Brellian’s art prints are printed on high quality archival matte paper. It is important to understand that the quality after purchase is highly dependent on the long term care of this product. This item was given to you in a cello bag for this reason. Be sure to store it in a sealed frame, away from heat (ultraviolet rays in sunlight can cause fading), and in a place w/ controlled humidity.

 

Paper has a tendency to be fragile, it can wrinkle, tear, and bend, so it needs to be handled with care. There are several environmental factors that affect a print’s longevity. Such factors include pollution, light, heat, humidity, smoke, cooking fumes, dust and air circulation. 

Important Notes:

Do not remove the print from the Cello bag provided until you are ready to frame. When handling your print make sure to touch only the edge of the paper and handle gently when placing it in/out of frames. Consider where you place your print as an important part of preservation. Do not place it in direct sunlight or near any heat/water source. Extreme temperature fluctuations cause your paper to expand and contract, causing a rippling effect on prints that are not surface mounted and protected by glazing. Use only 100% acid free mounting and matting materials. 

Remember to read everything on this page to have a FULL understanding of how to protect your prints!

The list above is just provided to give you a starting point as to how to care for your prints. The following is a more in-depth explanation of how to and why you should protect them.

 

What to avoid:

Sunlight

Where you hang your print will have a major impact on its longevity. You should never hang your prints in direct sunlight, regardless of the type of protection/framing used. The colors of your print can fade due to the exposure of light. Remember, the print was printed with chemicals and chemicals change if the right environments are provided. Exposing prints to direct sunlight is one of the most frequent mistakes made by art patrons.

Much like your skin, your prints need UV protection. UV acrylic or glass frames are recommended to minimize the effects of harmful ultraviolet rays. Indoor lighting can also affect your art prints. Do not place lamps too close to art prints and keep them away from direct heat sources. Most light bulbs in your house will range from 30-60watts; so the average 40 watt bulb should be no closer than 18 inches to the print.

Humidity:

Humidity can cause molding and discoloration spots. Relative humidity should be between 40% and 60%. 

If you use prints as decor for your bathrooms or places with water exposure, acrylic plastic glazing is recommended along with having the back of the print sealed so moisture doesn't touch the print. 

Heat and Temperature:

Extreme temperature fluctuations cause expansion and contractions of paper and can cause a rippling effect on prints that are not surfaced mounted and protected by glazing.

Do not hang an art print over or near heating or heated air ducts. A permanent humidity below 40 percent will dry out the paper and make them brittle. Museums keep a constant temperature in their exhibition rooms for this purpose.

It is not generally recommended to hang art over fireplaces. 

Pollution:

Indoor pollution can affect art prints. Pollutants such as acids in papers and furniture, carpets, paints, dust and dirt, and any other particulate materials or chemical fumes. Try to keep your art print in the cello bag if it is not framed. 

HANDLING PAPER

A lot of publications will tell you to not touch art prints with your hands and wear white cotton gloves. The oils and contaminants on your hands will damage the print and cause discoloration and/or fading over time. If you do not have gloves, wash your hands thoroughly before handling the art print.

Always lift the print by opposite corners (for example, top left and bottom right), letting the print gently bow or sag in the middle. Un-mounted prints and posters are vulnerable to crescent moon-shaped creases. Be careful to avoid dents and creases as they can be very difficult or impossible to remove later

Treat your fine art print as if you were a museum curator. Handle them very carefully and your fine art print will reward you with a long life.

If your print comes with a border, do not trim the paper. This area is used for handling. It is the portion of the image that you place under the matting or frame so no materials ever touch the actual printed portion. This is often where the artist will sign the print.

STORING PRINTS

For home or office storage: Keep the print in its mounted frame. If you have loose prints, they should not be stored with the faces of two prints in direct contact with each other. It is recommended that each giclee art print is stored in a separate folder of acid-free paper and in a horizontal position.

You should check the placement of your prints regularly for insects. Wormholes or worm tracks caused by silverfish or other pests will damage the prints.

 

Glazing is important to protect the print from various types of damage resulting from sources such as smoke, ozone, cooking fumes and human touch or being abraded.

Should you use glass or acrylic glazing? Glass can be less expensive but heavy and will glare unless you have non-reflective or museum quality glass. The non-reflective glass is not completely clear and will affect the ability to see the details in the print. Many believe that glass with non-glare elements, even museum glass, will affect the clarity of the picture.

Acrylic plastic is often considered the best solution. It causes no condensation and acrylic plastic is offered with (UV) ultraviolet light absorbers. These high-tech protective panes provide a crystal-clear cover for your print, along with the added benefit of UV ray shielding. They are much lighter and are 4-5 times more impact-resistant than standard framer's glass. In the rare occasion that it does break, acrylic glazing is shatter resistant and therefore much less likely to damage your artwork or cause injury.

Others will say that glass is best but only if it is thin museum glass. Glass is easy to cut, chemically inert, and resistant to scratches. Museum style glass has a transparent, anti-reflective coating that makes it nearly invisible. This is not the old-style frosted glass that was used to reduce glare. Museum glass has a coating similar to what is used on modern camera lenses. The coating minimizes reflections, making the glass very difficult to see. 

If you live in an area prone to earthquakes or you have a larger size print you may prefer the acrylic glazing.

Use only 100% acid free mounting and matting materials.

Be sure the mat separates the print from the glazing. Prints should never come in contact with or touch the glazing. You can use a 4-ply mat for prints up to 16 x 20 prints or use an 8-ply or double mat for larger prints to protect them from bowing and touching the glazing.

Larger prints need more support to keep them from bowing in the middle over time and touching the glazing. You can use an extra layer of 100% acid free foam core attached to the back of the mount board on prints larger than 16 inch x 20 inch.