Light, humidity, handling, cleaning, and storage.

Light exposure and lux hours

Fading is a function of cumulative light exposure, not instantaneous intensity. A print displayed in a dim corridor at 50 lux for ten years receives the same total dose as a print in a bright room at 500 lux for one year. Museum conservators measure exposure in lux hours: the product of illuminance (in lux) and time (in hours). The recommended annual budget for pigment-ink prints is 180,000 lux-hours, which corresponds to 500 lux for one hour per day, or 150 lux for eleven hours per day.

Direct sunlight is the single greatest risk. Unfiltered sunlight at midday can exceed 100,000 lux; a south-facing window with clear glass transmits roughly 70–80 percent of that intensity. At 80,000 lux, a print reaches its annual light budget in a little over two hours. UV-filtering glazing blocks 99 percent of ultraviolet light below 380 nm, but it does not eliminate visible-light fading. Even with museum glazing, do not hang prints where direct sun strikes the surface for more than a few minutes per day.

• Ideal illuminance — 150–250 lux for continuous display, measured at the print surface with a lux meter. This is roughly the light level of a well-lit reading room.
• Maximum acceptable — 500 lux for limited periods. Gallery track lighting is typically set to 300–500 lux for oil paintings; works on paper should be at the lower end of that range.
• Direct sunlight — Avoid entirely. If a wall receives direct sun, install blackout shades, UV-filtering window film, or relocate the print.

Humidity and temperature

Fine-art paper is hygroscopic: it absorbs and releases moisture in response to ambient humidity. Repeated expansion and contraction stress the paper fibers and can cause cockling (localized buckling) or foxing (rust-brown stains from oxidized impurities). The safe relative humidity range for works on paper is 40–55 percent RH, with a preferred midpoint of 45 percent. Fluctuations should not exceed ±5 percent RH per day.

Temperature affects the rate of chemical degradation. The general rule in conservation science is that every 10°C increase above room temperature doubles the rate of oxidation and hydrolysis. Keep prints between 18°C and 22°C (64–72°F). Avoid hanging prints above radiators, in bathrooms, in uninsulated attics, or against exterior walls where temperature swings are largest. Basements are also risky because humidity tends to be high and air circulation poor.

• Target — 45% RH, 20°C. Stable conditions matter more than perfect conditions; a constant 55% RH is safer than a room that cycles between 35% and 65%.
• Danger zone — Above 70% RH, mold spores germinate on organic substrates within 48–72 hours. Below 30% RH, paper becomes brittle and may crack along fold lines or mounting edges.
• Monitoring — Use a digital hygrometer placed near the print, not across the room. Calibrate annually using the salt-slug method (saturated sodium chloride maintains 75% RH at 25°C).

Handling

The oils and acids in human skin transfer readily to fine-art paper and can cause localized discoloration within months. Always handle prints with clean, dry cotton gloves or nitrile examination gloves. If gloves are unavailable, hold the print only by its edges, avoiding contact with the printed surface and the margin area where fingerprints are most visible against white paper.

Never slide a print across a table or stack prints face-to-face without interleaving paper. Even smooth surfaces can scratch pigment particles, and pressure between two prints can cause offsetting (ink transfer from one sheet to another). When moving a framed print, support the frame from the bottom and both sides; never carry a large frame by the top edge alone, as the weight can distort the frame joint and crack the glazing.

Cleaning

Pigment-ink prints should never be cleaned with water, solvents, or commercial glass cleaners. The paper surface is absorbent, and any liquid will wick into the fibers, carrying dissolved contaminants toward the image area. For unframed prints, use a clean, dry microfiber cloth to remove loose dust. Work from the center toward the edges in a gentle sweeping motion; do not rub or apply pressure.

For framed prints with glazing, clean the glass or acrylic surface only. Use a dry microfiber cloth for dust, or a cloth lightly dampened with distilled water for fingerprints on glass. Never use ammonia-based cleaners on acrylic; they cause micro-crazing that scatters light and permanently clouds the surface. If the print inside the frame appears dirty, do not attempt to clean it yourself. Contact our support team for guidance on professional conservation cleaning.

Storage

Prints that are not immediately framed should be stored flat in acid-free sleeves or portfolios, never rolled in tubes for long-term storage. Rolling introduces a permanent curl that makes later framing difficult, and the inner surface of cardboard tubes often contains lignin and sizing agents that off-gas acids. If a print must be shipped or transported in a tube, unroll it as soon as possible and place it under gentle weight (a stack of books on a clean sheet of glass or melamine) for 24–48 hours to relax the curl.

• Flat storage — Place prints in archival polyester (Mylar D) or polypropylene sleeves inside an acid-free portfolio box. Store the box horizontally on a shelf, not vertically like a book, to avoid gravitational creep.
• Interleaving — Separate stacked prints with acid-free tissue paper or glassine. Never use newsprint, copy paper, or colored tissue, all of which contain lignin or dyes that can migrate.
• Environment — Store in an interior closet or cabinet, away from exterior walls, plumbing, and HVAC vents. The storage microclimate should meet the same 40–55% RH and 18–22°C targets as the display environment.

Warning: direct sunlight

Damage and replacement

Every print is made to order, so we cannot accept returns for change of mind. If your print arrives damaged or defective, report it within 30 days of delivery and we will reprint or refund it — nothing to ship back.

Photograph the packaging and the damaged area before discarding anything, then file a claim or email our support team with the email you used at checkout and the cs_ checkout reference from your confirmation link.

Related help

• Print size guide and wall planning
• Frames, mats, and glazing
• Papers, inks, and substrates