Things To Know About Solid Border vs. Mirror Border Printing

Whether you need a canvas print for a professional art display or simply to hang at home, it’s important to understand the different printing styles. Specifically, you should know what border style best complements your photography or art image. There are many border types and styles, though some are more common in the reproduction industry than others. Here are some things to know about solid border versus mirror border printing, including their appearances, differences, and when to select each style.

What Is Solid Border Printing?

Solid border printing adds a single, solid color around the edges of a canvas print. Some services refer to this border choice as the “museum style.” This method commonly uses a color-picking tool to select a complementary color from the image and applies it to the border. The customer could select this color themselves while ordering or leave it up to the printing company and their technology. Black and white are some of the most common colors when it comes to choosing a border color, especially for black-and-white images or photographs.

Pros and Cons of Solid Borders

One of the benefits of using a solid border is that the entire image displays on the front of the canvas. Having a solid border doesn’t distract from the image on the face of the canvas. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about cutting off any of the image when framing or displaying the canvas with other pieces.

On the other hand, if you want a more dynamic border that makes use of the whole canvas, you may want to choose a wrapped style. Solid borders are the simplest style, so you may want to familiarize yourself with all the options available through your printer.

When To Use Solid Border Printing

Solid border printing is ideal for paintings, photographs, and other art pieces with details near the edges of the image. Solid borders allow you to display the full image on the face of the print. Museums and galleries may use these styles when displaying canvas prints, photographs, and more.

This style is also ideal for smaller images. You don’t need to expand the image to fit within the borders, which promotes a clearer quality and crisper image. You can also use solid borders when displaying a group of photographs or paintings to promote cohesion throughout your display. Finally, solid colors are also ideal for pre-edited collages and matted canvases that you plan to frame.

What Is Mirror Border Printing?

Mirror border printing references your selected image instead of choosing a solid color. The border uses a portion of the image on the face of your piece and mirrors it to provide extra space. Depending on the size of the canvas print and its borders, more of the image may reflect along the wrapped edge. Mirror border printing provides an artistic take on canvas borders, creating a small reflection of the rest of the image.

Pros and Cons of Mirror Borders

Like solid border printing, mirror border techniques also allow you to print the entire image on the face of the canvas. This technique ensures that you don’t lose any intricate details near the edges that would otherwise stretch over the frame. When working with a small image, mirrored borders also allow you to avoid stretching and blurring the quality of the image while creating a continuous look and ceaseless edge.

However, you should be wary of using mirrored borders for certain types of images. For example, avoid this style for subjects posing near the edges of the image. Limbs and extremities that meet the edge can reflect in the wrapped edge and appear strange to viewers. You should also avoid using mirrored borders for images with lettering near the corners. The technique will flip the text down the edge of the canvas, which can make it confusing to read. In these cases, continuous or solid borders may be better options.

When To Use Mirror Border Printing

Mirrored borders are ideal for simple subjects such as landscapes, abstract paintings, and more. When mirroring complex subjects such as people or small animals, the mirrored image on the side of the piece can look strange. However, subjects such as the sky, views of landscapes and cities, and even group photos where the subjects remain in the center are all great opportunities to use this border.

Other Types of Canvas Prints

While solid color and mirrored borders are two of the most common types of canvas prints, there are other styles you may encounter as well.

Foam-mounted canvases take a piece of flat canvas and attach it to a lightweight foam board. This technique provides a slightly thinner but durable canvas print. They provide the appearance and texture of canvas without excessive bulkiness or weight. This style is ideal if you plan to frame your prints.

Some images are compatible with stretched gallery borders, which involve stretching some details over the canvas frame to form the borders. This technique is ideal for large-scale images that won’t lose their quality when enlarged. The subject of the image must be within the canvas’s center so that details won’t fall over the edge of the frame more than desired.

Where To Find Gallery-Wrapped Canvases

Now that you know a bit more about the common types of borders in canvas printing, you might wonder how you can explore them further or even order your own reproductions. Fortunately, you don’t need to look far for high-quality prints. Here at The Stackhouse, we offer gallery-wrapped canvas printing with a variety of border options and styles. We offer more than just mirrored and solid-color borders—we can also provide loose canvas prints, foam-mounted canvas, and additional wrapped styles. Browse our services or consider choosing an image and placing an order today.

We hope this guide on what to know about solid border versus mirror border printing has been helpful. With this knowledge, you can better understand each printing style and choose the best one for your selected image. If you need any further recommendations or information about canvas printing, feel free to browse our website or contact our experts here at The Stackhouse today.