When you receive your print, carefully remove the adhesive tape on the outside of the rigid mailer by peeling it away from the mailer. We recommend doing this on a clean and flat surface indoors.
Once you have removed the adhesive tape, place the adhesive tape on another surface (or roll it into a ball) to prevent the exposed adhesive from accidentally attaching itself to the print.
Then slide the print out of the rigid mailer with care to avoid bending or snagging the corners. We pre-pack our prints in a protective plastic slip with a hard backing board. These materials are acid-free and suitable for storing unframed prints over long periods of time.
We recommend keeping your prints in their original packaging (sans the rigid mailer) prior to having them professionally framed.
The general rule of thumb when handling fine art prints is to avoid touching the printed surface at all, or as much as possible during the initial inspection or framing process. As our prints come with a handling margin (i.e. the un-printed border around the art), this is not usually an issue.
If you wish to examine the print outside of its protective plastic slip, we highly recommend wearing clean cotton gloves when doing so to prevent the transfer of oils, dirt, and moisture from your hands to the paper. You may also wish to wear a face mask to avoid transferring dust or moisture on the printed surface if inspecting it closely.
Prior to professional framing, we recommend storing prints in a cool and dark place (i.e. a cupboard or drawer in a temperate room) inside its original plastic protective slip and hard backing board. For longer term display options, we recommend consulting your local professional framing service for advice on suitable (i.e. archival-grade, lignin and acid-free) framing materials.
We strongly advise against the use of pins, blu-tack, or double-sided tape on the prints directly, as this will irreparably damage the print as well as the surface the print is adhered to when removed (i.e. wallpaper or paint on the wall).
If you have any questions or concerns regarding appropriate handling and storage of fine art prints, get in touch with us at [email protected] or fill out our contact form.