CARING FOR YOUR ORIGINAL PAINTING
Original art is an investment not only valued monetarily. Your painting will be appreciated by future generations, not just by those who view it today. Acrylic paintings are expected to have a longer life span than oil paintings, and are considered more resistant to aging. That is, they develop cracks less often than oil paintings and are more resistant to pressure.
All of my acrylic paintings are painted on a cotton or linen canvas that is secured to a wooden stretcher frame for support. The canvas normally has one or more preparation layers applied to its surface before the various paint layers are applied. After the painting has been completed and signed, two final layers of satin varnish are applied to protect the painting from the accumulation of dust and dirt.
DON'T:
Do not allow any rigid object to press against the front or back surface of the stretched canvas as this could create permanent indentation damage. When storing or transferring, take care to protect the canvas surfaces from becoming dinged or dented. When it becomes necessary to handle or move a painting, avoid touching the paint surface or the back of the canvas. Do not apply any kind of pressure (even finger pressure) to the back of a canvas -- cracks in the paint will likely develop after a time if this is done.
If your canvas painting does get slightly stretched or dented in an area, sometimes spraying water on the back side (the unpainted side) of the canvas can shrink the stretch/dent. It depends on how severe the indentation is. If unsure about doing this yourself, have a professional do it.
It is not advisable to place the artwork above a heat source such as fireplaces. In addition to the damage caused by radiating heat, dirt that rises with the heat may cause damage.It is unadvisable to hang paintings in a moist environment such as a room which has a bath or shower. Rapid environmental fluctuations will be harmful to the painting.
Ultraviolet light should be kept away from the paintings as fugitive dyes and colorants used in paints will eventually discolour under exposure to this type of light. The fading of pigments and dyes will affect the colour balance of the artwork.
DON'T EVER:
Do not attempt to clean the surface by using solvents or cleaning products of any kind. Cleaning liquids may actually embed the dirt into the painting and cause permanent liquid lines over the surface. In fact, it is discouraged to use any liquid, including water, to clean the surface of your acrylic painting. Never use dry or moist dust cloths, stiff bristle brushes or feather dusters to clean a painting as threads can catch on areas of raised paint and dusters can scratch the painting. Avoid spraying any fresheners, polish etc. directly onto a painting.
DO:
Do use compressed air in a can to blow away surface dust. Another technique involves using a dry soft sable brush to lightly brush the surface in order to dislodge dust while holding a vacuum, off the surface, to capture and remove debris. Use a delicate brush to gently remove surface dirt from your paintings. Be careful not to bump or scratch the painting. If the paint is damaged in any way, avoid dusting altogether.
The best type of light for your painting is indirect sunlight, recessed lighting, and halogen lights (not ultraviolet).
CARING FOR FINE ART PRINTS
FINE ART PAPER PRINTS
Your giclee print has been created on beautiful 320 gsm museum grade French cold press 100% cotton rag paper using fully archival Epson UltraChromeK3® pigment inks.
All paper prints have a spray coat of UV inhibiting varnish which is designed to add an extra level of protection to the ink on the paper. This coating also increases the longevity of the colours in your image.
Please read the care instructions below to ensure your giclee print will continue to enhance your surroundings and bring you pleasure for years to come.
CARE AND HANDLING OF YOUR FINE ART PAPER PRINT ON ARRIVAL
I recommend taking your print straight to the framer, unrolled. If this can’t be done, after unrolling it from the packaging, please use two hands to support your print so it will not bend. A crease in the print is permanent.
The cardboard tube your print is packaged in is not suitable for long-time storage as it is not acid free and archival.
Please keep your new print covered until it is framed to avoid damage. Be careful of water, hard objects & adhesives as these can damage and scratch the surface of your print. Try not to use your hands to wipe off any dust as this can also scratch the surface.
After being framed, try to keep your print away from direct sunlight as UV rays can eventually affect the colours over time.
CANVAS PRINTS
Your Giclee print has been professionally printed on artist’s quality, heavy duty canvas with fully archival Epson UltraChromeK3® pigment inks.
All canvas prints have a coat of UV inhibiting varnish which is designed to add an extra level of protection to the ink on the canvas. This coating also increases the longevity of the colours in your image.
Please read the care instructions below to ensure your giclee print will continue to enhance your surroundings and bring you pleasure for years to come.
CARE AND HANDLING OF YOUR CANVAS PRINT ON ARRIVAL
The very nature of a natural product such as cotton canvas means that there will be imperfections (lumps and bumps) on the surface of the canvas caused by the variations in the cotton threads that make up the canvas. This is normal and a feature of cotton canvas.
Likewise, any imperfections that you may see on the print are a feature of the original painting and as such a reflection of the nature of the painted surfaces of original paintings.
After unrolling the print from the packaging, please use two hands to support the print so it will not bend. A crease in the print is permanent. Even better, take you print directly to the framer still in its packaging rather than handle it yourself.
The cardboard tube your art print is packaged in is not suitable for long-time storage as it is not acid free and archival. However, your print is safe while wrapped in the special tissue paper I have provided.
Please keep your new print covered until it is stretched and framed to avoid damage. Be careful of water, hard objects & adhesives as these can damage or scratch the surface of the print. Try not to use your hands to wipe off any dust as this can also scratch the surface.
Try not to display your canvas prints in areas of high concentrations of UV light or heat. Use correct coloured art lighting (if possible) for best results.
Canvas prints can be cleaned with a light feather duster. Solvents etc. should never be used. If anything marks your canvas or stains it, seek expert advice such as a fine art print framer.
TAKING YOUR CANVAS PRINT TO THE FRAMER
In addition to the actual image size, I include a generous amount of white border of 2.5" each side (5" extra inches overall) on the canvas print to wrap around the widest of stretcher frames. This process is called ‘gallery wrapping’ where the canvas is wrapped around the sides and back of the frame and the staples are placed out of sight on the back so there is no need for further framing.
There are different thicknesses of stretcher bars (the wooden frame your canvas is wrapped around). I normally stretch my original paintings on deep 1 ½” wooden frames as I personally prefer the look of the painting against the wall with that width. Please ask your chosen picture framer to show you some examples of different widths to help you decide which look you would prefer.
The quality of the wood used for the gallery wrap is important to the overall look and longevity of your canvas print. A good framer should be able to tell you the type of wood they will use for stretching.
It is best to avoid Fir or Paulownia wood as they are cheaper woods usually imported from Asia. They can bend, crack or warp over time and eventually ruin the look of your painting. In Australia, artists mostly use Pine for stretcher bars and in the USA, Pine, Tulipwood and American Poplar are considered the best choice.
Either single or double stapling on the BACK of the canvas is considered good practice (never on the sides!) and your framer should apply heavy duty D rings and gallery wire for hanging the canvas.