Here is a quick (but certainly not comprehensive) list of points for your consideration, as it pertains to art materials and their longevity and/or durability: Certain materials have inherent properties that make them less likely to fade or deteriorate over time. Certain pigments are consistently and reliably known for being fade-resistant when exposed to light, some pigment or color families (for example, fluorescents) are known for fading quickly and sometimes completely when exposed to light, and other pigments vary in lightfastness depending upon manufacturer and require the artist to conduct at-home lightfast tests. Over-diluting acrylic paint with water when applying the paint to a primed canvas can result in the destabilization of the bonds of the paint, putting the dried paint film (and subsequent layers) at risk for deterioration and separation from the canvas. Some types of paper are more likely to yellow and become brittle over time (e.g. cellulose or wood pulp paper).  

     As a consumer, when I seek to make a purchase, I conduct an extensive amount of research in an effort to make a good investment; my aim is always to obtain the best quality I can afford. Sometimes that means spending more up-front for a product that will last a lifetime, or at least many times longer than another less-expensive product. 

     As a creator, my goal is to apply what I have learned about art materials and the practice of art to create a product that is a sound long-term investment. My purpose in elaborating upon the stringency I apply to the decisions I make when it comes to my artistic practice methods and selection of materials is to provide my prospective collectors with awareness. I am defining the level of quality I aspire to achieve in my artwork with the goal of establishing a baseline degree of trust: I would like anyone who purchases my art to be confident that I have made every effort to ensure the longevity of the art I create.

     Below is a categorized selection of information about some of my materials and methods I employ with the goal of creating long-lasting works of art.

     Thank you for being here, and happy reading!

-Erika

 

PRACTICE PIECES 

• I often use non-archival materials when I practice and experiment for final pieces, i.e. for PRACTICE pieces. Examples of these materials are: white watercolor paper that is still 100% cotton but may be lighter-weight and/or contain optical brightening agents (OBAs); linen mounted on MDF panels; student-grade stretched cotton canvases. If longevity is of less importance to a buyer, a practice piece may be an attractive option for purchasing an original piece of art at a significantly discounted price. 
• To identify a practice piece as such, "PRACTICE PIECE" will be prominently featured in the heading for any listing for a practice piece.

 

ALL WORKS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PRACTICE PIECES

• I use only professional artist-grade materials in all work that I sell.
• I use only lightfast materials (i.e. lightfast paints, pigments, pencils, crayons)  
• I use pigments and pigment-based paints, and I do not use any pigments known to be fugitive.
• I do not use dyes, or dye-based paints. There are some dyes with relatively good lightfastness; however, pigment-based media are generally considered more reliable for lightfastness than dye-based media — especially when high-quality, lightfast pigments are used.
• I use only acid-free and archival substrates (i.e. surfaces for painting). 
• To ensure good stability and adhesion of the dried paint film, I do not use more than 20% water in any acrylic paint solution.
• If I purchase an art material that does not have a corresponding reliable lightfast test (e.g. Kim Crick’s 12-month tests, which are also conducted in Florida; see her website here: https://www.kimcrick.com/pages/fugitive-pigments-list-lightfast-test-problems-art-supplies), I conduct my own 12-month lightfast tests in the window of my studio in Florida to verify lightfastness prior to incorporating said material into any artwork that I sell.  
• I do own art materials (i.e. paints, pigments, pencils, crayons) that are not lightfast. I use them only in practice works, and in works that I have no intention of ever selling.

 

WORKS ON PAPER

• For my paper work, I use archival acid-free heavyweight 100% cotton watercolor paper, which is either 140lb/640gsm or 300lb/640gsm in weight. With some other types of acidic, non-archival paper (e.g. cellulose or wood pulp paper), chemical reactions that occur over time cause the paper to yellow and become brittle. Cotton fiber is naturally acid-free, which makes paper made from cotton much less likely to undergo such changes. High-quality 100% cotton paper has been known to last hundreds of years without fading, yellowing, or deteriorating. 
• 100% cotton watercolor paper is often offered in “natural white” (off-white), and in “extra-white” (bright white). Extra-white paper has the advantage of showcasing the vibrancy of pigments, making images appear more vivid. However, some — not all — extra-white watercolor paper may cause a color shift in the artwork over time due to the deterioration of the optical brightening agents (OBAs) used to achieve the extremely white color of the paper. The extra-white paper I have opted to use is archival and lightfast and does not contain OBAs: in lieu of chemically unstable OBAs, lightfast white pigment is used to give the paper its bright white color. 

