[email protected].

au
P: 02 6732 4988
M: 0428 042 622
artsnw.com.au
fb.com/artsnw
@artsnorthwest

ART HANDLING AND

INSTALLATION
WORKSHOP
 Arts
Advice
Assistance
Advocacy

Look what Arts North West can do for you!

• Funding application reviews
• Suggestions for funding sources and opportunities
• Auspicing services
• Tips on project management, planning, budgets, partners,
delivery
• Logistics planning - insurance, branding, and business plans
• Promotion and marketing - Arts calendar, enews
• Professional Development Workshops
• Strategic planning and policy development

ARTS NORTH WEST

Caroline Downer Stephanie McIntosh
Executive Director Communications Officer
[email protected] [email protected]
0428 042 622

artsnw.com.au
fb.com/artsnw @artsnorthwest
PO Box 801 Glen Innes NSW 2370 t: 02 6732 4988 m: 0428 042 622 e: [email protected]
 Our Vision
A rich cultural landscape in the New England North West
Our Mission
To generate creative opportunities in the New England North West

Arts North West: WHAT WE DO

Based in Glen Innes, Arts North West is the regional arts development organisation for the New England
North West of NSW. Arts North West is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW and the
partnership of twelve local government authorities.

Arts North West is a robust and vibrant organisation that delivers significant arts and cultural outcomes for
its region. Our core business includes a multitude of day to day enquiries, providing immediate and quality
advice, information and professional support to artists and organisations, as well as the research, promotion
and advocacy we oversee in partnership with our stakeholders.

Objective 1: Creativity
Aboriginal Cultural Support Program

Our Aboriginal Arts Officer works with

numerous individuals and organisations to
build and improve opportunities
for Aboriginal arts and communities
in our region.

Enable Arts Network

A network of individuals and

organisations who plan and implement
a sustainable and supportive platform
for arts and disability
in the NE/NW region.

Arts North West ON TOUR

A regional network of small to medium

performing arts venues in the NE/NW
coordinated by ANW who promotes and
negotiates touring product.

Arts North West Connect

Online and interactive regional arts trail
developed in partnership with arts and
cultural workers of the NE/NW to better
promote their interests in the region’s
cultural tourism

Film New England North West

Regional Film Office which links

organisations in the region and is a
contact point for filming, providing
support and referrals to assist with
filming requirements
Objective 2: Communities

Delivery of Arts North West professional development

workshops to at least six locations annually. These
workshops can focus on a wide variety of topics including
regional arts funding, grant writing, project management,
partnership opportunities, arts business development,
promotion and marketing including social media.

Advice and advocacy - providing support and services

to arts practitioners and workers, covering all art forms:
music, visual art, dance, performance art, literature,
crafts, digital art.

Assistance to Councils with cultural planning, public art

policies and funding initiatives for arts projects.

Management of the Country Arts Support

Program which delivers up to $20,000 annually in
funding to arts projects to the NENW.

Special Projects: Previous examples include Hidden

Treasures, Creativitea, Putting the Pieces Together, The
Stuff of Tales, Table Talk, River to Ridges, Making Old
Markings New, Charged! The Story of Battle of Beersheba

Objective 3: Connections
Website, a focus on social media and key
Fortnightly Arts North West e-news partnerships allows for Arts North West Stakeholder engagement through Regional
on arts and cultural events in our region, to be a central resource for all things arts Community Arts Forums, online surveys
and a monthly funding opportunity and culture in the and presentations to Councils
newsletter New England North West.

Arts North West acknowledges Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands we work on;
we recognise the strength, resilience and capacity of Aboriginal people
and respect the Aboriginal Elders past and present.

PO Box 801 Glen Innes NSW 2370 P: 02 6732 4988 M: 0428 042 622 e: [email protected] • artsnw.com.au • fb.com/artsnw • @artsnorthwest ABN 13 294 582 557
ART HANDLING
Introduction
The proper handling of a painting is fundamental to its safety and preservation. Most damage to paintings and their
frames occurs during handling and when they are being moved—even over short distances.

Types of damage include stains, dirt deposits, paint loss, surface abrasion, dents, large-scale tears in canvas paintings,
minor to serious scratching and scrapes as well as loss of decorative elements on frames.

As a rule, a painting and its frame should be handled as infrequently as possible since the more they are moved or
touched, the greater the risk of damage.

