Painting with watercolors is a beautiful and delicate art form that needs care, accuracy, and patience. But artists have to deal with the fact that watercolor drawings fade over time. This piece will talk about why watercolors fade and give you useful tips on how to keep them from happening.
Learning About What Makes Watercolor Fade
There are many things that can cause watercolors to fade, such as light, humidity, and rough handling. Especially harmful to watercolor paints is ultraviolet (UV) light, which makes them fade and lose their color over time. In addition, mold can grow in places with a lot of wetness, which can make the art even less good.
Why it’s Important to Use Lightproof Materials
Lightfast materials are one of the best ways to keep watercolors from fading. Lightfast paints don’t fade when they come into contact with light, so the colors in your art will last for years to come. When you buy watercolor paint, look for brands that make it easy to see how lightfast their colors are.
How to Keep Your Watercolors from Fading and How to Store Your Artworks Correctly
For watercolor works to keep their quality, they need to be kept in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. To keep your artworks safe from damage from the environment, you might want to buy acid-free archival storage materials like portfolios and cases.
Tips for Picking Good Materials
If you use good watercolor paper and paints, the chance of fading is much lower. If you want to work with watercolors, choose archival-quality paper that is acid-free. In the same way, pick paints with lightfast pigments to make sure the color lasts a long time.
How to Frame Things
When framing watercolor works, choose acrylic or UV-protective glass to keep the art safe from light damage. Also, make sure that the materials used for frames don’t contain acid to keep them from yellowing and breaking down over time.
Common False Ideas About Fading in Watercolor
Some people have the wrong idea about how watercolors fade, like thinking that all paints fade at the same speed. In reality, the ability of pigments to stay dark changes based on the chemicals they are made of and how they were made. Choosing light-resistant materials and following good preserving methods can help keep your art from fading and keep it in good shape.
Why conservation measures are important
Conservation steps are very important for keeping watercolor works safe for future generations. Artists can make sure that their works of art last longer and stay vibrant and beautiful for years to come by using the right methods for keeping, handling, and framing.
In conclusion, artists often worry about watercolors fading, but it can be stopped if they know what to do and take the right measures. Artists can make sure that their watercolor paintings last for generations by using light-resistant materials, practicing good conservation methods, and picking out the right framing options.
FAQs
How long do watercolors last before they start to fade?
If you take the right steps to protect and care for watercolor works, they can last for decades or even hundreds of years.
If watercolor drawings fade, is it possible to fix them?
Professional conservators can often bring back the vibrancy of faded watercolor drawings to their original state by carefully cleaning them and reapplying pigments. Some fading may be permanent.
Does the kind of watercolor paper change how it fades?
Yes, the quality of the watercolor paper can affect how long the art lasts. For long-lasting effects, use archival-grade paper that doesn’t contain acid.
Do all watercolor paints stay dark in the sun?
No, not all paint colors don’t fade in light. Before you use any pigments in your art, you should always check their lightfastness scores.
Do watercolor drawings need to be framed behind glass?
Putting watercolor drawings in frames with UV-protective glass or acrylic can help protect them from damage from light and the environment, which will make them last longer.