Getting a handmade portrait for yourself or as a gift for someone special is always exciting!
But knowing the right canvas size is essential as it supports you to produce best results. It enhances the appearance of the art.
That’s why we at PortraitFlip are here to help you provide the canvas size chart!
Before we jump straight to the subject, let’s quickly learn the different types of canvas size charts!
There are five different sizes of canvas including:
- Mini Portrait Size Chart
- Small Portrait Size Chart
- Medium Portrait Size Chart
- Large Portrait Size Chart
- Custom Portrait Size Chart
Whether you want to draw a sketch or frame the best memories on your wall, the size of the canvas makes a huge difference.
It definitely holds the power to either break or change the entire look of the wall.
Knowing the width and height of the space where you want your family portrait or picture to be hung is crucial.
So here is a quick guide for you to avoid any sloppy mishaps, because you cannot risk it with your precious portraits!
Table of contents
What are Standard Canvas Size Charts?
In simple words, the canvas that perfectly fits your wall is called standard canvas size.
Standard canvas sizes are meant to add value to the allocated space and amplify the look and feel of the room.
Different sizes of canvas are available on the market.
There are mini, small, medium, and large canvas sizes available. You can get a custom-made canvas from professionals as well.
Let’s read more about these canvas types to level up your painting skills.
Mini Portrait Size Chart
Any canvas that measures less than 4” X 6” is considered a mini canvas or mini canvas portrait (size chart).
If you’re planning to draw a small size painting or piece of art, this can be the best canvas size for your wall.
The mini canvas seamlessly complements any basic home arrangement.
Let’s see what benefits mini canvas offers and for whom it suits:
Mini Canvas Size Chart:
- 2” x 2”
- 3” x 3”
- 4” x 4”
Benefits:
- Can easily be moved, preserved, or stored
- Go well with any home decor, irrespective of the house size
- Can perfectly frame an image with a single or multiple characters
- Is a budget-friendly canvas and always stays on trend!
Suitable for:
- Those who have limited space.
- Those who are looking for something affordable.
- Those who prefer minimalist artwork.
- Those who want to keep it in a minimal space.
Mini canvas size can look the best on a side table, bedside table, or desk.
For beginners, this could be the perfect size, because well, less is always more!
Small Portrait Size Chart
Small canvas a little larger than mini sized painting canvases, which you can easily mount on your preferred location in the house.
This could be on the wall, the dressing table or side table, a bookshelf, coffee table, or even study table.
We don’t suggest hanging it in a larger space, as it might not go well with its decor, spacing and light fixtures.
It embraces any sort of art—gallery wall art, pet painting and even a painting with your loved ones.
Let’s see what benefits small canvas sizes offer and for whom they suit:
Small Canvas Size Chart:
- 4” x 6”
- 4” x 8”
- 5” x 7”
- 8” x 10”
- 9” x 12”
Benefits:
- Requires a limited space and can be easily moved and preserved
- Low maintenance and costing charge
- It hardly requires a substitute material or decor item to amplify its beauty
Suitable for:
- Those who want to gift a painting to friends and family who moved to a new house.
- Those who want to add an extra decor item to its existing space
- Those who are confused between wallpaper and wall art
- Those who want to create art on their own and add a personalized touch to walls
- Those who don’t want to stick to small brushes and produce a detailed painting
Convenience and brilliance– small canvas sizes are a combination of the both!
Medium Portrait Size Chart
Medium canvas size is one of the typical portrait canvas sizes that adds a reasonably sized layer on the wall.
Which means a good chunk of the space gets a sophisticated and desirable look.
If you’re drawing a human-sized portrait, or buying a picture with two or three characters, this can be your go-to canvas.
Medium Canvas Size Chart:
- 11” x 14”
- 12” x 12”
- 12” x 16”
- 16” x 20”
Benefits:
- Details can look more profound and vivid
- The background of the painting gets noticed
- Whether you create an oil, pencil, or pastel painting, any medium will look good
- Paintings made on these portrait dimensions can be given as a gift or souvenir
Suitable for:
- Those who want to use different types of brushes and create a detailed artwork
- Those who would want to draw or buy cityscape or landscape art
- Those who want to create a gallery wall for themselves
People buy medium canvas when they are in a dilemma, especially when they don’t know their portrait measurements.
Although it isn’t a wide and oversized canvas type, it’s a bit larger than a small medium.
This makes the picture or any compilation portrait with fewer characters look stunning!
Buy this canvas size when you want to feature a few people in a more detailed fashion!
