How to store art materials to keep them in the best condition

Works of art should be stored in conditions in which you would expect to feel comfortable yourself. Dampness must be avoided to prevent mould growing on paper, canvas, wood or gesso. Extremes of temperature should be avoided. Work should be kept in the house, not in the garage, shed or attic where temperatures are very cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Extreme cold may cause paintings to crack.

The best way of storing canvas is to hang them, but, in the absence of this option, keep the paintings upright and use polystyrene between each canvas. Make sure the polystyrene is larger than the painting. Store in a cool and dry environment, ideally at around 21 degrees Celsius and 45% humidity. Keep in a place where there are no insects that could damage the canvas, i.e. not a basement or attic.

It is understood that high humidity is a contributing factor to foxing (Brown rust like patches or stains which are usually a species of mould) so storing artwork out of conditions of high humidity is a prudent precautionary measure. If you decide to store artwork in plastic sleeves, take care not to use plastics that contain plasticizers, such as Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). The plasticizers leach out over time and stick paper to the inside of the sleeve. Check that the plastic sleeve is made from materials such as polypropylene that contain no plasticizer.

Silicon release paper is good to put between works done on paper. If the work is not smudgeproof or thick paint films are likely to be squashed, a mount can be used to separate the surface of the picture from the next one. A piece of work that is approximately 56 x 76cm will require a mount approximately 38mm wide to support the piece on top of it.