West Coast Watercolor Art Feature

The outdoors are a wonderful source of artistic inspiration, especially during the summer. The West Coast in particular is known for its vast variety of beauty, spanning icy-blue mountain peaks, deep lush forests and stretches of sand by a crystal-blue sea. Below are some of our favorite West Coast artists who specialize in watercolors or coastal features:



Watercolors by Carol Evans

Carol Evans is an artist whose work features the majestic views of British Columbia. Her art has been featured in galleries in Vancouver, Victoria, Gabriola Island, Salt Spring Island and in Nanaimo. Her applications of gradual washes of watercolor create an ethereal realistic result, capturing the lingering damp and fogginess that is known on the West Coast shore.

Coastal Prezence

Coastal Prezence is a family-run company artists in Victoria, B.C, specializing in pressed seaweed art. Unlike pressing flowers, seaweed is notoriously hard to work with, and to correctly dry and preserve them is an extremely labor-heavy process. That makes their delicacy all the more beautiful when laid, pressed and framed as they are. With time, the natural seaweed colors also begin to change... a truly captivating piece of West Coast art, in live-time.

Sue Coleman

If you've ever visited B.C, you would have definitely seen some of Sue Coleman's artwork during your trip. Painting from her studio in Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island, Coleman's work is especially known for her interpretation of Northwest Coast First Nations' spirit animals in watercolor. 

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When it comes to preserving watercolor or water-based pieces, it is important to choose the right quality of materials. Backing boards and matboards should be acid-free, and the paper should never press against the glass of the frame, or else it won't breathe. Aluminum metal frames are also chemically neutral and resistant to rust, corroding or decay, and thus are perfect for archiving and preserving purposes. Check out our full collection here!

At CanadaOnCanvas, we have all the materials and expertise to help you preserve your delicate art pieces for years to come. Give us a call today!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 

www.CanadaOnCanvas.com

Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time

8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday

8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday 

Boosting the Value of Your Home...with Art!

Whether you’re up-sizing, downsizing, or in need of a change, selling your home can be a tricky business. But, research shows that a well-dressed, organized home can be a huge factor in how much and how fast your house gets sold for. And what better way to show potential buyers the potential of the new house than with art?

1. Feature art that is open, inviting, non-specific and easy to relate to.

One of the first things a real estate agent may say to you when preparing your house for a showing is to “depersonalize” the space. This is so that the potential buyers focus on the qualities of the house, rather than a family vacation photo. However, hanging artwork such as Abstract art and Landscapes on canvas are a great way to strike a balance between both extremes: their feature can brighten or compliment the space, while remaining depersonalized enough for everyone to relate to.

2. Re-purpose something you already have.

Another way to quickly add some art to your home is to use what you already have. Take maps, for example. Maps are all the rage right now, and are inexpensive to purchase or print if you don’t have one already. Just stick it in a shiny moulding or a frame with personality and boom: instant art piece for a family room, den or office.

3. Show off your geek.

It’s now become more and more common for everyone to have a geeky side to them, whether it be gaming, movies, a tv series or comics. Display your prized artworks, whether it be fanart, an autographed print, or a large format poster. Plaque-mounted movie posters are an especially popular thing to do, which gives your home a bit of off-beat, subversive sophistication.

At KeenArt, we can help you dress up your home in the best way possible. Have a landscape photo from your travels? We can print it on canvas for you. Have a personal abstract piece you’d like to have enlarged? We can scan it in, digitize it, and help you print it at the size you need. Got a signed print from your favorite actor? We can help preserve it by framing it, or sealing it on on a plaquewith bevelled edges. The choices are wide and nearly limitless! Give us a call or email today, we’d be happy to help on any project, big or small.

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KeenArt Media is an online fine art printing and framing company, specializing in canvas, archival and photographic prints and reproductions. We are proud to serve and support artists from all over Canada. 

