Does indirect sunlight fade pictures?
Does indirect sunlight cause fading? Yes. While indirect sunlight won't fade a print as quickly, it will start to fade without the protection of UV glass or coating.
Direct sunlight can damage and fade artwork, but there are few ways you can protect your favorite pieces without having to leave sunny walls blank.
1) Stay Out of Sunlight if Possible, Even Indirect Sunlight
Even indirect sunlight can cause breakdown to your photos, paintings, and art in general, so try to avoid that as well.
Airborne Pollutants
Sunlight is the most common cause of fading, but the mix of chemicals in the air will also expediate the aging process of photographs. The constant medley of dust, aerosols, cleaners, and smoke—whether from cigarettes, fireplaces, or cooking—can cause unprotected photographs to fade and deteriorate.
To avoid any fading, precautions should still be taken with UV proof glass and indirect natural lighting. Heat should also be avoided, as not to disrupt the chemicals in the paint. Similarly to oil paintings, acrylics should also be kept at around 16-26 degrees celsius.
What basically happens is that sunlight shines on the plastic materials that make up the colors in pictures and excites them. When the molecules in the plastic get too excited from the light, they start to break down. That breakdown is bad news for prints, and the result is that the pictures fade.
The best and most common form of protection from fading would be the selection of UV glass or acrylic. Any framing store will have these options available at multiple price points with trade offs such as glare or less glare, scratch resistant or scratch prone, and tint(green) or no tint.
Conservation Glass
Conservation or museum-quality glazing has a special coating that eliminates 99% of the UV light that can cause fading. This offers the highest level of UV protection. This premium glazing is also optically very clear and will keep framed pieces looking brighter for many years.
Sunlight naturally contains ultraviolet light, so exposure of a painting with sensitive pigments to direct sunlight can cause those sensitive pigments to fade. Also, treatment of a painting with either acidic or basic cleaning solutions can cause some sensitive pigments to discolor.
Books and sunlight don't get along. When books are exposed to light, chemical changes occur in the paper, leather, and cloth. Over time, pages may fade or become brittle. The beautiful colors of the cloth or leather may lose their vibrancy.
Why do pictures fade in the sun?
What basically happens is that sunlight shines on the plastic materials that make up the colors in pictures and excites them. When the molecules in the plastic get too excited from the light, they start to break down. That breakdown is bad news for prints, and the result is that the pictures fade.
