The Magic of Rain

“Rain Rain Go Away, Come Home Another Day….”
This might be the most common rhyme on your lips during the wet months of the year!  However, the romanticism and drama of rain makes for wonderful pictures and even better canvases. Here are our top 5 ideas for the rainy season:

1. Raindrops falling on Water
We’re absolutely fascinated by the magic of water drops falling on water on the ground – in puddles, streams, ponds, water-bodies. A slow motion photo of water droplets make for amazing photos and the same on canvas provides a magical effect.

2. Smiling Faces, Colorful Umbrellas
The first rain bring out smiles, earthy smells and colorful umbrellas. The kids have fun and like to frolic amidst puddles. All these present themselves as beautiful photo opportunities – so, go out and snap some lovely photos. They will lend themselves to some of the best canvases on your wall

3. Rain and Nature
Rains bring in a new freshness in nature – everything turns into different shades of green. Nature presents multiple photo opportunities.  Look out for those water droplets on leaves and flowers; check that shiny spider web with water droplets trapped in it – all these are magical moments for your pictures and canvas prints.

4. Rainbows
Rains bring in rainbows and they provide some of the best moments to be captured on cheap canvas prints. Be it City or the rural area, a colorful rainbow across the sky makes for some amazing photos

5. Clouds & Lightning
The dark clouds which ominously gather before rains also provide for some spectacular moments to be captured on a frame. The lightning striking through the clouds provides the brilliance that makes many a photos instant classics.

So take out your cameras and head-out to snap some beautiful photos this rainy season and Print Arcade help you showcase them on elegant canvases at affordable prices!

Your Kid’s Artwork on Canvas

Your kid’s childhood is synonymous with creativity! Right from the age they learn to hold a crayon or pencil, their whole world and your home becomes their canvas! Walls, papers, magazines, clothes, their bodies – all are coloured reflecting their creativity at most unexpected times and unexpected places! Here are three of our favourite ideas on how to build lasting memories out of your kid’s artwork:

Digitize – Take photo of all artwork
Digital cameras and photos are a boon – take snaps of as many artwork as you can OR scan them. Many times the artworks lend themselves to beautiful collages which can then be captured on a canvas for lasting memories.

Photos of models and 3D art work
Little Kids love making paper models, clay models, legworks while older kids love doing different kinds of wooden, metal and electronic models. Photos of these models are a great reminder of creativity of your kids and putting a life sized canvas picture of the models is a great way to remember their best creative moment

Face paintings
Little kids may get as many as 10 face-paintings done every year in their growing up years. Sometimes they get creative and do their own body-painting too! Capture all these moments and build a beautiful collage. This collage on your canvas will remind you of how much colour was a part of your kid’s formative years!

So, go ahead and capture your kid’s artwork on a photo and we will help them put them on beautiful canvas prints at cheap prices!

Cool Tips for Snow Canvases in Australia

With Australia heading into winter and expecting its first snowfall of the winter, many fair-weather photographers will be snuggling up in front of the fire keeping warm... but the more adventurous among you will want to get out and capture this winter wonderland on camera. This week we share our top tips for shooting great snow pictures.  These snow pictures can be put on elegant canvases in a cheap and effective manner and be made the center pieces of attraction of your home!

1. Early to Rise and Early to Shoot!

Part of the magic of shooting in the snow is capturing those untouched shots before anyone has walked through it. Wrap up warm and head out as soon as the snow has finished falling, because you can guarantee that it won’t stay fresh for long!

Early mornings many times are the best times to be out and about shooting beautiful pictures!

2. Lighting is the key - Get your exposure right!

Winter and Snow means – lots of dark and white! Our camera generally do a pretty good job of exposing our images correctly for us - but, when it comes to scenes with lots of black or white it can struggle.

Every camera is designed to expose as close to medium grey as possible, which is fine for an evenly lit scene, but in a situation like a snowy day with lots of sunshine, your camera sees all that bright white and tries to balance it by underexposing the entire scene. The answer is to dial in between +1 and +2 stops of exposure compensation.

You should be able to do this with any reasonable spec camera from a compact through to a DSLR. Try it and see how white your snow becomes!

3. Shoot raw OR with a warmer white balance

Shooting raw rather than jpeg gives you the opportunity to recover a lot of detail from any blown highlights in post-production, should you overdo the exposure compensation. You’ll also have a chance to deal with any white balance issues that might occur because your camera will probably make your snow look a little blue. If your camera doesn’t have the ability to shoot raw don’t worry! Choosing a warmer white balance – either cloudy or flash – should get you in the right ballpark.

