3 Surprising Reasons How Art Improves Creativity & Well-Being
Discover the hidden power of art and how it can enhance your emotional well-being. Join me as I explore the often overlooked connection between art and emotion, and why it deserves more attention in our public education system.
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Do you shop at these places for canvases? Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Lowes or online art supply retailers? When everything doubled or tripped in price in the art supplies section, these affordable canvases seem to be a steal. But are they really worth it? Stop 🛑 painting on these canvases now!
4 reasons to stop painting on cheap canvases from Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Lowes & alike.
Here are 4 reasons to stop buying cheap canvases at craft stores:
Cheap wood doesn’t hold the frame in a long run unless you frame the art soon after its completion. The frames are often crooked and the stretcher bars are not stapled together. It could be all right for a small canvas but not for a big one because large canvases need more support to hold everything up together.
You can’t be confident selling your art that’s produced using crappy art supplies. These canvases will begin to degrade within your lifetime (and this is a very conservative estimate).
This material is not a high-quality canvas. I can’t even tell you what it really is. It can rip and ripple easily. Constant flactuations in room temperature cause cracks in art. This material is asking for trouble.
This gesso (the white ground that covers panels and canvases) is not a high-quality gesso either. And that’s the biggest problem with the craft canvases in my opinion, because oil paint doesn’t form a permanent bond with this surface. It doesn’t stick even if it looks ok on the first sight. It’s very easy to damage the surface. Any shuffling of a painted art rubbed against something will damage the art. I’m not sure that acrylic paint forms a bond with this surface either. Beware.
Combine this horrible surface with low-quality, cheap paints and you got yourself a painting that will crack, fade and change it’s shape pretty soon. Do you really want that?
Affordable alternatives: paint on these high-quality panels instead
Here are some very good alternatives to paint on.
Paint on panels:
My personal preference is a medium-textured panel like Ampersand gessobord or aluminum panels by Artefex. Artefex Alcotpanel is aluminum panel with a primed cotton canvas mounted on ACM and ready to paint on. Da vinci pro wood boards are also very good.
The gesso quality is very important. Golden products are very good. I’m not an affiliate of any of these companies. I just like the quality and price of their art supplies. Panels don’t fluctuate with a change in room temperature or humidity unlike canvas. Old art looks ok painted on wood panels… Raphael Premium Archival OIL PRIMED linen panels are designed for oil painting only because their gesso is oil-based, not acrylic-based like the majority of gesso brands sold today. https://amzn.to/3VRUSBt
These art instruction books are on sale on Amazon!
Paint on canvas:
If you prefer the lightweight of a canvas, try working on a Belgian linen or more affordable canvas like Unprimed Cotton Duck #10 – Uniform Canvas Surface. It should be heavy and uniform. It’s best to buy a canvas in a roll rather than in a blanket format. The blanket could have creeses that are difficult to get rid of. It can be a challenge to buy a good canvas shopping online because you can’t see or touch it. Some canvases have a very thin thread and you can almost look through them. Look into the numbers to understand which one is good. For example, unprimed cotton duck #10 is a thick material…
I hope this post and video helps you decide on your art materials choices or at least save you some real frustration and disappointment when you see your art scratch, crack or fade.
Sometimes it’s unclear what the difference is between art print companies, especially if you compare them online. However, all of us can agree that high-quality printing can make or break the display of a piece. High-resolution, well-crafted prints bring art to life, capturing the vibrancy, details, and textures that a lower-quality print might miss. With advancements in printing technology, fine art printing has evolved into a specialized service. In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of using high-quality art printing services and why it’s worth the investment for collectors and creators.
#1 Maintaining Originality and Detail
A major benefit of high-quality art printing services is the ability to reproduce broad and accurate color spectrum, contrast and details of the original, fine art. Standard printing processes may fail to capture super fine brushstrokes, texture, and shifts in tone that create a special feeling when we look at art. So art printing companies that use high-resolution giclée or specialized pigment-based inks can offer reasonable fidelity.
If you plan on using the art printing service yourself, you must have a high-resolution, digital file to print from that’s at least 300 dpi and saved as a png or raw file. jpegs are compressed images and the file compression may show up printing large posters.
Sir Frederic Leighton, La Nanna
#2 Using Archival-Grade Materials
Archival-grade materials are designed to last decades without fading, yellowing, or warping. This level of durability is essential for anyone looking to keep their art prints in pristine condition over the long term, especially when they are limited-edition or rare art prints. Companies like the Stackhouse printing use the highest-quality materials for colorful art reproductions that can last over 100 years without fading under museum conditions.
Always keep your art and prints away from a direct sunlight, artificial light, high humidity and changing room temperature conditions. Art and prints fade, crack and warp if they're not custom-framed with archival, non-glare plexiglass and backing.
Archival materials used for printing add an extra layer of protection, helping fine prints resist the effects of light and moisture, thereby preserving their beauty and market value. When you shop for a printer, ask what supplies they use because paper must be pH-neutral not to yellow over time.
Moonlight, 22x30in, closeup, colored pencil on art board, Veronica Winters
#3 Using Advanced Printing Techniques
Companies that create high-quality art prints use advanced printing techniques. Some of these methods include:
● Giclée Printing: A technique known for its exceptional quality, giclée printing uses pigment-based inks and high-resolution printers. This method is popular among artists and art collectors due to its ability to render incredibly detailed reproductions that mimic the look and feel of the original piece. ● UV-Protective Coatings: UV coatings shield prints from sunlight, which can fade colors over time. This added layer of protection is necessary for prints displayed in well-lit spaces or under direct lighting. Printing companies like the Stackhouse use these advanced methods for high-end art reproductions.
#4 Having Customization
Customization is a big advantage of working with a high-quality art printing service. Standard printing services often have limited choices in sizes, framing, and finish. A specialized art print shop can print pictures in a requested size. It’s invaluable for art collectors aiming to match a print to their collection’s theme or display needs, as well as for artists wanting to maintain complete control over the presentation of their work for a show.
If you plan to make a large order, ask for a test run of your pictures. I'm sure the shop could print a sample for you to appreciate their quality.
#5 Enhancing the Viewer’s Experience
Usually, we can distinguish between the art print and the original when we look at art in person. The emotional impact is lost in art reproductions. However, today advanced printing techniques are so good that high-quality prints can evoke similar emotions as the original piece. If you go to the Miami Art Context you can look at gigantic photographs that have beautiful detail, color, contrast, and sharpness. Sometimes art galleries display printed digital art that looks impressive because of high-definition in prints. The quality is so perfect that it looks like art, not a print.
Javier Bellomo Coria, Face, Miami Art Fait, 2017
#6 Offering Long-Term Value and Investment Protection
Both limited-edition prints and rare art prints could become a valuable investment when these art prints are signed by a famous artist. Such prints may appreciate in value over time because the artist gains recognition. Therefore, it’s important to know if they were printed with high-quality inks, paper, and UV coating to ensure longevity and peace of mind, knowing that art prints will continue to hold their value and appeal.
Andy Warhol’s silkscreen print seen at the auction in Naples, FL
You must understand the difference between a giclee print and a hand-pulled lithograph or silkscreen. Both types of prints can be signed by a famous artist, but the first one is a computer-generated print, while lithographs, silkscreens and intaglios are hand-made prints pulled through the press. Done in multiples, these prints should have a much higher price point as opposed to a giclee print.
Next time you see a beautiful art print, ask its owner where it got printed. I keep a short list of businesses that offer different art services. For anyone serious about their collection or artistic portfolio, investing in a professional art printing service is a decision that pays off in the quality and satisfaction of each piece produced.
