Custom formats • Order preparation
A niche, a particular piece of furniture or a panoramic image may require a format absent from traditional sizes. To choose a non-standard dimension, start from the available space, then check the proportions of the photo and the manufacturing possibilities.
1. Measure the wall without confusing available space and canvas size
Measure the free area in width and height, taking into account wall lights, sockets, doors and furniture. For a niche, take measurements in several places: slightly irregular walls can reduce the actually usable space.
Do not order a board exactly equal to the aperture without having provided the necessary clearance to position and hang it. This game depends on assembly and access; there is no universal value. A recessed installation requires more precise validation than a simple hanging on a clear wall.
Distinguish three measures: the visible side of the canvas, the chassis which stretches it and the external bulk of a possible frame. The term "87 × 53 cm" must be accompanied by what it designates. The examples in the guide are indicated in width × height.
Start from the width of the finished table
With an American box, the admissible width concerns the exterior object, not just the canvas. Note the opening and clearance necessary to place, handle and unhook the painting. A decorative margin on an open wall does not define the installation game in a niche.
For a symmetrical profile, the inverse formula is: maximum canvas width = admissible exterior width − 2 × (floating space + face of the frame). Put all measurements in the same unit. Fictitious example: an exterior limit of 80 cm and an addition of 1.7 cm per side leave 76.6 cm for the canvas. This geometric result does not prove that such a format is proposed or installable.
To compare a standard selection close to your needs, open Print, rising sun in American box or The Great Wave framed. Links open the presentation: choose a size and note its overall size instead of applying another model's profile.
Then check height, depth, fixation and access. THE overall calculator explains the direct calculation; for an unproposed size or niche, have the measurements and feasibility confirmed at Alpha Reproduction before ordering.
Our offer: compare the three finishes on the same work
Our canvas printing offer allows you to choose a rolled reproduction to be mounted locally, a canvas already stretched on a frame or an American box set. Compare presentations on the same subject before choosing format, framing and location. The examples below are products from the catalog, distinct from the conceptual illustrations in the guide.
Our prints use a finely textured 400 g/m² artistic canvas. The rolled version is without frame or frame. The canvas on frame is stretched by hand over 38 mm wood; the American box adds a wooden frame with a space of 5 mm around the canvas. The dimensions, edges, finishes and prices offered can be consulted depending on the work and the country of delivery.
2. Calculate a dimension that respects the proportions of the photo
The ratio corresponds to the width divided by the height. To keep the entire image without distortion, choose a format with the same ratio, unless you plan for margins or file adaptation.
Example: a photo of 6,000 × 4,000 pixels has a ratio of 1.5, or 3:2. If you set the width at 87 cm, its proportional height is 87 Μ 1.5 = 58 cm. The 87 × 58 cm format therefore retains these proportions.
If space imposes 87 × 53 cm, the ratio becomes approximately 1.642. To fill this support with the 3:2 photo, cropping is necessary: retaining the 6,000 pixels width, the useful height drops to approximately 3,655 pixels. A centered crop removes approximately 172 pixels at the top and 173 at the bottom.
| Your priority | Solution to study | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Keep the whole photo | Adapt a dimension to the original ratio. | The final format may differ from the measure initially envisaged. |
| Complete an imposed format | Crop image. | Some of the content disappears; move the framing if necessary. |
| Keep the entire photo in a different format | Add margins. | The image occupies only part of the face. |
| Keep the subject with a wider background | Study an extension of the background. | Reconstructed content to validate, availability and cost to confirm. |
Stretch the width alone to reach the format and you will distort the subject. An extension by retouching or AI does not constitute a certain restitution of what was off-camera. To go deeper, see ratios and cropping and portrait, landscape or square.
3. Check the resolution in final format
Evaluate the pixels actually retained after cropping. The formula is: pixels required = dimension in cm ÂX 2.54 × resolution in pixels per inch. Perform the calculation for the width and height of the face.
For a face of 87 × 53 cm, this gives approximately 5 138 × 3 130 pixels at 150 ppp, or 10 276 × 6 260 pixels at 300 ppp. These two values are preparation scenarios, not two universal quality thresholds. The requested file depends on the product, process and observation distance.
The cropped file in the example, approximately 6,000 × 3,655 pixels, offers nearly 175 ppp at 87 × 53 cm. This does not guarantee a sharp image if the source is blurry or highly compressed. Simply changing the DPI value saved in the file does not add detail.
