How Light Changes Raised Lettering Through the Day

A flat print looks the same all day. A canvas with raised lettering does not. Because the letters stand off the surface, the shadows they cast move with the light, and the piece changes from morning to night. That is one of the pleasures of a Letters in Linen canvas, and one worth planning for when you design in the Canvas Builder.

Side light is best

Light that crosses the wall at an angle creates the longest shadows, and the strongest sense of relief. A wall beside a window gets this. In the morning and evening, when the sun is low, the effect is at its most dramatic.

Straight-on light is flattest

Light that falls directly onto the canvas, from in front or from a ceiling light directly above, lessens the shadow. The letters are still raised, but the effect is softer. A canvas facing a window, or in a room with only an overhead light, will look calmer.

Lamps can help

If your room is dim, a lamp or a picture light placed to one side of the canvas brings back the shadow. Warm light from the side makes raised lettering feel rich. Our guide to dark walls and black canvases explains how this helps dark designs.

Choose the depth to suit the light

In a room with a lot of strong side light, subtle raised lettering is already clear, and bold may look heavy. In a room with soft, flat light, bold raised keeps the words visible. Our guide to subtle or bold raised lettering goes deeper on the choice.

Think about the colours

When the lettering and the canvas are the same colour, light is the only thing that makes the words appear. That makes placement more important. If you choose a tonal design, think carefully about the light on the wall where it will hang.

Watch the wall for a day

Before you decide where it goes, notice what the light does on the wall at different times. Look in the morning, at midday and in the evening. The best position is usually one that gets angled light at least part of the day.

Accept the change

A canvas that changes is not inconsistent. It is alive. The same words can look quiet at noon and dramatic at dusk. When you choose raised lettering, you are choosing that. Open the Builder, and try both depths with your colours to see how much relief you want.