There’s nothing more frustrating than buying an expensive sheet of drawing paper in an art store and watching the assistant ruin it right in front of you.
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen someone grab a large sheet with one hand, pinch it between their thumb and fingers, and leave a dirty great buckle in the paper. You can almost hear it crease. And there they are, completely oblivious to the damage they’ve just done.
You’d think people selling art supplies would know how to handle paper properly, wouldn’t you? Apparently not.
After more than 20 years of handling original drawings and selling art prints, I’ve learned that most people haven’t got a clue how to handle paper without damaging it., and that includes prints shops and even framers.
The good news is that avoiding damage is easy once you know what you’re doing. Here are the simple precautions I take to keep my drawings and art prints in perfect condition.
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How to Pick Up Drawing Paper Without Damaging It
You wouldn’t think picking up a piece of paper required any skill, would you? Yet I’ve seen more damage from careless handling than almost anything else.
The biggest mistake people make is grabbing a large sheet with one hand. They pinch the paper between their thumb and fingers, and the weight of the sheet pulls against their grip.
The result? A thumb buckle, a kink, or a permanent crease.
Always support large sheets of paper at opposite corners using both hands. Hold them gently and keep the sheet under control.
For smaller sheets, you can support the paper with one hand underneath, roughly in the center.
Better still, keep your paper on a rigid backing board whenever possible. It takes the strain away from the sheet.
Never let a large print dangle from your fingertips. Paper has very little resistance to bending, especially when you handle lightweight stock.
Keep Your Fingers Off the Paper Surface
Your hands might look clean, but that doesn’t mean they are.
Natural skin oils, sweat, and invisible traces of dirt can transfer onto drawing paper. Once you’ve left a greasy fingerprint, you may struggle to remove it.
Wash and dry your hands before touching your artwork. Handle prints by their edges or borders and avoid touching the image itself.
What about those annoying specks of dust and eraser crumbs?
Don’t brush them away with your fingers. Use a soft, clean brush instead.
And please, don’t blow on your drawing!
I’ve done it myself and learned my lesson. All it takes is one tiny droplet of saliva, and suddenly you’ve got another problem to solve. Lovely. 🙂
If you work on an easel, gently tap your drawing board to dislodge loose debris.
Always Support Your Artwork With Backing Board
This is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned.
When I started taking my original drawings to professional printers for scanning, I trusted people to handle them carefully.
Big mistake.
I watched people pick up my drawings with one hand, buckle the paper, and put objects on top of my artwork.
Eventually, I stopped handing over loose sheets altogether.
Now I attach my drawings to a firm backing board using acid-free framing tape and protect them with a clear sleeve.
I carry everything inside a rigid portfolio case.
The difference was immediate. My problems with thumb buckles virtually disappeared.
Choose backing board that supports the paper without bending. If you need to slide a loose print into a protective sleeve, place a stiff card underneath first.
You can withdraw the card afterward, although I prefer to leave it in place.
Cut it to size and use it for multiple jobs.
How to Prevent Pencil Drawings From Smudging
Pencil drawings need extra care because graphite can move across the surface.
For years, I stored my original drawings in clear portfolio sleeves. I thought I had everything under control.
Then I noticed something alarming.
The inside of the sleeves had picked up a faint layer of graphite.
Every time I moved the drawings, tiny amounts of friction disturbed the surface. Eventually, the clean white areas lost their brightness.
I hadn’t realized the damage was happening.
The solution is to prevent anything from rubbing directly against the drawing.
I use an acid-free mat and backing board to protect the artwork, with a clear protective cover.
For transportation, I sometimes sandwich drawings between rigid boards and secure everything with clips.
You can read more about my storage methods in How to Store Drawings Safely.
How to Handle Fine Art Prints Properly
Don’t assume that reproductions can withstand rough handling.
High-quality giclée prints can scratch and mark surprisingly easily, particularly on delicate fine art papers.
When you receive a batch of prints, inspect them carefully before accepting the order.
Look for:
- Fingerprints and greasy marks
- Scratches across the image
- Bent or damaged corners
- Creases and thumb buckles
- Ink spots and paper blemishes
Keep your hands away from the printed surface whenever possible.
Paper thickness makes a difference, too.
I generally use 250 to 300gsm paper for my own prints. It feels substantial, and customers appreciate the quality.
I also need to roll my prints into postal tubes. Very thick paper makes that difficult.
Read my guide on How to Make Prints of Your Art.
Store Your Prints Without Bending or Rubbing
Even if you handle your artwork perfectly, poor storage can undo all that good work.
