the next frame rail (one of the longer ones) and repeat steps 5 and 6. As you do, you will notice a triangular canvas crease as you attach the third side and then a diamond-shaped crease when the fourth tack is attached on the remaining mid-rail.



Now, place temporary tacks at all four corners. Starting with the center of one of the long rails, grip the canvas tightly with the pliers and fasten tacks at 2″ intervals. Repeat with several tacks in both directions (from center) and then switch to the opposite side and repeat this process. Continue working from the center until both long sides are completely tacked down to all but one inch from each corner, stretching the canvas evenly as you proceed.








Once both long sides are finished, remove the temporary tacks that you fastened in step 8. Now repeat the same fastening process for both of the short sides, working out from the centers. For smaller canvases, one entire short side can be fastened first, followed by the opposite side. Larger canvases should be rotated several times to evenly stretch the material over the frame. Note that a primed linen canvas (oil-primed linen, in particular) will normally require that the tacks be placed closer together, due to the limited stretch of this material.


Fold and pleat the corners of the canvas and then neatly wrap them around to the rear of the canvas frame. Keeping tension on the material, tack all of the excess cloth to the rear of the frame so that it is neatly secured. Then place tacks on all four outer corners. This excess material is important to have in case you ever need to restretch or remount the canvas.
Any remaining canvas indentations or ripples can be reduced by moistening the affected area with a damp sponge. Be careful not to saturate, and allow the canvas to dry completely in a well-ventilated area.


Keep in mind that it is easier to stretch primed cotton and Polyflax canvas than it is to mount a primed linen canvas, since linen fibers do not stretch as much. Oil-primed canvas requires the most attention when mounting on a frame because it has virtually no stretch. When working with this type of canvas, you may have to remove tacks in wrinkled sections and then restretch and retack.


By following the above steps and using proper materials and a few tools, you can easily build your own canvas. With a little practice, the process becomes much faster and easier, almost to the point of becoming routine.

Do you like our Marilyn Monroe print? If so please follow the link to purchase: http://www.choosecanvas.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=18&sort=20a&page=2

How to Stretch Canvas - Part 2

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5. Fold one side of the canvas over one of the shorter frame rails and then attach a canvas tack at the center of the outside edge of that rail.



6. At the opposite side, use canvas pliers (which are similar to regular pliers except they have a broader gripping area) to grip the canvas at mid-rail. It may be helpful for you to set the frame upright while doing this. With a firm grip, pull the canvas until a straight crease is formed to the tacked end. While keeping tension on the canvas, insert another tack at the center edge of the rail, just like the other side. Note that you may also use a staple gun/staples instead of tacks. (The Arrow JT-21 is easy to use.)








7. Move to the next frame rail (one of the longer ones) and repeat steps 5 and 6. As you do, you will notice a triangular canvas crease as you attach the third side and then a diamond-shaped crease when the fourth tack is attached on the remaining mid-rail.


8. Now, place temporary tacks at all four corners. Starting with the center of one of the long rails, grip the canvas tightly with the pliers and fasten tacks at 2″ intervals. Repeat with several tacks in both directions (from center) and then switch to the opposite side and repeat this process. Continue working from the center until both long sides are completely tacked down to all but one inch from each corner, stretching the canvas evenly as you proceed.


Final part to follow shortly

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How to Stretch Canvas - Part 1

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Stretching your own canvas is fairly easy once you know the procedure and have the proper tools and materials. Note that the canvas referred to below is pre-primed; but you could also use the following procedure with raw canvas and, after it has been stretched, prime it with two coats of acrylic gesso. Please read through all of the instructions first, since certain steps must be prepared for in advance.



First you will need to gather a few tools and materials: canvas pliers, stapler/staples or hammer and tacks, stretcher strips, and canvas. In addition, a T-square is convenient to help you insure that the stretchers are square. Then follow these steps to stretch your canvas:







Select the appropriate-sized stretchers for the canvas you want to build. Your art supply store has a variety of pre-cut wooden frame rails (or stretcher bars) that have interlocking mitered edges.



Once your stretcher frame is assembled on a flat surface, you should verify that it is square. Do this by taking a tape measure and checking that the diagonal distances from both opposing corners are equidistant. (They almost always will be.) If you encounter an offset, you can correct it by attaching a small metal right-angle brace on the inner frame corner. A small plywood right-angle triangle attached to the rear frame corner will also help correct any shift.



