Wall Art Decor South Africa
What sets Living Canvas Wall Art apart from others?
Living Canvas was built on very high standards and we maintain our very high and exacting standards. We are not a mass producing wall art store and we have the most critical and precise quality control in the industry barre none. Our lab prints and manufactures for the top names in South African Wildlife, Landscape and Fine Art photography, artists who trust in our precision and attention to detail and who would not risk their name or reputation printing elsewhere. The moment new and better fine art papers and canvas become available, we are always the first in the country to trial them. We don't follow standards, we set standards.
How do I know I am buying the best quality Canvas Wall Art in South Africa?
Quite simply put, at Living Canvas we simply do not cut corners in the production of our canvas & fine art wall art. The majority of wall art stores use MDF (Medium-density fibreboard) as their canvas frame. MDF is a mass-produced engineered wood product made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibres and then combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming it into panels by applying high temperature and pressure. While there is nothing wrong with MDF it's not Fine Art Quality by any means and the small amount extra you pay at Living Canvas is well worth it for the true gallery grade quality you will receive.
While we can assist customers who have a specific requirement for MDF canvas mounts, all the products in our online wall art store make use of a Genuine 35mm Obeche wood frame structure. Obeche wood has a very fine, straight grain and contains no knots and a soft cream-colour and smooth final finish. Obeche wood's lightweight , workability and resistance to bending or warping makes it ideal for manufacturing a stretcher frame for canvas, built to last, that is stable without being unnecessarily heavy. The 35mm Obeche frame profile has proven to be one of the best depths for art without the art standing too pronounced off the wall as is the case with 40mm frames and bigger. Our Obeche frames are also available in a 25mm profile upon request. The Ilford Prestige Canvas itself is a bright white matte fine art canvas with a robust base and fine structure offering high colour brilliance and superb colour gamut. This canvas offers stunning colour reproduction thanks to a wide colour gamut that enhances rich colours and provides deep, dense blacks.
How big can you print on canvas?
Living Canvas produces some of the biggest panoramic and supersized Canvas Wall art prints you will find anywhere in South Africa. Our canvases can be produced up to a maximum size of 3 meter long by 1.4 meter high. And we can go even larger, much larger (see below) by splitting the image into separate panels. Our digital images are of the highest resolution available anywhere which ensures we can print up to extremely large sizes.
Do you make custom size wall art?
Living Canvas offers one of the most highly specialised custom printing and fine art printing and framing services in South Africa. We can print up to very large sizes but we limit our regular catalog to standard and popular sizes. For any custom size printing or framing simple contact us for a quotation.
Is your quality really the best?
At Living Canvas we go above and beyond for every single order and we do not spare any expense nor cut any corners by using any substandard or mass produced materials. While there are many online wall art stores in South Africa, it is practically impossible to match our gallery grade product quality, craftsmanship and materials. If better fine art papers and canvas ever become available we will be the first in the market to use them.
All your wall art buying questions answered
Products & Ordering
Can you help me decide what size to order?
Purchasing hanging artworks is often a tricky decision. It can be very difficult to imagine how a printed image will look on your wall, so these tips will help you visualize your print size before you place your order.
Using our Live View Every product page has our Live View buttons embedded. Live View helps you visualize the artwork in different rooms or you can even upload a photo of your very own room and see the picture on your own wall. When you are happy with how it looks in Live View you can download the design mockup to keep with your home decorating ideas.
Other Ways to Visualize the Real Size of a Print on your own wall First choose the wall or shelf that you want your wall art to be featured on and get a feel for where it would have the most impact in the living space.Next grab some old newspapers and scissors and create a 'mockup' with your newspapers.
Depending on the size of the wall or space you might need to cut your paper up to make it smaller. If you have a big wall space, add some more newspapers, sticking them together with some masking or sellotape to make your mock up bigger.
Finally stick the newspaper mock up on the wall and look at it from all angles of the room. Pay attention to how the size fits in with the rest of the décor as well as how it compliments the functionality of the room.
We suggest leaving this mockup on the wall for at least 2-3 days so that you get a feel for its size and placement when entering and leaving the room every day. Weekends are the best time to do this as this is generally when everyone is more relaxed and in a better frame of mind for such decisions.
Once you have a size that feels comfortable to you from all angles you can go ahead and select that size when ordering.
It is better to order a larger size than too small. A small artwork can easily get lost on a big wall while multiple smaller prints or a set of prints hung together make a really nice impact.
Example: Let's say you want a mounted canvas and your wall is 2 meters wide. The best size to order would be anywhere from our XL to Jumbo Size mounted canvas and remember we can custom size to your exact requirements.
It's important to leave space around the artwork and not cramp it into a tight space which will reduce the impact. As always we are available on our Whatsapp Chat Line or on Telegram Messenger and via email so if you are unsure simply get in touch and we will guide you in making the right decision and even show you some mockups of the artworks on your wall.
Can you help me choose between canvas or framed wall art?
Buying Wall Art can be confusing for many buyers, so many options and finishes to choose from.
Let's try and make things a little easier for you.
A mounted canvas wall art print is the most popular and also most cost-effective for many buyers. Mounted canvas very easily fits into pretty much any decor scheme and our Floating Framed Canvas offers an even more refined and professional look.
