ART RESTORATION
 

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Paint Damage

As paint layers age they subject to all kinds of decomposition and damage.
Cracking, flaking, loss, chemical damage, moisture damage, stains, mold, insects, abrasions etc... Here are some of the conditions and their respective treatments

 

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Craquelure:  Craquelure or 'cracking', are tiny fractures in the paint layers. They are caused by environmental conditions, faulty artists' technique and materials, and neglect. Besides sometimes being visually disturbing, cracking can be a sign of structurally unsound paint layers. Below are a few examples that you may observe in your paintings.

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TRACTION CRACKING or 'drying cracks' sometimes look like alligator skin and have a negative visual impact. This type of cracking is a result of faulty painting technique. Artists sometimes use poor materials, too much medium or apply fast drying layers of paint over slower drying layers. Treatment may include filling the deepest cracks in order to even out the texture of the paint and inpainting. Sometimes a semi-gloss or matte varnish can reduce the highlights caused by the texture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traction cracking.

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MECHANICAL CRACKING / SPIRAL CRACKING   :

These types of cracks are caused by direct contact. Flaking and paint loss can result. Treatment usually involves securing the loose paint and local flattening of the area or lining.

 

   

Mechanical cracking and spiral cracking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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STRETCHER BAR CRACKING

 Forces from the expansion and contraction of the canvas cause this type of cracking. Unlike drying cracking, age cracking runs through all the layers of the painting. Here the severe cracking has caused like distortions of the canvas.  The low pressure suction table was used to relax the paint and canvas and then the painting was lined onto a rigid support of G-10 (epoxy impregnated fiberglass fabric). A rigid support was needed to counteract the forces of the thick cracking paint.

  

 

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FLAKING PAINT  The same forces that cause the paint layers to crack can also result in flaking. Flaking is a serious condition that could result in paint loss and should receive urgent attention. Flaking is generally treated by introducing an adhesive into the area and then relaxing the paint back into plane. The painting below was infused with BEVA and then lined.

 

 

 

In this photo flaking paint is being consolidated with a temperature controlled tacking iron..

 

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LOW PRESSURE SUCTION TABLE TECHNIQUES

The low pressure suction table is different from a vacuum hot table in that it creates a downward pressure through thousands of tiny holes in the tables' surface. This difference makes the low pressure suction table a good tool for consolidating flaking paint, relaxing distortions in canvas and low pressure linings of very fragile paintings.

 

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This painting was flaking badly. It was urgent to secure the fragile paint layers to prevent further paint loss. The low pressure suction table was used to draw locally applied BEVA into the flaking areas and then to set down the flaking paint.  

 

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THE SUCTION PLATEN

A small thin suction device that can used to treat paintings that are still on their stretchers.

 

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WATER DAMAGE
Water can quickly damage a painting by causing the canvas to rapidly shrink. This weakens the ground layer resulting in flaking and loss. Mold growth can cause further damage. Water damaged paintings are very fragile and need urgent attention.

This painting was stored in contact with a wet floor.

 

Water exposure has caused this painting to flake. Notice the 'tenting' paint.

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PAINT LOSS

When paint is lost a skilled conservator can restore the loss to match the surrounding original areas.

Here the loss of paint is compensated with a white filler.

FILLER

 

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INPAINTING

 

Inpainting or retouching is the way conservators integrate areas of loss and damage. It is important that inpainting be restricted only to areas that are damages. Many paintings are haphazardly covered with It is standard practice to only inpaint where their are losses and to avoid painting onto original paint. Below is a series of pictures that demonstrate this process.

 

Damaged painting after being cleaned and filled and ready for paint.

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OVERCLEANING/ ABRASIONS / STAINS / ETC.

Here are a few examples of other types of damage.

 

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Overcleaning and overpaint

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This painting has been damaged from overcleaning. To cover the damage oil paint was haphazardly applied. Treatment usually involves removing the overpaint and then retouching the damage with a small brush

Photo #1 was taken in normal light. Photo #2 was taken with the aid of a black light. The dark smudges in photo #2 are where paint was applied in a previous restoration campaign.

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Fly Specks

Fly specks (insect excrement). Can be difficult to remove and in many cases they have permanently damaged the paint

 

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