1. Avoid contact with the canvas of your painting
Your art order has arrived and you unpack it and quite naturally, almost instinctively, you want to touch the canvas to feel the surface and structure of the paint. We advise against and encourage you to keep hands, cloths and other remedies away from the canvas. Oil paint takes a long time to dry completely. Exactly how long depends on the exact artwork's paint thickness and the indoor climate the painting is in. So see if you can keep your fingers off it and only touch the frame.
2. Hang your painting on a wall
After receiving your artwork, we encourage you to hang it on a wall shortly after. Either temporarily or where it is actually intended to hang. If you place the painting on the floor, dust, hair and other dirt could settle in the still damp paint. Oil paint dries in contact with oxygen, so a good tip is to have it unpacked after receipt. A normal Danish indoor climate is fine conditions for an oil painting. It takes approx. 3 weeks after receiving your art order before the painting is 100% dry.
3. Avoid moisture
If your painting hangs in a damp basement, in a cold attic or in a room with poor ventilation, the paint may crack. Real oil paint is a living substance that can become damp and smudge if stored in damp rooms without air flow. Your basement or attic are therefore poor storage options for an oil painting, as fungus can develop in the paint if the painting is left there for too long. However, a few months in a moving box is no problem. You can possibly make some air holes in the box and the painting's packaging, and put it in a place that is not too humid.
4. Avoid too much sunlight
Oil paint can lose some of its color and shine if it is in constant daily contact with sunlight. This is not the biggest problem in Denmark, but you should be aware of the problem anyway. Choose where you hang your painting carefully and it will last for generations.
5. Do not wipe your painting with a wet cloth
As oil paint is a living substance, you should absolutely refrain from touching the paint at all. Gently brush off your hung painting a few times a year, and avoid the paint coming into contact with any substances that may react with the oil paint.
6. Avoid hanging over radiators
An oil painting does not benefit from being exposed to drought and high temperatures for long periods. In Denmark, where we often have the radiator on, it would therefore be a good idea to hang the painting so that it does not hang directly over a radiator, as the paint does not benefit from being exposed to climatic stress. These were 6 good and simple tips for storing and handling your painting from Kunstbestilling.dk. If the above has given rise to further questions, our answers to the "most frequently asked questions" may be helpful.
Read also: Frequently asked questions
