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Green Pebble Magazine
Rood Hall Studio
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Beccles NR34 8HE
When
we think of potential threats to the works of art in our homes and offices,
we often think of the big four: fire, smoke, water and theft. We insure
against these in our contents insurance policies and protect against them
by installing security and smoke alarms.
But as conservation specialists will advise us, our works are vulnerable
to many other, more ordinary, threats: atmospheric conditions, air quality,
dust, sunlight, transportation and the inevitable degradation of the very
materials used to create the pieces.
In this series on how to protect your art collection, Green Pebble explores
the latest advice on the preservation and protection of oils, plastics and
acrylics, prints and photographs against the everyday influences that could
rob our collection not only of its value, but of its beauty.
Light, temperature and humidity
All works of art – be they oil paintings, watercolours, photos or
prints - suffer from the effects of temperature and humidity fluctuations,
and light.
The conditions in a well-ventilated room during the British summer months
are, in general, fairly good for paintings, states London-based Institute
of Conservation (Icon) on its Conservation Register website, www.conservationregister.com.
However, ‘in the winter months, extremes of temperature or relative
humidity can cause problems, for example, the central heating in homes really
dries out the air and causes problems; whilst rooms that suffer from damp
will have high humidity and dampness that encourages mould or mildew.’
Acrylic paintings
Acrylic paintings, on the other hand, ‘are a very stable class of
polymer – so are resistant to deterioration from light and ultraviolet
radiation, and yellows far less over time,’ states the insurance company
Axa Art in its latest publication, Caring for Acrylics: Modern and Contemporary
Paintings. However, at above temperatures above 30ºC, acrylics can
soften sufficiently to become vulnerable to dirt retention, deformation
and the effects of inappropriate packaging; and when temperatures drop to
below 10 degree Celcius, ‘acrylic paint films will stiffen and harden
considerably, making them far more liable to crack.’
It is now known, states Axa Art, ‘that the effect of temperature is
more pronounced for acrylics than oils.’
Hanging acrylic paintings
When hanging an acrylic painting, choose an evenly-lit spot, free from distracting
light sources. As with all paintings, avoid south-facing windows since sunlight
can be more than 100 times as bright and damaging as the levels required
for good viewing.
Further more, if you have any reason to believe there are light sensitive
components ‘such as paper, textiles (eg, exposed canvas) and fading
pigments present,’ adds Axa Art, ‘then the painting should be
hung in the darkest part of the room and you should also consider not displaying
it continuously, as the damaging effects of light are cumulative.’
Acrylic paintings with large areas of flat colour or interesting surfaces,
it continues, are best appreciated in ambient light.
If spotlights need to be used they should be placed well away from the painting
to avoid heating effects…the lights should be attached to the ceiling
and point down at a steep angle to avoid glare from the painting surface.
This, acknowledges Axa Art, can be difficult to achieve with tall paintings.
The environmental advice for acrylic paintings is the same as for oils:
avoid kitchens and bathrooms, and in the main body of the house, avoid radiators
and fireplaces, especially if the painting is unglazed. ‘Intermittent
heating is an obvious problem for all works of art, says Axa Art, ‘but
in these areas, dirt deposition is likely to be heavy and uneven as a result
of rising air currents and therefore more apparent. Acrylic paint is very
similar to decorators’ emulsion paint and in a few years the painting
surface will develop the same dust deposits as the rest of the walls in
the room.’
It may seem like stating the obvious, but it bears repeating: avoid hanging
in highly humid areas. Although mould should not occur in a well-sealed
glazed and backboarded frame, this protective layer cannot resist for long
the humidity above, for instance, kitchen sinks.
When framing an acrylic painting, AXA Art recommends the following: frame
and glaze the painting, and add a backboard.
Note that some works are too large to glaze due to the weight of the glass,
in which case glazing is not feasible. Equally, where glazing will seriously
impact on the appearance of the work, even the introduction of only a backboard
- often a light-weight foam board - will provide much needed protection.
The board will be cut to slightly under the size of the painting and screwed
into the back of the stretcher (the wooden construction to which the canvas
is attached). If your painting is on a wood or other type of solid panel,
a backboard is not always necessary.
