5 Tips to Taking Care of Artwork

You have just made your first step into your art collecting journey: obtaining a piece of art. Congrats! Now, the question of maintenance looms over you. How should you place your art? What do you use to clean it? Where do you even begin? 

Fret not. We have a list of tips that you can use to take care of your art!

1. Avoid direct sunlight

Be sure to keep your art away from direct sunlight. Works on paper especially are prone to degradation under UV rays. While watercolour paintings are most susceptible to deterioration, even hardier oil and acrylic paint pigments will fade over time. When possible, hang your artwork away from sunny corners. If you cannot find a shady spot for your artwork, you can also consider framing your art with a UV-protected glass.

2. Pay attention to the environment

Heat and humidity can affect your artwork. Exposure to heat might warp your paintings, while excess humidity may cause mildew. Remember to also position your fragile artwork in safe, secure spaces where it will remain out of reach of lively children. 

3. Do not use chemicals when cleaning

Just like with any piece of furniture, your art needs to be regularly cleaned. But unlike furniture, do not use any abrasive cleaners or solvents on your artwork! Instead, you should lightly dust off your art with a brush or a dry cloth, and use a microfibre towel on glass or acrylic panels. Be wary of feather dusters, as their fibres may cling onto canvases. 

4. Handle artwork appropriately

Be sure to put on clean, lightweight gloves when handling paintings. Otherwise, oils from your skin might transfer onto the artwork and cause damage to the canvases. Likewise, when hanging artwork, take note of its weight and the strength of your wall. Heavier works should be hung from more than one anchor point to ensure that the weight is evenly distributed.

5. Keep art off the floors

When stowing away art, make sure to not leave it on the floor where it can be easily damaged, and where excess moisture can accumulate. Do not cover artwork with plastic; use cotton sheets instead so the art can breathe, thus preventing mould from forming. Try not to stack artwork to avoid putting pressure on the canvases. If you really need to stack them, try to put cardboard dividers between each piece of art.

Need more help?

There you go! Taking care of art isn’t as difficult as it seems, and with these tips, you are now equipped with the skills necessary to maintain the integrity of your collected pieces. 

Asia Art Collective provides professional art consultancy services that can guide you to make educated choices when building your art collection, which includes tips on how to better maintain your newly-obtained artwork. 

If you have any related enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us for free art consultancy services. 

Email: info@asiaartcollective.com

WhatsApp: +65 6255 0711