For frame rails longer than 36 inches, an interior brace should be inserted between these rails to support them from bowing inward after the canvas has been attached. This will also protect against frame distortion during periods of fluctuating humidity. If this type of support rail did not already come with your pre-cut frame, you should cut a piece of similar wood and attach it with the type of braces detailed in step 2.



Take the canvas and lay the primed side down on a clean, flat surface. Place the frame atop the canvas and then cut away any excess material so that there are two inches of excess canvas bordering the frame on all sides. It is important that you leave this border material because this is what you will use to grip, stretch, and attach the canvas to the frame.



Part 2 of how to stretch canvas to follow shortly.

How to Upload your own photos

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Here is a quick tutorial on how to upload your own personal images to us so we can convert onto canvas for you:

1: Create an account with us by clicking on ‘My Account’ at the top of our homepage. Fill in all the fields that are required.

2. Once you have created an account you are then able to upload you photo to us. To do this please click on ‘Personal Photo’s’ under our categories menu on the left hand side.

3. Scroll down & select the shape & size of canvas print you require. Select the lyson print guard or gift wrap service if you require either of these additions. Then where is says ‘Photo Upload’ please click on ‘Browse’.

4. Navigate to the location of the image on your computer & click open.

5. Click ‘Add to Cart’

6. Proceed to complete checkout.

Please click this link to go direct to our upload page:

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Mothers Day at Choose Canvas

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Mothers Day is fast appoaching & what better way is there to show your love than a canvas print?


Whether it be your own personal photo or a print from one of our categories a canvas print is a perfect gift. Perhaps you have a family photo, or a photo of the family pet or maybe a holiday photo. You can upload them to us via our website & have them on canvas for life.







Why not combine your print with our added option of Lyson Print Guard. Giving your canvas print 2 light coatings with Lyson Print Guard ensures that your canvas will be protected against natural elements such as sunlight, dust & heat.

Choose-Gifts

http://www.choose-gifts.co.uk/

Choose Canvas are very pleased to announce that our 2nd website is now up & running & 100% live !! Choose-Gifts is your one stop shop for gifts for every occasion.

We specialise in quality character figures & figurines. Our range includes Betty Boop, Disney, Popeye, Mr Bean, Rupert Bear, Winnie the Pooh, The Muppets & Garfield.
Such favourites as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, The Chipmunks, Snow White, Kermet the Frog, Cinderella, Goofy, Tigger & Peter Pan are all included in our range.

We also have a brand new range of glass ornaments featuring many of the above characters.

We also offer huge figures aimed more at businesses to stand in their premises. Our favourite is the Chef figure - perfect for a pub, restaurant or cafe.

What would a gift website be without Canvas Prints !! We will be showing a small collection of our prints on the new website to give customers a taster of what we offer.
Another collection that we have available to purchase is quality china cups, plates & bowls all decorated with your favourite cartoon character.

We have only been up & running a very short time so please check back regularly as we have many more products to add over the coming weeks & months.

To see the new website please visit: http://www.choose-gifts.co.uk/
or to read our blog click here: www.choose-gifts.co.uk/blog

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Valentines Day is just around the corner so why not buy a canvas print to show your love. Flowers & chocolates are all well & good but they are throw away items which have gone within a fortnight. For the same price you can get your own personal photo converted onto canvas which will last a lifetime.

Sounds so simple when you read it in black & white. Why purchase something that will be gone in 14 days when you can buy something that will last forever for the same price or even less?
Alternivately you can browse through our many categories & prints which include some great for Valentines Day.

Favourite Canvas Prints - Part 2.

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Following on from my partners list of their favourite canvas prints I thought I had better follow suit. Here is my list:

Abstract Prints: A Sea of Sand, Car Lights & Chocolate Silk.

Animals & Wildlife Prints: Cool & Calm, Serenity & Tropical Fish.

Cityscapes: A Birds Eye View, MIami Vice & Night Lights.

Flower Prints: Bluebell Woods, Host of Red Tulips & Red Berries.

Landscape Prints: Golden Gaze, Sunset & the Sea, Wild Geese.