KeenART Media Ltd. www.CanadaOnCanvas.com

Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)

Working hours: Pacific Standard Time

8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday

8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

Practical Ways to Integrate Custom Art in Your Home

Now that the days are clearer and people are walking about more, those for-sale signs are being picketed left, right and center! If you’re looking to do move into a new home, or do some home improvements in the good weather, we have some ideas below to integrate art soulfully and practically in your home.

Soundproofing Panels

Using a combination of canvas art and egg-crate foam creates the perfect solution for soundproofing a room. Our reference page walks you through all that you need to make your rooms beautiful and functional at the same time. You will need:

-Canvas panels (upload your own pictures here for that extra personal touch)

-Eggcrate foam of the same size and dimension as the panels (found on Uline, Amazon, Walmart or Michaels).

Just put the two together and hang them up, and you’ve got an extra layer to keep noise and sound from bouncing around or reverberating through. Perfect for basements, apartments, or any area were you could use a little peace and quiet.

Custom Screen Blinds

When it gets hot, blinds allows sunlight to brighten the place without cooking it. Interior decorator Jen Chu has one made with contact paper with customized text. Using our satin-banner material, however, you can print virtually any art, photo or design on it, so your blind doubles as a fantastic, personalized art statement as well as a shade.

Our satin-banner material is wrinkle-resistant, water-resistant, and just the right amount of stiffness to be used blinds or a divider. Its grain allows light to filter through, while covering enough surface to provide shade overall. We also print with archival inks directly onto the material, so you’ll also have a wide gamut of colour to showcase all the rich details of your art, photo or design.

Wallpaper/Splash Walls

A couple of years ago, I visited Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, England, and was amazed to see this room, where everything on the wall was handpainted:

While you may not be able to afford personally patroning a classical artist to repaint your room with highlights of your travels, personalized materials for splash-walls are easy to make. With our adhesive Photo-Tex, you can print any design you need in strips up to 60” wide, and however long you need. They’re water resistant, easy to apply and remove, and best of all, leave no damage to the walls.

Print your favourite designs on the and use them to dress up any blank space. Check out this bedroom from IKEA, where they’ve “wallpapered” the back of a closet space in order to create a splash wall. Do the same with Photo-Text with your own art or photograph for a truly individualized and personal touch.

(Psst, if you’d like to reupholster some of your cushions with some custom art, we also now do fabric printing up to 60”x40” too).

Ready to get started? Upload your photo here today.

Those are some of our favourite ways to pack some art with some functional use! Have any ideas of your own? Share them with us below!

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KeenArt Media is an online fine art printing and framing company, specializing in canvas, archival and photographic prints and reproductions. We are proud to serve and support artists from all over Canada. 

KeenART Media Ltd. www.CanadaOnCanvas.com

Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)

Working hours: Pacific Standard Time

8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday

8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

Our Top Tips for Applying Resin

Resining is steadily becoming one of our more popular services. Resin is a high-gloss epoxy coating that creates a gorgeous, durable finish on any rigid piece. While the final effect can be stunning, resin is also notorious for being finicky and unpredictable. To prevent air bubbles and other unexpected reactions, we have a few tips below to help you prepare your art piece for the best resining experience possible. Whether you're bringing it or doing it on your own, these tips can still apply.

ArtResin project examples, from EasyComposites.com

1 - Keep your material rigid.

Whether you're painting on birchwood, doing a collage on aluminum, or sculpting on top of mdf, the principle is the same – whatever the medium is, make sure it is stiff, flat and rigid. As resin hardens, it becomes heavier, which can cause the fluid to shift unevenly throughout your piece.

A common material that people want to resin is canvas. While possible, we typically recommend sliding in a wooden backing board behind the fabric to better support the resin. If you are buying pre-made or manufactured canvases, try to pick higher-quality ones that have thicker weights and that have been stretched as tightly as possible. This will prevent the resin from pooling in the middle of the canvas, causing it to sag.

2 - Fully seal your material before you create your artwork.

