The first choice is simple: do you want the canvas shipped loose and unstretched, or already stretched and ready to hang?
Monochrome Canvas offers both options. Loose canvas gives artists and collectors more flexibility for custom framing, stretching, mounting, and hand embellishment. Gallery wrapped canvas is the easier option if you want a finished piece that arrives ready to display.
Why We Offer Matte Canvas
We only offer matte canvas because reflected light on a smoother gloss or semi-gloss surface can compete with the image and make subtle painted details harder to see. Matte canvas keeps the surface quieter, and if you want more sheen later, that can usually be added after printing with a spray coating or varnish.
Best for Flexibility
The Heavyweight Cotton-Poly Blend Matte Canvas | Loose option comes unstretched. This is often the best choice for odd sizes, custom frames, artists who sell prints on demand, and anyone who wants to finish the piece later.
On the product page, you choose the finished size and then decide how the edges should be handled:
- Choose 2" if the canvas will be stretched onto bars later.
- Choose None if you want a full-bleed piece that can be cut to size or mounted flat.
Dry mounting means adhering the canvas onto a rigid substrate such as foamboard or another mounting board so it stays flat instead of wrapping around stretcher bars.
After that, drag and drop your art file, check the preview on screen, and place the order.
Best for Ready-To-Hang Art
If you want the stretching handled for you, go straight to Gallery Wrapped Canvas. This option is available in select sizes and is the simpler path if you want a finished canvas rather than taking the print to a local framer later.
On this page, choose the size and then use the Frame style dropdown to choose the edge treatment:
- White for a clean, light edge.
- Solid Color for a more deliberate framed-color look.
- Mirrored Edge if you want the image reflected around the sides.
This is the better option when you want canvas that arrives ready to display right away.
Especially Helpful for Print-on-Demand Work
Loose canvas is often the more practical option for artists who print as orders come in. It keeps shipping simpler, lowers the risk of damage in transit, and gives the buyer more options for how the piece is finished.
- Rolled canvas is usually more cost effective to ship than a pre-stretched canvas.
- It is often less likely to be damaged in the mail because there are no stretched corners or bars to dent.
- Collectors can take the print to a local framer for stretching or custom mounting.
- It works especially well for odd sizes, custom frames, and other non-standard display needs.
- Canvas can be sealed and painted on top of with hand embellishments, so it also works well as an underpainting base.
- For certain craft applications, including embroidery and mixed-media work, loose canvas can be the more useful format.
Which One Should You Choose?
If you want maximum flexibility, choose loose matte canvas. If you want something already stretched and ready to hang, choose gallery wrapped canvas.
If you are not sure whether your file needs a stretching border, a full bleed, or a specific edge treatment, message us before ordering and we can help you choose the cleanest setup for your artwork.