Congratulations! You've either purchased or are considering purchasing an original watercolor painting! Watercolor is a bit different from acrylic or oil based paints, and can sometimes be the high-maintenance, overly dramatic cousin of the art world, so read on to learn how to properly preserve it's beauty for years to come.
Matting & Framing
You have to mat and frame your watercolor painting! Leaving your painting exposed can quickly cause damage, due to changes in the environment and moisture in the air.
Make sure your mat is thick enough that there is plenty of space between the glass of the frame and your painting. If the artwork is too close to the glass, it could stick to it over time. Also, sticking to the glass + humidity in the room = mold, and no one wants a moldy painting.
When choosing a mat and backer board, make sure they're both archival and 100% acid-free. Acidity in the materials will damage watercolor paper, so this is ver important.
To adhere the painting to the mat, use an acid-free paper tape. Glue will damage the painting, whereas the tape will not. When framing, make sure you are putting your backer board behind your painting before hanging to give it an additional layer of protection.
If you are not comfortable doing this, please, take your painting to a professional framer.
Temperature
Watercolor paintings need to be in a room that is temperature controlled - not too hot or too cold - and they hate humidity. Don't hang them in places like bathrooms, on your porch (even if it's enclosed), above your radiator or oven, or anywhere that does not stay a consistent, average room temperature.
Don't hang your painting in direct sunlight, as this can make the paint fade and yellow over time. Even with lightfast watercolor paint, fading can still be a problem when the painting is continually exposed to sunlight. Save the bright window space for your plant babies, not your art babies.
I hope you find these tips helpful! If you have any other questions on how to care for your art, just reach out to us!