Getting pictures to print on canvases

khaos · Nov 6, 2013

I took some pictures for a neighbor while he was harvisting his crops this fall, and his wife wants to print them on 12x12 canvases to hang in their house. However, I can't get the pictures to look like I want the to on the canvas. I think some of the problem is that there has to be a 1 inch border around it, and I took the pics too close for that, but I'm also struggling to get them cropped right. Anyone have any suggestions to help me out, that would be great!

I'm open to how to crop them properly or even how to print them "canvas-like" without actually being on a canvas or wrapping around the sides. Thanks for any suggestions. If you need to see any of them or what more details let me know.

PS. This is kind of a get them done ASAP project so the sooner the better. Thanks again!

ronlane · Nov 6, 2013

What post processing software do you use? If you use CS6, you could make the file bigger and content aware fill around the edges to "undo" the crop where it would fit on the canvas.

It's hard for me to offer any other suggestion without seeing and example.

Big Mike · Nov 6, 2013

Welcome to the forum.

For canvas 'gallery wraps', you do need some 'extra' image to wrap around the edges. A typical frame is 3/4" wood so you would want an extra inch on all sides.

If your image won't allow for that, there are a few options. As mentioned above, you can use a program like Photoshop to stretch/add content at the outsides. Another option would be to take the area around the edges and mirror them outward to create the extra content.

As for cropping, that should be pretty simple. Your camera probably doesn't give you a 1:1 ratio (square) image, so you have to crop some off to make it square. Most editing programs will allow you to crop while constraining to a size or ratio. So what program are you using?

Are you printing it onto canvas yourself? There are plenty of inexpensive options for having a lab to it.

khaos · Nov 6, 2013

Sorry guys, I use gimp. I was trying some things and ended up causing gimp to freeze up and then crash and then it was dinner time.

Anyway, here's the images I'd like to use. Any GIMP ideas on how to do what you guys are referring to? I'm no good at post production (rarely do it actually) and this is the first time I'm looking to do anything besides post the photos to some other sites I go to or share them with family members online. I am looking to have a lab print them for me.

They want this one in a 10x20 or 10x30

I really want to give them want they want, but am really unsure how to do it. Any ideas for printing them on something that is 12x12 that I don't have to worry about the wrap around effect? I was going to use the site CG Pro Prints and am open to any other ideas you have for printing them too. Thanks so much for the help!

The_Traveler · Nov 6, 2013

Why 12 x 12?

khaos · Nov 6, 2013

Thats the size she wanted on her wall. She wants to put them in a square on her wall (there's one I forgot to upload).

Other suggestions?

The_Traveler · Nov 6, 2013

I don't know Gimp and so I couldn't talk you through it.

I would just extend the canvas and add content with photoshop.
If you want, just send me the images and I'll do it for you and send them back.
It's not a big deal.

send me a PM and I'll return my email address

send me a PM and I'll return my email address
If you don't like the results, junk them, no loss.

The_Traveler · Nov 6, 2013

I don't know Gimp and so I couldn't talk you through it.

I would just extend the canvas and add content with photoshop.
If you want, just send me the images and I'll do it for you and send them back.
It's not a big deal.

send me a PM and I'll return my email address
If you don't like the results, junk them, no loss.

griffin86 · Nov 7, 2013

You could museum wrap it.

$1452339_564858140245993_115149580_n.webp

KmH · Nov 7, 2013

I think you have more pressing issues than you realize.

You can't just resize to 12x12 (1:1 aspect ratio). You have to crop some amount of the original image away.

This shows the outline of a 12 x 12 crop on one of your 3:2 aspect ratio photos:

khaos · Nov 7, 2013

I do understand that one has to be cropped in and will be cut off, but that's not a huge deal. The problem is then taking that 12x12 and wrapping another 1 inch of it around the sides of the frame when it's printed on the canvas.

Anyone know where I can get muesuem wraps cheap?

HughGuessWho · Nov 7, 2013

Many companies that do canvas prints will do a mirror wrap. It doesn't look the greatest, but will do in a pinch. That's not going to solve your 1:1 crop problem though.

khaos · Nov 14, 2013

Just to wrap up this thread...we decided to do a flat print on hardboard instead of wrapping them on a canvas. She didn't mind the square crop, but once I showed her how much would be lost on the wrap we had to do a print that didn't wrap around. She was happy with the solution and I'm going to get them printed for her. Thanks for all your help guys. I'll be back as I venture forward with this picture taking thing.

Also, from now on...find out what the person plans to do with the photos before taking them

Big Mike · Nov 14, 2013

Also, from now on...find out what the person plans to do with the photos before taking them

There is actually a lot of truth/good advice in that. Of course, you may not always know what they want, or even who they are, when you are taking the photo. But with experience, you tend to get a sense for these things and accommodate for it. Typically, we call it 'shooting loose', which is giving yourself room to crop when you are composing your photos. Wedding photographers, for example, will often visualize something like an 8x10 print (4:5 ratio) when they are taking wedding shots that they expect might be ordered as 8x10 prints.