Best Tips On Keeping Your Precious Artwork In Mint Condition

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It’s not enough to simply be a lover of art; your precious collection of scenery paintings and other precious artwork has to be carefully protected. Here are a few tips that will help you keep your artwork in mint condition at all times.

Unframed Paper Artwork

Keeping your art collection in great condition 

Be it your scenery paintings or other types of artwork, keeping things safe, secure and in pristine condition is the need of the hour. This is important if you perceive your scenery paintings or other artwork as a valuable asset in your household.

Here are the key points to remember in this regard: 

  • The best way to clean up any acrylic or oil painting is to make use of a white cotton cloth that is gently soaked in soapy water. You can make use of olive oil formulated soap for a better effect. This can clean up a lot of grime. Make sure that you gently remove dirt in this manner.
  • If your beloved scenery paintings still appear dirty or grimy, maybe you should get in touch with an art restorer. Restoration is often the best way for bringing out the best in painting and taking away any accumulation of smoke and dust.
  • Make sure that you retighten canvases by spraying water on the back and leaving the canvas out for drying under sunlight for 2-3 hours. Canvases are crafted from fabric and the weave loosens with time.
  • For artwork done on paper, you should first assess whether it is paint that is water-based. You can use a damp white cloth for any area that would usually be positioned behind the mat. If the colour of the paint appears on the cloth, then the paint is water-based. In this case, you should only dust with a soft, dry and fine brush.
  • For paint that is not water-based, you can clean softly with a humid/damp white cotton cloth. Do not wet the exposed paper.
Other Tips On Keeping Your Artwork In The Finest Condition
Scenery Paintings
Source: Pinterest

You can consider regular maintenance for your scenery paintings and other artwork. You can do this by dusting regularly with a soft, dry and fine brush. Use a damp cloth for frames or something that you use anyway for furniture, depending on the frame material.

You may also keep paper away from humid zones, i.e. in kitchens or near bathrooms. For canvas mats which are stained and exposed, use toothbrushes with soapy water and gently wet the whole mat. The stains due to water should go away instantly. 

Make sure that your artwork is not exposed to sunlight since this can cause damage through yellowing of paper. If you have no choice but to keep artwork displayed in areas occasionally exposed to sunlight, choose to frame with glass that is UV protected.

There are various grades although this could be a costly affair. Oil paintings may also change colour with prolonged and direct sunlight exposure. Keep these away from sunlight as much as possible. 

When it comes to storage, make sure that the artwork is wrapped up neatly in brown paper and then with bubble wrap. Put frame corners for all four corners of the art piece and then put the artwork in a solid box. This should be something like a box that is used to store mirrors and so on.

For unframed paper artwork, make use of plastic sleeves with cardboard that is acid-free. This will help in ensuring that the paper does not eventually bend. A little care and time on your part will go a long way towards keeping your precious artwork in mint condition at all times. 

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