KeenART Media: Celebrating 20 years of Picture Framing!

 The Canadian business KeenART Media will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next year. From its start as a retail store in 2002, the family-run business evolved with their services.  It now offers a wide range of fine art print and custom framing services to customers all over Canada and the US. 

With the company's years of expertise, we guarantee the highest quality of art products. We offer a wide selection of custom frames for all your art making and wall display needs. They all vary in color, textures, finishes, material and depths. 

Picture frames

One of our most popular types of picture frames is the canvas floater frame. This suits canvas or thicker artworks that have visual elements close to the canvas edge. As the artwork sits on the inside lip of the floater frame, one can adjust the gap width between the art and frame. This gap will create a “floating” effect around the artwork.

Our biggest collection of frame mouldings are the classic frames. Whether one is looking for a modern looking or ornate frame, we offer an option that best suits a variety of needs. For an extra layer that complements a wood frame, one can add a linen liner around their paintings. These serve the same purpose as a matboard, separating the artwork from its frame.

Acrylic, mat and other framing boards

Our talented in-house framers can create supporting pieces for one's specific framing needs. We custom make plexiglass or acrylic sheets, museum quality matboards, and backing boards. They also come in various colors, textures, and widths to cater to different visual art styles.

Canvas and wood panels

The framing services offered are not limited to picture frames. In recent years we have started offering non-standard sizes of canvas and wood panels. The canvases have primed/unprimed fabric and heavy duty stretcher frames with depths from 7/16" to 3". The cradled wood panels have a Baltic birch front panel and a basswood cradle with depths from 1/2" to 5". Our talented framers can create a panel to any requested size.

Framing guides and resources

Aside from providing services, we also take the time to help and educate our customers. Whether one is a DIY-er or a fine artist, we provide online guides for customers to learn more about what they buy. How-to articles, art tips and videos are available for anyone who checks out our website.

Some Interesting Resources to check out:

FRAME ASSEMBLY GUIDE - Dovetail System: https://www.canadaoncanvas.com/include/dovetail_guide_framing.php 

FRAME FITTING, SECURING THE CONTENTS OF A FRAME: https://www.canadaoncanvas.com/include/guide_framefitting.php 

ALL ABOUT GALLERY LIGHTING AND YOUR ART SHOW https://www.canadaoncanvas.com/include/guide_art_gallery_lighting.php 

Framing hardware 

Our online guides often mention different picture framing tools used while framing. To make customers' shopping experience easier, we also offer these products to buy. Some hardware we offer include clips, artwork spacers, wires, hooks, cleats, buttons and bumpers. Because these may be unfamiliar to the average person, our team is always available to answer any concerns online or over the phone.

Ready Made Frames

While the majority of the business's services include custom framing, we also offer a small collection of ready-made frames. Among these we have options such as (jersey) shadow boxes, bulletin boards, snap, and oval frames. Because these frames have limited artwork sizes and styles, our team would suggest a custom frame to have more options.

The business has grown a lot since 2002 but this does not mean the growth should go stagnant now. KeenART Media aims to remain up to date with the current trends in the art and home décor industry, to evolve with our customer's needs. We hope you can join us in celebrating 20 years of creating unique, long lasting pieces of art that people will cherish for decades. 

 

Work From Home Office Decor

While most of us are working remotely these days, the number of distractions at home can cause a plenty of challenges. Having a space dedicated to work can help eliminate these problems so you can focus on your work. With any home office having the right balance of functionality, design and decor as well as personal touches creates an inviting space that also inspires you to get some work done. Check out these simple ways you can add personalized decor to your surroundings.

Add some flair to your desk with acrylic blocks. These small table top displays make a big impact. They are perfect to give as gifts or can be added to any other room in your home. These free-standing acrylic blocks are face mounted on 1" thick acrylic using optically clear double-sided adhesive and rear of prints are protected with 1mm thick backing. You can easily customize them by adding your photos or art to help brighten up your day.

Click here for more information about our customizable acrylic blocks.

If you already have some art or photos at home, put it in a frame for some instant wall decor. 

Check out our wide selection of custom picture frames for your photos and artworks by clicking here.

Since you'll probably need a cup of coffee to help fuel you throughout the day, you might as well have a mug with a fun design on it. We offer printed mugs that you can customize with a photo of your loved ones or add some of your favourite art. Our mugs are a great gift idea for friends and family, and you can also use them to promote your business.

Visit our website for more information about our custom coffee mugs.

Printed Face Masks

We now offer custom printed face masks! They're a fun and creative way to protect yourself and others. Print custom face masks in full colour with your business or organization's logo or get as creative as you like with your own graphics. 

We use dye sublimation which works by infusing a surface with dye from a printed image by adding heat and pressure. The fibers of the surface are permanently coated with the dye ink allowing for bold colours and your design won't fade or crack.

Want to learn more about dye sublimation? Click here for more information.

Our reusable, washable, non-medical grade masks have three layers. The two outside layers are made of polyester and the inside layer is made of cotton. Masks have a black trim and stretchy ear loops which are comfortable to wear. We offer three sizes: child, adult large and adult medium. We recommend washing your masks after each use.

For more information about custom printed face masks contact us here. 

Holiday Gift Ideas 2020

Can you believe that the holidays are just around the corner? Finding a gift with a personal touch can be challenging, but we have a some great gift ideas to make this easier on you.

Framed Prints

Did you know that you can easily turn your photos of people, places and memories into custom framed art in just a matter of minutes? We carry a wide selection of sizes, mats and frames so you can customize it to your liking. Framed prints are a beautiful way to decorate your home, office or any room. They also make great gifts for the holidays. For more information, check out our framed prints here: Framed Prints

Canvas Prints 

If you’re looking for a unique way to print and display your photos, canvas prints are the way to go. They have a natural texture and brilliance, something you can’t get from normal prints on paper. Canvas prints are very durable and don’t need to be framed with glass. This allows light to reflect off the canvas in different directions and makes your photo or artwork look stunning in any room. 

Ready to create your own canvas prints? Upload your files here!

Printing on Fabric

Another unique way to share and decorate your space with your artwork is with custom printing on fabric. We use sublimation printing to print on fabric which won’t fade or crack over time. From large backdrops to wall coverings and with a wide variety of materials, the possibilities are endless. 

For additional information on fabric printing, visit our website today!

 

Mother's Day Tips

Hello, it’s okay if you are a little behind planning Mother’s day gift. Remember she will appreciate

your presence and a big hug. Most importantly don’t forget to smile and take that trash out.

Trust me, this will show her that you care, but next year no excuse. Just get her something nice,

and plan well in advance.

How does a picture with you and your mom sound? Yes, this can bring back some beautiful memories.

Perhaps check out these new Acrylic Block prints. These are perfect for gifts. WARNING!! Having one

or two is nice, just don’t go overboard and do the same every year. Good Luck.

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