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Caring for Your Acrylic Painting: A Guide to Preserving Your Artwork for Generations
- leahmarie26416@gmail.com Seaman
- 7 hours ago
- 5 min read
Congratulations on your new painting! Whether you've invested in a live wedding painting, commissioned portrait, mural panel, or original artwork, you've brought home something more than décor—you're bringing home a piece of your story. With proper care, a professionally created acrylic painting can remain vibrant and beautiful for decades.
At ArtaBella Gallery, every painting is created using professional-grade acrylic paints on canvas and sealed with a protective varnish. While acrylic paintings are known for their durability and flexibility, they still benefit from thoughtful handling and maintenance. I often provide a care guide with my paintings, but I wanted to create a more in-depth resource for clients who want to understand why certain care recommendations matter and how to best protect their artwork for years to come.
Understanding Acrylic Paint
Before diving into care instructions, it helps to understand what acrylic paint actually is.
Most contemporary fine artists, myself included, use water-based acrylic paints, which differ significantly from traditional oil paints. Unlike oils, which cure through a chemical reaction with oxygen, acrylic paints dry primarily through the evaporation of water. This allows acrylic paintings to become dry to the touch much more quickly—often within thirty minutes.¹
One of the biggest advantages of acrylic paint is its flexibility. Acrylic paint films are less brittle than oil paint films and are generally less prone to cracking over time.¹ This flexibility makes acrylics an excellent medium for artwork intended to last for generations. However, acrylic paintings have unique characteristics that influence how they should be displayed and maintained.
Where Should You Hang Your Painting?
Location is one of the most important factors affecting the longevity of your artwork.
Avoid Direct Sunlight
While acrylic paints are generally more lightfast than many people realize, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can still cause fading and discoloration over time.
Whenever possible, hang your painting in an area that receives indirect natural light or consistent indoor lighting.
Good locations include:
Living rooms
Dining rooms
Bedrooms
Home offices
Hallways
Try to avoid placing artwork directly across from large windows where intense sunlight hits the canvas for several hours each day.
Avoid Extreme Temperatures
Acrylic paint remains somewhat flexible under normal conditions. However, extremely cold temperatures can make acrylic paint films increasingly brittle. Research from the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute notes that acrylic paintings exposed to sub-zero temperatures become more vulnerable to cracking.¹
Avoid displaying artwork in:
Unheated garages
Seasonal storage units
Attics
Outdoor structures
Spaces with dramatic temperature swings
Likewise, avoid placing artwork directly above fireplaces, radiators, or heating vents.
Be Mindful of Humidity
Bathrooms, indoor pools, and damp basements can expose artwork to excessive moisture over time. While acrylic paintings are more moisture-resistant than many other mediums, maintaining a stable indoor environment is always best for long-term preservation.
Can You Touch the Painting?
The short answer? It's best not to.
One of the lesser-known characteristics of acrylic paint is that the paint film remains slightly softer than oil paint, even after fully drying. Because of this, acrylic surfaces tend to attract and hold dust, dirt, oils, and fingerprints more readily than many people expect.¹ The natural oils on our hands can gradually leave residue on the surface of a painting, particularly in darker areas where fingerprints may become visible. When moving or hanging your painting:
Handle the frame whenever possible.
If handling the canvas is necessary, touch only the edges.
Avoid pressing on the front or back of the canvas.
While an occasional accidental touch isn't cause for alarm, making a habit of touching the painted surface should be avoided.
How to Care For and Clean Your Acrylic Painting
One of the most common questions I receive is:"How do I clean my painting?" Fortunately, cleaning an acrylic painting is fairly simple when done correctly.
Regular Dusting
The safest way to clean your painting is by gently removing dust before it has an opportunity to accumulate. Use a clean, dry microfiber cloth, a soft cosmetic brush, or a soft, natural-bristle artist brush and then lightly run it over the painting's surface without applying too much pressure. Dusting your painting once or twice a year is generally sufficient for most homes.
What Not to Use
Never use:
Household cleaners
Glass cleaner
Furniture polish
Soap and water
Paper towels
Wet wipes
Magic erasers
Because acrylic paint contains various additives and surface coatings, introducing moisture or cleaning chemicals can potentially damage the painting or affect the protective varnish.¹
When in doubt, dry cleaning methods are safest.
Stubborn Dirt
If your painting develops noticeable grime, smoke residue, or staining, resist the urge to scrub it yourself. Professional art conservators have specialized tools and techniques for cleaning artwork safely. Attempting aggressive cleaning at home can often cause more damage than the original dirt.
Should You Frame an Acrylic Painting?
While many gallery-wrapped canvases are designed to be displayed without a frame, framing can provide additional protection. A quality floating frame can:
Protect the edges of the canvas
Reduce accidental bumps and abrasions
Enhance the visual presentation
Increase overall durability
Whether you frame your painting or leave it unframed is largely a matter of personal preference.
Moving and Storing Your Painting
If you ever need to move or store your artwork:
Do:
Store paintings upright whenever possible.
Wrap artwork in acid-free paper or clean blankets.
Keep artwork in a climate-controlled environment.
Transport carefully to avoid punctures and abrasions.
Don't:
Store paintings in attics or garages.
Stack heavy objects against the canvas.
Leave artwork in freezing temperatures.
Allow sharp objects to contact the painted surface.
Remember that while acrylic paintings are flexible, they are not indestructible.
A Note About Longevity
One of the reasons I enjoy working with acrylic paint is its durability. Acrylic paintings are generally less prone to cracking than oil paintings because the paint film remains more flexible over time.¹ However, like any artwork, they still benefit from proper care. When protected from excessive sunlight, extreme temperatures, moisture, and physical damage, a professionally created acrylic painting can remain beautiful for generations.
Enjoy Your Artwork!
Perhaps the most important piece of advice I can offer is this: Don't be afraid to enjoy your painting. Art isn't meant to sit hidden away in storage. It's meant to be lived with. Hang it somewhere you'll see it often. Let it remind you of your wedding day, your family, your favorite memory, or the moment that inspired the commission. A little care goes a long way, and with proper maintenance, your painting can continue telling its story for many years to come.
And if you every have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to shoot me a message! Event if I didn't do your painting, I am always invested in supporting the care and longevity of any piece of art in this world.
Sources
¹ Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute. Caring for Acrylic Paintings. Available at: Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute – Caring for Acrylic Paintings
² Matt Philleo. How to Display and Care for an Acrylic Painting. Available at: How to Display and Care for an Acrylic Painting
Disclaimer: The information in this guide is intended for general artwork care and maintenance. For paintings with significant damage, mold, water exposure, smoke damage, or structural issues, consult a professional art conservator.
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