Four Reasons Why You Should Paint Small Canvas Art

Often referred to as “smalls”, small artwork can be overlooked by collectors- possibly due to the idea that bigger is better. Large art takes up more space on a wall, so smaller pieces need more vibrancy, complexity, and presence to be chosen over larger artwork.

I think that smalls are a very important component in the story told by an artist’s collection. Each piece should be a reflection of some part of the artist; and I think that it is unrealistic for each part of a person to be gigantic. The variation in size of canvas by a painter also conveys their understanding of the market. It shows consideration for the consumers of their work who may be admirers but cannot accommodate the magnitude of a large painting in their home or office. I think that small art is a shrinking market segment, so for the artists who are considering what sizes to produce, here are my…

Four Reasons Why You Should paint small canvas art

1. Small pieces fit in more places. A 12 x 12 canvas can literally go anywhere. Even a brand new condominium in Toronto is large enough to accommodate a painting of that size! All jokes aside, I can hardly think of any wall space that would be unable to keep small sizes.

2. Small pieces use less material. In our ecologically conscious world, less is more. If the material is recycled, even better! Materials that go into the production of a standard gallery wrapped canvas include wood, staples, glue, cotton canvas, and paint. The larger the canvas, the more of these materials will be used.

This argument has a limit however, when one considers that fact that often times a smaller product will be made at a more plentiful rate than a larger one- using up just as many materials if not more.

3. Small details are just as-if not more respectable on a small canvas. When painting on a large canvas, one has more room. When painting with less real estate, the skill of an artist must be higher.

The ability to paint small details on a small canvas make are impressive in my humble opinion. It takes a strict and unyielding attention span that is rare for many! I think this is a mark of a true professional.

4. Safety and ease of hanging a smaller size. Have you ever had a large painting fall off of a wall in your home or office? It can be a scary occurrence. This has never happened to me, but I have seen it in other places.

This can be caused by using picture wire that is not suitable for the weight of a large painting. This can also occur when the amount of wire is not properly measured, causing the painting to fly off the wall when a strong gust of wind goes by.

Though the risk of improperly wiring art for hanging never truly goes away, the risk is minimized with smaller art because less damage can occur as a result of a rogue painting.

Do you enjoy painting small artwork? What specific size is your favourite? Leave a comment in the section below with your ideas, and thanks for reading.

Stephanie