FOSTER STUDIO

Most of the materials in a painting respond to changes in relative humidity and temperature by expanding and contracting. If the relative humidity keeps on changing then the painting keeps on expanding and contracting, the structure is stressed and begins to fall apart - paint layers cracks, canvas splits, wood splits, paint flakes off.In a museum we can control the environment with air conditioning but this is not usually an option in the home. In the home, a painting can suffer quite easily from high and low humidity.

When choosing a good place to hang your painting it is worth considering the following points:During the summer in Britain. the conditions in a well ventilated room are, in general, fairly good for paintings.

In the winter months, however, the central heating in homes really dries out the air and causes problems. Rooms that suffer from damp will have high humidity - dampness encourages mould or mildew.