How to care for a charcoal painting and works on paper at home

A charcoal painting or a work on paper is more robust than its reputation suggests, and more particular in what it asks of you. The pigment itself is stable for centuries; what needs looking after is the surface and the paper beneath it. Get a few things right - framing, light, humidity and handling - and a work will look as it did the day it left the studio for the rest of your life and well beyond.

This guide is written for collectors who buy directly and want to care for a piece themselves. None of it is complicated. Most of it is simply knowing what to avoid.

Fixative: what it does and what it cannot do

Charcoal sits on the surface as loose pigment, so a fixative is used to bind it and reduce smudging. When a work leaves my studio it is already fixed to the degree the image can take, and you should treat that as done. Fixing is a judgement the artist makes, because too much fixative deadens the blacks and can slightly warm the tone.

The practical point for a collector is this: do not apply your own fixative to a finished work. It is unnecessary, it can alter the surface, and it is not reversible. If you ever have a genuine concern about a shedding surface, speak to the studio or a paper conservator rather than reaching for a spray can.

Framing and glazing

Framing is where you protect a work on paper for the long term. A few principles cover almost everything.

• Glaze it. Charcoal and works on paper should always be framed behind glass or acrylic to protect the surface from touch, dust and airborne grime.
• Keep the surface off the glazing. Use a window mount or a spacer so the glazing never touches the charcoal. Contact can lift pigment and trap moisture.
• Choose acid-free materials. Mounts, backing and tape in contact with the work must be acid-free and reversible. Ordinary card and adhesive tape will stain and embrittle paper over time.
• Consider UV-filtering glazing. UV-filtering glass or acrylic slows light damage to the paper and any pigments that are more light-sensitive than carbon.

Acrylic glazing is lighter and safer if a work will travel or hang where it might be knocked, but it carries a static charge, so it is not suitable for a loosely fixed charcoal or pastel surface - the static can pull pigment off the paper. For most framed charcoal works, glass is the safer glazing.

Light

Carbon black does not fade, which is one of the quiet virtues of charcoal. Paper, however, does respond to light - it can yellow or grow brittle - and any coloured pigments or collaged papers in a mixed-media work may be more sensitive than the charcoal itself.

Hang the work out of direct sunlight. Avoid a wall that receives hours of hard sun, and be wary of strong spotlighting close to the surface. Moderate, indirect light is ideal, and it also happens to be the most flattering way to view a layered surface.

Humidity and environment

Paper is hygroscopic - it takes up and gives off moisture with the room. The enemy is not a particular humidity level so much as swings between extremes, which make paper expand and contract and can cause cockling. Damp is the more serious risk, because it invites the brown spotting known as foxing and, in time, mould.

• Aim for a stable, moderate environment and avoid hanging over a radiator, near a kitchen or bathroom, or on a cold exterior wall prone to condensation.
• A sealed frame with a good backing board buffers the work against short-term changes in the room.
• If you store an unframed work, keep it flat, interleaved with acid-free tissue, in a dry place away from light.

Handling and transport

Most damage to works on paper happens in the hands, not on the wall. Handle a frame by its edges. If a work is unframed, support it from underneath on a rigid board rather than letting it flex, and never touch a charcoal surface - skin oils mark it and a light brush of the hand can smudge it.

For transport, keep the work flat or upright and rigid, never rolled, and protect the corners of the frame. If you are collecting a piece from the studio in Lille, I will make sure it is packed to travel safely, and I am always glad to talk through hanging and care once it reaches its wall.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to re-spray a charcoal work with fixative over time?

No. A finished work is fixed appropriately before it leaves the studio, and framing behind glass protects the surface from then on. Applying more fixative yourself risks dulling the blacks and is not reversible.

Can I hang a charcoal painting in a bathroom or kitchen?

It is best avoided. Both rooms have high and fluctuating humidity, which is the main long-term risk to paper. Choose a room with a stable, moderate climate instead.

Glass or acrylic glazing - which should I use?

For most framed charcoal works, glass is safer because acrylic carries a static charge that can lift loose pigment. Acrylic is preferable only where weight or the risk of breakage is a real concern, such as a work that will travel. UV-filtering versions of either are worth the small extra cost.

Is a work on paper a fragile long-term investment?

No. Charcoal is essentially permanent, and paper properly matted, framed and hung will last for generations. Museums preserve works on paper centuries old. The care is simple; it is mostly a matter of sensible framing and a stable wall.

If you own or are considering a work and want advice tailored to it, you are welcome to write to the studio. You can also explore the collection or read more about the studio and its career and background.