Taking on a large project can be intimidating, but finishing it is arguably one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. Large-scale artwork looks impressive in any portfolio, showcasing the artist’s mastery and dedication to their craft. But once the time comes for the new piece to be stored away, a question arises. How do you fit your larger works in a space-efficient and safe way? If you struggle with finding a solution, we have some art storage ideas you might like.
Art Storage Ideas for Large Paintings, Photographs, and Prints
Generally, there are two ways to store large-scale paintings, prints, and other flat works of art: upright or lying down. Each storage method fits different kinds of pieces. Keep reading to find out which one will suit your artwork best.
Upright
Storing artwork upright is a great solution for those who want to conserve space. There are a couple of ways to do that, with two main ones being using a painting storage rack and cardboard boxes. Storage racks are often used by professional art storage companies. They can be either purchased or ordered to be custom-made to fit the unique measurements of your pieces.
If you have just finished your piece and are not planning to sell or display it any time soon, you do not need to frame it right away. Storing unframed paintings, prints, and photographs is often much easier than framed ones (just make sure that they are fully dry). In case you need to store framed artworks, you can use cardboard boxes to store them upright, with pieces of foam or extra cardboard between them.
Laying down
Many artists who gravitate toward large-scale projects often prefer to store unstretched pieces lying flat as an alternative. This method is pretty easy. Get large cardboard boxes or archival boxes that are at least 6 inches longer than your biggest piece and stack the works on top of each other. Do not forget to put a sheet of acid-free paper between the works. Remember that framed artworks should never be stacked that way.
Do not let anything discourage you from going big. Hopefully, with these easy art storage ideas, you will have no issues taking care of your large creations.