You are probably here because you managed to create a beautiful masterpiece out of a paint-by-number canvas, and now you want to make sure that it remains perfect over a long period, right? Don’t worry; I have you covered.
Yes, you were right, a canvas and the colors on it will eventually fade away, and it would look unfresh; the look will sooner or later force you into thinking that it’s clutter, and you will end up throwing it away. So, it’s better to find ways to preserve your art before it ends up getting damaged.
The paintings you buy premade are coated with different preservatives for paints, so they stay the same throughout the years. All of this is done commercially, so you probably can’t do that, but what you could do is take some measures to elongate the life of your art.
Let’s not waste more time and dig right into some easy ways to keep your paint-by-number canvas fresh.
What Can You Do to Look After Your Art?
Let’s not waste any more words and get straight to the point because I’m sure you are eager to know every detail.
1. The Sun Won’t Give Any Vitamin D
I know your artwork looks beautiful in the bright sun, in any golden or blue hour; the colors look so fresh and new but did you know that this excessive light is damaging your canvas in ways you can’t even imagine?
The sun will make the colors fade away right before your eyes, and I’m sure you won’t want that to happen to your artwork.
So the best solution to this is to not put up your artwork in any space that receives sunlight 24:7. A little bit here and there is okay, but light 24-7 will damage your canvas immediately.
What If I Want my Artwork in the Display Room Where There is Sunlight?
In that case, you can add a sun-protecting glass made especially for pictures with your frame. This glass will make sure your picture is protected from any harm coming through the light.
2. The Moisture in the Air
Apart from sunlight, one more factor that can ultimately damage your canvas is excessive humidity. This will also directly affect your canvas, and the color will either start to fade or smudge because the canvas will deteriorate from time to time.
To stay away from this issue, try to monitor the humidity in your home and the space that the picture is kept in. Find out ways for the moisture to not affect your painting.
Also, if you know that space is humid, for example, your attic or basement, then don’t hang the picture there, simple.
3. Protected Hands
Any artwork should be treated with delicacy and love, not because you made it but because it’s art, and no matter where you got it from, it’s a legacy of you or someone.
Make sure your hands are protected with cotton gloves only; any other type of gloves like plastic will smudge and damage your painting.
Paint damage will also be done if you touch the painting with bare hands, again and again; it will leave prints, it will smudge it if it’s an oil painting, and the paint will for sure fade through hand contact again and again.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t touch your artwork, take the proper measures before.
4. Buy a Duster
Now that you have decided to preserve your painting and keep it with you. Make sure to go ahead and buy a duster for yourself.
Don’t, and I repeat, don’t, clean your paintings with any cloth, wet or dry, or else you will end up like Mr. Bean on vacation.
But does that mean that you shouldn’t keep your painting clean? Not compiling dust can also result in damaged paintings.
It’s better to use a clean and neat duster to wipe away the impurities. Also, make sure to use a light hand even if you are dusting because harsh dusting will probably tear and damage the canvas.
3 Best Tips for Long-Term Storage
Are you planning to store your painting for a long-term period in a tube or something? Then you would need some extra measures to make sure your painting remains the same even if you take it out after decades. Luckily I have some tips for that situation too.
1. Store in Dark and Excellent Condition
Not just sunlight but excessive heat can also damage your painting. Make sure you keep it in an environment that is not just dark but also cool.
That doesn’t mean storing in a refrigerator but in a place that is not above room temperature.
2. Keep it separate
If you are buying paint by number through Personalize Everything, I’m sure that you will fall in love with their designs and yearn for more.
In the end, you will end up with a load of artwork; now, how will you store all of them? The best tip is not to mix them up; always keep some paint-friendly separation between them so that the paint remains intact and doesn’t smudge.
Also, keep different types of painting together, for example, a separate shelf for oil paintings and a place separate for acrylics.
3. Don’t tube
It does look pretty impressive and admirable, taking out artwork from a tube-like. It’s some treasure map, but tubes are not an excellent option for long-term storage.
This is because your canvas can crack and stain when the paint comes in contact with each other in a tube form.
Instead of tubing your artwork, it’s better if you manage to build operative shelf storage where you can lay all of them down in a flat manner. Make sure to keep separations in between.
Don’t worry; it’s not that hectic; it would look charming and pretty having a separate shelf for all your artwork. Also, this way, it will be more accessible to you.
Other ways
In the end, you can always research a little more and invest in more professional methods like a varnish and other equipment to keep your artwork safe.
Keep in mind that all these means will not be cheap and easy to operate, but once you get ahold of it, the sky is the limit for artwork storage.
Don’t hesitate to invest in some skills and tools to store your masterpieces because it will be worth it in the end.
Also, if you are looking to build more artwork in more straightforward ways, then go for paint by number and order it online only from Personalize Everything.
