Oil Paintings

The restoration and conservation of oil paintings is highly skilled work and requires extensive training. Great care must be taken not to remove original paint during cleaning. Old varnish layers can, in unskilled hands, be confused with glazes which had been applied by the artist. In the past and even today, unwary restorers remove these glazes. Surface soiling and discoloured varnishes can be safely and successfully removed to reveal the original colours of a painting.

Paintings with holes and tears can be restored, often involving a process known as lining which requires special equipment and skills. Lining is a method of bonding a new supporting canvas, of similar weave, to the original damaged painting. Sometimes, it may be better to weave new fibres into the original canvas to make an infill. Tears in some paintings may have weights temporally fixed either side and these help pull the sides together which then allows bonding of the torn fibres. Though it is still common practice in some restoration studios, we do not recommend patching holes and tears because almost invariably the patch shines through to the front of the painting in an unsightly way.

Missing gesso is in-filled with special putty and subsequently in-painted.

Watercolours, Prints, Drawing and Engravings

Watercolours and engravings can be cleaned. Paper discolouration is often brownish in colour, and is sometimes caused by harmful acids and colour leaching from the backing board to the image. This can be removed. Foxing, which are small brown dots, and vertical brown stains, that are generally air burns, can be treated and removed. Unsightly folds can be removed and new paper made to fit missing parts of an engraving.

General

If the condition of your painting(s) causes you worry or concern and you would like to take the opportunity of restoration, then please get in touch and an assessment will be made with appropriate recommendations and expected costings.

You are advised that all the work undertaken is executed by the most professional staff. Full reports will be given on the work completed so that you can keep this information with the picture.

Antique Boxes

We offer a restoration service for most antique boxes. Naturally, only a physical assessment permits an accurate estimate of the work and likely costs.

Whatever your restoration needs please feel free to contact me at your convenience, remembering that we can meet at a Fair that is mutually convenient.