Do not store or display works of art nouveau sculptors in areas of art nouveau tiles potentially high humidity or water leakage, e.g. basement, bathroom, outside walls, under pipes. avoid areas where temperature and humidity fluctuate, or where there is inadequate air circulation, e.g. attic and places listed above. do not hang artworks over or under radiators, heating and cooling vents, active fireplaces, humidifiers, and vaporizersa. the hygroscopic nature of wood means that it will take water from the atmosphere and expand, but it will contract as the humidity lessens. the direction of shrinkage is almost always around the circumference, which causes a solid piece of wood to crack vertically. keeping it in a steady relative humidity can stabilize the sculpture; nouveau if the wood does not absorb or release sculptors moisture, it will no longer expand or contract.

what is the cause of dark art nouveau clip art spots that sometimes appear on the paper of drawings and paintings? reddish-brown spots are known as "foxing", caused by mold or the deterioration of the metallic impurities left in the paper from the manufacturing process. other colors of spots may be one of many types of mold damage. mold spores are everywhere in the environment, and mold thrives on cellulosic materials, especially in conditions nouveau of high humidity (above 65% of relative humidity). keeping artworks out of high humidity areas like bathrooms or exterior walls, can help reduce the development of such stains. if i have a work of art on paper that appears to not be flat, should i be concerned? sculptors paper is hygroscopic, reacting to changes in climate by expanding when it is art humid and contracting when it is dry. a gentle undulation in the paper called "cockling" occurs under these conditions, especially with larger works. this may impair the work aesthetically as well as cause nouveau mediums such as gouache to crack or flake as it is unable to expand and contract as the paper itself does.

once a wooden sculpture has been dehydrated sculptors cracks will appear, where even exposure to high relative humidity will not make the cracks close up entirely. however, conservators can fill the cracks with a variety of materials to create a unified visual impression. what should i ask for when matting and framing works of art on paper? mat board should be made from 100% rag or lignin-free cellulose. sometimes those labelled as "museum board" or "conservation board" are not of the highest quality. alkaline buffered boards are not sufficient if the board contains wood pulp. photographs should not be matted with alkaline buffered boards as some prints are adversely effected by alkalinity. hinges are used to attach the work of art to the backboard of the mat. they should be made of japanese paper, and should be adhered with wheat starch paste. pressure sensitive adhesive tapes and pre-gummed tapes should not be used. photographs are often attached to the mat with photo corners.