Inspect the backboard regularly. Mould will usually grow on the backboard
first, and if you catch it on time you can prevent the mould from reaching
the painting itself.
Cleaning acrylic paintings
AXA Art recommends dusting acrylic paintings once or twice a year. Dust
them on a relatively cool day and remember to remove any jewellery and clothing
that may rub against the paint. The best brush to use is a flat soft artist’s
brush, 5 – 8 cm wide, with 5cm long hairs. For exact instruction on
how to dust, AXA Art’s publication Caring for Acrylics: Modern and
Contemporary Paintings has step by step instructions.
If you anticipate building works or street repairs, consider removing the
painting to temporary storage to spare it the unnecessary dust and dirt.
Paper
Works on paper - such as prints, drawings and watercolours – react
to temperature changes and uncontrolled environments by displaying a number
of problems including: brittleness and darkening of the paper itself; brown
spots, known as ‘foxing’, caused by a growth of bacteria or
mould on acidic paper when the humidity is high; and even insect damage.
Light can alter a watercolour painting’s colour balance as well as
damage the structure of the paper itself. Ink drawings can lose their detail
as a result of light. To uncover the original colouring of a paper-based
image, look closely at the edges where the image has been protected from
light by its windowmount. This should give you a good indication of how
much damage has already been done.
Hanging works on paper
When protecting watercolour paintings, framed prints and other works on
paper, collectors are advised to avoid south facing light and to use ultraviolet
(UV) filtering glass when having the work framed. Try not to hang pictures
directly against the interior of the outside wall of a building. ‘The
comparatively low temperature can cause condensation and mould growth inside
a frame.
Conversely, a radiator or spotlight dries the air out, and concentrates
dirt by convection currents,’ advises the Institute of Conservation.
Specialists cannot stress enough the need for good quality mounting and
framing in the preservation and care of art on paper. Poor quality mounting
and framing are known to damage more works of art on paper than any other
agent, continues the Institute.
For instance, contact with boards containing unpurified wood pulp have been
known to turn paper brown and brittle; acidic windowmounts can cause ‘mount
burn’ - the brown marks around the edge of an image; brown marks (air
burn) can also form because of the gaps in old wooden backboards; and the
wrong adhesive tape can leave unsightly yellow or brown stains on paper
and in the case of self-adhesive tape, can even work its way into the paper,
making it difficult to remove.
It is worth noting, adds the Institute of Conservation, that although handmade
paper will demonstrate a certain amount of undulation, if the work of art
is badly distorted, wrinkled or even torn at the corners, this is probably
because it has been stuck down at the edges. Because paper moves in response
to changes in humidity, conservationists advise not to restrain it.
Because light damage is cumulative and irreversible, collectors of paper-based
art are further advised to seriously consider using UV filtering glass or
acrylic to protect their collection. Some acrylics are light and unlikely
to break on impact. However, warns the Institute, these materials do scratch
more easily and because of static, should never be used to glaze pastels,
chalks, charcoal or any other friable material.
With pastel and charcoal drawings which need extra care because the image
may smudge easily, you could consider keeping them permanently framed within
a mount that has been rebated to prevent any static or friction.
Similarly, if you do not plan to frame your contemporary prints, store them
in a mount or acid-free paper folder to avoid handling them directly.
Cleaning paintings behind glass
If your painting is behind glass, always spray your glass cleaner onto the
cloth, not onto the glass, and remember to spray standing well away from
your painting. ‘The use of backboards is recommended as a preventive
conservation measure to protect against the accumulation of dust and dirt,
as well as against knocks and accidental damage,’ advises the Institute
of Conservation.
This article offers general guidance and is not intended to be a substitute
for the professional advice of an accredited conservator. The views expressed
are those of the author or authors, and do not necessarily represent the
views of the Institute of Conservation, AXA Art or Green Pebble magazine.
The Institute of Conservation would like to acknowledge use of the MGC publication
Ours for Keeps in the preparation of its website-based advice. Green Pebble
accepts no liability for any loss or damage which may arise if this guidance
is followed. See www.conservationregister.com for a comprehensive list of
registered
conservators.
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