Canvas painting repair can help you restore a damaged artwork. While minor damages can be repaired easily, you can consult a professional for getting any major damages repaired. Here’s more about the same…
Like any other thing, a canvas painting can get damaged after a few years. A painting is valuable not only for the artist who painted those unique strokes but also for the one who treasured it. These paintings can lose their vibrancy over a period of time and any physical condition might also damage it. Dust commonly gets collected on its surface. Sometimes the chemicals used while making the frame and those in the colors can also lead to changes in a painting’s look. So, how to repair a painting is a commonly asked question. Here’s what you can do to clean a dull and discolored painting and repair a torn canvas art work. Yes, you can have the canvas painting repair done by yourself with a bit of know-how and get its original look back.
Cleaning the Canvas
Many a time, especially in case of old paintings you will find that the painting is covered with a coat of varnish. This was commonly used to impart shine to the painting and form a protective layer over the paint. But this varnish reacts differently to the environmental conditions than the paint and it might end up cracking, or become yellowish. If the painting is in good condition except for the damaged varnish, the following procedure can help restore it.
You can get a conservation liquid which is a mild solvent available in art supply stores. Some of the solvents might end up cleaning the varnish as well as the paint colors on canvas. So do a spot test by taking the emulsion on a cotton ball and gently rubbing it on a corner of the painted area. If it is not disturbing the color, you can proceed, else check out another brand. Make sure you work in a ventilated area. For cleaning the painting that has dust, smoke, etc. build up, you just need a soft bristle toothbrush or a new shaving brush. Well, this was about cleaning the surface dirt and discoloration, but what if there’s a hole or tear? Here’s how…
Tears and Holes in Canvas
While you look at a torn painting in your home, do you wonder about whether it can ever be fixed? Well, don’t worry, you can restore it. Yes, by following the undermentioned procedure, you can restore your favorite artwork.
Apply a patch of new canvas from the back side of the painting to cover the tear. Do this by using adhesives like beeswax which is easily available in art supplies stores or hobby stores. Make sure that the patch placed behind the tear or hole is slightly larger from all sides. Have a look from the front side, if you see extra adhesive coming out from the tear gap, just remove it using a toothpick. If it’s dried, remove it using turpentine. Now just cover the damaged area from the front side with a natural pigment. This is also available in art supplies stores.
If the gap between the original canvas tear and backing canvas is larger, you just need to fill it up. Prepare a mixture of gelatin dissolved in warm water. Now add chalk to gelatin until a mixture of paste consistency is formed. You will be using it to fill the hole or tear and then leave it for drying. Once dried, finish the procedure by painting this surface in matching paint color.
You can get the repair done from a professional. This will ensure that your painting is restored in the best way without any damages. Moreover, even if you have done framing, many professionals provide maintenance services of framed pieces, which you can opt for.