Paper absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. In humid conditions, sheets can become wavy and lose their shape.
I’ve experienced this many times while selling art outdoors.
I store my prints inside protective containers and use desiccants to help control moisture.
At home, choose somewhere dry, with a stable temperature. Avoid damp basements, hot attics, and direct sunlight.
Never leave valuable drawings or prints directly on the floor.
If you store prints upright, support them so they cannot sag or curl. I use dividers in a homemade filing box and fill empty spaces with foam board.
Don’t cram prints into a box so tightly that you damage them while removing them. You want firm support without excessive pressure.
Transport Art Prints and Drawings Safely
Moving artwork presents another opportunity for things to go wrong.
Remember what I said about friction?
Even the vibrations inside a moving vehicle can cause graphite drawings to rub against their protective sleeves.
That’s why I secure my originals between backing boards before traveling.
For loose art prints, I use protective sleeves, rigid backing, and sturdy containers.
If you need to roll prints, use a sufficiently wide postal tube and check that your paper can tolerate the bend.
Never force thick paper into a narrow tube.
And when you hand artwork to someone else, explain how to handle it.
You might feel awkward giving instructions to a professional, but it’s better than discovering damage afterward.
How to Deal With Customers Handling Your Art Prints
If you sell art prints at a market stall or art fair, you’ll soon discover that customers aren’t particularly careful with your work.
People grab prints, try to touch originals, and drop things.
And then there are the kids. They love touching everything, often with sticky fingers. You can almost guarantee that the one child eating an ice cream will make a beeline for your best stuff.
Portfolio browsers suffer just as badly. Customers flick through them like a pack of cheap postcards, bending pages, catching corners, and leaving grubby marks.
Your display prints can look shopworn almost as soon as you put them out. It’s frustrating, especially when you’ve taken so much care preparing them.
So what can you do about it?
You have two choices. You can get annoyed and spend your day grumbling, or you can accept that display prints are a business expense and replace them when they look tatty.
I choose the latter.
I want people to browse freely, pick up my pictures, and examine them closely. The last thing I want is to make customers feel uncomfortable about touching anything.
I keep my saleable stock separate in a protective filing box. When someone buys a picture, I give them a fresh print, not the grubby display copy that dozens of people have handled.
I replace my display prints regularly and write off the cost. It’s simply part of selling art to the public.
After all, I’d rather lose the occasional print than lose a sale by making customers afraid to touch anything.
(Not for postage though)
Can You Repair Damaged Drawing Paper?
Sometimes accidents happen despite your precautions.
Thankfully, you can repair certain types of damage, although the results vary.
For example, you can sometimes flatten a mild thumb buckle by carefully burnishing the reverse of the paper with a smooth, rounded tool.
Humidity-related waves may disappear after the paper returns to a dry, stable environment.
Small tears might also respond to archival repair techniques.
However, don’t experiment on valuable originals without understanding the risks.
A botched repair can make things considerably worse.
I’ve written a separate guide explaining How to Repair Damaged Drawing Paper
For particularly valuable artwork, consult a professional paper conservator.
Handling Your Paper: Final Thoughts
The best way to protect art prints and drawing paper is to prevent damage before it happens.
Keep your hands clean, support large sheets with both hands, avoid touching the image, and use rigid backing boards whenever possible.
Store your artwork somewhere dry and protect it properly during transportation.
Most importantly, never trust someone else to handle your artwork as carefully as you do.
I’ve learned that lesson through years of watching people mistreat perfectly good paper.
A little extra care takes seconds. Repairing the damage can take hours, assuming you can repair it at all.
Handling customers and protecting your prints is just one part of running a successful art stall. If you’re thinking about selling your own artwork, take a look at my handbook, Selling Art Made Simple.
I share over 20 years of firsthand experience selling art at a market stall, including how to set up your display, attract customers, price your work, and make more sales. It’s packed with practical advice, including plenty of mistakes I’ve made so you don’t have to.
You’ll also be interested in these posts. Check them out:
- How to Prepare For an Outdoor Art Fair: Tips for Success
- Street Markets vs Art Fairs: What’s Best For Artists?
- What is The Best Paper for Graphite Pencil Drawing?
- Organizing Ideas for Selling Art Prints in Markets
- Art Print Display Tips Without Using Frames
- 10 Common Art Business Mistakes You Must Avoid
- How to Sell More Art: 10 Selling Tips for Art Fairs
- Artist Business Cards: 6 Tips For Artists – From a Pro
- How to Name Your Artwork: Find a Title That Sells
- Can You Copy Art and Sell a Painting of a Painting? I Found Out
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