Frequently asked questions

I offer 4 types of prints, each made for a different situation: stretched canvas (ready to hang, and my strongest recommendation for Canada and the USA), rolled canvas (for customers outside Canada and the USA, to be stretched locally), matte art paper (the best choice if you plan to frame it) and poster prints (digital prints on card stock for casual display, not made to the archival standard). The first three are giclée archival prints, made to last a lifetime.

The print guide shows all four side by side, with pictures, materials, shipping and framing for each.

Giclée (pronounced zhee-clay) is a standard for fine art reproduction. To use the name, a reproduction has to meet four requirements:

• Printing material: 100% archival. Many materials qualify, for example canvas, matte paper, gloss paper, velvet paper, watercolour-textured paper and specialty artisan paper.
• Ink: pigment ink (not dye), with at least 8 different coloured pigment inks in the printer.
• Resolution: the original artwork is professionally scanned at a minimum of 300 dpi to keep the print sharp.
• Printer: a wide-format inkjet printer.

Fine art giclée prints are the method of choice for artists, professional photographers, publishers of fine art and museums that need high-quality reproductions.

• Keep your print away from direct sunlight, or intense reflected light from mirrors, glass and the like.
• Display it in a moisture-free environment.
• Keep it a safe distance from direct heat such as a fireplace or radiator.
• Run a soft feather duster over the front and top from time to time to remove dust.
• Avoid any liquid, chemical or spray cleaners.
• For marks, rub very gently with a soft damp cloth.
• Canvas is flexible and can get dimpled in handling or shipping. To remove dimples, mist the back of the canvas with water, gently rub the water into the surface with a finger or paintbrush, and let it dry and tighten to its original tautness.

• Remove all the tape used for packaging. Even the smallest piece can find its way onto your print and damage the surface or affect the pH of the paper.
• Handle the print only by the edges, preferably with clean white cotton gloves. Oils from your hands can affect the pH of the paper and reduce its archival qualities, and fingerprints on dark areas show up as sheen.
• Keep moisture and condensation off the print. The ink is somewhat water resistant, but a water drop will be permanently visible when dry.
• When framing, use only archival (acid-free) supplies. Wood frames treated with chemicals or paints can give off gases that attack the ink and paper.
• Do not use the cardboard the print arrives in for long-term storage. It is not archival.
• For maximum longevity, frame behind UV-resistant glass. Constant bright sunlight, or chemical off-gassing such as from freshly painted walls, may cause fading or discolouration.
• Ask your framer for an archival framing solution.

Stretched (gallery wrapped) canvas is canvas stretched onto stretcher bars, usually 1.25 to 1.75 inches deep (mine are 1.5 inches). This modern display adds an extra dimension, because the artwork wraps around the sides, and it can hang without a frame. If you want one, framing options exist, usually called a floating frame, and they do not use glass.

Unfortunately I only ship stretched canvas to Canada and the continental US at this time. If you live elsewhere and want a gallery-wrapped canvas, order a rolled canvas print and have it stretched by a framer in your home town.

Rolled canvas has not been stretched onto a frame. It arrives rolled up, ready to be stretched or framed, with or without glass. For customers outside Canada and the continental US, it is my only canvas option.

To find a stretching service, a quick search for “canvas stretching near me” should turn up some good results.

Yes, but it has to keep the same width-to-height ratio as the original artwork, to preserve its fidelity.

For a free quote, use the request form. Tell me the width or height you want and which piece you have in mind, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

To ask about an original, use the request form. I need the name of the piece and your mailing address so I can give you a full quote for the original and the cost of shipping it to you. Originals marked available show an “Enquire about the original” button in the gallery that fills most of this in for you.

Every device displays colours a little differently. Your phone can look very different from your computer screen, so a print may not look exactly like it does online. Rest assured I have made sure my prints match my original artwork as closely as possible.

In the very unlikely case you receive a print that looks like a mistake, please get in touch, describe the issue as best you can and quote your order number. If you received a misprint, I will replace it free of charge.

Prints are currently made to order, and the typical lead time depends on what you order:

• Stretched (gallery wrapped) canvas prints: about 10 business days until shipped (the ink has to dry, then the varnish, and then the canvas is stretched).
• Paper and rolled canvas prints: about 6 business days until shipped.
• Notebooks: about 3 business days until shipped.
• Poster prints, greeting cards and stickers: 1 to 2 business days to process before shipping.

Stretched (gallery wrapped) canvas prints: Canada and the continental US.
Everything else: worldwide.

I do all of my printing here in Canada. My main print supplier also has a logistics facility in New York state. Orders to Canadian customers ship from Canada, and orders to US customers from New York state, so there are no import fees or local tax for US customers.

If your mailing address is outside Canada and the US, you are responsible for any import duties or taxes charged on delivery.

When your package ships (1 to 10 business days after you order), you will get an email from me with your tracking number. If you ordered a smaller item and chose letter mail, there is no tracking number.

If it has been more than 15 business days since your order and you have not received a tracking number, please get in touch.