4. Do not forget spare batteries

Because batteries drain much quicker in cold conditions it’s a good idea to have a couple of spares with you. Instead of leaving them in your bag you can keep them warm by putting them in a pocket close to your skin.

5. Click without waiting to check

Click…click..click – follow the basic digital photography rule to avoid losing the important moment. Winter and snow can be tough time to do family portraits outside when everyone will want to quickly get into warmer insides OR to even hold camera with your fingers and nose freezing – so, do not wait for the perfect moment but keep clicking!  You are bound to capture many beautiful moments.

Hope the above tips help you shoot some winter classics and we can help them put them on beautiful canvas prints! For more help, please visit our Print Arcade official website - http://printarcade.com.au

Mother’s Day Canvas Ideas

With Mother’s Day around the corner, it is time to let your Mom make feel special. Why not make it special for her by presenting her with a beautiful slice of her life on a canvas!

Canvas prints can be a very elegant yet surprisingly cheap way of making it special for your Mom. Below are some ideas on kind of memories you can capture for Mother’s Day:

A Picture of Mom & You

Nothing beats that beautiful picture of you and your mom which has been a cherished memory – get it on the canvas and secretly put it in the living room and see her surprise! It is bound to bring tears of joy!

Capture what Mom Does Best

Every Mom has a passion of hers – be it cooking, gardening, baking those beautiful cakes etc. – capture one of those magical moments on a canvas! Watch your Mom’s eye glint with joy seeing the rocking canvas!

A Family Photo  

Family photos are always favorites and always a winner! Get a family photo on canvas and it is bound to bring lot of memories and be discussion point at home – needless to say, a great gift for Mom!

A Special Event or Occasion

Photo of your Mom winning that baking competition OR blowing her birthday candles OR looking gorgeous in her wedding dress – there are multiple cherished occasions and events to pick the perfect picture to go on canvas. 

Quotations on Canvas

Another beautiful way to capture your feelings for your Mom is to have quotations, sayings or interesting couplets adorn her house walls! They will be an expression of your feelings and make her feel special always! 

Go ahead and make this Mother’s Day special for your Mom! … and let Print Arcade help you make that connection with your Mom through our Canvas!

Canvas Décor for your Restaurant

Your Restaurant – your passion is where you celebrate food and provide your patrons a place to satisfy their culinary buds. It’s a place where your clients celebrate with friends and family.  Your restaurant’s décor plays a key role in attracting new clients and retaining existing ones – it tells them all about what you stand for, what your restaurant stands for!

Canvas prints can be a very elegant yet cheap way of showcasing your restaurant. Below are some ideas to showcase your restaurant:

Your signature dishes on the canvas

Your restaurant is unique and has its own signature dishes. Best way to draw attention is to put those beautiful creations on to a canvas and decorate across your property.  These will not only attract attention; it can be a very good way to increase sales of your best dishes.

Fresh ingredients on canvas

Next to claiming that you use the freshest produce, is to put the pictures of them on canvas and let them adorn your walls. It is sure to create a huge positive energy and impact and your patrons will enjoy every bite!

Photos of City or Country Corresponding to Cuisine on Canvas

Depending on what cuisine you specialize on, putting pictures of the specific city or country can create the right ambience and mood for your patrons. These cheap canvas prints can be a great source of conversation and ring in nostalgic memories leading to a very engaging relationship with your restaurant and food

Themed Pictures on Canvas

So yours is a Superhero restaurant OR is it Hollywood special? A great way to adorn walls with superheroes, Hollywood stars or the specific themed photos is to put them on large canvas! Group them, super-size them or split them, canvases in different shapes and sizes can differentiate your restaurant’s ambience.

Quotations on Canvas

Another beautiful way to capture the essence of your restaurant is to have quotations, sayings or interesting couplets adorn your walls! Put them on canvas and hang them and see the interesting conversations flow.

Go ahead and engage your patrons and make your passion, your restaurant stands out! … and let Print Arcade help you make that conversation through Canvas!

