If you have ever stared at a product page asking "paper or canvas, and what is a mounted canvas anyway?", you are not alone. These are some of the most common questions we get. Here is the simple version of how each option looks, feels and hangs.
The big difference: paper vs canvas
- Paper prints look smooth and crisp, like a fine art print. Framed paper sits behind acrylic glazing (not glass), and you can add a mat for a gallery look.
- Canvas has a visible woven texture and a softer, more dimensional feel. It never uses acrylic, so there is no glare from windows or lamps.
Many of our paintings have heavy brushwork in the original, and that texture is part of the artwork. Canvas softens it but does not remove it.
Four canvas styles
Rolled canvas
Ships rolled with no stretcher bars. A good choice if you plan to stretch it yourself or have it framed locally.
Stretched canvas
Gallery wrapped, with no outer frame. It arrives ready to hang and gives you a clean, modern look.
Mounted canvas
The canvas is mounted in one of our standard frames, with no acrylic and no mat. You get the look of a framed piece with the texture of canvas. Available in all eight standard frame finishes, including Vintage Gold and Vintage Black.
Float frame canvas
A gallery wrapped canvas that sits inside the frame with a small gap (about 1/4 inch) around it, so it appears to float. This is the most elevated, gallery style option. Available in white, black, gold, natural, espresso and oak.
Which should you choose?
- Bright room with lots of glare: canvas
- You love a crisp, detailed look: framed paper
- You want a mat and a traditional gallery wall: framed paper with mat (mats are for paper only, not canvas)
- Want a modern, frameless look: stretched canvas
- Want canvas with a finished frame: mounted or float
- Plan to frame it yourself: rolled canvas or unframed paper
A note on size
The size you order is the finished size of the piece, and frames are included in it. Adding a mat reduces the visible image area, not the outside dimensions.
Try before you commit
Colors and texture can look different in person. Order a 5x7 unframed paper print or an 8x10 rolled canvas, and the cost is credited back on a later order of $100 or more.
Stretched canvas | Canvas with mounted frame | Canvas with float frame | Framed prints with mat
Paper vs canvas FAQ
Is canvas better than paper?
Neither is better. Paper is crisper and smoother, canvas is softer and glare free.
Does canvas come with a frame?
Stretched canvas has no frame and is ready to hang. Mounted and float canvas come framed. Rolled canvas ships unframed.
Why does my canvas have texture?
Texture is part of canvas and, for painted originals, part of the artwork.
Is shipping free?
Yes, on every order.