Damage during handling is most commonly caused by:

• underestimating the weight of a painting (especially if it is framed);
• not seeking assistance with lifting and moving (most paintings, even easel-sized paintings, require two han-
dlers and a spotter; larger paintings require multiple handlers and spotters);
• not using proper equipment and materials (moving devices and gloves);
• improper use of equipment, or inadequate or lack of training in using equipment;
• not planning a safe, uncluttered route;
• not preparing in advance a safe place to deposit the painting (when preparing for hanging or packing); and
• incorrectly manipulating the painting.
Risk to paintings during handling can be reduced or eliminated by following a few basic guidelines, as outlined
below. Planning and taking care minimises risk and reduces the chance of accidents happening.

Step guide for art handling

Don’t rush
Never rush when handling objects—even when you’re under pressure or working to a deadline. Accidents are more
likely to happen when you’re hurrying.

STEP ONE – EXAMINE THE WORK

• Before moving a painting check for areas of flaking paint, if there are areas
where the paint is loose, carry horizontally
• Check that the painting is secure in its frame
• Check that the stretcher wedges are secure

STEP TWO – PLAN THE MOVE

• Remove jewellery - rings can scratch, necklaces can swing around
• Always have clean hands and/or wear cotton gloves.
• How many people do you need? Know the weight of your painting to ensure that enough handlers are as-
signed to the move.
• Know the size of your painting and be sure that the intended route will accommodate the painting, frame and
handlers.
• Have you got a clear pathway to the new location? Do not attempt to squeeze between and around objects
such as tables, chairs, carts, etc., because navigating around sharp corners can easily pierce a canvas.
 • Plan and discuss each handling movement before it happens so that all turns are coordinated.
• Designate a spotter. One is usually enough for medium-sized paintings, but more may be required for larger
works. A spotter ensures that the path remains clear, warns people to move aside and alerts handlers to any
potential hazards, (such as proximity to walls, ceilings, doorframes, stair railings, etc.), that may have to be
navi-gated.
• Look at the space you moving to - is it clear?
• Do you need a trolley? Do you need a tray?
• Have you got padding between objects?

STEP THREE: THE MOVE

• Remove jewellery, bags, mobile devices- rings can scratch, necklaces can swing around
• Wear cotton gloves. (For ceramics and glass, use disposable gloves (such as surgical gloves), cotton gloves will
be too slippery)
• Handle only 1 painting at a time
• use both hands when carrying an object, so that you can properly support it.
• Carry with one hand supporting the underside and one hand supporting the side
• Never carry a painting by its hanging wire, by the top of its frame or by any one side alone.
• Do not hand the painting to another person. Place it where the person can lift it in a controlled manner.
• If resting against a wall use foam or padded wooden blocks to raise off floor
• Place down evenly across the bottom edge
• Don’t place your fingers around stretcher bars as you can dent/damage paintwork
• Carry the work facing you
• Make sure you have enough people to lift your object safely. If you don’t have enough people, get help or
wait until help is available. To be safely handled by one individual, a painting plus frame must be small
enough to allow for a clear line of sight around the artwork while in transit. This translates into a dimension of
about 40 cm in both horizontal and vertical axes

STACKING ARTWORK

Always stack front to front, back to back, frame against frame. When stacking canvases, it is vital that they are stacked
so that nothing touches the unsupported canvas.

DAMAGE
All accidents should be recorded. When reporting a damage, describe it briefly, noting the nature, location and
severity of the damage and record the date of your report. Sample report in Appendix 1

TOP TIPS
• DON’T RUSH
• PLAN THE MOVE
• USE BOTH HANDS and NEVER carry from the top
• ASK FOR HELP
INSTALLATION
General Preparation
• Place carpet squares or blocks to lift artworks off a concrete or wooden floor.
• Place works along walls. If stacking, remember face to face, back to back, right way up.
• Check all works to see if any need D-rings or have special hanging requirements such as security devices.
• D-rings
o All D-rings should be put in with Phillips head screws.
o Most D-rings are placed to measure about 70 mm from the top of the frame to the top of the D-
ring.
o Make sure D-ring is tightly screwed in so it doesn’t fall down.
• Clean marks from frames if required. Clean frames with clear Windex, glass with glass cleaner, and Perspex
with Kunstoff.
• Complete condition reports when applicable.

