Taking Care of Your Artwork

Like anything of worth in your home, fine art occasionally requires some TLC. Your great art can last longer if you follow these easy cleaning and maintenance suggestions, organized by medium.

General Art Care Tips

Keeping fine art prints out of direct sunlight is probably the most crucial tip for extending their lifespan (apart from ultra-durable metal prints). This one useful tip will stop UV deterioration and early fading.

Every canvas print that is deemed to be archival and gallery quality (like the ones sold on this website) ought to have an additional UV protection layer. Nonetheless, it is still advised to avoid direct sunlight if at all possible, even with this unique UV resistant coating.

With the right handling and care, fine art prints created on archival fine art paper, canvas, or metal using archival inks should last a lifetime.

Fine Art Print Care

Note: Fine art prints are prone to fingerprints, dents, scratches, lint and dust.

For DIYers and economical shoppers, purchasing fine art prints without frames is a popular option because it enables you to deal with your local framer and select any frame that matches your décor style or frame the piece yourself. There's also the additional benefit of lower transportation costs.

A print of Lovely Cabana Beach (now only available on canvas)

Often, fine art prints arrive rolled in tubes, so the print will be curled until it is trained to relax. We advise leaving the print in the tube until it is time to have it framed because skilled framers will know how to treat the prints in the best way. Handle fine art prints with extreme caution since they are easily dented.

Related: How to Design Your First Gallery Wall

To prevent leaving fingerprints, cotton gloves are advised. It is advised to lay the curled print out on a flat surface for at least 24 hours to allow it to relax before framing it. Be aware that dust and lint are drawn to the ink. We advise locating four objects to place on each corner, such as large, thick books. Wrap the books or objects in tissue paper or lint-free cloths to avoid scratching.

When it's time to frame, you can carefully wipe away dust using a lint-free cloth or an air compressor.

Canvas Print Care

Note: Canvas prints are prone to scratches and dust.

The handling of gallery wrapped canvas art is not too difficult. It is normally safe to handle canvas artworks with bare (clean) hands because they are less likely to pick up fingerprints. Never lean other items on the stretched canvas's face, and be careful not to bump into it or put any tension on it. Although the lightweight nature of gallery wrapped canvas makes it simple to move around, be mindful that scratching, especially around the edges, is possible. If you must set it down, place it on a piece of foam or a blanket.

You only need a dry, soft, lint-free cloth to dust and clean wrapped canvas pieces' faces and sides.

Canvas print of Rain on Fire

Acrylic Print Care

Note: Acrylic prints are prone to scratches and dust.

Although acrylic face-mount is a lovely medium option, you should be aware that it is the most delicate to handle due to its weight and susceptibility to scratches. We advise hiring a professional to install the large acrylic pieces. Also, it is advised to use gloves when handling, and to have foam or a blanket on hand in case you need to set the piece down.

The top of acrylic face mounted sculptures can be delicately dusted with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth. You can spot clean any "schmutz" on the acrylic's surface by lightly wetting a cloth with water. Do not use chemical cleaners.

Framed Glass Care

Note: Framed glass is prone to scratching, dust and shattering.

Glass-framed art is comparatively simple to handle. If the material of the frame seems like it might attract fingerprints, gloves might come in helpful. Place foam or a blanket under the framed piece if you need to set it down before hanging it for further security. Be mindful because glass is easily broken if dropped! For artwork that is very large, many specialized framers opt from glass to acrylic glazing. If the glazing on your framed piece is acrylic, see acrylic care.

You can carefully clean the face of the glass, the top of the frame, and the frame corners with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth. the glass requires  spot cleaning, use a small amount of glass cleaner.

I hope this art care and cleaning guide offered some helpful advise that will help you to enjoy your artwork for many years to come. Do you have any questions? Feel free to reach out to me.

Related: 4 Ways to Create Calm with Art