Quality paintings
Perhaps you find it to be a strange question. After all, your painting should be of good quality. However, the quality of a painting and the materials it is made from are not always immediately apparent, especially if you don't have much experience in looking at or buying art. It's incredibly frustrating to buy a painting you've fallen in love with, only to discover after a couple of years that the colors have faded, the stretcher frame is bending away from the wall, or the canvas is sagging without the possibility of re-tensioning.
Composition
A painting created by a professional artist will have a cohesive composition. Every area and detail of the artwork, even those not immediately in focus, has been carefully considered to complement the central elements. This results in a cohesive experience with depth and intriguing details. A well-composed painting remains durable and continues to provide joy and inspiration for many years. The longer you own a painting, the more you look at it, so any flaws or shortcomings in the composition will eventually be noticed. Therefore, it's better to spend time thoroughly examining the painting before making a purchase.
Canvas Quality
The canvas should be of good quality, whether it's made of linen, cotton, or a cotton-polyester blend. Linen has a finer, smoother thread, resulting in a denser weave and is best suited for situations where the artist wants to depict very small realistic details in landscapes and people. Cotton is generally cheaper than linen and has a coarser thread, creating a canvas with a rougher texture. Polyester, originally introduced as a cheaper version of cotton, has, somewhat unfairly, gained a reputation as a low-quality product. However, today, high-quality polyester canvases are also available. Polyester is very strong and non-elastic, unlike natural fibers that expand and contract in response to fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
What's more important than the fiber used is a tightly woven canvas with homogeneous thread thickness. Therefore, a high canvas weight, typically measured in grams per square meter (gsm), is desirable. The canvas weight should ideally be a minimum of 400 gsm. For larger paintings, a high canvas weight becomes even more crucial.
Stretcher Frame Quality
The stretcher frame should ensure the canvas is adequately stretched, preventing it from hanging loosely and moving back and forth. It should also provide a stable frame that allows the painting to hang evenly on the wall. The best way to ensure this is by using knot-free European pine wood bonded with European glue. This helps avoid frames that warp and canvases that sag. Ask the artist where they source their stretched canvases and inspect the back of the paintings yourself.
Paint Quality
Regarding the quality of the paint used in the production of the painting, it's crucial that specially produced artist-grade paint is used. Avoid paints meant for other purposes, such as wall paint, house paint, or automotive paint. Artist paints possess specific properties that ensure the longevity of artworks, including resistance to fading due to UV rays, high elasticity to prevent cracking, and high transparency for depth without losing color fidelity.
Ask the artist directly about the paint brands they use. The best brands are not cheap, but they add value to the paintings. Most brands that produce artist-grade paints offer both artist and student quality paints, and there can be significant differences between them.
Varnish Quality
The painting should be sealed and protected by a varnish specially designed for this purpose and containing UV protection. Varnish shields the artwork from fading and surface degradation caused by impurities in the air. It also provides a uniform surface that evens out differences in glossiness. When there's a varnish seal on the painting, cleaning becomes easier since dirt and grime accumulate on the varnish surface rather than penetrating the paint. Most paint manufacturers offer a wide range of varnishes, available in matte, satin, or glossy finishes, depending on the artist's desired effect. Application can be done with a brush or spray.
Hanging Hardware
It's essential that the painting is mounted with stable metal brackets and screws of good quality at the back. Additionally, a metal wire of high quality should be securely attached. This ensures that the painting hangs securely on the wall where it belongs. Explore all our painting hangers here.
Summary
In summary, a thorough examination of a painting is necessary to ensure its quality, allowing you to enjoy it for many years to come.