We all know that the base material should be primed before you do you artwork – however, in this case, it is imperative that your surface is completely sealed before you begin your project. Otherwise, air may be able to filter through between cracks in birchwood or the gaps between canvas threads, resulting in more air-bubbles in the resin. Although air-bubbles can usually be mitigated by use of a blowtorch, some bubbles can still develop after the resin has been torched, hardening into long silvers of white cracks.

3 - Make sure your artwork is completely dry.

One last thing to consider is to ensure your artpiece is completely dry and sealed with a top coat. Sometimes resin can lift certain mediums (think wet-based mediums like acrylic or ink in great concentration, or dry mediums that are powdery, such as pastels, chalk, etc), and they can migrate over to different part of the image. Sealing dry materials in with some fixative or matte top coat will help keep mediums in place while the resin runs and cures.

And there you have it, some of our main 3 tips for successful resined pieces! If you would like us to resin a piece for you, visit us here. If we do not have a branch near you, or if you prefer to try it diy, we also sell ArtResin in our art supplies section. ArtResin is a new product that is much more safer, less toxic and more environmentally friendly than previous expoxy counterparts – a great medium to begin wetting your feet with.

If you would like to try your hand at resining, we sell Art-Resin in kits starting at 32oz. You can purchase art resin from our Arts and Supplies section here.

If you would rather we apply the resin for you, we also do offer resin-pouring services! Prices can be found on our calculator here, and it usually takes about 7 business days to complete. Resin can also be added to canvas print orders, or any order that has a rigid surface.

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KeenArt Media is an online fine art printing and framing company, specializing in canvas, archival and photographic prints and reproductions. We are proud to serve and support artists from all over Canada. 

KeenART Media Ltd. www.CanadaOnCanvas.com
Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
Working hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

Happy Canada Day!

We are so thankful and proud to live in Canada. From all of us at CanadaOnCanvas, happy Canada Day!!


Check out our Ideas Gallery for that next big special day!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

[Project Feature] Staff Wall at Anti-Aging in Vancouver!

Recently, our Vancouver head office staff asked to complete 20 plexi-facemounts for the grand opening of Anti-Aging Medical and Laser Clinic! Within a week we managed to turn out all 20, and these lovely portraits are now fully-installed on the clinic wall...all ready for the big curtain reveal!

Plexi-facemounts are a great contemporary way to display your photographs...printed on beautiful Giclee paper and enclosed between a sheet of high quality acrylic glass and a sheet of aluminum, these pieces have a superior shine and gloss that rivals no other. The acrylic glass also creates a color-deepening 3D effect, giving shades more lustre and richness. A film of UV stabilizers ensures the colors will not yellow and remain vivid for years to come. Frameless, sleek and stunning!

Excited to order? Check us out at CanadaOnCanvas.com!

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KeenArt Media is a family-owned printing company specializing in fine art prints and reproduction services, such  dye sublimation (onto metal or wood!). Whether it's for the home, office or gallery, we have you covered.  

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278

www.CanadaOnCanvas.com

Working Hours:

8:30 AM to 5:00PM Monday to Thursday

8:30 AM to 4:00PM Friday

Happy Father's Day!

For those of you who have ordered something from us for today, thank you letting us help make Dad's Day so special. Happy Father's Day from all of us here at CanadaOnCanvas!



Check out our Ideas Gallery for that next big special day!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

[Help!] My Photo is too Low-Res!

Compression Artifacts
Image by Matt Laur, sourced from photo.net

How to get a larger file version?

Upon discovering that you need a larger file, here are some ways to track a better one down:

1) Was it sent via Instagram/Facebook/Messenger etc? 

Any file sent through (or taken from) social media platforms will already be compressed, and therefore too small to print. In this scenario, we recommend contacting the person who posted the photo to send you the file through email.

An image we uploaded to FB at full resolution (2.2MB, could be printed at 72x64 inches)became compressed to only 63KB. After being downloaded from FB, it could only be printed at 13x7 inches max!

2) When sending photos over email, make sure your sender is selecting "largest file size possible". Most email providers on mobile phones will list several options, and you are looking for either large size, or actual size. This should get you the original file with as much resolution information as possible.