Canvas Print Ideas for the Sports Fanatic in You

A friend of mine is a big tennis fan and in 2014, he was completely bowled over by Stan Wawrinka’s title run at the Australian Open.  What stayed with him were the lines tattooed on Stan’s arm from the great Irish poet Samuel Beckett
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail Better”
The next thing to adorn his wall was a canvas print with those beautiful lines in the same font as on Stan’s!
We all have those friends and family members who live for “the big game” and receive game alerts straight to their phone even as they sleep. Here are some canvas gift ideas that are sure to be an “ace” and make you a winner in their eyes:
Motivational Quote: The sports world is full of amazing quotes. Use a simple design program to add a quote over a solid background, or over a picture of their favourite sporting heroes
Selfies: Selfies at sporting venues with friends & family OR with your favourite sporting stars can form cherished memorabilia on canvas
Favourite Player, Legend or Coach: Photo of the famous player, the tournament winner, the legendary coach, the record holder – any of the fan favourites find centre place in many sport fanatic homes.
Sport Venues: From Rod Laver Arena to Rose Bowl Stadium to Stamford Arena, all sports fan have that one iconic venue of choice.
Action Shots: Use that zoom feature or splurge on front row seats to capture authentic live shots. Focus on dramatic moments, like the kick-off, or that massive hit over the fence.
Memorable Wins: When it comes to sports, you can’t beat a victory. Capture the game-winning shot, the team and coach holding the trophy, or post-win celebrations.
Equipment: Try a close-up view of one particular item (ball, wickets, racquet, glove, bat, etc.), or assemble all of the sport’s gear for a creative photo shoot.
Team Portraits: Professional group shots are a great way for your recipient to remember his or her “dream team.”
Game Day Jersey: Snap a photo of your fan when he’s at his finest – decked out in a jersey and face paint, happily cheering with other fans – perfect for canvas
Ceremonies & Fireworks:  Inaugural & Closing ceremonies of Olympics, World Cups with closing Fireworks provide another great opportunity to capture photos on Canvas
Go Ahead and make the day of your next door Sports Fanatic Friend with your lovely Canvas Gift!

How to Put Your Family Photos On Canvas

Print Arcade: When it comes to keeping the memory of a family photo there is nothing better than choosing a canvas to save the memory. There are many pros when it comes to choosing a canvas the main one is that it is not expensive but another one is that it gives you the ability to choose the best framing. The size of the canvas will also be a great way to fit numerous photos into one single piece of canvas and the extra space can also be used to add personal messages to add to your canvas. Let’s go more into depth with these tips that will make you want to put your family photos on canvas.

Choose Accordingly:

The main one is that canvas is cheap so putting your family photos on canvas is not as expensive as one would think it is. Compared to framed family photos the cost happens to be about half of the price. Let’s face it the economy is barely getting better and saving money is still important and we are all looking for the best deals that will not break your bank account. With the extra money saved from going with a canvas you can personalize the frame if needed. Another great reason to choose a canvas for your family photos is that they are usually found in bigger a size which means you can fit more than five family photos into a single piece of canvas. There could possibly fit even more family photos but if only a few photos are used then the extra space can be used to add personal messages below each picture to describe the memories. Although this is a simple addition that can be done it is mostly overlooked due to it is simplicity. Now these tips are really simple but when it comes to choosing the best way of showcasing your family photos nothing comes to mind. This is why it is important to take tips right now so when that time comes you will be prepared to create the perfect canvas.

These are just quite a few tips on why going with a canvas for family photos is always a great idea. The main one is that they are cheap to make and if an accident where to happen a reprint could be easily made at low cost without having to wait too long for it. With all the extra money you could decorate the canvas to make it even more personal gift. The size of a single piece of canvas is usually quite big which does mean that multiple family photos can be placed in one piece of canvas or even details of the photos of when and where they happened. With these tips one can truly see why it is a great idea to put your family photos on canvas. So take note and go for a piece of canvas to start your next great family photo collage in canvas.

How to Clean Your Canvas Prints to Maintain Their Richness

Like any other household item, canvas prints can accumulate a lot of dust over time. The quality of your image on canvas will not be harmed by dust but it certainly dims the richness of your image. To keep you canvas images and canvas photos always look rich in bright colours, we list few simple steps:

1. Wear a pair of clean gloves or wash and dry your hands thoroughly

2. First step is to place the canvas print with picture facing up on a table or on the floor over a piece of clean cloth

3. Next, get a piece of soft cloth and a clean bowl of water. Do not use soap or any cheap cleaning chemicals.

4. Dip the cloth in the bowl of water and squeeze strongly leaving it only a little damp.

5. Wipe canvas print with gentle moves in a single direction. Don’t make too much pressure on the canvas. Best would be to support the bottom of canvas print by hand.

6. Do only a single swipe on every area and then wash the cloth. Do not use the dirty side of the cloth again for any additional wiping – use only the clean part or get another cloth.

Note! Avoid making pressure with your hand on the canvas print. 

Don’t rub the surface too much or try to scrub. Make only a light touch while cleaning it.

7. Take the opportunity to also clear the dust from the backside of the frame and hooks. Again take care to not scrub or rub hard

8. Also take the opportunity to check if the canvas print appears well-stretched or has started to sag. If latter, it may be the time for you to think about getting it re-stretched for longevity.