 

WORKS ON WOOD PANELS, OR LINEN MOUNTED TO ALUMINUM PANELS

• When I work on cradled wood panels, I use professional artist-grade 100% solid wood panels, which are mounted to warp-resistant sides crafted from 100% solid wood. To prepare the surface for painting and protect against support induced discoloration (which can occur when impurities from an improperly-prepared wooden or hardboard substrate are drawn into acrylic paint as it dries, resulting in a yellowing of the dried paint film), I prime the wood with two or more coats of acrylic gloss medium, followed by two or more coats of gesso.  
• Many flat canvas panels have an MDF core. Unfortunately, the acidic non-archival contents of the MDF panel (around which the canvas is wrapped) may cause yellowing and deterioration of the artwork over time. This is why I use these types of panels only as practice pieces. One exception to this yellowing and deterioration that may occur with artwork on flat panels is if the panel is made of acid-free, archival aluminum. This is why — for all works on flat canvas panels except PRACTICE pieces — I use linen mounted to aluminum panels. These panels are made of primed linen which is adhered to acid-free, archival two-sided aluminum panels (with a polyethylene core) using an acid-free, museum-quality adhesive. 

 

 

WORKS ON CANVAS (COTTON OR LINEN)

• For stretched canvas works, I use either gallery profile back-stapled acid-free triple-primed (with professional-grade gesso) heavyweight cotton canvas, or gallery profile back-stapled acid-free clear-primed (with professional-grade clear gesso) heavyweight linen canvas. The stretcher bars are kiln-dried solid wood: The advantage of kiln-dried solid wood frames is that, while they may still warp, the likelihood and degree of warping is less than with frames made of wood that is not kiln-dried. These frames are sturdy, and larger sizes have bracing; this is to help prevent the canvas frame from torquing, which is more likely to occur with large un-braced stretched canvases. Typically, any side 36” or greater needs the additional stabilization of bracing.
• A note on linen versus cotton canvases: Linen is an incredibly strong material and is less likely to expand and contract over time. This relative inflexibility of linen is important when working with oil paint, because oil paint is inflexible once dried and can thus crack if the substrate expands or contracts. Contrastingly, dried acrylic paint remains flexible and is much less likely than oil paint to crack if the substrate expands or contracts. Therefore, the rigidity of linen is of much less importance when working with acrylic paint and other water-based media. So, for the majority of the paintings I sell — which are acrylic or water-based mixed media pieces — the relative inflexibility of linen offers no major advantage to me. Also, while linen canvas has a host of impressive features, it is made from hand-harvested flax and requires more skill to stretch. It is therefore — unsurprisingly — more expensive than cotton. Finally, it is worth noting that not all cotton canvas is the same. For instance, “craft store” and some “student grade” canvases often eventually end up sagging or becoming brittle, because they typically have a low thread count and loose weave. However, choosing an appropriately-primed (i.e. with professional-grade gesso) heavyweight professional-grade cotton canvas — such as the stretched canvas I use — significantly increases its longevity and therefore makes it a good option for professional artwork. Ultimately, sometimes I prefer the weave pattern of linen, and I also enjoy the look of clear-primed natural linen and sometimes want to feature this in a painting. Also, on the rare occasion I create an oil painting for sale, I will use a linen (rather than cotton canvas) or wood substrate. In any instance when I have used linen, it will be indicated in the item description, and the artwork will be slightly more expensive than a work on cotton canvas of identical dimensions. 