Legend Prints: Elvis Presley - The King, Marilyn Monroe & Marilyn Monroe - Abstract.

Local to us in Essex: Colchester Castle, Monks Eliegh & Wivenhoe Sailboats.

Seascape Canvas Prints: Flowing Stream, Jersey Lighthouse & Port Isaac, Cornwall.

Superheroes Prints: Batman, Superman & Superman 3D.

Weather Prints: Cloud Waves, Black & White Clouds & Sunrise through the Clouds.

For both of us it was very enjoyable & interesting doing this. Not only did we have a good look through all the canvas prints we have on our website but found out that what we both like in art prints is quite different.

Our favourite Prints.

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Just for fun I thought I would have a look through our own website & come up with my 3 favourite prints in each category. Here they are:

Abstract: A Splash of Colour, Make Believe & Luck of the Dice.

Animals & Wildlife: Black & White Cat, Mum & Me & Ugly Ducklings Definitely Not.

Cityscapes: High Time in London, Times Square Taxi & Rush Hour Times Square - Going Home.

Flowers: Yellow Lily, Sunny Sunflower & One Alone.

Landscapes: Golden Sunset, Tree in Stormy Sky & Black & White Lighthouse.

Legends: Audrey Hepburn, Elvis Presley - The King & John Lennon - Montage.

Seascapes: Port Isaac Cornwall, Jersey Lighthouse & Sunset Sailing.

Superheroes: Superman, Superman 3D & Superman - The Original

Weather: Black & White Clouds, Sunrise Through the Clouds & Mauve Lighting.

Later in the week my business partner will list their favourites !!

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Sepia Effect

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Over our next few blog posts we will be writing about all the different effects that be added to canvas prints now days. Whether it be a simple black & white effect, sepia or a blurred effect all can add to your canvas print.

First up is the Sepia effect.

Sepia effects are particurly effective when used on portraits or on photos of towns & villages. The sepia effect is one of the oldest around yet it is still pretty much the most popular. On canvas prints it can give a real touch of class & will make your print look that much more unique. In short a Sepia effect will make your print look like it was made in the 1930’s, 40’s or 50’s.

You can use any number of programmes now days to get the desired effect that you are looking for. Whether it be an expensive top of the market programme or a free online tool both will get the job done. But obviously you get what you pay for.

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How do we package our canvases?

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If you have decided to purchase a canvas you obviously want it to arrive at your front door in perfect condition. This is why we use 2 part telescopic boxes to protect our canvases.

Telescopic boxes are made especially for the safe delivery of canvases & picture frames. We have 3 different sizes: Small, Medium & Large. After printing and assembling your canvas onto the stretcher bars we will then choose the best size box for your print & place inside.

We also bubble wrap your canvas many times & then add even more bubble wrap inside the box for extra protection.

Finally we add strong tape around the box to make extra safe & then write ‘Fragile’ on the box so the delivery company know to handle with care.

All the above precautions mean that you have piece of mind that your canvas will arrive at your front door in exactly the same condition as when it left us.

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Canvas buying tips

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When buying a canvas print the biggest problem is choosing the 1 out of a huge selection that you like. You can literally put any picture or photo in the world onto canvas. So when we say there is a huge selection we mean it.

A bright & bold print can bring a dull room to life in an instance. But likewise a simple abstract or black & white print can give a dull room a touch of class & still bring the room to life.
All our prints look great on a white or light beige colour wall. However they also look fantastic in bars & restaurants - a lot of which have wooden based walls.

Our number 1 tip when buying a canvas is: Make sure YOU like it. If the canvas is going in your house or premises then as long as you like it nothing else matters.

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Come & see our prints in person

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If you like the look of our canvas prints then if you live local to us you can now view some of them in person. Flowerscenta in Long Melford, Suffolk now have many of our prints for sale in their shop. Flowerscenta currently have mainly Flowers, Animals & Abstract canvases on display but the shop owners can always help you if you require something else. You can either purchase the print you like from Flowerscenta but we would rather you let Flowerscenta contact us & we will print you a fresh new canvas & then either post or deliver directly to you.