Mounted Canvas is a medium that allows printing to very large sizes while keeping costs reasonable. Mounted or framed canvas products are quicker to produce than framed products and are very popular for many buyers of wall art. After printing, the canvas print is inspected for minor imperfections and is then professionally wrapped over our lightweight genuine Obeche 35mm wood subframe. This gives you a strong and also lightweight art print to hang on your wall and also makes hanging them that much easier.
Framed Wall Art prints are more expensive to produce and are also heavier than their canvas counterparts. Framed art prints have a more modern contemporary feel and really give a lot of impact. They are of course more expensive than canvas as more materials and manufacturing time is involved in their production. The Certified Fine Art Papers we use, bring out the tiniest details and most vibrant colours in the image which are sometimes a little lost on canvas due to its coarser texture.
Our store offers framed wall art sizes up to A0 which suits the predominance of wall art buyers but we do make larger frames although we treat these as custom orders. Framing large sizes gets exponentially more expensive as frame profiles have to be bigger and the glass covering also needs to be thicker.
Our variety of 5 different genuine wood frame choices include black, white, natural, walnut and coffee bean and gives you many choices to help you tie your new wall artworks together with your living spaces.
Why can't I get my canvas in 7 days?
Quite often our canvas products leave manufacturing within 6-7 days and arrive 1-3 days later depending on where you live. Larger sizes unfortunately take longer as there is a lot more work involved.
Competitors that guarantee 7 days delivery after order are using cheaper mass manufacturing methods and materials that see your canvas printed and stuck to a frame in under 2 hours. We simply do not work this way.
Our quality control is the MOST STRINGENT anywhere in South Africa.
We simply will not rush to send you a product that is not absolutely perfect.
We also use genuine Obeche wood frames which require PROPER canvas stretching NOT glueing to a hard pressed engineered wood frame.
It is well worth the extra few days wait for our outstanding artworks.
I am concerned to order in case my canvas arrives damaged or has a hole in it!
We have worked with our couriers for many years and in all the time we have been delivering wall art all over South Africa and the world our rate of products damaged on arrival is less than 0.1%
But to put your mind at ease, our products are very well packaged and delivered in perfect condition. If unfortunately your print arrived damaged you notify us via email immediately with photos of the damaged package and we get your replacement product back into production and there is absolutely no charge for this, you will always get what you paid for with Living Canvas.
It is VITAL in the case that a product arrives damaged to send us photos ASAP as we use this to claim back from the couriers for the damages incurred.
What is the finished product size of a Wood Framed Print?
A very good question and one that causes confusion and even disappointment to many buyers of wall art online.
Our quoted sizes on all framed products is the size of the finished product including the matte and frame.This means when you buy an A0 wood framed print for example, the actual product size (picture + matte + frame) you receive is A0.
If you want the finished product larger please choose the custom option and we will be able to quote you framing costs grow substantially as the image gets bigger.
This does NOT apply to stretched canvas products. All stretched canvas products arrive at the finished size you chose with the image edge to edge or even wrapped around the edges depending what you chose.
What type of Frame do you use for the Fine Art Prints?
We use the finest genuine wood 35 mm reverse box frame for all our framed fine art prints.
This frame profile is available in 5 colours - black, white, coffee bean, walnut and natural.
The natural wood grain (showgrain finish) can still be seen through the colours making these frames outstanding for all our fine art prints.
The 35mm reverse box frame gives the artwork incredible depth on your wall and creates a dramatic impact.
The thickness of the frame profile used is the most important aspect of art that is intended to last. Many wall art manufacturers use frames 25mm and even smaller. We simply do not work that way which is why our true Framed Fine Art prints are of Gallery Grade and noticeably more expensive than our competitors. Thinner frame profiles simply lack the integrity required of a frame especially on larger framed prints.
Can you do custom size prints for me?
We can indeed and we do this on a very frequent basis for many customers, customization is a core part of our business.
Not every picture size or ratio fits into everyone's living space, we know this better than anyone. Many living spaces either have very long walls, very narrow walls or very awkward wall spaces. When you have found a picture you have absolutely fallen in love with but it doesn't quite fit for your wall space, simply choose the Custom size option and complete the short form and we will send you a preview of how it will look at your size along with a quotation for the modified custom size.
We will get back to you ASAP and tailor make any of our beautiful images to your exact requirements. As always we are available on our Whatsapp Chat Line or on Telegram Messenger and via email so if you are unsure simply get in touch and we will guide you in making the right decision and even show you some mockups of the artworks on your wall.
Can I send a print to someone else as a present?
Absolutely, simply check the box on the checkout page that says "Ship to a Different Address" and we will make sure it arrives safely with them. At all stages of the order only you, the purchaser, will be notified of product updates this keeps your surprise to your loved on a secret until it arrives at their doorstep. You can also buy a gift card for someone's birthday or wedding.
Can I buy a picture to print myself?
Some of our images do have a self print license option but most do not. If you see a picture that you want to print really really big and we cannot ship that size to you then simply send us a message through the enquiry form and we will make a special arrangement for you. We will even custom up-size the image to your exact requirements ensuring a pin-sharp reproduction.
I have seen cheaper wall art elsewhere how do I know what quality I am buying?
