Jernej LeticaPhotography Tools & Stories
Photo Printing

Canvas Mirrored Edges Generator for Your Print

I keep the front crop where I want it, then mirror the edges around the frame. Choose the finished size, depth and rear fold before saving.

Built and written by Jernej Letica

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How to make mirrored edges for a canvas print

  1. I open the original photograph, then choose the finished front width and height. Custom sizes accept cm, inches or mm, and the presets are starting points rather than a fixed list.
  2. I enter the frame depth and the extra material needed behind the frame separately. Both allowances apply to every side. I ask the stretcher or lab for the rear fold before deciding the file size.
  3. I drag the crop frame over the photograph. The handles tighten the crop without changing its shape, and the arrow keys move it. The second preview shows the reflected sides and corners.
  4. I check the source pixels per inch, then choose the output DPI and JPG or PNG. The downloaded image includes the wrap and rear fold; the preview fold lines stay out of the saved file.

How I judge a canvas wrap before saving

I start with the front of the canvas. I want the subject to work inside that rectangle before considering the sides. A mirror wrap canvas print repeats detail near the boundary, so a tree trunk or a hand at the edge can look strange around the corner. Moving the crop slightly often makes that repetition less distracting.

I use the full print preview to inspect each corner as well as the long edges. The extra material behind the frame is useful for fastening, but I do not treat it as visible composition. I keep faces and any lettering comfortably inside the front fold.

Canvas dimensions from this tool

These examples use the tool at 300 DPI. Each outside dimension is converted to inches and multiplied by the DPI, then rounded to a whole pixel.

FrontDepth per sideRear fold per sideWhole fileSaved pixels
30 × 40 cm3 cm0 cm36 × 46 cm4252 × 5433
30 × 40 cm3 cm1 cm38 × 48 cm4488 × 5669

Front size, frame depth and rear fold

The finished size means the flat front seen on the wall. Frame depth is the distance around the side of the stretcher. Rear fold is the extra canvas that reaches onto its back. I add the depth and rear fold to each side of the front, so changing either allowance changes the whole file without stretching the front composition.

The tool offers 2 and 4 cm depth buttons, but a typed depth can be different. All depth and fold fields are labelled in mm even when the front size is entered in inches.

Canvas depth and print bleed serve different jobs. A wrap needs material that remains visible around a frame. Bleed is sacrificial material beyond a cutting line on a flat print. For a page that will be trimmed, I use Add Bleed to Image instead of describing a paper border as canvas depth.

What reflection does to the photograph

Mirroring turns the boundary back on itself. The first column outside the front repeats the nearest column inside it, then the next columns work backwards into the photograph. Corners reflect in both directions. An unusually wide allowance repeats that reflection rather than leaving a blank gap. The original front crop stays in its own rectangle.

I can move and resize that crop rather than accepting a centre crop. When the finished shape changes, the tool starts with the largest matching crop again. I then place it deliberately. Tightening the frame reduces the source pixels available for the print, even though the output file can still be enlarged to the requested pixel dimensions.

Resolution and the saved print file

The panel warns below 150 pixels per inch at the finished front size. That value comes from the selected source crop, not the enlarged download. Raising the output DPI makes more saved pixels but cannot restore subject detail.

JPG and PNG carry the chosen DPI metadata and the complete outside pixel size. Some ordering systems ignore density tags, so I still enter the intended physical size when ordering. I inspect the lab preview for unexpected scaling. The export has no fold guides or camera location data, and it does not include a frame or a simulated wall scene.

Tips for better results

  • I match the front dimensions to the order before adjusting the crop.
  • I keep lettering away from the reflected boundary so it does not repeat backwards on the side.
  • I inspect the full-file preview after changing depth or rear fold.
  • I save PNG when I want lossless pixels, or JPG for a photographic print file.

Privacy

Your photograph never leaves your device. The crop, edge extension and saved file are processed in your browser.

Frequently asked questions

How are the canvas edges mirrored?

The tool reflects the selected front crop at each boundary. The nearest outside pixel repeats the nearest inside pixel, and the rest run backwards through the crop. Corners reflect horizontally and vertically.

Can I use my own canvas size and frame depth?

Yes. I can type the finished front size and choose its unit, then enter depth and rear fold in mm. The preset buttons fill the controls without restricting the custom values.

Why does the panel warn about low resolution?

The selected crop has fewer than 150 source pixels per inch at the chosen front size. A larger saved pixel count does not add real detail. I try a looser crop or a smaller canvas.

Will the fold lines be printed on my canvas?

No. The lines are drawn over the preview only. The JPG or PNG contains the front image and reflected allowances, with the chosen DPI metadata. Toggling guides does not change the exported pixels.

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