The Stackhouse Blog

Explore our latest articles on art printing, tips for artists, insights on materials, and more.
July 12, 2022
When you spend so much time and effort creating the piece of art you see in your mind’s eye, it’s understandable that you want others to see it the same way you always have. This also goes for creating canvas prints of your art. Some artists might get nervous creating prints of their work, as they worry that a certain amount of the original piece will be lost in the recreation. However, with the right printer and the right finish, canvas prints can look extremely similar to the original piece. In this article, we’ll talk about when to use a satin or matte finish for canvas prints and how each finish can affect the way people perceive your art. Why Your Finish Matters If you’ve never created canvas prints of your work before, you might wonder why something that seems so small would warrant so much forethought. The truth is that a print’s finish is the filter through which the rest of your piece is seen. Choosing a finish that doesn’t complement the work you’ve already done can lead to your prints looking very different than the original. You can lose a lot of the texture and feel of the original piece if you aren’t careful. Matte and satin finishes help preserve the original piece’s feel in different ways. Why You Should Choose a Satin Finish When trying to decide whether to use a satin or matte finish for your canvas prints, you may want to consider the medium you’ve used for the original piece. Satin finishes can give the canvas print a more authentic looking sheen, especially if your original medium was oil paints. They can also help bring out the texture of a piece, allowing vibrant colors to really pop out from the print compared to tones that are less vibrant. Photographers can also use a satin finish to create a more lifelike look to the subject in their prints. Why You Should Choose a Matte Finish If contrasting colors are an integral part of your piece, you may want to consider a matte finish. The glossiness of a satin finish can sometimes tie contrasting colors together too much, making them more homogenous. Matte finishes are also useful for preserving darker colors, as they don’t allow light to glint off areas of the piece that you intentionally made dark. Many artists like to use a matte finish for prints that will be displayed in galleries where the lighting is rather intense. The matte finish prevents the harsh lighting from blotting out sections of the piece depending on where the viewer is standing. For custom gallery wrapped canvas printing with your choice of finish, consult The Stackhouse; we can create prints for you that you’ll be proud to show off. We give you plenty of options to ensure you get exactly the prints you’re looking for.

When To Use Satin vs. Matte Finish for Canvas Prints

When it comes to turning your unique artwork into striking canvas prints, the finish is a game-changer. It's not just a minor detail; it's the prism through which your art will be viewed and experienced. The right finish can uphold the essence of your original piece, whilst a mismatch could compromise the texture and overall feel. Both matte and satin finishes offer unique advantages.
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