Do Canvas Prints Look Cheap?

Do Canvas Prints Look Cheap? (Do They Look Good?)

We all know that it’s really a matter of personal taste when it comes to judging if canvas prints look cheap.

But!

Are you wondering what the general public thinks?

With 12 years of experience as both an artist and an art curator, I’ve heard A LOT of opinions on this subject.

People’s opinions of canvas art prints seem to be greatly influenced by two main things:

The quality of the canvas and of the print work itself (including the inks used) and whether the print is of a photograph or a handmade piece of art (including paintings, digital illustrations, and sketches).

If you’re like me, you’ve seen some really low-quality, washed-out, floppy canvas art prints in stores before.

In my opinion, those look cheap.

On the other hand, there are some really high-quality canvas prints out there that will impress almost anyone.

Last fall, I remember going to my friend’s house and I saw three new pieces of artwork on her wall. I had to get really close just to see if these were prints or original paintings.

These canvas prints were from iCanvas, an e-commerce site that sells affordable canvas and framed art prints. They were beautiful and really made her living room cozy.

And they were the opposite of cheap looking.

Do Canvas Photos Look Cheap?

When it comes to photography, especially close-ups of people or animals, the popular opinion seems to be these canvas prints look cheap.

And I have to admit that, for some reason, just the thought of a family portrait printed on canvas makes me cringe.

Overall, I think it’s a good rule of thumb that photos, especially those that focus on people or animals, are best when printed on some kind of photographic paper or fine art paper and framed.

Normally, these types of photos were meant to have most of its details and some of its sharpness shared with the viewer.

The texture of a canvas print will usually not show the finer details and sharpness of an image compared to a photographic print.

On the other hand, I think that an artistic photograph can look great on canvas. For example, a canvas print of the Eiffel tower, a calming beach scene, or flowers can be a beautiful addition to your home or office. In most of these cases, the details do not seem to be missed at all.

Handmade Art Printed on Canvas

I think that canvas art is best when the printed image is of a handmade piece of art like a painting, a sketch, or a digital illustration.

Canvas prints are great for those of us who are on a tight budget because they usually cost much less than original paintings or traditional framed prints.

Do Prints of Famous Paintings Look Cheap?

Most of us don’t have millions of dollars to buy a Vincent van Gogh painting, so a canvas print of his work (iCanvas) is a great alternative.

And if it was stretched and framed correctly, and the colors are true to the original painting, a canvas print can really add style to your walls.

The best part about canvas art?

They won’t show any glare and reflection like most framed prints do.

Who Has the Best Quality Canvas Prints?

If you’re interested in buying high-quality, inexpensive canvas art, my favorite stores are iCanvas, Redbubble, and Society6.

ICanvas has thousands of curated, high-quality canvas prints and framed art prints. They also offer 1 to 3-piece prints.

Redbubble and Society6 sell canvas art and other items, from artists worldwide. You can really find unique artwork on these sites and it’s a great way to support both emerging and well-known artists.

So go ahead and find canvas prints that’s uniquely you, support artists, and (most importantly) HAVE FUN shopping!