Why settle for traditional photos or standard art posters as decor when they can be turned into big, beautiful prints on canvas? Great for studios as well as homes and offices, canvas prints instantly raise both quality and appeal. But while there are local custom shops that offer this, they can be few and far between. Large bulk or department stores also sometimes offer this service, but quality is often sacrificed here and options can be limited. With this in mind, the best places to order canvas prints are all online these days, and the top companies are Simple Canvas Prints, Gallery Direct and CG Pro Prints. To decide which one is best for a specific project, however, it is a good idea to ask these questions.
Whereas traditional photos are printed on photo paper and then must either be backed or framed (or both) for proper display, canvas prints can usually stand on their own or be framed if desired. Canvas has a more textured look to it, and it also looks more professional when it comes to painted images that are reprinted on canvas. These three companies offer the best canvas printing services and come highly rated, producing work that looks much higher quality than those from basic photo printing services.
Both Gallery Direct and CG Pro Prints offer traditional photo printing as well as other art and photography-related image printing services in addition to those on canvas. As its name suggests, however, Simple Canvas Prints only offers customers canvas printing services. Still, Simple Canvas Prints offers a range of canvas-related services (including framing).
Pricing for each of these companies depends almost entirely on the size of the canvas, although certain customizations and requests may come at an extra charge. You can also save money with canvas printing discounts offered through numerous printers. At Simple Canvas Prints, prices generally start at $4.99 and go up to $121.31 (with their regular discounts in place), although they can go up to more than $500 for their largest prints. Meanwhile CG Pro Prints generally range from $9.99 to $159.99. Then there's Gallery Direct, which works on a case-by-case basis and offers customers personalized quotes after they submit their project information.
Canvas prints vary greatly in size, with Simple Canvas Prints starting with its smallest canvases at 8" X 8" and going up to 30" X 36". Gallery Direct starts at 20" X 8" and goes up to 48" X 48", and CG Pro Prints starts at 8" X 10" and goes up to 33" X 45". However, it is worth noting that finished products from each service may end up larger depending on the framing requested.
All three specialize in online services; with most photos nowadays being in digital form, it's simply much easier to order canvas prints online. However, unlike the other two, CG Pro Prints does have its physical location listed on its website. The store itself is known simply as Circle Graphics and is located in Longmont, Colorado, for those who wish to have a more personal customer service experience.
Canvas prints ordered from Gallery Direct take between eight and 10 business days for shipment, whereas those from Simple Canvas Prints ship within 14 to 18 business days with expedited shipping options available. CG Pro Prints is the fastest of the three, getting its products out for shipment within three business days.
Simple Canvas Prints and CG Pro Prints are businesses focused solely on those who wish to print personal photos or other privately owned images, and so they do not have outside images to choose from. Gallery Direct nevertheless has other options, with work from dozens of artists (both contemporary and historical) to select for their printing services.
The answer to this will depend largely on the individual's needs, but the truth is that CG Pro Prints caters more to artists and photographers who need professional-grade canvas prints than do Simple Canvas Prints (which is directed more towards those looking for home or office prints) and Gallery Direct (which is directed more towards art collectors and enthusiasts than professional creators themselves). CG Pro Prints also offers wholesale deals to professional photographers and focuses on making gallery-ready products.