Install kit may include:

• Cotton gloves
• Tape measure
• Spirit level
• Calculator
• Notepad
• Pencil
• Screwdriver
Hanging

• Place works in order.

o If a double-hang, the lower work is placed flat on the floor
• Get works off the floor – ensure you have 2 people to lift the art works
o Parallel the wires by eye, and level the works by eye
o If the work is very large, you will need to measure where the hooks
go (see diagram 1):
 1500mm=midpoint.
 Measure the painting and divide by 2 = x
 Measure the top of the frame to the D-ring = y
 Hook on wire placed at 1500+(x-y)
o For double hangs, if works are exactly the same size, one wire on each side, with 2 hooks on each
wire. If works are unequal, each work hung on own set of wires.

Diagram 1: Midpointing very large canvases

 • Parallel and space works
o For equal spacing – measure each gap, add together and divide by number of gaps (=S)
o For walls with groups – work out the small space measurement you would like (usually 100-200mm
= SmS). Count the number of small space measurements = N. Now measure each current gap, add
together, then substract (SmS*N), and divide by the number of large spaces required.
o To space, measure the distance from the wire to the frame on work 1 (F1), and measure the distance
from the wire to the frame on work 2 (F2). Distance between wires for spacing = S (or SmS) + F1 +F2.
(See diagram 2)
o To parallel works, measure the distance between the wires close to the top of the frame, then ensure
it’s the same measurement at the top of the wall on the picture rail (See diagram 2)

Diagram 2: Spacing and Paralleling

• Mid-point (1500) and level

o To midpoint – measure the height of the painting and divide by 2. This measurement needs to line up
with 1500 midpoint.
o For double hangs, leave 40 mm (G) between works. If the works have the same height, then the mid-
point will occur in the middle of the gap between the works. If the works have different heights, then
you need to measure the height of each painting (H1 + H2 + G), and divide by 2, and this is the place
where the midpoint will be. (See diagram 3)
o Level using a spirit level
Diagram 3: Midpointing double hangs

On Completion

• Condition reports.
• Any signage required?
CONDITION REPORTS
General Info
All condition reports should contain:

1. Basic catalogue details:

• Acc. No
• Artist
• Title
• Medium
• Image/ Support size (in cm)

2. Date of examination and person who carried out the examination.

3. General condition
• Excellent (as new condition with little or no sign of use),
• Good (some signs of wear but physically sound),
• Fair (minor damage, some losses/deterioration more aesthetic than physical),
• Poor (wear, damage, deterioration and loss to a large proportion of the item),
• Very poor (extremely deteriorated, weakened condition with very extensive loss/damage which greatly impacts
the integrity of the object).

Examination
Before you start, prepare a good space to work in. A large, empty table with non-slip surface and cloth padding
with good lighting and a lamp for detailed examination.
Templates for condition reports are in Appendix 2

Equipment
• Pencils to use when working around objects to avoid permanent marks from pen ink
• A soft dressmaker’s tape measure
• A magnifying lens can be useful for a closer examination of items
• A torch can assist in focusing the eye and provides raking light
• Gloves (cotton or disposable) can protect items from damage and the handler from hazardous materials. Do not
use cotton gloves when handling fragile or slippery items. Nitrile gloves are preferable in many cases
APPENDIX 1
Report on damaged object
Item: _________________________________________________________________________________

Title: _________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________Accession No: ___________________

Artist: _____________________________________________________________________

Brief description of damage: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Location of damage: ____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

How did the damage occur? _______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Does the damage require urgent attention? Yes No

Signature:____________________________________________________ Date:_____________________

Please return a copy of this form with the object.

Condition report index:

(Corresponding numbers are recorded on photograph)

1. Abrasion 33. Fold

2. Accretion 34. Foreign matter
3. Acid 35. Foxing
4. Ageing 36. Frass
5. Blanching 37. Fraying
6. Blistering 38. Friable
7. Breakage 39. Gouge
8. Bulge 40. Grazed
9. Burn 41. Hole
10. Chip 42. Insect damage
11. Cockled 43. Loss
12. Concentric crack 44. Mat burn
13. Corrosion 45. Mould
14. Crack 46. Paint (re-touched)
15. Crazed 47. Paint loss
16. Crease 48. Pinhole
17. Cupping 49. Pulpy
18. Cut 50. Puncture
19. Delamination 51. Rippling
20. Dent 52. Scorched
21. Dig 53. Scratch
22. Dirty 54. Smoke
23. Discoloration 55. Soiled
24. Distortion 56. Splash
25. Dusty 57. Splitting
26. Efflorescence 58. Spot
27. Embrittlement 59. Staining
28. Fading 60. Tear
29. Fingerprints 61. Tenting
30. Flaking 62. Tideline
31. Flattening 63. Warping
32. Fly speck
Descriptive Terms for Common Damage

