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Artworks

Many families have sketches and sometimes watercolours and oil paintings that were produced during the rare leisure moments of wartime.

Regularly check artworks to see if there are signs of deterioration. If a painting has tears, large dents or flaking paint, or is dirty, contact a conservator to fix these problems.

Oil paintings are quite durable and can last several hundred years without any attention if kept in a good environment. Unfortunately, some oil paintings have been improperly cared for and are now in a fragile condition. Oil paintings in good condition, with no flaking paint, can be dusted gently with a soft brush.

Watercolours need special care. Obviously a watercolour needs to be kept away from wet or damp areas. Some watercolour pigments, especially those in less expensive paints, can be prone to fading if exposed to high levels of light.

Don't attempt to clean a painting-oils or watercolours-with any liquid as it could cause irreparable or expensive damage.

Pastels, charcoal or chalk art can be difficult to care for. You should not try to 'fix' pastels with hair spray or art fixatives as these can alter their appearance. If the artwork has been executed in one of these media, seek professional advice on how to prevent smudging.

Pencil or ink sketches are generally quite durable, but if you wish to display these it is probably best to have a high quality photographic copy made for show, rather than risking damage to the original through exposure to light.

Unframed works (but not pastels, charcoal or chalk) should be stored in smooth paper folders, preferably of acid-free paper or a paper such as neutral glassine. If possible, store artwork flat. Rolling and unrolling will damage brittle papers and delicate images. Pastels, charcoal and chalk art works are best stored in their frames.

When framing an art work on paper, the item should be sandwiched in a mat consisting of a mount-board window and a backing board. Both boards should be 4-ply (or heavier), acid-free, buffered, conservation mount board.

Chipboard, Masonite or other timber sheeting must not be used behind the artwork.

The artwork should not touch the glazing, so use a window mount to separate them.

The artwork should be hinged to the backing board with gummed paper or paper tabs with a water-soluble adhesive. The tabs are attached to the top of the back of the artwork. Adhesive tapes, heat-set tissues or contact cements should not be used as they can damage the artwork

You can use an acrylic material such as Perspex or Plexiglas instead of glass. It has the advantage of being lighter and less easily broken than glass. Specify an ultraviolet-absorbing material such as Perspex 9 or Plexiglas 201, if possible. However, as acrylic develops static, it can damage pastels and other powdery media. These should be framed with glass. The frame itself should have a deep rebate behind to allow air movement.

When displaying art on paper, hang the item away from direct sunlight or bright light. Light can fade coloured papers and media and cause darkening of white papers.

Do not place art works above heaters or fireplaces where rapid changes in temperature occur. This can lead to cycles of drying out and condensation within the sealed frame which can lead to deterioration of the art work.

The hanger on the wall should be properly fixed and of a type and size that will bear the weight of the picture and frame. The screws or eyehooks on the frame should be strong and firmly attached. Use picture wire, rather than cord, to hang the art work.