Take Care of Your Creation

An oil painting is not just some poster type thing you purchased at the local super store.  It is an expression of someone's thoughts, feelings, or personal life.  It is beauty and style with a sense of personal-ism.  An oil painting is someone's creation.  With proper care, your painting can last for generations.

You should never touch the painting it's self.  Always handle it by the frame.  Never allow anything to come into contact with the back or front of the painting, either.  A canvas is pliable and can easily tear or have a hole poked into it. 

In order to clean an oil painting, you should give it a light dusting with an extremely soft brush.  Do not use sprays or chemicals on it at any time. Should there be damage or a dirt spot which is not able to be taken care of, have it repaired or cleaned professionally.  You may think you are capable of doing this, however there are professionals who have been trained to handle original art pieces valued into the thousands.  They know what they are doing.

Do not hang an oil painting in direct sunlight. This can fade the paint.  It is advisable to hang the painting in an area with a rather constant temperature.  Great changes in temperature can damage the painting over time.  It is never advisable to hang an oil painting near an outside door or a window which is opened frequently.

For short storage or transporting, you can put cardboard on both sides of the canvas and wrap the entire painting, frame and all, in bubble wrap.   A wooden crate with a moisture proof filling is recommended for long term storage or major shipping.

If you want to, when you have your painting framed, you can ask the framer to put the artwork under glass.  This will ensure the risk of damage is at a minimum.