What Is The Difference Between Studio Wrap And Gallery Wrap Canvas?

This post is going to be about the differences between gallery wrap and studio wrap canvas.

​The main difference between the two is how thick they are around. So basically gallery wrap canvas has a very thick edge. It's usually at least 11/2 inch think and it has no side staples and it's made to be hung without a frame. So instead of framing it you would paint around the edges.

​Studio canvas has a much thinner edge. It's usually less than an inch thick and it often has staples on the sides, so you'll have to frame it to make it presentable.

​Now, what I gave you are generalizations. These lines can be blurred. For example, in my case, I've done almost all of my paintings in the last few years on studio wrap canvas that has no side staples, kind of like gallery wrap canvas and that I painted the edges on as you would do with gallery wrap canvas.

​Also, don't think that just because your painting happens to be done on a studio wrapped canvas that it can't be shown in a gallery. I've done paintings on studio wrapped canvases that I've shown in galleries.

​So why are gallery wrap canvas and studio wrap canvas called that? Well, I had a little chat with one of the employees and Artist and Craftsman and basically, the answer is just because, like I said because gallery canvases don't need a frame, traditionally they were ready to hang right on the gallery wall, just as they were. But, like I believe I said earlier, you can really paint on anything you want and hang it anywhere you want. 

So how do you choose between a gallery wrap canvas and a studio wrap canvas? ​So how do you choose between a gallery wrap canvas and a studio wrap canvas? Really it comes down to personal preference, whatever you like better. But there are some factors that would weigh in on this.

​Number one is budget. Gallery wrap canvases are more expensive. 

​But on the other hand, if you choose some studio wrapped canvases like I said, if you wanted to display them and have them look presentable, you'll have to frame them

​and so you'll have to deal with the cost of the frame and who knows it could end up costing you as much as you would've  just paid for a gallery canvas.

​The other factor is the size that you're working on.This is something that the woman at the store told me too is that studio wrapped canvases, the thin spined canvases, are more likely to warp if they're large, so you probably won't find, say a 30x40 studio wrapped canvas. Large canvases tend to always be gallery wrapped.

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​You might notice that some companies don't even use these terms anymore, instead using terms like deep profile for the wide spined canvases or shallow profile for the narrow spined canvases. My guess is to reflect the fact that it really doesn't matter where you hang things anymore.