You have a lot of choices out there on the web for your custom photo-to-canvas printing. Everyone seems to be offering high quality at the best price. So how do you pick the one that really delivers? Here are a few tips to help you decide.
1. Photoshop certified artists on staff – This is the most important thing to check out. Let’s face it; some of us are not the best photographers. Our snapshots are fine for the photo album, but when enlarged and put on the wall they sometimes lack the quality necessary and the faults are magnified – poor colors, improper exposure, weak contrast, wrong cropping to name a few. It’s particularly frustrating when that special photo you have of your child has problems which prevent it from being “canvas-worthy”.
A Photoshop certified artist can work wonders on even the most difficult photo. It’s really amazing what can be done at the hands of an expert. So make sure the company you pick has Photoshop-certified artists on staff.
2. Each customer photo worked on individually - Many photo to canvas companies are production houses, meaning the incoming photos are simply routed to the printers for production. This is a real problem when your photo needs some help. Imperfect photos really show their weaknesses when enlarged unless a skilled artist makes the necessary enhancements. Always insist that your precious photo is examined and prepared for printing by a “real” person.
3. Money-back guarantee - Always require a no questions-asked, money back guarantee. www.PhotoArtPeople.com actually offers a 110% money back guarantee – that’s right, they will give you more than your money back if you are not thrilled. How can they afford to do that? They have a perfect customer satisfaction rating, that’s how.
4. Museum-quality materials and production – Remember, your canvas will be displayed on your wall for all to see, so insist on only the best materials and attention to detail. One of the most revealing “shortcuts” that some companies take is to use low quality stretcher bars and stretch the canvas by machine. This technique can result in a warped canvas over time with sloppy corner detail. Make sure you are getting stretcher bars that are at least 1 ¼ “ thick and that all stretching is done by hand. That way your canvas will look great on the wall, and stay that way for its life.
5. Photo cropping - When canvases are stretched over the internal wood frame, part of the image is extended over the edge to give it a nice finished look without an additional frame. Most companies will print the customer’s image as it is, resulting in cropping into the image for the edge. This can be a problem if the original photo is already closely cropped. In that case the tops of people’s heads can be cropped off, or feet cut out of the image. Ask the company if they take special care to “clone” or stretch the image to accommodate the edge. It can make a huge difference.
6. Special deals – Everyone likes a good deal. Look for web sites that offer quality work as described above at a fair price. What is a fair price? A 16X20 stretched canvas on 1 ¼” stretcher bars should be priced at about $95-$110. A company that offers an incredible deal is www.PhotoArtPeople.com. Their 2-for-1 deal is like getting half price when you order 2 prints of the same image (one to keep and one for grandma). That’s about $50 for each 16X20.
I hope this has helped you choose a reputable photo to canvas printing company. You are buying a family keepsake, so make sure you are getting the best quality. Don’t try to save a few dollars, it won’t be worth it.
