Protect Your Artwork With Advice From a Frame Store Expert

For centuries, people have recognized paintings, drawings and other works of art to be worthy of preservation. Museum curators and restorers have worked tirelessly through the centuries to make sure that the works of Picasso, da Vinci, van Gogh and Monet are preserved for generations. During World War II, the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives program was established to protect or recover priceless cultural treasures from the Nazis. While your collection might not warrant the formation of special governmental unit, it likely has special meaning to you and your family. Experts at a frame store or gallery can offer advice on how to care for your collection.

Gallery experts advise that one of the most important things you can do for your art is have it framed properly. Visit a frame store for advice on how to properly display your painting or drawing. If your painting is on canvas, it should not be covered with glass. Additionally, the canvas must be stretched to prevent cracks in the paint as a result of changes in temperature and humidity. Works on paper must be displayed under glass, but the paper should not make contact with the glass. An expert at a frame store can create a custom mat to surround the paper and prevent it from touching the glass. Consider a special sheet with UV filters instead of glass to help prevent especially valuable pieces from fading.

The next step in caring for your collection involves taking special care in deciding how it will be displayed. You might have a particular spot on the wall in mind, but you should take a number of factors into consideration in determining whether your investment will be safe there. The safest place to display a painting is on a wall with a stud using eye screws and wire of the appropriate weight. Ideally, this spot is away from a heat source and direct sunlight and in a room with stable humidity. Keep a small gap between a painting and the wall to allow for air flow. Two small pieces of cork placed behind the bottom edge will help create a space.

Housekeeping for your properly displayed artwork is relatively simple. Use a feather duster to gently brush off dust. Take it off the wall twice a year to check the back of the canvas and examine the frame for wood worm. During your examination, you may find signs of damage. You should immediately consult a professional if you spot cracks in the paint layer or lifting from the canvas. Yellow spots on the back of paper could be fungi that might be removed. Waves or bumps indicate that the canvas needs to be re-stretched. A professional is more likely to be helpful if you spot these signs of damage early.

Paintings and drawings are family heirlooms that will hopefully increase in value over the years. Taking special care to keep the work clean, out of direct sunlight and to look for signs of damage will preserve your collection for the next generation, and a frame store can help you do this.

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