This Post is by Keith Bond, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews.  Find out how you can be a guest author.

Once a painting is completed, I am sure you have a check-list of things you need to do before it is ready to ship to a client, gallery, or show.  Those items may include photographing your work, cataloging it, varnishing the painting, framing it, sending out images, uploading it on your website, sending an e-mail alert, etc.  But included among the tasks, do you remember the back of the painting?  What?  . . . The back? 

PROTECT THE BACK

Ralph Mayer, in his oft-referenced book The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, recommends protecting the back of the painting with cardboard or heavy paper (I prefer foam core).  I simply staple it to the stretcher bars.  In fact, many museums will not accept paintings unless thus protected from behind.  If you paint on panels, this information is not applicable.  For more in-depth information on the subject, read pages 297-299 (5^th edition) of the book. 

There are several benefits to covering the back of your painting.  Firstly, it protects from accidental puncture.  Secondly, it minimizes the exposure to dust and dirt.  Thirdly, it minimizes the effects of atmospheric conditions.  An insulated painting will respond less to changes in humidity and temperature, and thereby will be less likely to expand and contract.  Why is this important?  Expansion and contraction are among the causes leading to cracks in the paint film. 

However, you must be careful not to seal the back of the painting completely.  The painting needs to breath or rot or brittleness may likely be accelerated.  Ralph Mayer suggests cutting a small hole in the backing board.  I prefer to cut each corner off at 45 degree angles; just large enough to have a small opening in each corner.  This allows for air circulation while insulating and protecting the painting.

An added benefit is that it looks professional and suggests to the client that you take your work seriously.

INFORMATION TAGS 

Don’t miss the opportunity to provide valuable information on the back of the painting.  This serves a couple of purposes.  It provides more of your story to the collectors as a marketing tool.  It also is important historically if you become well known.  Additionally, it helps curators properly care for your art and it provides conservationists or restorers valuable information to aid them if they ever need to work on your artwork in the future. 

I attach an adhesive label to the foam core on the back of each painting.  The label includes my name, website, the title of the painting, and other important information.  The additional info you include is whatever you deem important.  Some examples you may include are: size, medium, support, ground, catalog number, date completed, date of varnish, and the type of varnish.  I also include a few notes.  Sometimes they are anecdotes about the painting, sometimes it is other information.

I also include a separate label explaining the purpose of the foam core backing.

If I have received an award for the painting, or it was included in a noteworthy exhibit, I include that information on the back of the painting (unless the painting sells at the exhibit). 

On my plein air field studies I always include the location, date and time, and any anecdotal stories.  Sometimes the notes are more inspirational or sometimes more factual, such as weather conditions.  I seldom sell my field studies anymore.  They are far too invaluable for me to part with.  They are my response to the moment and help me develop my studio work.  The information on the back is often more for me, but on the rare occasion I do sell one, it is usually interesting and enlightening for the client.

I usually don't include a bio or artist's statement on the back of each painting.  I have seen artists do it, though, and you may wish to include that information.  I had never given it serious thought until right now, so I am undecided on whether it is beneficial.  I think it is important to have brief and simple information on the back so it doesn't look cluttered.  You want to maintain a high level of professionalism.  So if you do include a bio or statement, keep it brief. 

There may be other items important to you that I have not included.  Whatever you include, remember that you want the information to be useful and valuable to the collector.

Sincerely,