Large Portrait Size Chart
A large canvas size can look good only in an enormously big space or on walls with negligible decor items.
Before you pick this canvas size, it’s essential to know your space or the desired portrait, as it sets the look and feel of the space.
Once you know the dimensions of wherever you want to mount it, this can be the ideal canvas type!
Large Canvas Size Chart:
- 18” x 24”
- 20” x 30”
- 24” x 36”
- 30” x 40”
- 36” x 48”
- 48” x 72”
Benefits:
- Foreground and background can have equal importance
- Can easily feature four to five characters
- Art can look impactful, detailed, and superior-quality
- Can draw any painting styles and techniques
Suitable for:
- Those who want to draw accurate images and add details professionally
- Those who want to experiment with a large surface painting
- Those who want to draw art from different movements, for instance, abstract art, Cubist art, or others
- Those who want to create a centerpiece for the house
Large portrait sizes or large canvases are for professionals, avid painters, and art creators.
The philosophy behind it is that the bigger the canvas, the larger and more meticulous the work.
Custom-made Portrait Size Chart
We can choose the size of the canvas or customize it the way we want.
With custom portrait size we don’t have to rely on the standard canvas sizes that don’t meet our expectations.
Here’s why we should opt for:
- Best for beginner and intermediate level painters who want to draw painting according to its home size, space, and needs
- Custom canvas can be larger than large canvas type or smaller than mini canvas dimension
- You can choose the length, thickness, and quality of canvas
- It can be sustainable, sturdy, and top-notch in quality
Things to Consider Before You Pick The Right Canvas Size
- Know the condition and dimensions of the space where you want to mount
- Have clarity on what you want to make and which colors do you want to splash, spray, or add
- If you’re ordering a custom painting from professionals, you must know their portrait size chart
- Need to compare the canvas with the settings surrounded by the wall where it’ll be hung, for instance, its pieces of furniture, wall color, light fixtures, the color of tiles, and so on
- Must know the quality and dimensions of the canvas
Choosing the Right Space to Display Your Art
You already know what type of canvas to pick, considering the dimensions of the space. But let’s take a look at choosing the place where you can display your art.
A. Bedroom Headboard
Most house owners don’t consider any decoration in the space above the head.
But this vacant and plain wall can be used to mount a series of portraits, pictures, or pencil sketches.
This can be a focal point if you choose the right art and hang it in a way that miraculously enlivens the space!
B. Blank Wall
The best place to hang a canvas painting, considering its place in the canvas size chart, is the blank space of a wall which sets the tone and creates a welcoming atmosphere.
If you have vacant and unused wall space, you must consider using this space for wall art, pictures, or your favorite cat portrait.
C. Above the fireplace
Having a fireplace is incredibly great! It brings irresistible warmth, comfort, and serenity, setting the vibe of the place.
You can add an extra layer of togetherness and joy by simply placing art, pictures, or canvas above the fireplace!
These are the three best places where you can mount a picture creatively, keeping portrait photo dimensions into consideration.
Conclusion
Picking up the right canvas according to painting sizes isn’t rocket science.
You measure the space, take its surroundings into consideration, and boom!
You’re good to go!
A quintessential portrait canvas size chart will assist you determine whether a particular frame is good for you or not.
Meaning whether this can bring the necessary change that you were looking for while commencing this hunt!
Remember, the perfect size makes a difference, and as a painter, art lover, you don’t have to worry about how large or small the space is.
You’ve got to pay heed to how to turn the wall into a focal point!
Following this canvas sizing guide takes you closer to having that magical space.
With that I hope this mini-guide has helped to come to a decision!
FAQs
The average portrait size is medium. Although the most popular portrait size depends on the number of characters, background, and photo size.
The best canvas or (portrait painting sizes) can be either medium or large, custom also works well.
If you have a small family of 3-4 people, it’s advisable to go for a large portrait painting. But if your family consists of more than five people (including pets), it’s advisable to do a custom portrait painting.
A 16 by 20 inches canvas size is medium. It is big enough to fit three people comfortably.
Firstly, to select the right canvas size for a wall, you will need to start by measuring the width and height of your wall. The aim here is to fill two-thirds to three-fourths of your available wall space. If you are looking to create a focal point with a portrait painting, you need to hang them above an element like, the couch, bed, mantel, etc.
The three best places to mount a canvas or picture (considering its size chart) are above the fireplace, above the headboard, or on blank walls.
The beginners or novices tend to purchase mini or small canvas as they are still on the verge of honing their skills and getting their hands on large brushstrokes.
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