Your canvas print should now start looking sharp, colorful and vivid again! 

Unique Ideas for Canvas Wall Prints

Your photos are the “heroes” of any canvas – effectively capturing the mood and feel and bringing your home alive! Majority of canvas owners have used single photo canvases to decorate their homes.  A cheap and creative way to enhance these decorations many folds is to leverage the sizes available in canvases. With a range of sizes across different shapes – square, rectangle and panoramic – canvases can, in fact, lend themselves to you in multiple ways in creating your own Unique Masterpiece.

                    

Below are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

1. Use a set of FOUR 12”x12” canvases positioned in a 2 by 2 matrix capturing 4 beautiful moods of your kid OR make it 6 with 2 additional 12”x24” making it stand out

2. Split a landscape photo across THREE 12”x18” canvases and put in the living room and see the magical effect.  The longer the panoramic picture, you can opt for multiple canvas prints for better effect

3. Create a massive art by leveraging a single 30”x30” canvas surrounded by SIX 8”x8” canvases to make your wall arts come alive

4. Another very effective Canvas art is to split a landscape across 4 canvases which are positioned slightly staggered on the wall OR symmetrically placed 5 canvases

While your beautiful photos will continue to be the soul of any canvas, you can move them to a whole new level by leveraging different canvas sizes!

So, go ahead, try out that split canvas and watch your room come alive!

Tips to Hang Multi-Panel Canvases

Print Arcade : Multi-canvas prints of art work or photos on different size canvases give you an opportunity to unleash your creativity and create your own master work.  Here’s a simple guide to how to identify and hang those to give an awesome effect to your room:

1. Select complimentary images and sizes

Choosing a variety of sizes, with both horizontal and vertical pieces can create visual impact. A set of 3 or 4 vertical canvases(40x100, 40x120 cm) or a 4x4 matrix of smaller 30x30 can create a great visual impact.

2. Identify the most suitable wall

Grouped art is better displayed within the parameters of visual markers, e.g. the centre of mantelpieces, between windows, centre of fireplace, equally placed between door frames, etc.  It is very crucial that the size and position of canvas pieces identified align with your wall of choice.  This is where the next step of creating templates is so crucial for multi canvas art work

3. Create templates for each of the canvas prints

Use ultra low-tack masking tape to carefully affix the templates to the wall. This enables you to find the best position for assembly.  Do not rush into making nail holes as you may damage the wall with nail holes that you may want to change later.

4. Play with the layout to create the best visual response

By viewing the group of pictures as one large one, you will be able to see them as a cohesive unit. It usually works well to make the largest print the main focus at the centre of the display, placing it at eye level with the smaller pictures branching out from it. It is important to ensure the grouping remains tight.

5. Don't hang the canvas prints too high

When hanging a collection of canvas prints it can be easy to let them spread higher than intended. Use the mantle or piece of furniture closest to the wall as a guide to ensure the complete unit can be viewed easily from standing eye-level and doesn't disrupt the balance of the room. The usual height used by museums and picture galleries for hanging pictures is 64” (or 160cm). Your central or main canvas should be at that height

6. Stand back to see the final arrangement to ensure the spacing and composition is right

When you are happy with your selection and positioning you can start hanging your cheap canvas prints. Use the templates to establish where each print needs to go.

7.   Select right hook for your canvas print based on its weight and width and the thickness of your wall

A single hook will work well for your smaller canvas prints (30x30, 40x40 cm). However, additional support and a more elegant appearance can be obtained by hanging the artwork on two hooks or nails, rather than one. This should definitely be done for your central large canvases (anything 60x60cm or above).  A variety of hook sizes are available that are designed to support weights from 2.25kg up to 45kg. However, we recommend you use with the canvas wall hanging system or D rings to help improve the stability of larger, heavier pieces.

8.   Determine the right position for your hook

Place the canvas print on the floor, facing downwards, and pull the hanging wire towards the top edge of the canvas frame at two equidistant points. Measure the length between the two points and the distance from one of them to the top of the canvas frame. Note that the wider the gap between the two points, the closer the picture will hang to the wall. Apply the measurements to the wall by measuring down from your earlier pencil mark.

9.   Nail the hook into the wall

Stick a small amount of masking tape over the area where you are about to nail the hook. This will prevent any chipping.  Hammer the hook or nail at an angle to ensure the wall bears the majority of the weight.

10.        Make final adjustments

Review the canvas positions and straighten them as required

If you have created your own multi-canvas masterpiece, post a picture of that on facebook.com/printarcade and share your creativity!

How Best to Hang Your Mother-In-Law?

