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Antique Art Techniques

Many times, restoring antique art or painting is as simple as cleaning it and giving it a new coat of varnish. Other times more extensive work is needed, such as repairing tears in canvas, or filling areas where paint has fallen off. Oil paintings and acrylics can both be restored, as can paintings on canvas or canvas board or wood.

Cleaning and re-varnishing: This is the most common need for antique art. Dirt and other residue are removed layer by layer, restoring color to its original brilliance. Re-varnishing protects the painting from fading and restores the sheen.

Occasionally, extensive cleaning is required. This is needed if the antique art or painting has a deep yellow cast to it, which is caused by old varnish or nicotine tar.

Tightening or re-stretching: Many paintings are stretched on wooden bars; these bars tend to move when exposed to humidity, causing the canvas to wrinkle. If a canvas is slightly wrinkled, it can be tightened on the stretcher bar to smooth the wrinkles. If it is very wrinkled, it may need to be re-stretched.

Restoring paint loss: In these areas, canvas is intact, but the painted surface has fallen off completely or been otherwise damaged (scratching, etc). These areas can be filled and repainted to recreate the missing part of the image.

Restoring Tears and punctures: These areas require major restoration. The canvas must be patched, filled, sanded, and repainted to recreate the original image.

Your antique art or painting may need a combination of these treatments to be restored.

If you are having a professional restoration company restore your paintings they will usually be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to see what is needed.