Displaying artwork in a bathroom
January 16, 2018 6:37 PM Subscribe
I have a paper and colored pencil drawing which I'd like to frame and hang in my bathroom. Is there any way to do this without it being destroyed by the humidity?
Agreed with scanning and printing. You can use Googles Photo Scan phone app and it’s really good for scanning in art - even large ones. I do that for my watercolor prints.
posted by Crystalinne at 9:27 PM on January 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Crystalinne at 9:27 PM on January 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Scan it, print it, spray-glue the print to a large glazed ceramic tile, then saturate the paper with transparent spray lacquer. Or mount the print between two sheets of glass and run a bead of neutral-cure silicone sealant around the edges before framing.
posted by flabdablet at 6:44 AM on January 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet at 6:44 AM on January 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you decide to go ahead and hang the original instead of a copy, as suggested above by others, I think your best bet is going to be ensuring as much air flow and temperature stability as possible. Professionally framed art often has little felt pads on the back to stop the art from scratching up your wall - make sure these pads are thick and hold the piece well away from the wall to allow air to get in behind the frame and dry the wall/back of the frame. Try to hang the piece in a spot that doesn't get direct sunlight, so that there isn't a huge temperature differential between the heated glass in front of the frame and the art + backing behind it. This will help to cut down on condensation forming inside the mounting.
Realistically, work on paper is the most vulnerable type of art you can actually put into a humid environment and you are going to have to keep an eye on it for mold/discoloration. If the piece were very valuable or sentimental, I would personally consider hanging the art there only on a rotating schedule - say, 3 months on, 3 months off and stored somewhere dry - to try to stave off the mold spots for as long as possible.
posted by DSime at 11:29 AM on January 17, 2018
Realistically, work on paper is the most vulnerable type of art you can actually put into a humid environment and you are going to have to keep an eye on it for mold/discoloration. If the piece were very valuable or sentimental, I would personally consider hanging the art there only on a rotating schedule - say, 3 months on, 3 months off and stored somewhere dry - to try to stave off the mold spots for as long as possible.
posted by DSime at 11:29 AM on January 17, 2018
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Original safe and sound.
posted by NoraCharles at 6:44 PM on January 16, 2018 [4 favorites]