When you have a picture that you adore, you should conserve it so that it can survive for many years. While it may appear that enclosing the picture behind cut-glass is the safest solution, this is not usually the circumstance and can potentially cause harm if done poorly.
No is the safest and simplest answer to this question. Even when they seem dry to the touch, oil paintings take a very long time to finish the oxidation reaction.
This “drying” process can take decades after the painting is finished, that is why you should be patient for at least one year before polishing an oil coating and several decades before placing it behind cut-glass.
Because the coats are still changing throughout the drying process, doing any of these earlier may cause the coating to break.
After the oil has fully dried, the pigments are covered by the deteriorated oil, which is extremely robust and long-lasting.
Oil paintings do not require a frame since the oxidized oil is robust enough to keep them from aging and dust.
Putting a painting behind cut-glass may trap moisture between the cut-glass and the oil coat, resulting in the paint deteriorating.
You may, nevertheless, protect an old oil painting from outside contaminants such as dust or pollution by enclosing it behind cut glass.
Make sure a spacer is placed between the cut-glass and the coating to permit air to flow and minimize humidity from being absorbed.
Acrylic differs from oil in that it dries faster. Under typical settings, it achieves a constant state for some weeks, so splitting as its “cure” is not a concern.
The biggest issue with acrylic is its sensitivity to heat. If the temperature rises to around (30ºC), the coat will smoothen sufficiently dust particles on the top surface will be absorbed into the coating material, and there will be no way to eliminate the pollutants after they have been absorbed.
This is the primary reason why people like to enclose acrylic coatings behind cut-glass. Humidity can become confined between the cut-glass and the painting, enabling the paint and fabric to decay over time, much as it does with oil paintings.
Acrylic and oil paintings both require to “breathe” in order to avoid degradation, which means they must absorb and release humidity on their own, with minimum interference.
If there is minimal possibility of the acrylic painting reaching (30ºC), it is usually best to frame the picture without cut glass, although framing an acrylic painting is less risky than framing an oil painting.
The Benefits of Framing under Cut-glass
Let me look at some of the advantages of using cut-glass to safeguard our artwork:
- Warm acrylics should be protected from dust absorption.
- To keep dust and soot from the surface
- The picture is rather ancient and exceedingly fragile.
- The painting is made of or contains a delicate or sensitive material, such as paper.
- Explanations to avoid cut-glass framing:
- The picture is a youthful oil painting that has not yet fully oxidized.
- The reflecting substance of the cut glass makes it difficult for the spectator to see the artwork properly.
- To avoid mildew and deterioration caused by retained moisture
If you choose to frame a coating without cut-glass, avoid hanging it near a fireplace, candle holders, or harmful UV rays.
Even if the artwork is protected by cut glass, direct UV radiation should be prevented. Be wary of hanging it near heat-emitting bulbs.
Summary
Acrylic paint differs from oil paint in its chemical components and drying time. Acrylic paint is a water-based colloid of acrylic polymers, whereas oil paint uses an oil, like linseed oil, to bind its pigment and fix it on the canvas.
It is flexible and dries quickly as the relative humidity vanishes, resulting in entirely stable paint layers in a relatively short period under typical climatic circumstances.
Nevertheless, one disadvantage of acrylic paint is that it weakens in hot temperatures. As a result, if an acrylic painting is stored in unpredictable temperatures where it heats up quickly and then contracts terms as it cools, it may be more prone to cracking than an oil painting.
It is therefore critical to keep your acrylic painting away from intermittent sources of intense heat. Acrylic paint, which is chemically identical to designers’ emulsion, gathers dust on the surface in the same way.
If the paint softens too much, it may start to absorb any dirt that has accumulated on its surface.
Nevertheless, coating any painting increases the danger of trapped humidity being incorporated into the paint coats, thus most people choose to frame an acrylic painting without cut glass so that it may ‘breathe.’
The coating will distract from the viewing experience of your artwork, and protecting it with cut-glass is a waste of time if you do not have to.
Make absolutely sure to dust it on a regular basis with a delicate designer’s brush or a make-up brush, not a towel. Never attempt to clean a painting with moisture or any other cleaning solution
