So, you just purchased/received a beautiful, new
watercolor painting, now what? There are
really just a few important things to know about your watercolor painting in
order to keep it bright, vibrant, and unblemished.
1. Get
your painting framed with a glass
protective panel. This is important, a regular frame with no glass will
leave your watercolor vulnerable to dust, smudges, water damage etc. Did you know that watercolor can reconstitute
itself when water is added? That means
the paint can shift, lift, drip etc. A glass front will protect against water
damage. It will also keep the dust off. You can’t just dust a watercolor painting as
the paper is sensitive to marks and is a delicate surface. A well framed piece will also help keep out
insects that can damage the paper. It is
very difficult to repair a damaged watercolor painting, so keep it protected.
2. Avoid
direct sunlight. Watercolor
paintings are sensitive to sunlight. The colors can fade, and the paper can
become brittle. The recommended level of light for displaying watercolors in
museums is 50 LUX, and it is only recommended for short periods of
display. You can measure the light
levels with a simple camera meter.
However, I simply recommend keeping your painting out of direct sunlight
and avoid shining a spotlight on the work.
Remember, you bought the piece to enjoy it, so don’t fret too much. Just be prudent.
3. Hang
the painting away from household pollutants and high humidity areas. Don’t hang a watercolor over a fireplace,
near a stove, or in a bathroom. The soot
from fireplaces can damage a work of art.
Also, the shifts in humidity that occur in the bathroom or near a stove
can cause moisture to build up inside the frame. Eventually, you may have a mold problem and
have to take the work to be professionally cleaned. Try to find a location with more consistent
humidity levels.
4. If the work does need to be repaired, find a professional. You can usually find a good conservator by calling your local museum for recommendations. If you did happen to purchase your work directly from the artist, you can also try contacting that person and ask if they would mind trying to repair the damage themselves. (Depending on how extensive the damage, if it an OwlEyes Art© production, I may be able to repair the problem area or possibly replicate a duplicate.
That’s it.
Beyond that, just sit back and
enjoy your watercolor painting!
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