Keeping your artwork out of direct sunlight is the most important thing you can do to protect it. That goes for oil paintings, family photographs, children's drawings and anything else you have framed.
Where you hang a picture decides how well it lasts. Framed prints need protecting from reflected sunlight as well as direct. The most damaging light comes through south-facing windows, and white walls make matters worse by bouncing more of it around the room.
Which materials are most sensitive
- Very sensitive: textiles.
- Sensitive: felt-tip pen, watercolours, pastels and the inks used to print photographs.
- Moderately sensitive: oil paintings.
Framing for the best protection
Textiles
UV glazing helps preserve textiles, but it will not stop fading on its own if the piece sits in direct or reflected sunlight, so think about where it will hang. Canvas prints made with UV inks are the exception, because those inks are usually fade resistant.
Oil and acrylic paintings
Strong afternoon sun does the most harm. Varnish adds some protection, much as UV glazing does, but with oils the bigger danger is the heat of direct sunlight rather than the UV. Aim to hang oil paintings in a room that stays between about 16 and 26 degrees.
Watercolours
Watercolours fade in sunlight and suffer in damp air. Direct sun over a long period is likely to cause fading that cannot be reversed. Hang them where humidity stays under 60%, which rules out the kitchen, the bathroom and any room where humidity swings sharply.
What to hang where
- Canvas prints. Those printed with UV-resistant inks need no extra UV protection, but it is still not a good idea to leave them in direct sun for long.
- Oil paintings. Choose somewhere with a steady temperature and humidity: a dimly lit hallway, a landing, a staircase or the shaded part of a room.
- Textiles. These are hard to protect even with UV glazing. Keep them out of indirect sunlight too, and away from fireplaces and radiators.
- Anything on paper. Drawn or printed ink fades with too much sun, so consider rotating your pictures with the seasons: canvas prints in summer, watercolours and family photographs in winter when there is less light.
Light is the enemy of every print, whether a treasured family photograph or a delicate watercolour. Even low light does damage through repeated exposure over the years.
Not sure what a picture needs? Call EasyFrame on 01234 856 501 or email sales@EasyFrame.co.uk. We are happy to talk it through even if you do not want to buy.