Protecting Your Canvas Artwork - A Glass Act
Traditionally, oil paintings on canvas are stretched over bars then mounted in a frame or hung as is.
Many people enjoy the visual weight and the tactile appearance.
However, there is a growing trend towards protecting the oil paintings behind either glass or acrylic.
So do you or do you not put glass on your artwork? Here is a lesson we all can learn from my stainless steel fridge and wall oven.
Several years ago we moved into our current home and proceeded to renovate the kitchen.
The first to go was the yellowed white appliances to be replaced by stylish stainless steel.
The fridge soon became the stuff of which nightmares are made.
It looks great but the panels show every splash, every fingerprint and every scuff.
I am constantly cleaning it.
To make matters worse, it requires a specialized cleaner and did you know, if you do not wipe with the grain of the steel using a very clean soft cloth, it scratches? Yes, it did not take long for my fridge to look used! My wall oven is a totally different story.
Boy, someone was thinking! The door is also stainless steel but completely covered and protected with glass.
It still has a perfect stainless steel look but the glass does not show every little mark, wipes up quickly and does not scratch! So how does this relate to framing canvas paintings? One of the biggest threats to your oil painting is the environment: dust, air pollution, UV rays, smoke, pet hair, kids with crayons, spilled red wine.
The list is endless.
Canvas is porous and if left open to room air, it actually acts like a filter for that air, absorbing chemical and particulate pollution.
How much pollution do you want your canvas to filter out of the room air? It is much easier to clean the glass than to pay for an expert conservator to restore the painting.
Many museums are now choosing the additional protection that glass affords for their works of art.
You need to ask yourself these questions: o Am I planning to keep the artwork and enjoy it for a long time? o Am I planning on eventually reselling the artwork for a profit? o Is the artwork of personal value to me? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, choose glass.
Keep in mind when using glass, one of the most important things is that the glass needs to be spaced so it does not touch the artwork.
A professional picture framer can advise you in this regard as well as recommend a quality UV protecting glass that will preserve the clarity of the artwork.
Again, remember it is much easier to protect your artwork now than try to repair or replace it later.
Many people enjoy the visual weight and the tactile appearance.
However, there is a growing trend towards protecting the oil paintings behind either glass or acrylic.
So do you or do you not put glass on your artwork? Here is a lesson we all can learn from my stainless steel fridge and wall oven.
Several years ago we moved into our current home and proceeded to renovate the kitchen.
The first to go was the yellowed white appliances to be replaced by stylish stainless steel.
The fridge soon became the stuff of which nightmares are made.
It looks great but the panels show every splash, every fingerprint and every scuff.
I am constantly cleaning it.
To make matters worse, it requires a specialized cleaner and did you know, if you do not wipe with the grain of the steel using a very clean soft cloth, it scratches? Yes, it did not take long for my fridge to look used! My wall oven is a totally different story.
Boy, someone was thinking! The door is also stainless steel but completely covered and protected with glass.
It still has a perfect stainless steel look but the glass does not show every little mark, wipes up quickly and does not scratch! So how does this relate to framing canvas paintings? One of the biggest threats to your oil painting is the environment: dust, air pollution, UV rays, smoke, pet hair, kids with crayons, spilled red wine.
The list is endless.
Canvas is porous and if left open to room air, it actually acts like a filter for that air, absorbing chemical and particulate pollution.
How much pollution do you want your canvas to filter out of the room air? It is much easier to clean the glass than to pay for an expert conservator to restore the painting.
Many museums are now choosing the additional protection that glass affords for their works of art.
You need to ask yourself these questions: o Am I planning to keep the artwork and enjoy it for a long time? o Am I planning on eventually reselling the artwork for a profit? o Is the artwork of personal value to me? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, choose glass.
Keep in mind when using glass, one of the most important things is that the glass needs to be spaced so it does not touch the artwork.
A professional picture framer can advise you in this regard as well as recommend a quality UV protecting glass that will preserve the clarity of the artwork.
Again, remember it is much easier to protect your artwork now than try to repair or replace it later.
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