Photo permission @bellesmusic from Instagram
Hi Happy Campers!
So, I gotta say first, what do you think Bella @bellathecutestcorgi is thinking in this photo above?! "Yeah, yeah, the portrait of me is cute, but I know I am the cutest!" OR, "hey, I was doing something before you picked me up!" This photo just cracks me up! AND I absolutely love that the SUPER talented duo The Belles posted this pic on their social media sites! I am very grateful to them for their support and inspiring music 😍. They are a country music duo from my home town Omaha NE, & Nashville TN. LOTS of shows coming up! Find one near you http://bellesmusic.com. You will fall in love with The Belles like I have. Follow The Belles and their new EP on Spotify!
So, I have my new painting, How do I take care of it?
All it will need is dusting. You can also use a damp cloth on the front and sides of it if needed. Once your painting is completely dry, I put a gel gloss isolation layer on it. Let that completely dry and then I brush it with two coats of gloss or mat professional varnish with UV protection.
OK to leave it in the sun? No!
It does have a UV protective varnish on it. But I wouldn't leave it in the sun. Over time it will fade. It will look great for quite a while near a window, but if you want to play it safe, don't put it near a window.
NOT OK to store it in plastic, sit it on glass
For some reason plastic, some times glass or a really smooth surface will stick to your painting. Don't know why, but it will. Wrap paper towels around it before you wrap it in plastic for storage. An old t-shirt or any thing like that will work too :) If you want to frame it under glass, remind the framer to leave space the the glass doesn't touch your new painting. Typically this type of painting isn't framed, and/or framed behind glass.
The canvas stretched, sagged when I wasn't carrying it by the wood frame
That is OK, all you need to do is mist the back with a little water and let it dry. It will shrink up! I like to mist the back with water and use a hair dryer (medium or low heat) on the back. Repeat the process if it didn't shrink back up the first time. For a big sag or several sags, you might need to repeat the process several times.
How should I hang my new painting?
If it is like most of my pet portraits, they will stand up on their own (1.5" deep). The small ones look cute on your desk or shelf. I just love Command Strips! They do not hurt your walls or your painting :)
Got more questions?
Check out my Pet Portrait page https://www.annietroe.com/pet-portraits
It is truly an honor to paint your fuzzy loved one's portrait! Thank you all for supporting my artist life 😍
