Conservation: How to Keep your Paintings Undamaged

Fungus/mold/mildew

For the longevity of every painting, proper care is essential. Fungus/mold is the most common headache of every art collector. In humid areas the attack of fungus will be severe. Always remember that keeping the painting unaffected by fungus is much easier than recovering a painting already under attack. Make fungus check your regular habit. Humidity levels above 65 per cent can cause mold to develop. So the best thing to do is to keep the paintings away from the humid environment. There are some other preventive measures that will be effective. Fungus grows only on surfaces that are not dusted or scrubbed for a long time. Fungi spore present in the atmosphere settles on the painting surface and slowly grows there feeding on the binding medium and sizing in the canvas. The spread may be on both sides of the canvas. Dust that settles on the surface of the painting is another feeding ground. So dusting the painting at regular intervals is the most effective preventive action. Use a soft brush to do this. Do it at least once in every week, and more often during damp seasons. If the growth of fungus/mold is noticed, remove it immediately. Treating with some non corrosive anti fungal agents will prevent the growth, but not for a long period of time. If the painting is framed under glass, the glass has to be removed to do all these. It is not necessary to frame an acrylic painting under glass if it is kept in a clean environment and frequently cleaned carefully. From my personal experiment I have found that giving a petroleum wax polish coating to the painting surface keeps fungus away. But it has to be done with care in order not to give the painting a soaked look. I am also not sure how this is going to affect the painting in the long run. Using dehumidifiers will be an effective but costly option.

Discoloration

Oxidation can affect color change of most materials including paints, supports and adhesives used in a painting. Watercolor paintings are susceptible to such color changes after several years even if the best supplies are used. Exposure to heat, dust and other elements cause this. So it will be a good idea to frame watercolor paintings under glass. Original colors of oil paints also change due to the same reason. But an extra odd against oil painting is the varnish used to coat the oil painting. All varnishes change color over time. Humidity can also affect them. Acrylics are more reliable on this front as no varnish is necessary on an acrylic painting. Also acrylic in simple terms is a kind of plastic. Everyone knows that plastic is long lasting. (In fact that is the main argument against it in the first place. But in our case this is godsend.) While discoloration in oil paints reduces the contrast of the painting, in the case of acrylic, slight color changes only help to unify the painting. Now, what are the preventive measures here? The most important is not to expose the painting to excessive heat, light, UV rays, humidity and dust. Strong lighting used directly on the painting can weaken the painting over time. Always use diffused lighting and if possible use a UV filter. Don’t ever leave a painting in direct sunlight.

Damage by Insects

Often paintings are placed near a light source and this will attract small insects during the evening and night. They can cause irreparable damage to the painting if the painting is not framed under glass. So make sure to switch off lights near the paintings if insects are around. Silverfish can also eat away your paintings. Regular inspection and cleaning will prevent such insect and larvae attacks. Hanging the painting at a little distance from the wall by using some small bush will also be helpful. From time to time clean the wall covered by the painting.

Restoration

Restoration of a damaged artwork is no child’s play. It requires professional competence. Art restoration professionals are not easy to find in India, in spite of the hectic activity in the Indian art field. Know about Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), engaged in such activities and some professionals there from this article

More Articles on how to care for your paintings will appear here every month. Meanwhile if you have your own ideas or experience on the care and conservation of paintings, please write to me at varnachitra@yahoo.co.in