Protecting the Quality of Your Priceless Artwork

Water ColorArtwork is not just hanging around for a lack of purpose. People purchase artwork because of the personal, financial, or even sentimental value it holds for them. Taking steps to protect your prized artwork can help extend its longevity and maintain its value through generations of viewers.

Give It Some Backing

If you have a painted piece of art that is on stretched canvas, it needs a backboard. The backboard protects the piece from environmental elements like dirt, dust and other debris. Without a proper backing, this type of artwork may crack, fade and age too fast.

The back of a painting doesn’t need to be ventilated at all. Invest the money in having a backboard professionally installed. It will both protect the value and life of your painting by preventing any unexpected falls.

Get Well Hung

The leading cause of damage to artwork is improper mounting. Improper hanging materials can give out, causing damage that is hard to fix after a fall. Ensuring your artwork is properly mounted will save you both heartache and money.

Always use double braided wire when hanging your artwork. Make sure that whatever hooks you use to hang the piece are securely anchored into the wall and wood behind the wall. The wire should be attached to the surrounding frame of the artwork and never to the canvas frame.

Setting the Scene

Using lightening to highlight your artwork is a great idea. It can also cause damage if not done properly. Intense light can come in both natural and artificial options. Some artificial lights are actually hot enough to burn the artwork, so you must exercise caution in positioning them.

Whatever light source you use to emphasize your piece, make sure it is not directly on the painting. Monitor the temperature on a regular basis. If you find the light too hot, your painting will likely suffer from the intensity.

Getting the Right Environment

Humidity and temperature can wreak havoc on artwork you love. A humidity of fifty percent is a good target to reach. Environments that experience huge fluctuations are the most damaging. Try to keep the humidity constant even if you can’t achieve an ideal level.

Paintings benefit from the same balanced temperature as you. As long as you are comfortable, your paintings should be too. Maintaining a constant temperature and humidity level is really the most important.

You probably invested a lot of time and effort into choosing the artwork that colors your life. You should spend some additional diligence in preparing the environment for its long-term protection. Proper care will keep your artwork looking great for years – if not generations – to come.

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