Hints & Tips

Precautions for the transport | Repair a canvas ... by Clémentine Fighiera-Curti

Here are some advice, simple to follow, in order to protect your works as well as possible when you to transport them (for an exhibition) or to store them.

• Always transport the works vertically while avoiding putting your fingers on the painted part.

• During the handling of the canvas, hold it by the framework, the back directed towards you.

• During the handling of the canvas, it should not be stuck to you.

• If you have to put it anywhere, avoid putting it directly on the ground. Use two wood batten that you stick perpendicular to the wall, then put the painting on it as vertical as possible while preserving an angle such as it does not rock forwards.

• If you have to pile them up against a wall, check that they are well stuck the ones to the others without leaving any gap between them. You will thus avoid to gradually make increase the angle of inclination of all the paintings and will relieve the weight on the first one.

• If you have to pile them up against a wall, take care to alternate : face against face then back against back, and so on ...

• Also avoid sticking the face of a small work on the face of a large one. Alternate them in such manner that a maximum of two edges are in contact (one is vertical, the other horizontal). Moreover, always put the largest one against the wall and pile up the others over, if not the second will also be against the wall...

• The higher the first work is, the more there will be risks of crippling of the frame since the inflection of an object depends on its length... (a little physics is not so bad...)

• If they must remain stored a long time, it is preferable to pack them in a plastic cover in order to protect them from the light and dust.

• Heat and the direct light damage the colors.

• Take your time to handle your fabrics because the shocks damage painting.

• If you have to transport a fresh oil painting, an easy way is to take a second identical canvas with the same format, to put them face against face, by inserting small batten at the four corners. You can then attach them together using rubber bands or cords.

Repair a canvas ... by Clémentine Fighiera-Curti | Precautions for the transport

• Stick to the back a canvas piece, lin, oozes juice, cotton or « cotton and synthetic » (1,2 cm up to the hole, with round corners) with a glue made of latex (copydex). Cut the yarns.

• Keep 4 hours under presses.

• Mix Paris gypsum with some water and collapse the hole with the finger while leveling. Leave to dry 24 hours.

• Clean the surplus on and around the repair with a wet rag.

• Recover the gypsum with a little of varnish by touching it up with the finger. Leave to dry 12 hours.

• Repaint the missing part.

• Varnish everything 1 month later, or late if this not well dry.