The best way to store artwork is by displaying them on your walls where people can admire them every day.
However, as an artist, you will want to protect your paintings and drawings for future sales.
If you are an art collector who enjoys displaying different paintings for different seasons, you will want to protect your investment while they are not hanging on your walls.
Did you know that sunlight fades colors and plastic traps humidity, which grows mold?
Whether you are an artist or an art collector, your art collection is valuable, and you will want to protect your investment.
Here are some helpful tips for storing artwork.
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How To Store Oil Painting On Canvas
Storing a painting could cause damage to the paint, frame, and canvas if you are not careful.
Most art collectors and artists do not own a storage facility to store pieces of art.
Here are some tips that will help you to protect your paintings and choose the best storage space in your home.
- Find a place to store your artwork. An ideal location would be a closet or a room with minimal traffic. Avoid unfinished basements, attics, and garages. The best area would be a place with no windows, vents, and has controlled temperature.
Fluctuating temperatures could damage your painting. Keep your oil paintings away from furnaces, heating vents, and air conditioners.
Direct sunlight will fade the colors of your fine art over time. Keep the canvas covered with an acid free-cloth or packed if it is being stored in a room with direct sunlight.
Check the area for mold.
The ideal temperature is between 70-75 degrees with a humidity level between 40-50%.
- Prepare your painting for storage by removing any dust with a microfiber cloth.
If you are storing your painting in a closet, place it in an acid-free cardboard box and separate the art with a crescent board, which is a professional acid-free mounting board that will separate your paining from the cardboard.
The best solution for storing multiple canvas paintings is to use a canvas storage cabinet made for storing canvas paintings. A canvas storage cabinet is ideal for artists and art collectors.
Diverse Woodcrafts Portfolio and Canvas Storage Cabinet – Blick
- Keep your painting off the ground. The canvas storage cabinet is ideal for keeping your art off the floor, but elevate it with a crate if you are planning on storing it in your closet. Canvases and frames can absorb moister from concrete.
- Do not store paintings on top of each other. Too much weight on top of a painting could damage paint or frames. The ideal way to store paintings is vertical.
How To Store Paper Artwork
Graphite drawings, colored pencil drawings, and pastel drawings could easily smudge and get ruined if you are storing them incorrectly.
Here are some tips to help you protect your paper artwork.
- Frame the drawings. In most cases, I will matt and frame all of my graphite and pastel drawings. And then, I follow the same tips I use for soring oil canvas paintings. However, this is not the most conventional or cost-efficient way to store your finished artwork.
- Store drawings in a portfolio. Portfolios come in a variety of sizes and materials and will keep the drawings safe and prevent smudging.
- Pastel drawings are different than graphite or colored pencil drawings because they are very fragile and smudge easily. The best way to store unframed pastels is by attaching the pastel surface to a drawing board support that is larger than the drawing and cover the drawing with glassine paper. Glassine paper is an antistatic paper that leaves no noticeable alterations to the drawing when removed.
Conclusion:
Artwork is valuable to both art collectors and artists. Take specail care of your investments so the artwork can be charished for years to come.
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