Print Care
Light, air and hands: how to keep a print for a lifetime.
Four Things To Mind
Light, Air & hands
A pigment print on cotton rag outlives its owner if it is kept from strong light, damp and fingers.
Light
No direct sun; a north or east room is kindest. UV museum glass doubles a print's life.
Air
Between 40% and 55% humidity, away from radiators, fireplaces, bathrooms and kitchens.
Hands
Cotton gloves; hold an unframed print by two edges, never by a corner.
Hanging
Two hooks, the wire taut; on an outside wall, two small spacers behind the frame.
Display Check
How Long WillIt last There?
Pigment on cotton rag is rated for about 110 years before visible fading at 450 lux, 12 hours a day, behind standard glass. Tell us about the wall and we will scale it.
Year To Year
Keeping It well
- The GlassA soft, barely damp cloth
- The FrameA dry brush; gilt never wet
- StoringFlat, interleaved, in the dark
- MovingBack in its crate, upright
- ReframingReturn it to the studio