While you may find cheaper wall art elsewhere we can assure you those products won't match our product quality.We are not saying cheaper products are bad, they quite simply will not be nearly as good to our quality and fine art standards. There is most certainly a market for cheaper wall art but products that cost less are cheaper for a reason and they will have shorter lifespans before they fade or deteriorate.
Genuine fine art canvas, papers and archival inks cost pretty much the same for everyone in the industry, the margins are tight. Those claiming they are using premium materials yet selling them at several hundreds or thousands of Rands less, quite simply are most likely using knock-off inks.
The same rule applies to wooden frame profile and canvas stretchers, there are only so many suppliers of the premium grade products we use and the costs are rather fixed. So if you find someone selling "premium quality" wood framed art behind glass at a huge cost below ours, it's unlikely they are being totally honest with you about the product you are buying.
Unfortunately the average buyer can be very disappointed buying what they think or have been told is premium quality wall art only to find out a few years later that it's not. We are not knocking cheaper products, but there is always a reason something is cheaper.
You can quickly identify cheaper manufacturing methods purely by the thickness of a frame profile used and displayed on an online store web site. If you buy an A0 size framed fine art print from us, the frame we use is a thick solid profile designed to support the product at that size for the entire life of the product. Likewise, the bigger the print size gets so does the glass covering thickness also need to increase.
With proper packaging (ie. the way our products arrive at your door), our products will sustain numerous relocations to new homes and offices without falling apart where as cheaper framed prints can become rickety very easily with too much movement.
Our quality and workmanship is very hard to compete with, we set standards in the industry.
We guarantee to sell you pixel perfect art with true and vibrant colour reproduction.
Our artworks are made to last and last they will.Our canvas, inks and fine art papers are all certified archival quality and our frames are all real wood, and guaranteed to never warp or sag.
Shop with confidence at Living Canvas.
Do you have more fine art papers to choose from?
We keep the fine art papers available in our store limited to the most popular, to keep our pricing within a certain range and to not offer too much choice for the majority of buyers.We keep a variety of other fine art papers in regular stock and you may request a different paper in your order notes which will of course be subject to an additional surcharge.
Some of our other fine art papers available
- Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag (310gsm 100% cotton fourdrinier-made rag paper)
- Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Gloss (310gsm 100% cotton rag paper)
- Hahnemühle Baryta (325 gsm · 100% α-cellulose · high-gloss finish)
We can also specially order any specific fine art paper you require.
What is DiaMount®?
DiaMount® is an innovative method to mount the face of the photo to acrylic or iron-free glass with special UV inhibited silicone rendering a high gloss appearance and 3D-like effect enriched with vibrant colours and deep blacks.
We use fine art paper for the most exceptional rendering of your image. The final product is stable and can withstand temperature and humidity changes.
This process is free of bubbles and silvering often found when using double-sided adhesive.DiaMount® is manufactured using 3mm Plexiglass, to which the images are face-mounted.
Once the image has rested, it's then backed by a rigid aluminium composite material (ACM), like Dibond®, encapsulating the print in an airtight sandwich.
This process offers you a modern contemporary feel whereby it appears to be floating on a wall. Yet we're not limited to this finish as it can also be framed, giving you that timeless classic look.
Discuss your preferences with our consultants. Watch the product video about Diamount.
Can I buy a print and pay it off?
Our payment partner Payflex allows you to buy today and pay if off over 4 easy instalments over a 6 week period which gives many buyers more flexibility when purchasing. We don't like longer term credit solutions, especially in the current economic climate and as such we do not offer more than what Payflex offers.
Why do some products have different prices?
We have many contributors of photography and art and each artist gets to set his own base price. The base price displayed is the fee the artist gets for the use of his image before any printing and framing options have been selected.Living Canvas supports local artists and their work and our product sales help artists be rewarded for their hard work and dedication.
Shipping
How long will it take after ordering before I receive my prints?
Within South Africa: After payment has been processed, your artwork(s) will be delivered to your door usually in 7-10 working days.
Most mounted canvas products ship within 5-7 working days but this also depends on the quantity ordered.
Loose prints are normally shipped within 2-4 days.
Framed products however require more work in manufacturing and only ship within 7-14 working days.
International Orders: Shipping to international countries can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks.
Loose prints ship within a week but once the shipment leaves South Africa we can not control how long it will take to go through customs and clearances in some countries.
There is also a chance you may be charged VAT or an import duty in your own country.
This is however for your own account and our prices and shipping are not deemed to include any such additional charges.
I have an urgent order can you help me?
Often people leave a gift or a decision to purchase until the last minute. We do our best to speed things up for such special cases but at the same time we also cannot guarantee this as it depends on the workload and pressure that the manufacturing departments are under.
Please make a special note in your order notes or contact using the message button on the web site prior to purchase so we can liaise with manufacturing prior to you completing the order.
It is important to note we produce professional quality printed products of which certain aspects can never be rushed. We do this to ensure that you get a product that will last you a lifetime and at the same time ensures that we do not get returns because of hasty or shoddy manufacturing.
We pride ourselves on not 1 return of any product since we started in this business and we intend to keep it that way.
Do you really deliver to all countries?
We ship printed artworks all over the world. While we most certainly have not shipped to every single country on earth we do not exclude any country from purchasing from us as we use worldwide courier services that deliver to all countries. Our shipping partners for international orders are Aramex International.Depending on the destination we choose the best courier with the best price to ensure you don't pay and arm and a leg for shipping.
