Protecting gold and silver plated items

Many of our metal items are plated as is stated in their descriptions. A plated item has an alloy metal beneath a thin layer of precious metal, such as gold or silver. To keep the precious metal from wearing off and tarnishing, a light layer of clear enamel or lacquer is sprayed on during manufacturing. The enamel does wear off eventually but it can be re-applied. You can do so by buying a can of clear spray enamel and lightly spraying it on the item once in a while. Make sure to follow the instructions on the can of spray enamel carefully!

Protecting Drawings, Paintings, and Prints

The best protection for any flat art is to frame it beneath glass and keep it out of direct sun. Avoid smudging pencil drawings by handling them only by the edges. Watercolors and some inks will fade in sunlight, and will run if they come in contact with liquid. If you print a digital drawing, try to have it printed with fade resistant ink on acid free paper. Printing quality varies by service, so shop wisely or you may have to print several times to get the results you want. A good printing service will balance colors to match their printing capabilities so your print looks just as good on paper as it does on the screen.