Yes, we know you love your Mother-In-Law and would like to put a beautiful photo of hers on a canvas! J The million dollar question is how best to hang the canvas. Here’s a simple guide to how to go about hanging Single Panel Canvas Print of your Mother-In-Law:

1. Select the right location for the picture

A small picture (say 30x30 or 40x40 cm) won't be presented at its best if it is hanging on a large empty wall. You may want to go for a bigger canvas (say 120x120 or 120x100 cm) or a group of smaller pieces for a better result. You should use the furniture closest to that wall to act as a visual marker for positioning.

2. Select the height at which the canvas print will hang and then mark the wall with a pencil just above the top of the canvas frame, in the middle. 

The usual height used by museums and picture galleries for hanging pictures is 64” (or 160cm). This is classed as eye level for the average standing adult.

3. Select right hook for your canvas print based on its weight and width and the thickness of your wall

A single hook will work well for smaller canvas prints (30x30, 40x40 cm). However, additional support and a more elegant appearance can be obtained by hanging the artwork on two hooks or nails, rather than one. This should definitely be done for large canvases (anything 60x60cm or above).  A variety of hook sizes are available that are designed to support weights from 2.25kg up to 45kg. However, we recommend you use with the canvas wall hanging system or D rings to help improve the stability of larger, heavier pieces.

4. Determine the right position for your hook

Place the canvas print on the floor, facing downwards, and pull the hanging wire towards the top edge of the canvas frame at two equidistant points. Measure the length between the two points and the distance from one of them to the top of the canvas frame. Note that the wider the gap between the two points, the closer the picture will hang to the wall. Apply the measurements to the wall by measuring down from your earlier pencil mark.

5. Nail the hook into the wall at the pencil mark

Stick a small amount of masking tape over the area where you are about to nail the hook. This will prevent any chipping.  Hammer the hook or nail at an angle to ensure the wall bears the majority of the weight.

6. Check if the canvas print is hanging straight or do minor adjustments

Stand back and admire the photo of your Mother-In-law on the canvas.  Straighten it up if she is leaning too far to one side or the other.

Hope the above guide helps you get the best results and the brownie points! J

Our next blog will give tips around hanging multi canvas photo prints!

Ten Tastic - InExpensive Canvas Decoration Ideas for Kids’ Room

“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts”.  – Khalil Gibran

This great message from Khalil holds so true for your special kid– with his/her own skills, likes, dislikes and unique personality. The same holds true when it comes to decorating their rooms – you may lovingly support them but they will have their own thoughts on how their room should look and feel like.

How best to find the right balance in terms of decorating the kids’ room without burning a big hole in your purse? Cheap canvas prints with multiple sizes and finishes provide a very good option.  Here are our Top 10 ideas to get you started:

1. Photos on Canvas: There is no better way than to use some of the hand-picked personal photos of your kids to give the room a personal feel and let it make a statement about their personality
2. Collage of Birthday photos: Kids’ love seeing how they have grown year on year and there is nothing better than doing a collage of birthday party photos on canvas to show case the same
3. Kids and Pets on Canvas: For many families and kids, pets are integral part of life. Kids love animals and cheap canvas print options ensure that those memories find central place in kids’ room
4. Kids’ Art on Canvas: Right from the first incoherent set of lines which act as an outlet of their expression to the great portraits, our kids never cease to surprise us with their creativity. Showcase the young artists and their masterpieces on canvas!
5. Special Occasion: The Fancy Dress, the award presentation, the community service etc. – all provide those cherished memories which can go on Canvas prints. Ever tried dressing up your babies like Ann Geddes – those memories can be translated on treasured Canvas!
6. Nature and Kids: Jumping in the muddy puddle, rolling on grass, picking flowers and leaves etc. – there are multiple ways through which kids connect with nature and provide us some of the best opportunities to put them on canvas
7. Space and Night Sky: Star gazing, solar system, sun, moon, planets etc. – all form part of kids’ night time visual imagery and imagination – bring the solar system in the room by printing high definition pictures on to Canvas
8. Superheroes and Fairies on Canvas: Kids love superheroes (especially boys) and fairies/princesses (especially girls) and there is nothing more impressive than your kid in superhero/fairy costume OR with a superhero/fairy framed on a tall canvas
9. Sports & Games: Play, sports and games are integral part of kids’ lives and provide ample opportunities to put those magic moments on canvas.
10. Celebrity Photos: Remember the time the Footy sportster let your kid take a selfie or the time your kid got up and close with his favourite singer – these are evergreen memories to put on Canvas

Go ahead and decorate your kids’ room this Christmas and New Year leveraging cheap and beautiful canvas prints and let this be your memorable gift to them!