Art is both a financial and an emotional investment for art lovers. Whether you have a museum-quality collection or a few individual pieces that have personal meaning to you, protecting your art is important. Understanding the steps necessary to protect paintings, watercolors, photographs and ceramic objects will save you money on restoration and grief over a lost piece of art.

Lighting—A Double-Edged Sword

It’s impossible to appreciate a photograph, textile watercolor or oil painting without light. Good lighting reflects the careful details that add life to quality art. But be careful: The wrong kind of lighting fades color.

Direct sunlight discolors paintings and diminishes color. Sunlight can also cause oil paintings to show age faster by turning varnish yellow and encouraging paint to flake. Display oil paintings on interior walls or surfaces that are away from direct sunlight. If direct sunlight can not be avoided, rotate art pieces from time to time to minimize long-term exposure to sun.

The type of glass you use is also important to consider. UV-coated Plexiglas protects watercolors and photographs from the damaging effects of light. UV-coated Plexiglas is also used to make display cases that protect fragile hand-painted antiques, such as dolls, folk, and Native American art. Non-glare glass is not recommended. It’s etched to reduce reflected light, which helps to see paintings on display more clearly. But, some experts believe it absorbs light, which can exacerbate fading and damage from light.

Use Plexiglas or Denglas for best results, and keep it clean with a mild detergent solution and a soft cotton cloth. Use of ordinary glass cleaners with ammonia yellows Plexiglas or any acrylic-coated surfaces.

Placement is Everything—Tips for Disaster-Prone Regions

Hanging art presents a special challenge in regions known for earthquakes and tornadoes. It’s extremely important hang valuable art on walls and ceilings with structural support. Always use secure hooks or fixtures to hang art pieces. If you are uncertain or just not confident about how or where to hang the art piece, hire a professional hanger. Good local art galleries can offer references and point you in the right direction.

Display cabinets should be secured to walls to minimize damage to contents in areas prone to earthquakes. For items outside of display cabinets, try securing individual pieces such as ceramics and small sculptures to shelves and table tops with museum wax. You can get museum wax from an art dealer or art supply store.

Special Tips for Paintings

The surfaces of oil paintings are exposed to the environment and change with time. Expect some cracks and increased transparency of the paint, as this is part of the normal aging process. You can slow some signs of age by removing dust very carefully from the surface of paintings every 4-6 months with a soft, sable paint brush.

If the surface of the painting has darkened, a professional art conservator will have to correct the problem. Consult a conservator right away if you notice flaking paint, lifting edges of the painting, or if you notice mold.

Special Tips for Photographs

Handling unframed photographs can cause extensive damage. Whenever possible, wear soft cotton gloves when handling photographs. If gloves are not available, use both hands and handle the photograph from its back. Avoid bending—creases in photographs cannot be corrected and seriously decrease its monetary and aesthetic value.

Special Tips for Watercolors

Watercolor is simply pigment and water applied to paper—the durability of the painting depends mostly on the paper used. Watercolors on 100% rag-paper are stronger than watercolors on wood pulp paper. No matter which paper is used, it’s important to carefully handle and frame your watercolor art.

Proper mounting and framing is essential to the longevity of watercolor paintings. Ask your framer to use archival-quality rag-paper mats made of 4-or 8-ply thickness. Do not allow the painting to be mounted to a mat with tape, because the adhesive can stain it over time.

If your watercolor is framed without a mat, ask that any spacer strips be of 100% rag fiber. The strips are used to keep the artwork from sticking to the Plexiglas glazing or glass.

Insurance – the Ultimate Protection

In the sad event that your artwork is irrevocably damaged despite your best efforts, insurance can provide some comfort. If the piece is museum-quality or of exceptional value, it should be appraised and insured by an insurance firm that specializes in rare artwork. Ask your art dealer for a recommendation.

Before a crisis happens, get your insurance policy up to speed. Be sure to photograph each piece of art, and record the purchase price of each piece. Include any other relevant information, such as the name of the artist.  

Dance in the Shadow of your Art

You’ve carefully selected the paintings, watercolors, textiles, photos, ceramics, and antiques that add color to your home and your life. Protect them and take care of them, and you can enjoy them for many years to come.

[main image: iStockphoto | Thinkstock]