Which courier service do you use?
Within South Africa, the majority of our deliveries are handled by The Courier Guy who is a trusted shipping and delivery partner.
We have worked with them for many years as they handle your delicate artworks with the greatest of care whilst still delivering faster than most other couriers.
We also sometimes use Aramex for certain sized artworks going to other parts of the country.
Order Delays
We print on world class fine art printers and high quality canvas and fine art papers.
All orders are Quality Control checked by professional photographers for colour accuracy, print flaws or minor imperfections.
The smallest imperfection will cause the Quality Controllers to fail the print and it will be immediately sent for reprinting.
A reprint will cause a small delay in your order but we simply do not send out any artwork that is not perfect.
We will notify you of such a delay should this ever occur.
Other factors out of our control that may delay an order like nationwide strikes, flooding or lockdowns etc may cause delays with couriers getting to you but we assure we do our utmost best to get your products to you as fast as possible.
We do not ship on a Friday to avoid your order sitting in the courier depot over a weekend where it has a high likelihood of getting damaged.
Returns
Can I return my order?
Because of the personalised nature of our service, every picture, size and frame you choose has to be made just for you.
Refunds or replacements unfortunately cannot be granted for a change of mind.
If you accidentally received the wrong item, a replacement will be immediately manufactured and the order replacement will be expedited.
If your order arrives damaged. Photographic proof of the damage must to be sent to us immediately upon receipt of the order to art@livingcanvas.co.za.
If your package is not checked when you receive it, then any replacements or refunds simply cannot be granted at a later date.
The colours don't match what I saw on the website.
Our images are all professionally colour calibrated with the printers. The colours you see online are accurate but due to the wide variety of screens and smartphones there may be a colour shift depending if you have your screen set to a warm or cool colour setting.
We can ensure you that the printed product looks better than it does on screen.
Should your product arrive markedly different from how it looked on the website, please send us an email to art@livingcanvas.co.za with photos indicating your concerns.
In over 4 years of being a 100% online art store we have had only one (1) occurrence of a client that was unhappy with the colours of a print. The clients phone had been set to a very cool colour making all red's appear more pinkish than red. We specially adjusted the image and did some test strips to make sure the reprint met with the clients expectations and re-shipped the new print to their country of origin.
Our complete Returns Policy is located here.
Canvas Info
What frame is used for your canvas stretching?
We use a Genuine 35mm Obeche Wood Canvas Stretcher Frame which is used professionally for all fine art and gallery purposes. The Obeche wood is treated and guaranteed to prevent any wood borer damage and is built to last and also not fade for 75-100 years or more.
Our canvas' will never sag, not even in 100 years because they are professionally stretched and the 35mm Obeche frame is guaranteed to never warp or sag.
Many canvas wall art manufacturers makes use of glues and solvents to adhere the canvas to an MDF frame and backing board which is a quicker way to mass-produce and "wrap" a canvas but unfortunately the glues and solvents do indeed leach into the canvas and cause colour damage and degradation to the canvas. Glueing is also not actually the proper way to gallery wrap a canvas. We simply do not work that way as we produce professional fine art artworks intended to last and display perfectly for decades even in a gallery environment.
Our printing and manufacturing department produces fine art prints and canvas' for the biggest names in South African wildlife, landscape and fine-art photography.The Obeche frame has a dimension of 35mm x 25 mm, 35mm is the distance between your wall and the front of the print and 25mm is the width of the frame at the back of the print.
How do I care for my canvas prints?
Art is an investment and it needs to be looked after, here are some general pointers.
- Do not touch the canvas as your skin will leave oils on the surface.
- Use a feather duster to keep canvas surfaces clean.
- Avoid Direct sunlight which will encourage fading of the inks.
- Canvas products can very lightly wiped with a damp cloth to keep them dust free but it is best to lightly dust them with a feather duster on a regular basis.
In very dusty environments and within cities, levels of air pollution are generally quite high and without noticing it, your painted walls are constantly changing colour. You will notice after just one year if you remove a print from a wall that the paint behind it is still brand new. This is very common and not much can be done about it except refreshing your paintwork every 2-3 years.If you are renting, make sure your landlord has given your permission to hang artworks and check your lease conditions carefully for any clauses regarding repainting upon exit.
Can I hang a canvas in my bathroom?
The answer to this is both a yes and no.
Our personal recommendation is actually no. Water and Steam will quickly reduce the lifespan of any canvas or printed product and also possibly cause mold to start growing in the corners. This does not mean you can not hang a canvas in your bathroom because you can indeed, but the lifespan of the product will be quickly reduced and there is no guarantees against such installations.
If a canvas product does not get affected by any direct steam or moisture and the bathroom is very well ventilated then the canvas could very well last in your bathroom as long as it would last anywhere else in your home but it is a risk you take.
It is far better to rather look at our DiaMount® prints. DiaMount® is an innovative method to mount the face of the photo to acrylic or iron-free glass with special UV inhibited silicone rendering a high gloss appearance and 3D-like effect enriched with vibrant colours and deep blacks. We use fine art paper for the most exceptional rendering of the image. The final product is stable and can withstand temperature and humidity changes. This process is free of bubbles and silvering often found when using double-sided adhesive.
