(To see the video, click on the play button above)
Are you piling up your artwork? Don’t know what to do with it? Not sure what’s the best way to store your paintings?
Don’t panic! Today I’m going to answer all these questions by sharing my storage methods with you.
Why is it important to store your paintings?
There are several important things to consider when storing your canvas paints:
- Depending on format and quantity, your paintings can take up a lot of space.
- An upholstered frame is fragile, so take care of it and don’t store it haphazardly.
- Opting for a real storage method will allow you to save space, look after and secure your paintings, then find them again very easily.
How I stored my first paintings, the trap
When I started acrylic painting, I was more focused on the creation of my paintings and the results I wanted to achieve than on the “organizational” side of my business! And believe me, it was a mistake that I later paid for.
- I had a tiny apartment and painted in my living room.
- Once a painting was finished, I tended to forget about it quickly, put it down beside my sofa and moved straight on to a new creation.
As a result, I found myself with paintings scattered all over my apartment, many of them damaged over time.
So if I have one piece of advice to give you: never start a new painting without having perfectly finished and tidied up the previous one!
After more than 350 paintings: How I organize myself today
There are many, many ways to store your tables, and I’m only going to tell you about my method here. I wouldn’t say it’s the best way, but it’s the solution that works best in my case.
My business as a professional painter
I am a professional painter and I regularly sell paintings, mainly via the Internet. In this case, I think it is absolutely essential:
- That the quality of my paintings is beyond reproach
- No matter how long I store my painting before selling it, it must be as good as new when the customer buys it.
My method for storing my paintings
In order to meet the above needs, here’s the method I use, which works very well in my case.
For each painting, I proceed as follows:
- I take care to check and fine-tune the details and finishes of the painting.
- I apply my different coats of varnish for finishing purposes (matt) and here above all for protection.
- I sign and countersign my painting (frame(s))
- I wrap my painting individually in bubble wrap.
- I store my paintings vertically (on edge)
Why do I wrap my paintings in bubble wrap?
For various reasons:
- This allows me to secure the painting so that it doesn’t come into contact with the others during storage.
- This will also insulate it from dust and other external aggressions.
- Then I use the same bubble wrap to wrap my painting when it is shipped on the day it finds a buyer.
My storage method: Wide shelves
As you can see from the photo and video. I use dedicated shelves to store my paintings.
Once I’ve packed my painting, all I have to do is put it on the shelf.
Caution: Never stack your paintings on top of each other. Otherwise, over time, you run the risk of warping your frames and marking your canvases.
I recommend storing your paintings vertically on edge. (Like books in a library).
For the following reasons:
- Easy access to tables
- Paintings don’t pile up on top of each other
- You save space
For conlure
You’re going to pile up your paintings very quickly, which is why you need to think about “storage” and “tidying up” right from the start.
It’s important to find an efficient storage method that works for you, and that will keep you functional over the long term. You need to be serene during your creations, so put all the chances on your side 😉
What about you? How do you store your paintings?