Miniature canvases are easy to find, and were the first thing that came to mind when I started my miniature art gallery. Now that I’ve installed my second art show, I’m starting to see more options for miniature art substrates.
One artist sent in work on a canvas board. I didn’t realize they made canvas boards in tiny sizes!
Where to Buy Miniature Canvas Boards
Jerry’s Artarama has a nice selection of sizes:
https://www.jerrysartarama.com/artbites-canvas-textured-boards
They have a variety of tiny sizes, starting at 2″ x 2″.
Where to Buy Miniature Stretched Canvases
Mini stretched canvases are easy to find at your favorite art or craft supply store, including Blick or Michael’s. Blick has then in white or black.
Blick
https://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-mini-canvas-panels
Where to Buy Miniature Gessoed Wood Panels
These little guys look pretty cool:
https://www.trekell.com/products/mini-panels
Gessoed wood panels, in a variety pack of sizes, or you can buy packages of all one size.
The advantage of panels over stretched canvas is that it’s a bit easier to ship. The owner of the Tiny Cat Gallery in the Ul.K., a micro gallery, says on her website that she prefers art that can fit through the letterbox (or mail slot). You could mail a whole miniature show’s worth of art on panels in a business size envelope, with some card stock for reinforcement. Stretched canvas would require a box or at least a padded envelope.
One artist shipped her work inside an Altoids tin, in a padded envelope. Now that’s protection! (Also: extremely cute!)
I’m lucky to know a lot of artists locally, who can hand-deliver their art that might be difficult or expensive to ship.
I plan to have a call for art for photographic works soon and will experiment with spray glue and mounting photos on various substrates.
Why Create Tiny Art?
Working small is fun and it’s a terrific creative constraint. How can you take your current work style and scale it down? Or maybe working small will give you a chance to try something new. You can quickly make multiple pieces of art when they’re miniature, and then you can have the fun of possibly seeing them in a mini gallery!
I hope that helps! I encourage all artists to get involved with miniature galleries! They’re popping up all over the world! You can propose a show, or start your own gallery! See the prior post for info. about the Guild of Micro Galleries, with link to a list of some of the micro galleries around the world.
There are also more and more Little Free Art Galleries! The first one most of us heard about is the one in Seattle, but there are more all the time! Instagram seems to be one way to find them.
P.S. None of these are affiliate links, just sharing useful information to help you make miniature art and get it into a miniature gallery!
: ) Yes! Right up our alleys!
Thanks so much!
Yay! Another exciting tiny thing!