Unfortunately there is no guarantees on any products used in a bathroom environment.
Product Care
How do I care for the framed artworks?
Art is an investment and it needs to be looked after, here are some general pointers.
- Avoid Direct sunlight which will encourage fading of the inks.
- Wipe frames with a soft damp cloth only, no soaps or chemicals.
- A neutral color furniture oil like Woodoc can be applied to the frames once or twice a year to keep the wood healthy especially in very dry climates - make sure to spot test the furniture oil on the back of the frame before applying it to the whole frame.
- Canvas products can very lightly wiped with a damp cloth to keep them dust free but it is best to lightly dust them with a feather duster on a regular basis.
- Glass frame coverings can be wiped with a soft damp cloth with a very mild soap detergent and buffed with a micro-fibre cloth to remove any streaks.
In very dusty environments and within cities, levels of air pollution are generally quite high and without noticing it, your painted walls are constantly changing colour. You will notice after just one year if you remove a print from a wall that the paint behind it is still brand new. This is very common and not much can be done about it except refreshing your paintwork every 2-3 years.If you are renting, make sure your landlord has given your permission to hang artworks and check your lease conditions carefully for any clauses regarding repainting upon exit.
How do I care for my DiaMount® print?
DiaMount® prints must only be cleaned with a soft damp micro-fibre cloth, with some mild soapy water. Windolene may also be used diluted.Avoid using any solvents or harsh chemicals on a DiaMount print.
Can I hang a canvas in my bathroom?
The answer to this is both a yes and no.
Our personal recommendation is actually no. Water and Steam will quickly reduce the lifespan of any canvas or printed product and also possibly cause mold to start growing in the corners. This does not mean you can not hang a canvas in your bathroom because you can indeed, but the lifespan of the product will be quickly reduced and there is no guarantees against such installations.
If a canvas product does not get affected by any direct steam or moisture and the bathroom is very well ventilated then the canvas could very well last in your bathroom as long as it would last anywhere else in your home but it is a risk you take.
It is far better to rather look at our DiaMount® prints. DiaMount® is an innovative method to mount the face of the photo to acrylic or iron-free glass with special UV inhibited silicone rendering a high gloss appearance and 3D-like effect enriched with vibrant colours and deep blacks. We use fine art paper for the most exceptional rendering of the image. The final product is stable and can withstand temperature and humidity changes. This process is free of bubbles and silvering often found when using double-sided adhesive.
Unfortunately there is no guarantees on any products used in a bathroom environment.
Images Info
Are your pictures high resolution ?
100% YES
All of our image files are in excess of 600 Megapixels they can be printed to extremely large sizes with pin sharp accuracy. Unfortunately due to theft of pictures online, we only show you a small preview of the image you are about to purchase.
Our images are all by professional photographers and are very high resolution ensuring that they print with pin sharp resolution no matter how big you want them. Some of our images have been printed up to 12 meters wide for custom orders with incredible resolution and colour accuracy too. Our original photographs emanate from professional photographers using some of the highest resolution camera's available.
We simply do not put any image into the catalog if we know its resolution is not up to our high standards.
Can you print a picture I found on Facebook or Google?
We get asked this a lot and unfortunately unless you have permission from the owner of the image we unfortunately cannot reproduce it for you. The image quality from Facebook and Google is also mostly very low quality and will not even print well even at our smallest size.
Rather speak to us and show us the image you have found that you like and we will source something similar or better for you from our vast library of images.
How accurate are the colours we see on your store vs the printed product ?
A very good question and one we get asked often.
All images on this web site are professionally edited and use the Adobe RGB and/or Adobe ProPhoto color spaces, Our print lab equipment is 100% calibrated to print these colours accurately. This means that what you see on screen will be 99.99% accurate to what you receive.
Because of differences in computer screens and smartphone screens there may be a 1-2% variation which is hardly noticeable to the human eye. If your brightness on your phone screen or computer is turned up too bright you may notice a slight color shift in the finished product but it's extremely negligible.
We assure you 100% that the physical printed artwork you receive will look even better in real life than it could ever look on any screen.
In over 4 years of being a 100% online art store we have had only one (1) occurrence of a client that was unhappy with the colours of a print. The clients phone had been set to a very cool colour making all red's appear more pinkish than red. We specially adjusted the image and did some test strips to make sure the reprint met with the clients expectations and re-shipped the new print to their country of origin.
Does your logo or copyright appear on the printed artwork?
Good question and the answer is No it does not. Our logo and watermark only appears online to try and reduce image theft and copyright violations.
The printed artwork you receive is the original high resolution image in all it's glory with no watermarks of any sort.
Can I buy a picture to print myself?
Most of our images do have a self print license option, these are all shown as being on backorder. Once you order a self-print licence the image download link will be supplied to you inside your account within 1-4 hours. If you see a picture that you want to print really really big and we cannot ship that size to you then simply send us a message through the enquiry form and we will make a special arrangement for you. We will even custom up-size the image to your exact requirements ensuring a pin-sharp reproduction.
Are all your images licensed?
All images we print and resell are correctly licensed from the respective photographer or stock agency with the correct redistributor license.
Choosing is Confusing
I am battling to decide can you help me?