3) Was your image found on Google? Try dragging the low-res image back into Google Reverse Image search. The engine should find all similar photographs, and list their sizes. Sometimes you may be able to find a larger version hosted from a different website. 

4) If your reverse-image search turns up nothing, and you are willing to find an image that is similar but not the same, we recommend hitting up some free stock photography websites. Stock photography websites will host beautiful photos with massive file sizes, perfect for printing large-format. All they request in return for your use is credit where you can (we can add it onto your photo before we print if requested).

And there are our go-to's when it comes to low-res images. If there are any methods we've missed, or haven't tried, please let us know in the comments below!

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KeenArt Media is an online fine art printing and framing company, specializing in canvas, archival and photographic prints and reproductions. We are proud to serve and support artists from all over Canada. 

KeenART Media Ltd. www.CanadaOnCanvas.com
Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
Working hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

Metal Canvas Floater Frame Instructions

Ever since we've gotten our new metal canvas floater frames in, we've had some questions regarding how they're put together. No worries! Here is an instructional step-by-step to helping you put your metal canvas floater frame together.

When you receive your package, it will include the metal frame in several parts: the four strips of metal moulding, 1-2 sets of corner brackets for each corner, screws for each corner bracket, and some hanging hardware. The only thing you will need is a nail and a screwdriver.

1. Pair your corner brackets by laying the ones with the holes on top of the ones without holes. 

2. Line up your pieces.

3. Flip your mouldings over, as the brackets go into the slots found in the back.

4. Slide your corner brackets into the top and bottom slots (middle slot is optional).

***NOTE*** Make sure that both brackets rest in the slot.

 

5. Once the corner brackets are in on one side, slide the neighbouring moulding into the other side of the corner brackets. Be careful, the edges can be sharp.

6. Once the corners are lined up, GENTLY turn the screws into the holds. The more you turn, the tighter the fit will be. DO NOT screw too tightly at this stage, or else the other sides may not fit properly. 

7. Repeat steps 4-6 on every corner.

***TIP - For the last moulding, try installing it with the corner brackets on either side. This will allow you to slide the final moulding into place more easily. 

9. Tighten, loosen, and adjust screws and moulding as needed. 

10. Sometimes you will have to loosen the screws to hold the pieces together for a tighter fit.

Or get creative in other ways to bridge the gaps.

Once you are done, this is what the final product should look like. Ta-dah! You are now ready to install your canvas into the frame itself.

 

*** Final Tip: For smoother edges, take a regular nail file and gently buff the corners down.

And there you have it, a fully functional, lightweight, modern canvas floater frame! If ever you need to move, it is easy to disassemble and put away.

Looking for further styles? Check out our metal floater frame section here.

1 " deep Silver Metal Floater
Face width: 1/4"
Height: 1-1/4"
Rabbet: 1"
Frame code: MD372

1 " deep Matte Black Metal Floater
Face width: 1/4"
Height: 1-1/4"
Rabbet: 1"
Frame code: MD370

1-1/2 " deep Silver Metal Floater
Face width: 1/4"
Height: 1-7/8"
Rabbet: 1-5/8"
Frame code: MD371

1-1/2 " deep Matte Black Metal Floater
Face width: 1/4"
Height: 1-7/8"
Rabbet: 1-5/8"
Frame code: MD528

To order, head click on any of the frame codes, and type in the size you need!

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KeenArt Media is an online fine art printing and framing company, specializing in canvas, archival and photographic prints and reproductions. We are proud to serve and support artists from all over Canada. 

KeenART Media Ltd. www.CanadaOnCanvas.com
Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
Working hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

#Mermay Ocean Stock Photography Feature

It's been a while since we've featured some spectacular photography. In the spirit of #Mermay, we've posted our favorite images, sourced from Unsplash.com, for some seashore and mermaid vibe!

Photo by Jordan McQueen on Unsplash

Nothing says summer magic than seeing the waves crash against the shore like in this energetic shot by Jordon McQueen.

