How to Care for Your Art Investment
- donnaliguria
- Oct 8
- 4 min read
So you have purchased a painting! Awesome, especially if it was from me!!
How do you take care of it?
Where should you hang it?
Where should you NOT hang it?
How do you store it?
How do you clean it?
All very good questions. I have seen and heard about hanging artwork in a bathroom and cringed...that's NOT a good idea. Anyway, others have written extensively about the subject so I will provide a few links here for the help we need to get those answers to those important questions - after all, somebody probably paid good money for that artwork!
How to Care for Your Painting
My acrylic paintings are finalized with at least 2 layers of satin or matte varnish which protects the paint surface itself. A painting will accumulate dust over time, so varnish is an important part of the painting process and the final barrier between the art and air. Periodically, paintings will still need some tender loving care to safely show them and perhaps when storing them, for its longest lifespan. Here is a list of reminders of the dos and don'ts to follow.
The DO NOTs When It Comes to Your Original Fine Art
DON’T allow ANY rigid objects to press the front or back of the canvas, including fingers or easels.
DON'T stack artworks, paintings, canvases on top of each other - especially in varying sizes.
DON’T clean with ANY solvent, cleaning products of any kind, or water.
DON’T use moist dust cloths, stiff bristle brushes, or feather dusters to try to clean the painting.
Avoid spraying any fresheners, polish, etc. directly onto a painting. Avoid the chemicals!
Temperature and Humidity are important factors when it comes to your art collection. Keep away from heat sources (fireplaces, ovens) and moist environments (bathrooms). Damp basements and artwork is an invitation for mold growth.
Don't leave artwork in a very hot car for long.
Don't store artwork directly on the floor - or concrete.
DON'T hang directly where sunlight hits the painting. Direct sunlight can fade paint colors over time. Varnish can crack or yellow in prolonged sunlight.
DO NOT store paintings in plastic bags, trash bags, store bags, etc. Only use archival quality materials between the surfaces.
My last DO NOT is when using bubble wrap to perhaps ship artwork. I would use archival paper first and foremost to wrap the artwork. Bubble wrap should have the plastic bubbles faced AWAY from the front of the canvas. I've seen artwork with the bubbles imprinted ONTO the surface of the paint.
What to DO to Care for Your Fine Art Collection
DO have clean hands at all times when touching the artwork. An alternative is to wear clean cotton gloves.
If dusting, you can use a very soft, dry cloth or a very soft brush brush on textured artwork.
Another option is to use compressed air to gently blow away surface dust.
Or use - A soft sable brush can be lightly brushed on the surface while holding a vacuum - off the surface, to capture and remove debris.
Or use - A lint roller lightly over the flat surface, test the sides first to ensure tape does not grab too much.
Your art collection should be kept in a very stable, dry and cool environment. A consistent room temperature is suggested as 40-60% relative humidity.
Hang your fine art in a place with good air circulation, which will help preserve the art.
Be careful to not bump or scratch the painting. IF paint is damaged, avoid dusting altogether. If damage occurs, you will need to consult a professional conservator.
The best type of light is indirect sunlight, recessed lighting and/or halogen lights (not ultraviolet).
Storing and Framing Your Fine Art and Prints
Canvases are unfortunately very fragile surfaces. Fine art is an investment and if you have watched any sort of an art museum or gallery movie or video, you see the care that is taken when moving and handling art.
When you purchase a giclee art print, those prints should be in good quality archival packaging, much like historical documents and photos. Use acid-free materials only.
Giclee Prints should be stored flat.
Framed Prints should use archival materials only.
Be aware that some artworks must be framed, and have a covering to protect them, like Watercolors, Pastels, Sketches, etc. And for some mediums, the glass or plexiglass surface should not touch the artwork surface at all.
Protect the frames as well as the artwork! Dings, dents and scratches are not pretty and certainly do not look good when an artist is showing their artwork.
It is a very good idea to inspect your investments periodically to ensure they are not suffering any potential problems - dampness, dry rot, bugs, mildew. Check the front and the back of the works.
Artwork Care for further reading:
And for my fellow artists, here is an amusing, awesome video:
Now, you may want to hang that Picasso hanging next to the bathroom shower somewhere else, right?
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