Abrasion worn away by friction, scraped or scuffed

Accretion substances accumulated on the surface
Acid often used in relation to paper items which become more acidic as they deteriorate,
causing embrittlement and yellowing.
Ageing natural or chemically assisted changing with time
Breakage disruption of surface by force or as result of age and fragility
Cockled wrinkled or puckered, usually as a result of high humidity or water damage
Corrosion gradual destruction by chemical action
Crazed fine hairline cracks through a glaze which often appear darker than the glaze due to
discoloration.
Crease bent or folded over and pressed or crushed
Delamination separation into thin layers, peeling away
Dent a defect in the surface caused by a blow; a simple concavity.
Dirty marked by or covered in dirt or pollution
Discoloration change in the original or desired color: fading, darkening, yellowing
Distortion bending, twisting, stretching, or forcing out of normal shape
Dusty covered with or containing dust
Embrittlement becoming brittle or fragile, usually as a result of aging or oxidation
Fading losing colour or brightness gradually
Flaking where extreme cracking causes small, thin pieces of varnish, paint or other layers to
become completely detached from the main support material.
Fly speck: spots left by a fly on the surface of an object, generally small and black/brown in colour
Fold bend or crease with resulting damage to the fibers
Foxing: brown coloured spotting on paper induced by one or more of the following factors-
fungus or mould, impurities in manufacture, dampness and airborne acids
Frass: dust-like debris or excrement left behind by wood eating larvae or borers
Friable: loose and powdery. For example, coloured pigments which are not well bound to the
surface (such as some Aboriginal artefacts or pastel drawings) will be friable.
Grazed: where the uppermost surface of an item (particularly paper or textiles) has been eaten in
patches by an insect, frequently silverfish.
Insect damage losses, accretions, flakes, or stains due to activity of insects
Loss areas/small sections which are missing
Mat burn discoloration of edges that have been in contact with acidic mats
Mould fungus that causes organic matter to decay
Pulpy soft or spongy condition due to manufacturing process and/or aging
Puncture hole produced by sharp object such as a staple or pin
Scorched discoloration of the surface caused by heat
Soiled covered by material which may become embedded in the fibers
Splitting separating along a fold, or delaminating
Staining chemical discoloration of fibers, can be result of foxing, adhesive residue, tape, mold, or
mat burn
Tear ripped or pulled apart, usually with stretched, ragged edges
Tideline stain from the accumulation of chemicals at the edge of a liquid spot
Warping a twist or distortion out of shape
WORK ON PAPER CONDITION REPORT
Acc. No:
Artist:
Title:
Medium:
Image/ Support size: x cm

GENERAL CONDITION: excellent/good/fair/poor/very poor

PLEASE REFER TO PHOTOGRAPH FOR EXACT LOCATION OF DAMAGE.

SUPPORT
Primary Support: Paper
Secondary Support:
Accretions Insect/fungal damage
Cockling Losses/holes
Creases Planar distortion
Delamination Stains
Discoloration Surface dirt
Foxing Tears
MEDIUM
Abrasions Fading
Accretions Friable
Bleeding Losses
Discoloration Staining
MOUNT
Distortion Surface dirt
Secure Stains/ discoloration

FRAME:
Plexi/glass Perspex – do not tape Surface dirt
Abrasions/scratches Mitre separation
Gilding/paint losses Structural damage
Indentations/chips Backboard
Scratches on glazing Hanging system

Comments:

Condition reported by: DATE:

PAINTING CONDITION REPORT
Acc. No:
Artist:
Title:
Medium:
Image/ Support size: x cm
Frame dimensions: cm

GENERAL CONDITION: excellent/good/fair/poor/very poor

PLEASE REFER TO PHOTOGRAPH FOR EXACT LOCATION OF DAMAGE.

AUXILIARY SUPPORT:
Strength

PAINTING SUPPORT:
Tension / Strength:

Surface Plane:

Damages:

PAINT FILM:
Abrasions / Damages: Losses:

Cleavage / Cupping: Scratches / Abrasions:

Craquelure Pattern: Surface Dirt:

COATING: - Unvarnished
Appearance:

Surface Dirt:

FRAME:
Plexi/glass Perspex – do not tape Surface dirt
Abrasions/scratches Mitre separation
Gilding/paint losses Structural damage
Indentations/chips Backboard
Scratches on glazing Hanging system

Comments:

Condition reported by: DATE:

NOTES

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