Photo by
Alessandra Caretto on Unsplash

Apart from scuba-diving or being a real-life mermaid, this is probably as close to underwater skimming as you can get. I could look at this photo by Erika Fletcher all day, mesmerized and imagining myself actually immersed and completely surrounded by water. Print this at a massive 30x40 canvas with resin or on metal or plexiglass, and it would surely enhance the experience all the more.

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Sweep away in limbo with this gorgeous shot by Jeremy Bishop.

Photo by Oliver Sjöström on Unsplash

The further out you go, the deeper the blues get. Get lost in the mystery of Oliver Sjostrom's photo above.

Photo by Talia Cohen on Unsplash

How better to feel like a mermaid than imagine yourself swimming among creatures of the sea? Talia Cohen captures this tranquility and life so well.

Like always, stock photo sites like Unsplash, Stocksnap.io, and Freestock, have images for you to download...for free! They're high enough quality to print and hang in your home or commercial space, on virtually any size you need.

Downloaded and ready to print? Some of our recommendations for business decor are canvases and plaque mounts. If you're in an especially modern environment, then our glossy metal or wood prints would also look impressive!

Got your piece and ready to hang it? Snap us a photo, we'd love to see you and business in all its splendor! Post it to our Facebook group!

Not quite what you were looking for? Comment below and send us suggestions on what kinds of images you'd like us to find for our next Stock Photo Set!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 

www.CanadaOnCanvas.com

Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time

8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday

8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday 

Happy Mother's Day!

For those of you who have ordered something from us for today, thank you letting us help make your gift for Mom this year. Happy Mother's Day from all of us here at CanadaOnCanvas / KeenArt Media!



Check out our Ideas Gallery for that next big special day!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

[Artist Feature] Lindsay Rapp and #MerMay

It's been a while since we've featured some artists! Since May is underway, we figured this month's artist theme would be mermaids...why? #MerMay, that's why!

What is #mermay?

#MerMay is an artist drawing challenge created by animator Tom Bancroft. The goal is to post a new mermaid drawing every day in May. Similar to Inktober, the idea practice your art skill by sticking to the theme daily, and exercising your creativity with the same theme over and over again. Many artists have embraced the challenge, and you can find the hashtag trending hard on Instagram every May.

One of Tom Bancroft's infamous mermaid illustrations under #MerMay

To get in the spirit of #MerMay, we wanted to feature one of our favourite artists who specializes in sealife, women and mermaids - Lindsay Rapp!

Lindsay Rapp

Artist Lindsay Rapp. Image sourced from JustLuxe.

 Lindsay Rapp was born and raised in Florida, and has been an artist since the tender age of 4. Although her studio is now in Philadelphia, her connection with the sea is never too far, manifesting in stunning works full of spirit, rawness and femininity.

MerMind by Lindsay Rapp

 "For some of us, the ocean lives within. I dream and paint with nostalgia of the ocean. I love the water so much. Despite rarely seeing it in  person anymore, I feel that my access to the water is intrinsic to me. No matter where I go, the ocean is part of my soul."

Sea Queen by Lindsay Rapp

 Her pieces are mixed-media, and she frequently utilizes semi-precious materials like mother of pearl and gold foil to capture the allure of the mythology and preciousness of the sea's essence. A percentage of her sales is dedicated towards ocean conservation charities.

Tofino, by Lindsay Rapp

A true mermaid in soul! To purchase Lindsay Rapp's prints or originals, visit her shop at lindsayrappgallery.com.

Joining #MerMay?

Participating in #MerMay this year? Let us know and share your picture with us on our Facebook page!

We also offer canvases and wood panels for painting, as well as fine-art reproductions and life-like canvas prints of your scans, photographs or artworks. Celebrate your best #MerMay by having it printed on deluxe archival fine art paper or canvas. Or capture your sea-essence with a cerulean underwater metal print.

Ready to go? Upload your picture here!

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KeenArt Media Ltd. 604-421-8000 (KeenART)

www.CanadaOnCanvas.com

8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday

8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

info@keenartmedia.com