Art has been celebrated and we have seen the various styles throughout the ages, from the enthralling Venus de Milo to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, from versatile and Titian paintings to the eccentric Picasso. Many of these great painters and sculptors have inspired some of today’s rising stars with their techniques and methods.

Artwork, both old and new, need a bit more care to help them through the numerous weeks they could be in storage before they hang on the walls of your home. Here are some tips to help you pack away your art for storage, as well as how to take care of your art after you decide to take it out to display.

Moisture and Temperature

Checking the temperature of your storage space is always a good place to start. Anything above 20 degrees Celsius is only going to deteriorate the painting faster. Also take care to check the moisture levels of the space you’re thinking of using, as moisture is extremely damaging to the oils and canvas of the painting. Any fluctuation of temperature and moisture in the air could result in discolouration and mould growth on the artwork. This can also be helped along if your chosen space has windows, allowing rain or strong sunlight to come through at specific times of the day. So make sure that if your chosen space has a window or two, that they are closed, sealed and covered with a thick and dark material to protect from sunlight. Consider talking to an art handler and get them to inspect the space. That way, you can have a professional opinion adding credibility to your choice.

Cleanliness

Cleaning all the dust, and other things that can cling to the surface of a painting, can be an ordeal. In order to keep your artwork in a pristine condition, using a microfiber cloth to gently wipe down the surfaces is the best action to take. Anything with chemicals will only affect the materials of the canvas and mess around with the oils and paints used. Dust can also attract dust mites and other creatures that might damage and eat through your painting so take care and make sure to wipe clean all your paintings.

All wrapped up

Wrapping up your paintings may sound simple, however that may potentially damage your paintings if you wrap them up in the wrong material. Plastic isn’t the best option as it creates a vacuum for the painting inside the plastic, trapping any moisture and heat inside and greatly affecting the quality of the painting.

There’s a difference in preparation for storage for framed and unframed paintings. It is recommended that you get unframed paintings wrapped by professional art handlers or conservators because they know how to manage and handle paintings. When packing your paintings away, cardboard boxes that are sturdy enough to not bend or break easily are ideal. Individual boxes for each painting would be best. If that cannot happen, make sure that each of the paintings within the box are separated with dividers.

Framed Paintings

Tissue paper and breathable fabric or material can be used with framed paintings so that heat and moisture don’t affect the state of the painting. For the frame corners, bubble wrap or styrofoam will help to protect both yourself and any others handling the painting. It will also protect the corners and frames from any potential damage that might happen throughout the moving process. If you don’t have any boxes to use, you can use pieces of hardboard and tape them together with packing tape. Make sure that your painting is wrapped securely with a packing blanket or bubble wrap in addition to the tissue paper.

Unframed Paintings

If you don’t have framing, it might be a little more preparation to get it ready for storage. Wrap the painting in silicone release paper that won’t stick to your canvas, and then surround it with hardboard pieces and tape it with packing tape. For added padding and protection, wrap the painting and hardboard in packing blankets or bubble wrap. Make sure that all the materials you use to pack and store your paintings are clean so that nothing will get into the paintings and affect them in any way.

Elevated Pitch

It is common knowledge to art collectors, artists and followers of the art community that leaving art on the floor is not ideal. Putting it on a shelf or pallet to elevate it off the ground is great for the art. Also, unlike mattresses and other household items that you might store, paintings shouldn’t be stored horizontally as they are meant to be hung up. So in storage, it is recommended you store them by hanging them up like you would a normal painting in your home. You can use already existing hooks or if there aren’t any already existing, you can always use detachable hooks that won’t leave any holes or marks when used.

Art storage has a lot of steps and preparation time put into it but it ensures that your artwork is in the best condition from the beginning of its storage time to the end. Spacer has the right space for you, you can filter your search to suit your requirements and inspect the space so that the temperature and moisture levels are stable enough to store your art in.