Oil paintings, both new and old, require a bit more care than a reproduction or a photograph. Providing good care for your oil painting is as much about preventative action as timely cleanings and thoughtful placement. Once you start the good habit of caring for your work of art, the care you provide will become second nature. The proper care will ensure that your oil painting will be around for year and years.

1. Understand what exactly you have in your possession. An oil painting is a work created on canvas that has been stretched over some type of frame. The artist then uses oil based paint, primarily containing linseed oil and pigments, to compose the image. The artist will determine the thickness of the paint applied, which will create a surface texture that can be fragile.

2. Framing your canvas paintings is another simple thing you can do to preserve your work of art. Framing your oil painting will protect the edges of the canvas and limit the possibility of the canvas tearing away from the frame. Do not put glass over your oil painting. The glass, if close enough to the surface of the painting can damage the painting and you will not be able to enjoy the beauty and texture of the painting from behind glass. One popular trend right now is to leave the paintings unframed, which creates a very simple look. If you choose this road just make sure that there aren’t too many things near the paintings that would damage the corners and edges.

3. Placement is also a simple thing you can do to care for your painting. Oil paintings, especially valuable ones, should not be placed on a wall that gets direct sunlight. The UV rays in the sunlight will cause the painting to fade at a faster rate. Also things like candle and cigarette smoke can be harmful to the coloring of the paint and should be kept at a distance.

4. Cleaning the dust from your oil painting will extend the life of the painting. The dust is best removed by using a clean, unused paint brush. Using gentle strokes, you can remove small amounts of dust build up. If you have an outlandishly dusty print then you will need to use warm water, a small amount of mild detergent and a soft cloth to gently wipe the dust from the picture.

5. Placement is also a simple thing you can do to care for your painting. Oil paintings, especially valuable ones, should not be placed on a wall that gets direct sunlight. The UV rays in the sunlight will cause the painting to fade at a faster rate. Also things like candle and cigarette smoke can be harmful to the coloring of the paint and should be kept at a distance.

Adding a piece of art to a room can do wonders, nevertheless great looking art is often very expensive. Not anymore, there are now many vendors online offering ‘ready to hang’ hand painted oil paintings at affordable prices. Decorate your home without spending a fortune with canvas oil art.

Author Bio: Camila is an expert in the field. For more information on oil paintings and on canvas paintings Please visit: http://www.mojodirect.com.au

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: office chairs, computer chairs, coffee tables, office furniture, oil paintings, canvas paintings