All our product pages have a Live View option which is available on every product page. Live View allows you to upload your own room photo and see the artwork on your own walls and even download the mockup.If you still need help simply send us an email with some photos of your rooms and walls and we will help you decide by sending you some mockups to help you visualize the art on your walls.
Do you offer home and office interior design advice?
We most certainly do. Choosing hanging artworks for homes, offices, hotels and lodge interiors is something you have to live with for some time.
Often people may choose a printed artwork from our extensive selection which they think would look good but there may be much better artworks that lend themselves better to the flow and feel of the design and decor scheme. We have guided hundreds of home owners and interior designers over the years with choosing the right artworks with the right finish options. For instance you may think a stretched canvas would look good but a framed fine art print might just make a better and longer lasting statement in your home or office.
We encourage our customers to liaise with us when in doubt by sending us photos of the rooms and spaces where they intend to hang our artworks and we will gladly produce digital mock-ups for you and also guide you on choosing the most suitable artworks with the right finishes.
Simply drop us a message with photos to art@livingcanvas.co.za and we will assist you. For those wanting an in person consultation this can also be arranged.
What do the sizes A0, A1 etc mean?
Our print sizes use the international ISO standard for paper sizing.
2A0 is 1189 x 1682 mm
A0 is 841 x 1189 mm A1 is 594 x 841 mm
A2 is 420 x 594 mm
A3 is 297 x 420 mm
A4 is 210 x 297 mm
For Panoramic Prints the sizes for each product are listed on the individual product page as they all differ from each other.
As always we are available on our Whatsapp Chat Line or on Telegram Messenger and via email so if you are unsure simply get in touch and we will guide you in making the right decision and even show you some mockups of the artworks on your wall.
International Customers
How long will it take after ordering before I receive my products?
Within South Africa: After payment has been processed, your artwork(s) will be delivered to your door usually in 7-10 working days.
Most mounted canvas products ship within 5-7 working days but this also depends on the quantity ordered.
Loose prints are normally shipped within 2-4 days. Framed products however require more work in manufacturing and only ship within 7-14 working days.
International Orders: Shipping to international countries can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks.
Loose prints ship within a week but once the shipment leaves South Africa we can not control how long it will take to go through customs and clearances in some countries.
There is also a chance you may be charged VAT or an import duty in your own country. This is however for your own account and our prices and shipping are not deemed to include any such additional charges.
Can you do custom size prints for me?
We can indeed and we do this on a very frequent basis for many customers.
Custom sized wall art is core to our business.When you have found a picture you have fallen in love with, simply choose the Custom size and custom finish options and then click the Request Quotation button.
We will get back to you ASAP and tailor make any of our beautiful images to your exact requirements.
We can even make any color photo into black and white or change the color / tonal range of an image to match your decor colours.
If you have developed an affinity towards a certain image that is horizontal but you are looking for a vertical print we can also crop the image to suit your requirements without ruining the image.
As always we are available on our Whatsapp Chat Line or on Telegram Messenger and via email so if you are unsure simply get in touch and we will guide you in making the right decision and even show you some mockups of the artworks on your wall.
I am overseas and want to order a print bigger than A0 but it will not let me?
We limit shipping on general purchases overseas due to weight restrictions and shipping costs. We do indeed ship big prints overseas even up to 2A0 and sometimes bigger. This unfortunately requires your order to be processed manually as we have to first quote you on the shipping costs. To do this on any picture in our store, simply select the Size "Custom" and Finish "Custom" and we will then communicate with you via email and quote you accordingly.
Can I buy a picture to print myself?
Most of our images do have a self print license option, these are all shown as being on backorder. Once you order a self-print licence the image download link will be supplied to you inside your account within 1-4 hours. If you see a picture that you want to print really really big and we cannot ship that size to you then simply send us a message through the enquiry form and we will make a special arrangement for you. We will even custom up-size the image to your exact requirements ensuring a pin-sharp reproduction.
Why are some product options not available in my country ?
Unfortunately the cost of international shipping and insurance on framed and stretched products is exorbitant from South Africa. In addition many courier companies do not even want to handle such goods as they are considered art. We therefore have loose print options available for anyone outside of South Africa. The loose prints are of the exact same print quality and on the same papers and canvas' as our ready stretched and framed products. This helps us to keep our prices affordable to everyone. Once you receive your loose print simply take it to a reputable framer who will stretch or frame it for you to your requirements. Our JUMBO sizes are unfortunately not available outside of South Africa as the costs of shipping are just to expensive and not practical for us or yourself.
Do I have to pay taxes or import duties to customs/excise in my country?
Unfortunately we have no way of knowing this. Every country has its own laws regarding imports.We have shipped all over the world and some customers had to pay a minimal tax / import fee to their government, while others have received their packages without any additional costs.For the most part, if you do have to pay an import fee in your own country it's not normally excessive but its best to check up on your own customs and excise laws, fees and restrictions in your own country prior to placing an order.
I don't want to use a credit card to pay, can I choose the Direct Bank Transfer option?
Yes this is no problem at all. Once you click "Place Order" you will get a screen with our banking details and also a confirmation email with our banking details. Our banking details include the international IBAN/SWIFT code required to make payment into our account. PLEASE NOTE: The amount displayed on screen and in the email are in South African Rands (ZAR) you will need to either convert the amount to your currency using XE Currency Converter or ask your bank for assistance. This method of payment may place a long delay on your order until the funds have cleared into our account and passed any fraud checks. We do however strongly suggest you use the Payflex or PayFast options as they are 100% safe and secure.