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Customers Photo Submission

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Late last week we were very pleased to receive a couple of photos from a customer showing the canvas prints we did for them on their wall. We have included the photos below. The first photo shows our Jersey Lighthouse print which can be found here: http://www.choosecanvas.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=174

The 2nd picture shows the print entitled ‘ Floating ‘ which shows 2 water lilies on the water. This print can be found in our Flowers section here: http://www.choosecanvas.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4

Choose Canvas at Christmas

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Light up a loved ones Christmas this year with a canvas print. We recommend using our Personal Photo on canvas service.

Upload a personal photo to us via our website & we will convert onto canvas for you. Whether it be a photo of the grandchildren for the grandparents or a photo of the children for the parents it will certainly make someone happy this Christmas. Maybe you have a photo of the whole family that you would like on canvas to show the world. If you are an animal lover why not upload your pet photos. Do you have a holiday snap that reminds you of a great week of your life?
Send it to us & you can have it on the wall forever.

We also offer a Gift Wrap & Personal Message service. If you unable to see a loved one at Christmas then you can choose this service and we will post the canvas directly to the person you tell us to. We will then include a message card with your personal message on it.

What canvas do we use?

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We use a top grade canvas with a water resistant property. This means all our canvas’s offer vivid color, high resolution & excellent lightfast and anti-aging properties. The special coating on the canvas enables prints to be stretched without any cracking which means a longer life for your canvas.






Canvas Specification:

- 100% Cotton- 380gsm

- Water Resistent Matt Finish

- Whiteness - more than 90%

- Opacity - more than 85%

- Tested at 720, 1440 and 2880 dpi


The key point from above is the 380gsm. This effectively means we use a thick canvas which is higher in quality, can be pulled tighter around the stretcher bars & thus will last longer.

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How to make your own stretcher bars

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You can use materials and tools that anyone can find at their local hardware store, and often make large canvases for a tiny fraction of the price that it would cost you to buy them already made.
The inner frame, or structure, of every canvas is created out of 1×2 wood, and quarter-round trim.

Once decided on what size to create the canvas, you should cut four pieces of 1×2s (one for each side of the canvas), with 45 degree angles at each end.
You can use a miter box and hand saw, or power tools - either way works just fine. The most important thing is to make good, equal, 45 degree cuts at each end so that the wood fits together properly at the corners.

One cut of the saw actually creates an entire corner, as you can see in the picture to the left. All you need to use is a simple hand-powered staple gun to secure the corners together, and usually place 3 staples on both front and back of the joint. With 6 staples fastening each corner, the entire frame becomes very strong and rigid.

Once all four corners are stapled the frame might look complete, but it’s really not. When stretching canvas, it’s important to keep it raised off of the frame; which is why it is important to go to the trouble of cutting quarter-round trim pieces as well, to make a lip, or edge, that runs along the entire outside border of the frame.

You can cut the trim pieces with whatever tool you used on the other pieces of wood. However, it may be easier to use the miter box instead of a power tool, since the trim pieces are so thin. If you do use a power saw, brace the trim piece with another piece of wood so that your fingers don’t have to be anywhere close to the blade when cutting.

Unlike the 1×2s, a single cut with the saw does not make a perfect corner out of two trim pieces. It will always be necessary to take one piece back and cut off another small amount to get the right angle. Its best to lay a long piece down and mark just once where the next cut is, and then repeat that process again and again. Cutting all at once doesn’t usually work out well since the angles to cut on the quarter-rounds are trickier than on the 1×2s.

To create a raised lip or edge, you’ll need to place one flat side of the quarter-round against the stretcher bars, and the other flat side facing outward. The curved length of the quarter-rounds should be facing inward toward the center of the frame.

Now all that’s needed is to fasten the quarter-rounds permanently in place. Nail them to the frame with headless nails. The ones I recommend come in a package labeled “wire brads” but finishing nails would work as well.

Make sure to buy nails that are no longer than the width of your quarter-round and 1×2 combined, and space them along the trim pieces about every 4 inches, or until it’s solidly in place.

When the entire frame is finished, it’s time to start stretching the canvas. All you need is a square or rectangular piece of canvas a little larger than the size of your stretcher bars, and the same staple gun used on the corners of the frame.

Because of the depth, the entire front face of your canvas will have the same feeling, from the center to the edge.

Although there are other solutions for making canvases, this is how to make home made ones.

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