How to Print On Canvas
Customize your walls with your favorite photos using printable canvas paper for this DIY Canvas Art Print tutorial for your wall!
If you’re like me and you’re making it a New Year’s goal to finally print out some of those pictures you’ve been hoarding on your phone for the past year, then this DIY Canvas Art Print has your name written all over it.
It’s a great option for a custom photo gift idea for anyone or a personalized gift too!
I, Erin recently discovered an amazing little thing called printable canvases. This affordable paper allows you to transform those iPhone snaps into canvas wall art!
Inkjet Art Paper | What Is Printable Canvas Paper?
Canvas paper allows you to print photos onto textured canvas using your home printer and then stretch them onto wooden frames for gallery-wrapped-style works of art.
It is sold in a roll or sheet form. There are many advantages to canvas prints. Images printed on canvas paper do not fade like they would on regular paper.
You can also easily clean custom canvas prints with a duster or slightly damp cloth.
Materials and Tools Needed To Make A DIY Canvas Art Print
Mini blank art canvas — Blank canvases are available at any craft or art store or you can purchase them in bulk online.
Microsoft Powerpoint — Or any photo editing software
Inkjet printer — Canvas paper is thicker than regular print paper. Though most have the capability, verify with your printer specifications that it can accommodate canvas photo printing.
Scissors
Notes: For this DIY project, I’ve created 5”x 7” and 5”x 5” canvas size frames. The sizing was limited by my printer which prints a maximum size of 8.5”x 11”.
If your printer can handle larger formats, consider using 11”x 17” printable canvas for additional size options.
How To Make An Easy DIY Canvas Art Print
Step 1 — Open up a blank document in Powerpoint and insert your picture or artwork. Center the photo on the slide.
(I’m using Powerpoint, as it’s a program many may be familiar with, but you can also use Adobe Illustrator or any layout editing software as well.)
Step 2 — Then, pick the ‘rectangle shape’ from the top toolbar and draw a rectangle roughly 2-3 inches larger than your photo. You can just eyeball it since this border will be wrapped.
Right-click on the rectangle shape and choose ‘Send to Back’ in order to send it behind your photo.
Then, right-click on the rectangle shape again and choose a paint color fill similar to the general color of your photo. This color will be visible only along with your canvas trim so you can opt for just white.
Step 3 — At this point, do a test print on standard paper to confirm color and sizing look good.
Step 4 — Next, select print settings to optimize printing on the canvas. Go to ‘”File” –> “Print” –> ‘Printer Properties’. Choose the following settings and hit “Print”:
— Print Quality: “Best”
— Paper Type: “Matte Photo Paper”.
Step 5 — Once your canvas is printed, spray a coat of UV protective varnish. This coat of paint seals the ink and offers extra protection against sunlight and moisture.
How To Wrap A Canvas Print | How To Mount Your Canvas
Note: We hung up one custom print without mounting it on the canvas frame so this is another optional wall hang! However, follow these steps below to mount your canvas:
Step 6 — Use pliers to pull off the staples/blank canvas that came on the blank art canvases. This step is optional, but I found I got a tighter wrap by removing the blank canvas.
Step 7 — Lay your printed canvas face down, and center the wood frame on the canvas. Check the canvas edges to confirm correct placement.
Beginning with one of the longer edges, fold the canvas around the wood frame and staple it towards the middle of the frame.
Then, fold the opposite edge around the other side of the frame pulling and stretching the canvas as tight as you can.
Staple the canvas into place. Professionals use canvas pliers to stretch larger canvases. However, for this size canvas, using your hands work just fine.
Step 8 — At this point, trim off excess canvas material at each corner at a 45-degree angle to help make the corners easier to wrap.
Step 9 — Wrap the first corner by taking hold of the loose canvas corner and pushing the corner in toward the center of the frame.
The goal is to make a small fold from the center of the canvas corner down to the corner of the wood frame.
Step 10 — Then fold the loose canvas flap onto the frame so the folded edge is parallel with the corner. Secure flap with a staple.
Repeat steps 6 & 7 to wrap the remaining 3 corners.
More Personalized DIY Wall Art Ideas
This canvas art project is a unique way to showcase your personal photography. For more easy DIY artwork projects for your home or office, check out a few of our favorites from the archives below —
For more easy DIY artwork projects for your home or office, check out a few of our favorites from the archives below —
- How to make your own DIY Watercolor Wall Art with acrylic paint
- DIY Large Abstract Canvas Painting in our revamped open concept living room
- DIY Paper Shapes Wall Art
- Or this DIY Paper Wall Art
And if you are looking to preserve your own art creations, they can easily be transferred online to custom art prints.
We especially love the idea of your or your kids art drawings or family recipes turned into a piece of art.
Our DIY Canvas Art hangs adorns our office walls under our Hexagonal DIY Desk Organizer.
DIY Canvas Art Print
Equipment
- Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator or any layout editing software
- Inkjet printer
- Scissors
- Pliers
- Staple gun and staples
Materials
- Mini art canvas We created two 5”x 7” and 5”x 5” art pieces.
- Printable canvas paper
- UV protective varnish spray
Notes
- Due to my printer limitations which prints a maximum size of 8.5”x 11”, I opted to create a 5”x 7” and 5”x 5” canvas art print.
- If your printer can handle larger formats, consider using 11”x 17” printable canvas for additional size options.
- Professionals use a canvas pliers to stretch larger canvases. However, for this size canvas, using your hands work just fine.
Instructions
How to print your image onto the canvas:
- Open up a blank document in Powerpoint and insert your picture or artwork. Center the photo on the slide.
- Select the "rectangle shape" from the top tool bar and draw a rectangle roughly 2-3 inches larger than your photo. You can just eyeball it.
- Right click on the rectangle shape and choose "Send to Back" in order to send it behind your photo.
- Right click on the rectangle shape again and choose a color fill similar to the general color of your photo. Note that the color you select will appear along the sides of your frame.
- Do a test print on standard paper to confirm color and sizing look good.
- Edit your print settings to optimize printing on the canvas by going to "File" –> "Print" –> "Printer Properties"’. Choose the following settings and hit ‘Print’:— Print Quality: ‘Best’— Paper Type: ‘Matte Photo Paper.
- Once your canvas is printed, seal it with a spray coat of UV protective varnish to protect the ink.
How to mount your canvas:
- Optional: Use a pliers to pull off the staples and blank canvas that came on the blank art canvases. This step is optional, but I found that I got a tighter wrap by removing the blank canvas.
- Lay your printed canvas face down, and center the wood frame on the canvas. Check the canvas edges to confirm correct placement. Beginning with one of the longer edges, fold the canvas around the wood frame and staple towards the middle of the frame.
- Fold the opposite edge around the other side of the frame pulling and stretching the canvas as tight as you can.
- Staple the canvas into place.
- Trim off excess canvas material at each corner at a 45-degree angle to help make the corners easier to wrap.
- Wrap the first corner by taking hold of the loose canvas corner and pushing the corner in toward the center of the frame. The goal is to make a small fold from the center of the canvas corner down to the corner of the wood frame.
- Fold the loose canvas flap onto the frame so that the folded edge is parallel with the corner. Secure flap with a staple.
- Repeat these steps to wrap the remaining 3 corners.
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