Stretched canvas
A stretched (gallery-wrapped) canvas has no glass and no frame; the image runs around the edges of a wooden stretcher. It suits painterly, textured and contemporary work and large statement pieces, and it is light and easy to hang.
In a mockup, the visible edge and a soft shadow on the wall show the depth. If your canvas has mirrored or white edges instead of wrapped image, the detail image should show that.
Floating-frame canvas
A floating frame holds the canvas with a small gap between the canvas edge and the frame, so the canvas seems to float inside it. It reads as premium and modern and protects the canvas edges.
Natural oak and walnut feel warm and suit Scandinavian, Japandi and earthy rooms; black and white feel crisp and graphic; gold suits classic rooms and traditional paintings.
Framed print with a mat
A mat (passe-partout) adds a border of white or off-white card around the print and makes it feel considered and gallery-like. Photography, botanical studies, line art and smaller works benefit most.
A thin black or oak frame with a white mat is the safest choice for digital downloads and for prints sold unframed, because it matches the ready-made frames most buyers already have.
How they compare
| Stretched canvas | Floating-frame canvas | Framed print with mat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Soft, painterly, casual | Modern, premium | Classic, crisp, gallery-like |
| Best for | Paintings, abstracts, large pieces | Paintings and photography, statement walls | Photography, botanicals, line art, small works |
| Edge | Image wraps the sides | A gap between canvas and frame | Frame overlaps a mat; usually behind glazing |
| Sizes | Medium to very large | Medium to large | Small to large; great in groups |
| In a mockup, show | The edge depth and the shadow | The gap and the frame colour | The mat width and the frame colour |
Framed products usually sell for more, and the mockup should help justify that by showing the frame clearly in at least one close view.
How to choose
Sell canvas? Show canvas. Sell prints? Show frames that match what you ship or recommend. Selling printables? Show a simple frame and a mat, because most buyers will frame them that way.
If you offer several products, keep the room the same and change only the product, so buyers compare like with like. In WallMock, each room lists the products it supports (stretched canvas, framed canvas and framed prints with a mat), and the same setup can be reused for a whole collection.
Questions sellers ask
Is a floating frame the same as a regular frame?
No. A floating frame leaves a visible gap around the canvas so it appears to float; a regular picture frame overlaps the edge of the artwork, usually behind glass.
Which looks more premium in a listing?
Floating-frame canvas and matted framed prints usually read as more premium than an unframed canvas, but the right choice is the product you actually sell.
Should a printable be shown as a canvas?
Usually not. Most buyers print and frame a download behind glass, so a simple frame with a mat sets the right expectation.