Caring for Your Art

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You’ve just purchased an original piece of art - yay!  Now what?  There’s a few things to keep in mind so you can preserve this painting for years to come.

 

Matting and Framing

 

You have to mat and frame your art!*  Watercolors are by nature sensitive and can be damaged by environmental factors, so you’ll want to ensure that doesn’t happen.  

 

If you don’t want to mess with the how-to’s of all of this- simply visit your local custom framer! 

In Panama City area:

-Under Glass Framery on Beach Drive

-Hobby Lobby on 23rd St

-Michaels on Back Beach (Highway 98)

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Mat + Backer Board: Make sure your mat is thick enough that there is plenty of space between the glass of the frame and your painting. If the artwork is too close to the glass, it could stick to it over time. Also, sticking to the glass + humidity in the room = mold. (Boo!). When choosing a mat and backer board, make sure they're both archival and 100% acid-free. Acidity in the materials will damage watercolor paper, so this is super important.  To adhere the painting to the mat, use an acid-free paper tape. Glue will damage the painting, whereas the tape will not. When framing, make sure you are putting your backer board behind your painting before hanging to give it an additional layer of protection.

 

UV Glass:  Choose UV protected glass!  Or UV protected acrylic.  You can buy ready-made frames and at Michaels or Hobby Lobby and ask the custom framers if they can cut you a piece of UV glass to fit in your ready-made.

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*If you purchased one of my paintings mounted on a wood slice- these aren't intended to be framed.  However, I have coated them with layers of special wax and varnish, which should help protect the art.  But please be sure to follow the rest of the care guide to ensure the longest lasting art!

 

Where to Hang

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DO hang indoors, at room temperature.

DON'T hang close to any direct heat source (like radiators, ovens, etc.)

DON'T hang in a humid area, like bathrooms.

 

Lighting

 

Don't hang your painting in direct sunlight, as this can make the paint fade and yellow over time. Even with lightfast watercolor paint, fading can still be a problem when the painting is continually exposed to sunlight.  Yes, even though you're using UV glass, still don't hang in direct sunlight.

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Okay, that seemed like a lot, so here's a quick summary:

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• Mat and frame your art with acid free materials and UV glass

• Hang your art in a climate controlled setting

• Don't hang near heat, excessive moisture, or in direct sunlight

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YAY!  Now your art should last for many, many years!  Enjoy!

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