Storing acrylic paintings

 

Q:  I read your column in the Art Avenue and would like to know what is the best way of storing acrylic paintings (stretched canvases).  At the moment, I have mine standing upright by a wall, leaning slightly on each other so that the pressure is light.  Nonetheless, sometimes a few of them have their paint pulled off when I remove them from the pile.
In addition, I would like to know what is the best way to transport them in a car--eg., what materials should I use to protect them.

 

A:  standing upright with minimal pressure is for sure the best way to store them.   A storage rack with separators would be ideal so that no painting touches another.  You should not put them face to face.  Most galleries store them upright like you said but they put cardboard or foam-core boards to separate each painting so they won't stick to each other.  Dried acrylic paint is thermoplastic:  it is hard when cold and soft and sticky when hot.  If two paintings are touching each other and it gets hot they will adhere to one another.  Even after it gets cold again they will remain stuck.  Art supply stores sell a type of wax paper for putting over charcoal or graphite images so that they don't smudge, that might work too for separating the paintings, but I haven't tried it. 

You should be able to transport them the same way as you store them without too much problem - upright preferably, or flat if there are only a couple and the weight is not excessive, and keep them separated with something like cardboard so that they won't stick to each other.  Thanks for the question, cheers,
David