How to Care for Your Original Oil Painting

So, you've found a Shay Pappas painting you love and it's coming home with you. Exciting!

And now you might be wondering… How on earth do I look after it?

The good news is that an original oil painting isn't as delicate or frightening as you might think. Your painting is meant to be lived with. It can hang above the sofa, become part of your gallery wall, be admired over your morning coffee, and yes, you can even touch it if you feel the urge. It's not a museum!

A little common sense and a little care will help your original artwork stay beautiful for many years to come.

Here are my tips for looking after your painting once it arrives home.

Where should I hang my painting?

The first thing to think about is where your painting will be happiest.

I recommend choosing a wall away from direct sunlight, heaters, fireplaces, damp areas and big changes in temperature or humidity.

A living room, bedroom, hallway, study or dining room can all be lovely places for an original oil painting. You don't need a perfectly climate-controlled house — most normal Australian homes are absolutely fine.

Just try to avoid the extremes.

Be careful with direct sunlight

This is probably the biggest one.

I use professional-quality oil paints, but even high-quality artists' pigments can vary in their lightfastness. Some colours are more sensitive to strong, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and can fade over time.

The UV and heat from strong sunlight can also affect the materials around the artwork. Over many years, prolonged exposure can contribute to changes in the paint, varnish and timber frame.

This doesn't mean your painting needs to live in a dark room!

Just avoid hanging it somewhere that receives strong, direct sunlight for long periods of the day. Indirect natural light is generally much kinder.

Keep your painting away from heaters and fireplaces

It can be tempting to hang a beautiful painting above a fireplace, but I'd think twice about it.

Direct heat can cause the timber frame and the artwork to heat and cool repeatedly. Over time, these changes can contribute to movement in the timber and potentially affect the painting and frame causing warping or paint cracking.

The same goes for heaters, particularly if the painting is sitting directly above one.

Distance between the heat source and your artwork is a good thing.

What about humidity?

Australia has some wonderfully varied weather, from very dry conditions to high humidity and everything in between.

Oil paintings don't need a special room, but they do prefer a reasonably stable environment.

Try to avoid hanging or storing your artwork somewhere that is consistently damp or humid, such as a bathroom or a damp laundry.

I'd also avoid storing paintings long-term in places such as sheds, garages or other areas where temperature and humidity can change dramatically.

Why?

Because the painting and the timber frame are made from materials that respond to their environment. Timber can expand and contract with changes in moisture and temperature, and over time this movement can contribute to warping or joints opening in a frame.

Your home doesn't need to be perfect. Just avoid the extremes.

How do I clean my painting?

This is one of those times when less is definitely more.

If your painting has gathered a little surface dust, use a clean, very soft, dry brush to gently remove it.

A clean, soft natural-hair artist's brush works beautifully.

Gently brush the surface without pressing down.

Please don't use:

• a wet cloth
• water
• household cleaning products
• glass cleaner
• furniture polish
• sprays or aerosols
• a feather duster that might catch on the surface
• a vacuum cleaner

And please don't rub the painted surface with a cloth, even if it looks perfectly soft.

Oil paint has texture, and depending on the painting, there may be raised brushwork and layers that you don't want to disturb.

Can I touch the painting?

Yes!

Well… within reason. 😉

I actually love that my paintings are going into homes to be lived with, rather than sitting behind velvet ropes.

If you want to gently touch the texture of your painting, make sure your hands are clean and dry first.

The oils and dirt naturally present on our hands aren't something you want transferred onto the artwork, so I'd avoid touching the surface regularly.

But if you simply can't resist feeling all that lovely texture once in a while?

Clean hands. Gentle touch. You're allowed.

A little bit about varnish

For my current oil paintings, I use archival lean and fat mediums as I work. The paintings are generally touch-dry within around two weeks, after which I apply Gamvar (this seals the painting to protect it)

Although an oil painting may feel dry when you receive it, the paint will continue to cure for a long time afterwards.

That's completely normal.

So please don't be alarmed if you read that oil paintings can take years to fully cure. Your painting is ready to go out into the world when I send it to you, but the layers beneath the surface continue their natural curing process over time.

How should I hang my painting?

My paintings are fitted with D-rings and wire on the back.

For larger paintings, I recommend using two hanging points on the wall rather than relying on one central hook.

This helps distribute the weight and keeps a larger artwork secure and sitting nicely on the wall.

When hanging your painting, make sure you're using wall fixings suitable for the type of wall you have, plasterboard, brick, concrete and other surfaces all require different fixing methods.

If you're unsure, a professional art installer or picture hanger is a very good investment.

And one little tip when moving a painting:

It is best to hold the artwork securely by the sides of the frame.

Moving house or transporting your painting

If your painting is moving house with you, give it a little extra protection.

Don't put anything directly against the painted surface and don't place other objects on top of it.

If you're transporting a framed painting yourself, protect the frame and artwork with suitable wrapping and keep it secure so it can't slide, fall or have objects placed against it.

And if you're moving a particularly large artwork, it's worth getting professional help.

Accidental damage isn't covered by my frame guarantee, so a little extra care when moving your artwork is definitely worthwhile.

What if I need to store my painting?

Sometimes life gets in the way. You might be renovating, moving house or simply changing your interiors.

If your painting needs to be stored temporarily, choose a clean, dry, temperature-stable indoor space.

Keep it away from damp areas, garages and sheds where possible.

If you have more than one artwork, don't stack them face-to-face with the painted surfaces touching.

And never place heavy objects on top of a painting.

Ideally, keep artwork protected and supported securely rather than leaning somewhere it could easily fall.

What if the frame gets marked or damaged?

My current frames are made from natural, unvarnished timber, so they have a lovely simple, natural finish.

If the timber frame gets a small mark, it can generally be very lightly sanded to remove the mark.

Just be extremely careful to protect the artwork while doing this. You don't want sandpaper anywhere near your painting!

Some of my earlier paintings have frames with an interior wood varnish. If one of these frames becomes marked or you simply want to refresh the finish, the frame can be carefully sanded back to bare timber and re-varnished.

The artwork should be removed from the frame before doing this.

If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, a professional framer can help.

What if something seems wrong with the painting?

Oil paintings naturally change as they age. Small changes over many years can be part of the normal life of an artwork.

But if something about the painting seems unusual for its age or isn't behaving as you would reasonably expect, please contact me.

If there is an issue with the painting itself that is the result of something in the making or finishing of the artwork, I will work with you to put it right.

I want you to feel comfortable contacting me if you're worried about something. Please don't try to repair, clean, scrape or re-varnish the artwork yourself first.

Send me a photo and let's have a chat.

And what about the frame?

I guarantee my frames against structural damage for two years.

This covers things such as the frame warping or coming apart due to a structural issue.

It doesn't cover accidental damage, for example, if the painting is dropped, knocked or damaged, or if it is moved without appropriate protection.

After the two-year period, if a timber frame has warped or a joint has come apart, it may simply be time for the artwork to be re-framed.

Timber is a natural material, after all, and sometimes a new frame is the best way to give an older painting a fresh life.

Most importantly, enjoy it

I think this might be my most important piece of advice.

Don't be afraid to live with your painting.

Hang it somewhere you will see it every day.

Move it around your home if you feel like it.

Look at it from across the room. Sit close and look at the texture. Let the morning light fall across it. Notice something new about it six months from now.

That's the whole point of owning an original painting.

It's not supposed to be perfect and untouched forever.

It's supposed to become part of your home and your life.

And if you're ever unsure about something, whether it's hanging, cleaning, moving, storing or simply “Is this normal?” please get in touch. I'd always rather you ask.

Shay x