Preserving works on paper

WORKS ON PAPER(*) DESERVE SPECIAL ATTENTION IN TERMS OF CONSERVATION. HERE ARE A FEW BASIC RULES:

 

1. AVOID EXPOSURE TO UV

Sunlight is enemy number 1 for works on paper! UV rays burn pigments and turn paper yellow. To preserve your most precious works, the first rule is to avoid leaving them in direct sunlight. Instead, hang them in a dark area. The Bibliothèque Nationale de France recommends a maximum exposure period of 3 months per year for its works on paper [link below / text in French].

 

2. STABLE CONDITIONS

Protect your drawings from humidity and temperature variations. Conditions must be stable. According to museum curators, the ideal room temperature is between 18 and 20°C, with a humidity level of 50 to 60%. So avoid storing or hanging your drawings above or near a radiator or heat source, in a damp place or near a door or window, for example. The principle is to avoid any difference in temperature, since paper reacts like a sponge when it comes into contact with water. Too damp, and it develops mildew; too dry, and its fibers become brittle and shrink.

 

3. AVOID HANDLING YOUR DRAWINGS

It may sound strange, but in absolute terms, the best way to preserve a work on paper is not to show it or handle it. Avoid putting your fingers directly on the paper! Moulds love to feed on sebum, the grease emanating from your fingers. In museums, professionals wear white cotton gloves to avoid this kind of mishap.

 

4. USE ANTI-UV FRAMING

The best way to preserve and enjoy a drawing is to frame it under glass with special anti-UV glass. The price of the latter has fallen considerably in recent years, and the extra cost is much lower than that of ordinary or anti-reflective glass.

 

If you keep your works on paper well protected and away from direct sunlight, they should last for decades.

 

 

(*) recommendations valid for all types of artwork on paper: original drawings, etchings, lithographs, silkscreens or even photographs

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