Guides & tips

Poster or canvas: which should I choose?

Take a Moment is one of our favourites, and it becomes two quite different pieces depending on how you hang it. Printed on paper and framed, it is crisp, graphic and quietly confident. Stretched on canvas, the same figure turns soft and painterly, as if it had just left the artist’s studio. That is the whole question in a nutshell: not which one is better, but how you want the wall to feel. Here are the differences, up close and side by side, and how to tell which one belongs in your home.

Take a Moment as a poster in a white frame on a cream wall, above a stool and a stack of books

Take a Moment as a canvas in a slim float frame on a pale wall above a round dining table

In short

Postersmooth, matte paper: the sharpest choice for photography, typography and fine lines
Canvasa fine weave and no glazing: made for painted motifs and the wall everyone notices
No glarecanvas has nothing in front of the motif, so it holds its own across from a window
100x140is our largest size, both as a poster and as a canvas

What’s the difference between a poster and a canvas?

A poster is printed on 200 g/m² FSC®-certified archival paper with a smooth, matte surface, then framed behind glazing. Every line sits exactly where the artist put it, which is why photography, typography and fine detail look their sharpest on paper.

A canvas is printed on finely woven canvas and stretched over a wooden frame. The weave catches the light and softens the colours, and with nothing in front of the motif it takes on the depth of a painting. It arrives ready to hang.

Drag the handles below and see what that means on a wall.

Abstract Movement as a canvas in an oak float frame, beside a white bouclé chair and a rattan sideboard — Abstract Movement on canvas and as a framed poster.

Abstract Movement as a poster in a black frame above a bouclé armchair and a black vase — Abstract Movement on canvas and as a framed poster.

Glimpse, a painted landscape, as a large poster in an oak frame above a red dining table and two wooden chairs — Glimpse as a framed poster and on canvas.

Glimpse as a canvas in an oak float frame above a rattan sideboard — Glimpse as a framed poster and on canvas.

It starts with the surface

Up close, paper and canvas tell two different stories. Paper is calm and even, a surface that steps back and lets the motif speak. Canvas has a weave you can almost feel, and it gives even a flat field of colour a little life.

Take a Moment printed on paper, two loose sheets resting on a woven rattan chair — Take a Moment on paper: smooth and matte, crisp down to the smallest brushstroke.

Close-up of The Hunt on canvas, dark plum and sage brushstrokes with the woven texture showing through, in an oak float frame — The Hunt on canvas: the weave shows through every brushstroke.

How it meets the wall

A poster takes its character from the frame. Oak, black, white or a colour, with or without a mat board: the frame is what ties the motif to the room, and it stays when you change the print. Our frames have shatter-free glazing that protects the paper.

A canvas needs no frame at all, but a float frame in oak, dark oak, black or white takes it one step further. The canvas sits inside with a thin shadow gap all the way round, as if it were floating. It is the most exclusive finish we make.

The Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai in an oak frame, resting on a pile of loose prints beside white flowers — A poster in an oak frame, protected behind glazing and easy to change.

Canvases in float frames of oak, black and white resting on a wooden floor, with Take a Moment in front — Float frames in oak, black and white, each with a thin shadow gap around the canvas.

	Poster	Canvas
Surface	Smooth, matte paper	Finely woven canvas
Expression	Crisp, graphic and light	Deep, painterly and soft
On the wall	In a frame of your choice	Ready to hang, float frame optional
Light	Glazing can catch a window	No glazing, no glare
Best for	Photography, text and fine lines	Paintings, brushstrokes and soft abstracts
Over time	Keep the frame, change the print	One motif, made to stay
Sizes	21x30 to 100x140, plus square	30x40 to 100x140, plus square

Choose a poster when …

A poster is the flexible way to live with art, and in the right frame it never looks like the cheaper option.

You like to change things. Keep the frame and swap the print: a new season, a new motif. Our guide to swapping the print and keeping the frame shows how easy it is.

The motif is graphic or detailed. Photography, typography and fine line drawings are at their sharpest on paper.

You’re building a gallery wall. Slim frames line up neatly and let several motifs talk to each other. Our gallery wall ideas show five layouts that always work.

The frame should do the talking. Wood and colour are where you tie the art to the room. Our guide to choosing the right frame helps you decide.

Choose a mat board for an exclusive gallery feel. The border around the motif gives it room to breathe and draws the eye straight to the art, just as in a gallery. Bear in mind that the frame grows with it: a 50x70 poster with a mat board goes in a 70x100 frame. Our guide to mat boards covers colours, sizes and the combinations that work.

Choose canvas when …

Canvas is our most exclusive finish, made for the motifs you want to live with for a long time.

One piece should carry the room. A large canvas above the sofa or the bed needs nothing around it.

The motif is painted. Brushstrokes, oils and textured abstracts come alive on a woven surface.

The room is full of light. With no glazing there is no glare, even across from a window.

You want the gallery look. A float frame gives the canvas a thin shadow gap and a finished edge.

You’d rather skip the framing. Every canvas arrives stretched and ready to hang. There is more in our guide to canvas wall art and float frames.

Still torn? Try the five-year test

Picture the wall five years from now. If you see the same motif, choose canvas: it is made to stay. If you see yourself changing prints with the seasons, choose a poster and put your money in a frame you love. And if you still can’t decide, start with the motif. Many of ours come in both finishes, so the material can be the last thing you choose.

Can I get the same motif as a poster and as a canvas?

Many of our motifs come in both finishes. Find your favourite among our canvases and compare it with the poster version.

Does a canvas need a frame?

No. Our canvases arrive stretched and ready to hang. A float frame is optional: it adds a thin shadow gap around the canvas and a more finished, gallery-like look.

Is canvas better quality than a poster?

Not better, different. Our posters are printed on 200 g/m² FSC®-certified archival paper, our canvases on finely woven canvas. Paper gives the crispest detail, canvas the most painterly surface.

Which is best for a large wall?

Both work from 70x100 and up. A large canvas has no glazing to reflect the light and the presence of a painting. A framed poster is usually the more affordable of the two in large sizes.

What size should I choose?

Measure the furniture below the wall and aim for about two thirds of its width. Our poster size guide shows every size to scale.

Is a canvas heavy?

No. The stretcher bars and the canvas are very light, so ordinary hanging is enough, for example a wall plug and a screw.

Canvas