Wrapped Canvas Prints

Memory is the cabinet of imagination,

the treasury of reason,

the registry of conscience and

the council-chamber of thought.

                                                       -Giambattista Basile

 

I have wanted to make a gallery wall for my office for a long time. I work for an airline and sometimes I need a little reminder as to why I do what I do, especially as we roll into the hurricane and winter seasons, which can be trying for everyone involved. I knew that I wanted to capture some of my favorite vacation memories in a fun new way that would play up a more "modern" feel for my office. I didn't want mismatched frames scattered willy nilly around my office walls. I wanted something that was down to earth and grounded.

 

I discovered wrapped canvas prints, but quickly learned that they were quite pricey. A 12X12 was running around $24.95 and a 16X20 would be closer to $50.00. With my decorating budget being closer to $50.00 total I knew that I had to come up with a better way.

 

So I schlepped through pinterest looking for the perfect tutorial and came up with a fusion of several different ideas.

 

For this project you will need:

 

Photoshop or comparable photo editing software (I use photoshop elements 7)

Digital copies of your photographs

Access to a printshop that can make "Engineering Prints" (I used Staples)

Canvases (I found a 7 pack of 12X12 canvases for $19.95 at Michael's, after a 50% off coupon they were just over $1.50 each)

Spray adhesive

Scissors

Glue to help secure corners

Matte finish spray

 

 

Open photo editing software and drag and drop your photo's into the opened program. Edit as desired including converting to black and white for the cheapest way to complete this project. Staples does create color engineering prints but they are more expensive. In photoshop 7, click on "enhance" at the top of the screen and then select "convert to black and white"

 

Click on the "crop tool" and select your desired size adding at least 2 extra inches to the size of your finished print to allow for wrapping around the edges. If you are using a 12X12 canvas, for example, you will want to create 14X14 prints. If your canvas is thicker than the one pictured above (half inch) then adjust accordingly. You will want at least a half inch of overhang after you cover the sides.

 

Also adjust the pixels/inch setting while you are cropping your picture. In photoshop 7 you can adjust the pixels/inch at the top of the screen just to the right of where you type in the desired dimensions. For 12X12 prints select no less than 300 pixels/inch. My 16X20 print probably could have been adjusted up to 400-500 for better quality, but it is finished now and I love it just the way it is.  

 

Choose the size of engineering print that you wish to purchase. Staples offers 18X24 for $1.79, 24X36 for $3.59 and 36X48 for $7.29. I opted for the 24X36 to accommodate the number of prints I wanted in the sizes I needed. 

 

Click on "file" at the top of the screen and select "new" and then "blank file". Type in the sizes you want for your final print (i.e. 24X36). If it has auto populated pixels instead of inches switch it over to inches and again adjust the pixels/inch to fit your project size. Leave all of the other settings as they are and click OK.

 

This will open up a "blank canvas" with the dimensions that you need for your print. At the bottom of the screen double click on the picture that you wish to add to the canvas until it appears in your work screen. Then press CTRL A, CTRL C. Double click on your blank canvas until it appears in your work screen. Click on it with the mouse and then press CTRL V. Your picture should appear on your canvas with the predefined dimensions. Don't expand the print to cover a greater area as this will change the dimensions of the finished project.

 

Use the "move tool" to position it on your blank canvas until you have as many photo's as you can fit on the canvas. Save your project with the highest quality possible for your program. 

 

Send your order to your print shop. When sending to Staples just make sure that you select the correct size for your job. You can also change the orientation of the project via their online tool. Here is the link to the Staples black and white engineering prints.

 

http://www.staples.com/sbd/content/copyandprint/engineering-prints.html

 

If you aren't certain that you submitted the project correctly you can always call to make sure that what you were hoping for is what they are going to print. Also, you can rush your project or select a date that doesn't show any additional charges. In my experience, even when I selected a date that didn't include an additional cost the prints were ready within a couple of hours. I'm sure this varies depending on their workload for the day so if you want to guarantee same day pick up it might be worth the extra money to put a rush on your order. 

 

After your prints are home, prepare your work station by covering it with some sort of disposable tarp. (Unless you are secretly hoping to get a new table in the very near future and just a little more damage might help seal the deal in your hubbies mind, in which case don't cover it up and spray on sister!) I used plastic kitchen bags cut open to create double the work space.

 

Trim your prints then spray your canvas generously with spray adhesive. If you have sprayed it a little too much (ie there are puddles of adhesive) allow it to dry a little before applying it to the picture. A little adhesive goes a long way. If the canvas is too wet it will create wrinkles on your picture. 

 



Apply canvas to the back of the picture and make diagonal cuts up to 1/2 cm from the corner of the canvas.

 

Spray edge and back of canvas with spray adhesive and roll paper around the edge and back.

 



At the corners fold excess paper so that it completely covers the corner with a crisp edge. Apply extra glue to secure corners.  

 

Continue steps until all edges have been sprayed and folded.

 

After your canvases are dry apply a light coating of matte finish in a well ventilated area. The matte finish will help protect your project and will give it more of a photo feel. Be careful not to over saturate with the matte finish. When applying keep sprayer at least 4 inches from your project. Reapply every 2 minutes until you have the desired texture keeping in mind that too many coats will leave your photo's with a hazy feel. I applied 4 coats.

 

For this whole collage of prints I spent less than $40.00 and still have supplies leftover to create some fun new projects. Best of all I now have physical reminders of the wonderful memories I created with my family to help me through the coming weeks of delays and cancellations. Deep breath. Namaste.