Caring for your Art

Caring For Your Art

Besides having your artwork framed with museum quality materials, we have provided some other helpful tips to help you care for and protect your artwork:

	Improper handling of art prints can result in either scratches or fine creases, called thumbnails, which will greatly diminish the attractiveness and value of the print. Always have clean hands when handling works of art on paper or canvas because natural body oils or dirt can cause visible damage. Always use two hands when carrying an art print that is not enclosed in its packaging. Never touch or drag anything across the image area.
	Any combination of heat, steam, or smoke can gradually cause visible damage to art. Never hang or store artwork next to a radiator, heat register, or continually used fireplace Humidity produces mold spores – a major cause in the deterioration of any paper. Mold spores grow in excess of 70% relative humidity. High humidity also causes prints to wave or warp. A permanent level of humidity lower than 40% can dry out paper and make it brittle. Never hang or store valuable artwork in damp areas with poor circulation (e.g. non-vented bathrooms)
	All light fades artwork with time. The less amount of direct light, the less fading will occur. Even fluorescent light creates ultraviolet rays that can be as damaging as the sun’s rays. The optimum amount of light for illuminating artwork is 5-foot candles, roughly the equivalent of a 150-watt bulb from four to five feet away. Never hang originals or prints in a place that receives direct sunshine or intense light from a fluorescent bulb. Choosing conservation, or UV shielding, glass is very helpful in protecting framed art from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light, but even then, it is still recommended to not hang artwork in direct sunlight.
	Fine art prints that are not framed should be either packaged flat on a backing board or carefully rolled in a tube during transportation. A print that is packaged flat is easier for a picture framer to work with later. Rolling a print in a cardboard tube protects artwork better while it is in transit. Leaving a print rolled up for too long will make it more difficult to lay flat again in the future. If the backing board is not acid-free, then it is advisable to not leave the artwork in its packaging for an extended amount of time. The less amount of time that an art piece is in transit, the less opportunity for damage.