Use our pixel-centimeter calculator and the guide 150 or 300 DPI for a canvas. Production reserves around the face must be treated according to the template.
4. Have the chassis, edges and tolerances confirmed
Customization remains governed by the possibilities of the product: minimum and maximum dimensions, no manufacturing, depth of the chassis and availability of frames. A centimeter option from a service provider does not mean that all workshops accept the same measurements.
For a stretched canvas, the face and the production file are different: the edges and the return to the back require a reservation. If the product is delivered rolled for local tension, have the margins validated with the person who will carry out the assembly.
Plain, mirrored, and folded edges do not use the image in the same way. Protect faces, text and details near boundaries. Consult choose edge finishes.
An exterior frame can significantly change the size delivered. If maximum bulk is required, request a plan or dimensions confirmed with the applicable tolerance. Do not deduct the exterior size from one american cash register from a simple photo.
A standard format must correspond to a reference
Have the dimensions of the chassis actually available from the fitter confirmed and the necessary reservations. A format designation is not enough. For a less expensive close size, first check ratio and framing: the gain must not come from a distortion of the image.
5. Evaluate the price and delivery constraints
A non-standard dimension may require specific preparation or manufacturing. The supplement is not automatic or proportional to the surface area: it depends on the offer, chassis, finish and assembly. Also compare a close standard format if a few centimeters are not essential.
The total must specify what is included: printing, chassis, possible frame, file preparation, packaging and transportation. A cheaper rolled canvas to purchase may require a separately charged local voltage.
For a large format, check the passage through the doors, stairs or elevator taking into account the package, larger than the table. Ask for the terms and conditions applicable to your address and distinguish between validation time, manufacturing and delivery.
Our guide to the actual cost of printing on canvas helps compare the final amount. A test can be useful for an important project, provided you specify the support, scale and price.
Compare two quotes, not a percentage extra
Ask for the price of the exact format and, if the composition allows, that of a close available size. Identify what changes: bars, reinforcements, tension, frame and transport after assembly. Custom-made does not imply a universal supplement.
6. Send a request for a usable tailor-made product
| Information | Example of precision |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | Desired face: 87 cm wide × 53 cm high. |
| External constraint | Indicate the maximum bulk and clearance required separately. |
| File | Dimensions in pixels, original file and desired cropping. |
| Presentation | Rolled, on frame or with frame; thickness and finish to be confirmed. |
| Songs | Desired option and important details to keep on the face. |
| Destination and deadline | Country, postal code, access constraints and desired date. |
| Validation | Request an overview, total delivered and tolerances before launch. |
On Alpha Reproduction, start by checking the options on the product sheet. If the desired size does not appear, submit your request via contact page. The absence of a size in the menu does not allow us to conclude that it is available: feasibility, price and conditions must be confirmed before ordering.
Keep the validated configuration: front and exterior dimensions, framing, finishes and destination. For insertion into a constrained space, written confirmation of measurements is particularly useful.
Freeze dimensions before separate manufacturing
A constraint of 90 × 60 cm overall does not automatically leave this face to the canvas if a frame is added. Confirm the finished set, then the face and reservations. Archive the printer and framer's agreements before an irreversible purchase.
Illustrations of the editing project
Frequently asked questions
Can any dimension be ordered?
No. Each product has its manufacturing limits and constraints. Have the precise size confirmed before preparing or paying for the order.
How do I keep the proportions of my photo?
Calculate its width/height ratio, then deduce one dimension from the other. A 3:2 photo measures for example 87 × 58 cm if its width is set at 87 cm.
Does an imposed format require cropping?
If the ratio differs, you must choose between cropping, margins or adapting the file. Stretching a single dimension distorts the image.
Do the dimensions shown include the frame?
Not always. Ask if they designate the face, the canvas on a frame or the exterior assembly with frame.
Should I add the edges to my file?
It depends on the ordering process. Use the product template and check who is preparing the edges and back.
Does custom cost much more?
Not necessarily. Compare a detailed quote with a similar standard format, for the same finish and the same destination.
How to request a particular format from Alpha Reproduction?
Transmit the desired dimensions, file, presentation and country of delivery via the site contact. Wait for confirmation of feasibility and price before ordering.
Sources and scope
Technical principles verified on October 15, 2026: WhiteWall: example of manufacturing in free format and Prodigi: preparation of canvas songs. The possibilities of these service providers do not constitute a guarantee of Alpha Reproduction formats. The guide's calculations concern the face and do not replace a production template.
0 comments