 

SEALING AND VARNISHING 

• Practice pieces are not sealed or varnished.
• For works on paper NOT mounted to wood panel: Paper remains unsealed, since the intent is for the buyer to place it in a frame with glazing.
• For works on paper mounted to wood panel: Paper is sealed with a museum-quality, non-yellowing wax and resin mixture. This wax coating protects the piece from moisture and dust.
• Once completed paintings created with water-based media (e.g. acrylic and/or watercolor paints) ON RAW (i.e. unprimed) STRETCHED CANVAS have fully dried: I seal the paintings with acrylic matte medium. Sealing the raw canvas painting in such a manner allows for proper permanence of the dried acrylic paint film, and helps ensure the archival nature of the canvas by protecting the surface from dust, moisture, and mold. This sealing technique allows the surface of a raw canvas artwork framed without glazing to be gently dusted with a dry soft-bristle brush (which is otherwise difficult on unsealed raw canvas), yet still does not alter the sheen of the raw canvas work.
• Once completed paintings created with water-based media (e.g. acrylic and/or watercolor paints) ON RAW (i.e. unprimed) UNSTRETCHED CANVAS have fully dried: I would ideally prefer to seal the paintings to protect the surface from dirt, dust, and moisture. In practice, however, countless experiments using different products and application methods have shown me that sealing raw unstretched canvas ruins the overall presentation of the artwork: The sealed canvas takes on a plastic-like appearance, and the overall textural experience of the raw edges just isn’t the same. So, instead of sealing my unstretched works on raw canvas, I sell them mounted and matted using archival materials (see “Framing” section below). My recommendation is for buyers to then place the matted and mounted raw canvas work into a frame with UV-protective glazing. Framing under UV-protective glass helps ensure the longevity and protection of the artwork, while also retaining the hallmark organic texture of raw canvas — the best of both worlds. 
• Once completed acrylic paintings on primed stretched canvas, cradled wood panel, or linen on aluminum panel have fully dried: I apply at least one isolation coat, followed by at least one coat of non-yellowing archival conservation varnish with UV light stabilizers. (An initial isolation coat is recommended for acrylic paintings and allows the top coat of varnish to safely be removed during conservation/cleaning of an acrylic painting without affecting the acrylic paint underneath the isolation coat.)
• The number of coats of varnish vary, depending upon the artwork: I apply however many layers are necessary to achieve an even sheen.
  

 

FRAMING INFORMATION 

• A special note about watercolors: Watercolors, in particular, are susceptible to fading due to UV light exposure. Placing the artwork in a frame with UV-protective glazing (i.e. UV-protective glass) helps maintain the vibrancy and integrity of the colors: UV-protective glazing can block up to 99% of harmful UV rays, significantly reducing the risk of fading and discoloration of the artwork over time. My recommendation is for buyers to always place watercolor artwork in a frame with UV-protective glazing, and hang the artwork away from direct sunlight exposure. If there are questions about this, a professional framer is a wonderful resource to ensure selection of the proper UV-protective glazing.
• All paper PRACTICE works are sold without mats or foam backing, and they are not sealed. 
• Paper works sized 22x30” arrive unmounted and unframed: This larger size is better-suited to custom framing. This allows the buyer to work with a professional framer to select a mat and frame for the piece. Alternatively, since the works on 22x30” paper feature two torn edges and two deckled edges, the buyer may opt to showcase this feature by having the piece float-framed by a professional framer. My suggestion with any custom framing is to always select UV-protective glazing.
• Paper works less than 22x30" with all edges deckled and/or torn arrive unmounted and unframed: This allows the buyer to showcase this feature by having the piece float-framed by a professional framer. My suggestion with any custom framing is to always select UV-protective glazing.
• Paper works less than 22x30" with at least one cut (i.e. not torn or deckled) edge arrive professionally mounted and matted and ready to place within a standard frame: Using professional framing supplies and techniques, I mat and mount the artwork. I hinge the acid-free archival mat to the acid-free archival foam backing using acid-free artist tape. I then T-mount the 100% cotton paper to the backing using acid-free linen tape. Upon delivery, the matted and mounted finished work is ready to pop into a frame. The mounted and matted finished works will fit into standard-sized frames (i.e. frames available off-the-shelf at any local craft/hobby store, etc). If a frame is purchased off-the-shelf, my suggestion is to not use the included off-the-shelf cardboard backing (as it is acidic),  and ensure the glazing is UV-protective.
• All stretched canvas or canvas panel PRACTICE works are sold without frames and are not wired for hanging. 
• Works on linen mounted to aluminum panels arrive professionally framed and ready-to-hang: Using professional supplies and techniques, I frame the panel in a complementary plein air frame using flexible points (so that artwork can easily be removed if a buyer wishes to have the artwork custom-framed). I attach heavy-duty metal D-rings to the frame, which is wired with plastic-coated corrosion-resistant stainless steel wiring. 
• Unframed cradled wood panel works arrive ready-to-hang: I attach heavy-duty metal D-rings to the cradled panel, which is wired with plastic-coated corrosion-resistant stainless steel wiring. 
• Framed cradled wood panel works arrive professionally framed and ready-to-hang: I first paint or stain hand-crafted, unfinished, high-quality solid maple floater frames in a color that coordinates with the artwork. I then use professional framing supplies and techniques to secure the artwork (wired and ready-to-hang, with D-rings attached, as described in previous bullet points) into the frame with metal brackets. 
• Unframed stretched canvas works arrive ready-to-hang: I attach heavy-duty metal D-rings to the stretched canvas artwork, which is wired with plastic-coated corrosion-resistant stainless steel wiring.
• Framed stretched canvas works arrive professionally framed and ready-to-hang: I first paint or stain hand-crafted, unfinished, high-quality solid maple floater frames in a color that coordinates with the artwork. I then use professional framing supplies and techniques to secure the artwork (wired and ready-to-hang, with D-rings attached, as described in previous bullet points) into the frame with metal brackets.
• Raw (i.e. unprimed) unsealed canvas works which are unstretched (i.e. canvas is not on stretcher bars) arrive professionally mounted and matted and ready to place within a standard frame: Using professional framing supplies and techniques, I mat and mount the artwork. I first sew the raw canvas onto the acid-free archival foam backing. I then hinge the acid-free archival mat to the foam backing using acid-free artist tape. Upon delivery, the matted and mounted finished work is ready to pop into a frame. The mounted and matted finished works will fit into standard-sized frames (i.e. frames available off-the-shelf at any local craft/hobby store, etc). If a frame is purchased off-the-shelf, my suggestion is to not use the included off-the-shelf cardboard backing (as it is acidic). Alternatively, the buyer may elect to work with a professional framer and have the piece float-framed. Float framing is an attractive option to showcase the organic edges of the raw canvas pieces. Regardless of framing method selected, I strongly recommend placing the artwork in a frame with glazing (i.e. a frame with a glass front), and ensuring the glazing is UV-protective to maximize protection for the unsealed raw canvas artwork. 
• Primed canvas works which are unstretched (i.e. canvas is not on stretcher bars) arrive unframed and are not ready-to-hang. However, they are much less expensive to ship -- and I pass these savings along to collectors. My recommendation is for the buyer to work with a professional framer to have the piece stretched over stretcher bars and framed.