Do you really deliver to all countries?
We ship printed artworks all over the world. While we most certainly have not shipped to every single country on earth we do not exclude any country from purchasing from us as we use worldwide courier services that deliver to all countries. Our shipping partners for international orders are Aramex International.Depending on the destination we choose the best courier with the best price to ensure you don't pay and arm and a leg for shipping.Just to name a few, our art has shipped to most states in the United States of America, all over the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and other European Countries, many parts of Africa and also many parts of Australia.
Store Info
Where are you based?
Our office is in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal and our Manufacturing department is in Pretoria, Gauteng.
Do you have a walk in store?
Unfortunately not. Our shop is right here online and it's the only way we can keep our prices so reasonable. Renting a shop space and holding stock would blow prices right out of proportion. We also do not keep any stock. Every order is printed to order to the exact sizes and finish ordered. We can assure you our products are of the highest quality available anywhere. We are confident that you will truly find it difficult to find products of our quality and made to our exacting standards elsewhere for the same price. We have hundreds of satisfied customers all around South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and all around the world.
Artists & Photographers Q&A (Selling your Art with Living Canvas)
Can I sell my photography or art through Living Canvas or partner with you?
We already have several named and also unnamed contributors to our store.
Our vendor system gives each artist / photographer their very own store which integrates into the main store. This means your products will appear in the main catalogue but you will also have a personal storefront with your own works where you can quickly direct your own clients to. We will handle all the printing and shipping and you will simply set your own price per print above our base prices.
Unfortunately due to the high standard of work we present not every artist or photographer application will be necessarily be successful, we have to maintain a certain quality of work and imagery for our clientele. Our vendor system will be free of any monthly charges for anyone approved, we will take care of all the hosting, technical, printing and shipping issues letting you focus on what you do best.
Your high resolution images that you provide us will not be stored anywhere on the store/online assuring you that nobody except us and our print lab has access to them. Your images will only be presented online at a maximum of 800 pixels on the longest edge to minimize image theft.
How do I add my first products after I am approved?
We have made it so easy for you to add your products after we have approved your account.
Once approved, visit your seller dashboard, click on Product > Add New and then simply follow this easy visual guide below.
- Your Title should be short and descriptive.
- Your short description just needs to explain the image nothing lengthy needed at all, be creative.
- Set your price, do not worry about Sale Price.
- Upload the picture at 870 pixels on its longest edge without any watermarks.
- Then click Submit for Review
- We take care of the rest
Please Note: Not all products submitted necessarily get approved. If we feel a certain image submitted is not a fit with the product range we may not approve it. In some cases we may ask you to select another image to submit.
Can I change my product price after it is published?
Yes indeed you have full control over your product prices. If you ever want to change it simply visit your dashboard, click on Products and click the edit button for the product. There you can change the price with ease. Please do not change the descriptions or title of the product once it has been published.
Can I delete any of my products?
Only our admins can delete a product once it has been published. Simply send us an email to art@livingcanvas.co.za in regard to this.
This feature is restricted to make sure we clean up properly when deleting any product.
Can I sell limited edition prints?
Yes indeed you can.
When adding a product simply click the "Manage Stock" checkbox and there you can enter a quantity. It will be clearly displayed to buyers as a limited edition and will also show remaining units left after sales have already been made.
Can I cancel my artist account?
Absolutely.
If for any reason you need to cancel your account and withdraw your products simply let us know. Any existing orders that customers have purchased must be completed.
How do I know if someone has bought a print of my photo?
Our ordering system is fully automated. The moment an order is placed that includes one of your images you are notified about this order. We of course handle the processing and printing of the order but at all stages of the order you are kept in the loop.
Why aren't all my products approved or published?
Only a few products are published daily and each product addition requires a fair amount of manual intervention.
Please be patient as it may take several days for certain products to be published as we try to keep a nice flow and feel on our main catalogue page.
Some products simply may not actually meet our requirements, it's simple for us to identify something that won't sell well and instead of filling our catalogue with many images we choose to always and only pick the best.
Online Safety & Payment Gateways
How safe is it to shop online?
Believe it or not, these days it's probably much safer than leaving your home to go to the shops. Our web site is 100% secure and also protected by a variety of proprietary security systems not available anywhere else on the Internet. At No Point do we store any of your credit card or banking details. Your credit card details are only submitted to our payment processing Gateways Payflex and PayFast who are the most secure credit card payment processing gateways in South Africa. With Payflex offering easy payment options spread over 4 payments. Living Canvas is a trusted name in the sale and delivery of art prints worldwide.
What is Payflex?
Payflex (Pty) Ltd South Africa is a payments processing service for South Africans and South African websites. Payflex enable easy, secure and instant transfer of money between online buyers and sellers with extensive on-the-fly fraud checks. Payflex also allows you to choose between making a once-off payment or splitting your payment across 4 easy instalments spread across 6 weeks. Payflex is a trusted online payment solution in South Africa. Payflex process local and international credit cards in real time, with a variety of fraud protection mechanisms in place to protect you against chargebacks.
What is Payfast?
