Product Care Guide
A major benefit of owning a piece from The Minimal Stories is knowing that it was created with great love and attention to detail that doesn’t apply to pieces coming off the assembly line.
In addition, we hand-pack each order with great care to ensure that it arrives at its new home in perfect condition. Although we source our paper and packaging with durability and longevity in mind, there are a few simple things you can do to enhance your art print’s life span.
Please read this guide to learn how to unpack your delicate art prints without accidentally damaging them.
Unpacking your art print
You will receive your art prints either shipped flat in a rigid mailer or rolled in a sturdy cardboard tube box.
Kindly hold the mailer/tube box firmly while opening it to ensure that your art print does not slip or fall. We said firmly not tightly... please do not squash the box, it will hurt the art print and your soul.
You will find that your flat art print is secured neatly between two thick cardboard sheets and wrapped in tissue paper for extra protection. Carefully peel the tape from the cardboard sheets to uncover the art print. To unpack rolled prints, remove the cushioning pieces of brown paper and then gently tip over the tube box so that the art print slides out.
Please do not grab, pull or pinch the art print trying to extract it. This my cause bending or creasing of the art prints' edges.
Next, peel the sticker on the tissue paper. Be sure not to squeeze the art print too hard as you do this, as you may bend it. If absolutely needed use a knife to cut the tape/sticker, however be careful not to (god forbid) cut the print itself! We recommend patience in carefully peeling off the sticker rather than opting for the knife route... go on, you can do this - we believe in you!
Handling your art print
You did it! Your art print is now ready to be framed and hung perfectly in your home waiting to receive your friends and family’s admiration. But wait, do not slack off now. This is where the hard work comes in. Take note of these three important points:
1. Natural skin oils or other contaminants can easily transfer to the print. As a preventative measure, we wear clean, white cotton gloves that are lint-free and designed for handling the art when packing orders. Do not worry, there’s no need for you to take it that far. However, washing your hands before handling your art print is a must.
2. Always lift the print by opposite corners (for example, top left and bottom right), letting the print gently bow or sag in the middle. Or use both hands to support the back. Do not grab it from the middle or hold it tightly from the middle bottom/top - this will more likely than not cause creasing - which are very difficult (if not impossible) to remove.
3. Never attempt to rub the surface of the art print with your finger or fingernail as this could scratch the surface or leave a nasty fingerprint. It’s beautiful and makes you want to touch it - but let’s resist the urge.
Framing your art print
Where you hang your print will have a major impact on its longevity! You should never hang your prints in direct sunlight.
Much like your skin, your prints need UV protection.
For this reason, you should use UV acrylic or glass frames to minimise the effects of harmful ultraviolet rays.
Read our Frames and Size guide to learn more about our standard art print sizes and the frames you can pair them with.