 

PACKAGING PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT DURING SHIPMENT

• To package artwork on stretched canvas, artwork on panel, and framed artwork, I use a “box within a box” technique with additional corner protection. This helps protect against squashed corners, and prevents other packing materials from touching the painting’s surface during shipping (to prevent abrasion of paint layers). Altogether, this “box within a box” packing method provides extra protection against the weight of other objects, accidental drops, and forklift accidents. When I close the box, I make liberal use of heavy-duty industrial packing tape to resist moisture, scuffing, and tearing during shipment. Upon delivery and while indoors in a climate-controlled environment, artwork should be carefully removed from the acidic environment of the box as soon as possible.
• To package paper artwork NOT mounted to panel, and mounted and matted raw canvas artwork, I place the artwork in an acid-free protective closure bag, which I then package using a “cardboard sandwich” technique. This helps protect against squashed corners, and prevents other packing materials from touching the painting’s surface during shipping (to prevent abrasion of paint layers). Altogether, this “cardboard sandwich” packing method provides extra protection against the weight of other objects, accidental drops, and forklift accidents. When I close the box, I make liberal use of heavy-duty industrial packing tape to resist moisture, scuffing, and tearing during shipment. Upon delivery and while indoors in a climate-controlled environment, artwork should be carefully removed from the acidic environment of the box as soon as possible.
• To package unstretched canvas artwork, I protect the artwork with an acid-free covering and then roll it with the painted surface facing inward. I then place the rolled artwork within a sturdy protective shipping tube. Empty space is filled with crumpled paper or bubble wrap to prevent the rolled artwork from shifting during transit. When I close the tube, I make liberal use of heavy-duty industrial packing tape to resist moisture, scuffing, and tearing during shipment. Upon delivery and while indoors in a climate-controlled environment, artwork should be carefully removed from the acidic environment of the tube as soon as possible.