Care of Acrylic Paintings

Acrylic paintings are a great choice!

They are expected to have a longer life span than oil paintings, and are considered more resistant to aging. That is, they develop cracks less often than oil paintings and are more resistant to pressure.

Original art is an investment not only valued monetarily. Your painting will be appreciated by future generations, not just by those who view it today.

Here are a few things you can do to avoid or reduce some types of damage in a painting:

• The best type of light for your painting is indirect sunlight, recessed lighting, and halogen lights (not ultraviolet)
• Try to display your paintings in a place where the relative humidity and temperature levels are fairly constant, not very high (above 60%) or low (below 40%),
• Keep the artwork away from direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can cause fading of certain pigments, increasing yellowing of varnish and excessive heat on the painting surface.
• It is not advisable to place the artwork above a heat source such as fireplaces. In addition to the damage caused by radiating heat, dirt that rises with the heat may cause damage.
• Ultraviolet light should be kept away from the paintings as fugitive dyes and colorants used in paints will eventually discolor under exposure to this type of light. The fading of pigments and dyes will affect the color balance of the artwork.
• It is inadvisable to hang paintings in a moist environment such as a room which has a bath or shower. Rapid environmental fluctuations will be harmful to the paintings
• A painting can be safely dusted using a clean, soft natural artists brush. Be careful not to bump or scratch the painting. The painting should be held in an upright forward angle so the dust falls away from the painting.
• Another safe way to remove dust is to use light compressed air to blow all dust particles off the acrylic surface.
• Never use dry or moist dust cloths, stiff bristle brushes or feather dusters to clean a painting as threads can catch on areas of raised paint and dusters can scratch the painting.
• Never use a liquid or commercial cleaner on a painting. Avoid spraying any fresheners, polish etc directly onto a painting.
• It is advisable to remove paintings off the wall when steam cleaning carpets, plastering or any other things near the artwork.
• Touch the painting as little as possible.  The oils and dirt on your hands can make the paint deteriorate. Wash your hands before handling the painting, and wear cotton gloves when you have to touch it. Skin oils are acidic and can damage artwork over time. Abrasion from rubbing or touching the paint surface can damage or alter the appearance of the work significantly.
• Handle the painting carefully. Take off accessories like rings or bracelets so you don’t nick or tear the canvas. Carry the painting by holding it on its opposite sides with both hands. Don’t carry it flat on top of your open palms.
• Smoking near the painting will damage the paint surface as well.