Portrait aftercare - my top tips!

Receiving a commissioned portrait is really exciting - of course you will want to take it out of the box and look at all the details up close and show friends and family, but portrait aftercare is really important. It will keep your art looking brand-new for much longer, so keep reading to learn all of the tips and tricks I’ve found to work as a pencil portrait artist!

Storing your drawing

Before a drawing leaves me, you can be reassured that I always spray the piece with a fixative spray, which layers a film over the coloured pencils to prevent smudging and dust particles. However, It is recommend that you keep your drawing sealed in its box until you can get it into the frame. It sounds obvious, but it can be easy to forget.

Choosing the right frame

Purchasing a good quality frame will provide the paper with the structure and protection it needs in your home. A glass or a good quality acrylic sheet in the frame is ideal for keeping exposed UV rays to a minimum, and pay close attention to the measurements when picking a frame size. Having it too small or too big can cause unwanted damage.

Placing your portrait in the home

Keeping your portrait out of any direct sunlight and any parts of the room that might get more humid is vital. With this in mind, start thinking about the right spot for your new piece of art whilst you wait for it to be completed.

What is 'Wax Bloom'?

On occasion, you might notice you get this cloudy look to the drawing called ‘wax bloom’ which is a natural oxidation of wax-based pencil. It’s good to take it out of the frame and give it a wipe over with a dry cloth and put back in the frame as soon as possible.

These tips will be a great help, but I am more than happy to take more specific questions during the commissioning process. To get a better understanding of how this works, check out the dedicated page here.