Paintings & Canvas Art
How to Choose Paintings and Canvas Art
A stroke can show where a brush changed direction or ran short of paint. In canvas paintings, a thin passage may leave the weave visible beneath the color. These marks belong to the making of the image, whether the work comes from an individual artist or a studio. A canvas print begins with an image made elsewhere, transferred onto fabric by printing. Paint added afterward creates another layer over that image. Canvas art can have brushwork on its surface without having been painted throughout. The underlying print may remain visible between the added strokes.
The room's light changes which parts of a surface stand out. A ridge of paint can cast a small shadow, making its height apparent from the side. Gloss catches reflections from a window or lamp. Varnish can deepen dark passages and alter the sheen of painted areas. In an abstract painting, differences in sheen may be visible within what first appears to be a single color. In watercolor paintings, the paper shows through transparent washes. A printed canvas also has a finish, which affects how much light reflects from its surface. Glass introduces another reflecting surface in front of a work on paper.
A stretched canvas projects from the wall by the depth of its supporting frame. Canvas wall art reveals its sides when seen at an angle. The image may continue around those sides or stop at the front edge. Framed paintings introduce a molding that changes the outline and casts its own shadow. A mat places a border between a work on paper and its frame. When pieces hang together, their outer edges and the gaps between them form the arrangement. Differences in frame width and depth remain visible even when the images line up.
How can I tell if a painting is a print?
A painting has an image made in paint. An original painting is the artist's painted work itself, rather than a reproduction. Original art is sometimes reproduced on canvas. A studio or workshop piece can also be painted throughout without being attributed to an individual artist. A canvas print has a printed image. The image is printed onto canvas, which is then stretched over a supporting frame. A hand-embellished print adds paint or texture over that image. Textured wall art can have a printed image beneath its raised surface. Look for an explicit description of the process and maker, supported by close-up photographs. Ask whether there is a printed image underneath.
What's the difference between oil and acrylic paintings?
Oil paintings use pigment bound in a drying oil. Acrylic paintings usually use pigment in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Either medium can form thin layers or raised brushwork, so the label does not predict texture. Landscape paintings are made in both media, and the subject alone does not identify which was used. Egg tempera often shows fine strokes on a rigid support. Mixed media paintings may bring added materials into the surface. Ask about the support and finish as well as the paint; a varnished surface can look quite different from an unvarnished one.
What size painting should I put above a sofa?
About two-thirds of the sofa's width is a common starting point. Measure the painting's finished outer width, including its frame. For a pair or set, use the combined width with the gaps included. This is a proportion to test, not a requirement that rules out a small painting. Oversized paintings need enough uninterrupted wall space for their full framed dimensions. Use paper templates to try the full arrangement on the wall, then assess it from where you normally sit. On a wall without furniture below it, test the size against the available wall space.
How high should I hang a painting?
A common starting point is 57 to 60 inches from the floor to the center of the painting. For a group, use the center of the whole arrangement. Above furniture, the gap below the work and clearance for people sitting there matter more than hitting that height exactly. Check the position from a seated view as well as standing. The final hook position depends on the frame's height and where its hanging hardware sits.
Do paintings and canvas prints need a frame or glass?
That depends on the support and the surface. Watercolor and gouache on paper are normally framed behind glass or acrylic, with a mat or spacer keeping the glazing away from the paint. Finished stretched canvases can be displayed without an outer frame. A floater frame leaves the canvas edges visible; traditional moldings overlap the front edge. Oil and acrylic can also be glazed for protection. The frame must suit the work's depth and weight, and no glazing should touch the painted surface.
Can I hang a painting in direct sunlight?
No. Direct sunlight can fade pigments and damage other parts of a painting. UV-filtering glazing helps, but visible light can also cause fading, so protective glass does not make a sunny wall safe. Check where sunlight falls at different times of day and remember that its path changes with the seasons. A wall near a window may work if the painting stays out of the beam. Avoid positions directly above working fireplaces or beside heaters, where temperature and humidity can change quickly.
How do I clean a painting or canvas print?
Keep water and household cleaners off the painted surface. Even dry wiping can catch raised or loose paint, and acrylic does not become safe to wash simply because it resists water when dry. Ask for care instructions for the particular work before dusting it. Grime, discolored varnish and flaking paint need a conservator's assessment. For a canvas print, follow the maker's instructions for its inks, coating and any added paint. For a painting behind glazing, clean the glass or acrylic according to its care instructions, without letting liquid run into the frame.