Artwork is a huge investment with very strong sentimental attachments. It demands the best care you can give if they are to last long and give you value for your money. If art is properly cared for, it can last long enough to be passed down to the next generation. You can imagine what that means if it is a family art!
Whether you are moving or just want to put away some of the old arts, there are several ways you can securely do so without altering the artwork. Here are some tips you can borrow when storing your canvas prints to maximize their longevity and maintain their pristine condition.
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Carefully wrap the canvas print
If your art is framed, wrap it tightly with either a storage blanket, a bubble wrap, or brown paper. Use packing tape to carefully seal the prints in the material you have chosen but be cautious that the tape does not come into direct contact with the canvas print. Use some pieces of hard boards to pad the front and the back of your pieces before securing them together.
On the other hand, if your art piece is not framed, you will need a silicone release paper. This will be used to cover the face of the canvas. After you have done that, you will need a glassine paper wrap.
Note that the back and the face of your art piece should always be padded with a hardboard before wrapping it with a blanket or a bubble wrap. When all this is done and the prints are all wrapped, secure the pieces together with layers of materials, and use the tape to put them together.
Mind the storage position
After you have carefully and securely wrapped all your prints together, the remaining million-dollar question is, how should you position the wrapped canvas prints in the storage? You can use face to face and back to back positions and you should be extremely careful while at it.
Just to be extra careful, have an acid free archival paper to separate your wrapped canvas prints. Be mindful and ensure that your canvas is in an upright position. Having them flat on the surface is not a good idea. It also helps to prevent them from becoming loose. When they are on display, canvas prints must always be in an upright position.
Sometimes, having them flat on the ground is the only option you have for storing your canvas prints. If you must do this, the first thing that should never leave your mind is, do not lay your canvas on bare ground. Always place an acid-free material on the floor before laying your canvases down.
Best places to store your canvases
The best place your canvases can thrive best is the area that mimics your living space. Even though the custom press is constructed to handle all sorts of exposures and temperature fluctuations, the outside environment can be harsher on your artwork. Therefore you cannot afford to take any chances.
Choose a room that is barricaded from any source of heat like water heaters and vents. Also, avoid any space that has direct sunlight. In as much as canvases have been treated to be UV-resistant, constant exposure to sunlight can cause irreversible damage. Just like humans, overexposure to the harmful sunlight rays can cause hyperpigmentation.
The answer is to find an unused room with shades that mimics your living room in order to store your canvas prints safely. This way, you will improve their longevity.
Do’s and dont’s when storing canvas prints
Do maintain consistent room temperature. As mentioned earlier, storing your canvas prints in an environment that mimics the temperature of your living room is the only way to maximize their longevity. The room humidity should always hover around 55% with a room temperature of 21 degrees celsius.
Do use padding. If storing your canvas prints entails stacking them together, always use paddings as opposed to letting them come in direct contact with each other. Optionally, you can use a painting wrack which obviously will not let your prints embrace each other.
Do proper storage. If you are putting away your canvas prints for sometime, use acid-free boards or papers to lay your canvas pieces.
Do cover and aerate your canvas. If you are keeping the prints away for a prolonged time, ensure that you cover them with clean clothes to shield them from dust. Remember to take them out from time to time to prevent humidity that might build up molds.
Dont’s when storing canvas prints
Avoid contact with the sun. Canvas is constructed to fight against the harmful UV rays. But that does not mean that you should expose them to the unforgiving sun rays. To prevent fading and yellowing, by all means, keep the sun away from them.
Avoid direct heat. Fireplaces, heaters, and other indoor sources of heat weaken and loosen the paints and cause them to peel off.
No direct contact with concrete surfaces. We have talked about this over and over again. The only place you can lay your canvas prints and have a peaceful sleep at night is on top of an acid-free board or paper. Of course, almost every wall and floor is concrete but be willing to take that extra mile of adding an extra acid-free boarding if you cherish your art. Exposing them to concrete surfaces might cause the art to absorb dampness.
No to attics and basements. Attics and basements are neglected parts of every house. Why would you want to store your cherished possessions in such neglected places? These places are prone to damp or dry conditions which are outright enemies to your canvas arts. Always regulate temperature and humidity.
In conclusion
For one reason or another, you might be forced to tack your paintings off the walls and store them away. But if you can help it, keep your canvas prints on the walls for that is where they are meant to be. You are in a better place to give them tender love and care if they are hung in your living room than when they are stacked away in the basement.