Preserving Paintings

Works on paper are extremely fragile pieces of art; they should be very carefully touched. Since paper itself is such a fragile material, paintings on paper are always at the risk of being damaged by rough touch.

Paper is sensitive to the environment too. Prolonged exposure to acidic surroundings causes permanent damages to the Watercolors.

Improper framing of watercolors cause much damage because sometimes the paintings are at the risk of being damaged in the process of framing.

Unframed works are constantly at the risk of being damaged.

Harsh and bright lights cause much damage to watercolors. It embrittles the paper and causes the painting to fade. Damage caused by light is irreversible.

High and fluctuating temperatures and humidity deteriorates the paper. The paper absorbs the water content from the air and damp patches are formed.

Air borne pollutants and harmful gases cause much harm to watercolors. Dust and soot are quite difficult to remove from paper. Harmful gases, auto emissions, and heating compounds are readily absorbed into paper, where they form harmful chemicals that discolor or embrittle. In addition, sources of internal air pollution, such as photocopiers, new construction materials, paint fumes, janitorial supplies, and emissions from wooden cabinets, also harm paper.

Leaky roof and water accidents are disasters for watercolors. They cause permanent and irreversible damage to these paintings

Guidelines for Preserving Paintings-Watercolors

All the above stated damages can be easily avoided if we follow some simple guidelines.

Watercolors should be very carefully touched and one should wear proper clean gloves before touching them.

To avoid exposure to acidic surroundings watercolors and other paintings on paper should be properly stored. All the mounting adhesives and frames that are used on these paintings should be chemically stable.

Paintings should be properly framed using only conservator recommended devices. The glazing too is important. The paperwork should never be in direct contact of the glazing material (glass). Only best quality ultra violet resistant glass should be used.

Unframed watercolors should be kept in proper protective enclosures. Matting of these works is highly recommended. They should be stored in special boxes.

To avoid damage from light, they should be kept in dimly lit surroundings, and direct daylight should be avoided at any cost. UV free lightings should be used.

These paintings should be kept in temperature and humidity regulated rooms; the temperature and relative humidity (RH) should not exceed 70 degree F and 60%, respectively. The temperature and RH should also remain constant and not fluctuate.

Avoiding harmful gases and pollutants always proves to be a difficult task, the only way to protect paintings from them is to keep them in rooms that are strictly sealed and regulated. Keeping them away from polluted areas and construction areas is also a good idea.

If water accidents happen then one should carefully try to dry the watercolors before molds set in. sometimes freezing is a good alternative.

Conservation and preservation of other artworks

The above-mentioned precautions are applicable for almost all kinds of Paintings. Some artworks are sturdy enough to withstand all kinds of weathering ( Pottery Paintings ) and some are extremely fragile (Watercolors). But it is important to try and preserve our artwork for they are the reflections of our times.

Though the prescribed precautions are safe to be followed, it's always advisable to contact art conservators for all queries about Preserving Paintings.