Both turn a favourite picture into wall art. The difference is the surface, the weight and what you have to buy to hang it.
Canvas
A canvas print is stretched over a wooden frame, so it arrives ready to hang with no frame to buy. The surface is slightly textured, which softens a photo and suits landscapes, portraits and anything painted. It is heavier and costs more than a poster of the same size.
Poster
A poster is paper: light, flat and much cheaper, with sharper detail for graphics, text and illustrations. It needs a frame, a hanger or a clip rail to look finished, which is why many people order it framed or with a wood hanger.
A quick way to decide
- For a family photo or a landscape in a living room: canvas.
- For an illustration, a map or a quote: poster, framed.
- For a gallery wall of six or more: posters in matching frames.
- For a rented flat where you cannot drill: a poster with a wood hanger.
