More Print Conservation

Our friend Estéban stopped by the studio the other day with an etching he had purchased from Maureen 15 years ago. The print was badly stained and he wanted to know if it could be restored. Maureen carefully unframed the print and examined it. There was nothing wrong with the etching; it was impeccably printed on 250 gram handmade Ph-neutral paper. The problem was in the framing, which our friend freely confessed, had been "very econmical."

So economical, in fact, that the framer had simply Scotch taped the etching into the frame, then backed it with a sheet of thin plywood. Over the years the acid in the wood had worked its way through the print, leaving generous brown stains all over it. Seeing this serious framing slipup, I am moved to remind everyone in the World Printmakers karass of the importance of taking better care of your valuable prints.

It's the Framing, Stupid

When framing, the first thing you should specify to your framer is that he or she employ only acid-free, Ph-neutral materials, right down to backing boards, adhesive tape and, if you want to be extra punctilious, even the molding used for framing. In time even a wooden molding can transmit its acid to the paper. Also, the frame's glass should never be permitted to touch the print. There should always be an air space between them. Of course, if you are lucky enough to find a museum-quality framer, you won't have to explain anything to him. And if you express an interest, he will explain a lot of things to you.

Though faulty framing is the primary source of print deterioration, it's not the only one. Just the ultraviolet rays in the ambient light in the room where your prints are hung will affect them over time, to say nothing of direct sunlight, which is mortal for works of art. Haven't you noticed the extreme low light levels in the print rooms of museums? That's why.

So, when you have your prints framed, ask the framer to use UF3 Plexiglas instead of plain glass. That will protect the work from 98% of UV light. Of course, this introduces a new variable in the mix. Plexiglas is softer than normal glass and scratches very easily, so be careful in that respect. While we're on the subject, you should also be careful not to clean the surface of the special Plexiglas with window cleaner or other solvent, which will remove the UV-protective coating. Even if you don't disturb the anti-UV layer, it will deteriorate with time. Conscientious collectors will have it changed every five-ten years.

Beware of Papers in Drawers

Even unframed prints are liable to deterioration if they're not thoughtfully protected from acidity, dampness and light. The most common source of acidity which comes into direct contact with unframed prints is the grease content of fingerprints. Even recently washed fingers retain enough body oils to affect prints over time. So when friends or clients come to look at and handle your prints, make sure your provide white cotton gloves for them to wear. (If you're selling your prints, this white-cotton-glove measure also helps to lend a magical aura of importance to the whole process.)

Just putting prints in a folder in a drawer is not enough. Most drawers are made of wood, which has lethal acidic content for prints. Though the ideal solution for storing prints is not to put them in wooden drawers, the least you can do is to wrap them in acid-free tissue paper and put them in acid-free boxes.

Prints Like a Healthy Atmosphere

Atmospheric conditions in the room where they are stored are also a factor in print protection. The ideal ambience is a room with stable, moderate temperature and humidity, and free of dust and contamination. Dampness encourages the growth of fungi, which show up on prints as small brown stains which experts refer to as "foxing." These stains can removed by a professional paper restorer, but not without compromising the lifespan of the paper. Nor are extreme dryness and cold good for your prints, which will tend to crack after long periods under these conditions.

Fine-art prints should only be rolled when absolutely necessary, and for the shortest possible period. (And screen prints should never be rolled, as their ink is prone to cracking.) If prints must be rolled for mailing, for example, they should be encased in tissue paper and rolled with the image side out, then taken out and flattened as soon as possible.

If you take all of these extreme preventive measures, you would like to think that your prints would be 100% "bulletproof." Is that always the case? Not necessarily. The unforseen is always apt to rear its ugly head. A few nights ago Maureen left her studio door ajar and one of our neighborhood tomcats walked in and urinated generously up against the glass of a recently framed print she had sitting against the wall at the back of a table.

Some Previous WP Articles on Print Conservation

Interview with Pedro Barbáchano, maestro paper restorer: http://www.worldprintmakers.com/wrkshops/barbeny/marcado1.htm

Framing for Conservation by Pedro Barbáchano:
http://www.worldprintmakers.com/wrkshops/barbeny/marcado1.htm