Payfast (Pty) Ltd South Africa is a payments processing service for South Africans and South African websites. Payfast enable easy, secure and instant transfer of money between online buyers and sellers. Payfast is much like Paypal except localized in South Africa and a very reputable and highly secure payment processing gateway. Payfast is the most widely used online payment solution in South Africa. Payfast process local and international credit cards in real time, with a variety of fraud protection mechanisms in place to protect you against chargebacks.
Are Payflex and PayFast PCI DSS Compliant?
Yes, Payflex and PayFast are both PCI DSS compliant Service Providers. But perhaps we should explain what PCI Compliance is: PCI DSS stands forPayment Card Industry Data Security Standardand is a PASA (Payment Association of South Africa) regulation in South Africa, this means any company accepting credit card payments on their website needs to comply in some way. When you accept card payments on your website, you need to make sure you process cardholder data in a secure environment and this is where PCI compliance comes in. PCI Compliant assures all credit card payments are done in a secure environment.
Is Living Canvas PCI DSS Compliant?
Yes, LivingCanvas is PCI DSS compliant. PCI DSS stands forPayment Card Industry Data Security Standardand is a PASA (Payment Association of South Africa) regulation in South Africa, this means any company accepting credit card payments on their website needs to comply in some way. When you accept card payments on your website, you need to make sure you process cardholder data in a secure environment and this is where PCI compliance comes in. Our payment Gateway PayFast is fully Level-1 PCI Compliant, the highest available. But we also ensure that the Living Canvas web site you are visiting right now is also PCI DSS Compliant. This web site employs only the strictest encryption and cipher suites available ensuring 100% secure communications between LivingCanvas and PayFast. We take your privacy and security serious.
Our Latest PCI DSS and SSL Test Results
Full Test Result Available on Request 
What makes Living Canvas more secure?
Living Canvas is PCI DSS and SSL compliant. We employ 4096 bit SSL encryption versus most stores which use only 2048 bit encryption. This enforces 4096 bit encrypted key exchanges between your browser and our web site and also once we pass you over to the payment gateway and back again. This web site employs only the strictest encryption and cipher suites available, ensuring 100% secure communications between Living Canvas and Payflex / PayFast. The Owner of Living Canvas other than being a professional award-winning photographer, is also an expert in Internet Security and this web site is frequently checked for compliance and making sure that encryption and cipher suites are always updated to the latest often long before most others even know they exist. We take your privacy and security very seriously.
Our Latest PCI DSS and SSL Test Results
Full Test Result Available on Request
Other Wall Art Comments & Questions
Why is wall art so popular at present?
In a world rapidly changed by the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing many people to stay and work from home, many have had their first chance in a long time to analyze their surroundings and to make their new work and living environments more comfortable and relaxing. Art is proven to create calm and relaxing environments which is why everyone wants new wall art at the moment.
Do you have more pictures available?
Our current catalogue has just over 800 products whilst our image library contains over 200,000 images. We can find anything you are looking for so if something is not quite sitting well with you simply drop us a message, tell us what you are looking for and we will send you some other choices.
Others claim to have unmatched quality in SA and now I am confused!
Our lab uses only the finest certified fine art papers and canvas available in the world. All of our materials, wood frames, canvas sub-frames, art mat and assembly materials in their entirety are all 100% fine art certified materials & manufacturing processes used. It's quite simply very hard if not impossible to match or beat our standards.It's very easy for online stores to bombard with you information and to use pressure buying techniques on their visitors. We simply do not work this way, you look, you see and you choose to buy from us, trusting our claims, ethics, customer reviews and longstanding reputation in the fine art and printing industry. At no point do we coerce or try and trick you into making an uninformed art buying decision. For most buyers of Wall Art it is certainly not pennies you are spending and we make sure that you are happy from start to finish and will remain happy with your professionally produced artwork hanging on your wall for many years to come.We spend our time finding, creating and manufacturing the newest, best and most exclusive wall art you will find anywhere in SA.
I have seen other wall art and then also seen the same pictures they sell on several other stores!
Many Wall Art Stores simply pick and purchase images from online Stock Photography web sites like Shutterstock, iStockPhoto, Alamy and others. The moment one supplier launches a new product it's highly likely their competitors will head off to the stock sites to launch the very same product at the same price, lower or even higher.This means that what you are buying from one store is also available from other wall art stores in South Africa and even around the world. Most stock photo sites have a search by image feature that allows you to upload an image to see if it really is as exclusive as is being claimed. Google's Image Search also offers this feature and will also give you results showing just how many stores are selling the very same picture.
Do your manufacturing and couriers stick to Covid-19 protocols?
Our manufacturing facility complies with all government Covid-19 protocols and our couriers provide contactless deliveries. With large orders containing multiple canvases or framed prints, the product weights add up the choice is yours to have the couriers deliver the product inside your home or office. Please note that once you sign for the delivery, the onus is upon you and any damages after signing and taking delivery will be for your own account.
Funny Questions We Have Been Asked
Do you sell Nguni cows for beef?
Believe it or not, we have been asked this question quite a few times, including people wanting to buy a Kudu. Sadly, no, Living Canvas does not sell live or dead animals.
What is Payflex?
Decorate Now
Pay Off in 6 Interest Free Instalments
Decorate Now
Pay Off in 6 Interest Free Instalments
Source: https://livingcanvas.co.za/