From my experience, I know that the technical side of painting is not as simple and obvious as it might seem at first. I myself had to learn a lot along the way — in terms of perspective, composition, proportions, as well as from the physical side – how to protect a painting, what materials to use?
That’s where the idea came from — to share here some practical knowledge about how to take care of paintings — both for artists and for art collectors.
Recently, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with an expert in this field.
My questions were answered by Elżbieta Malina-Wąsowska, who is an art conservator and specializes in the restoration of paintings.
You can find her on Instagram: @renowaart.
To begin with, perhaps a question about the durability and protection of paintings.
How should an artist best protect their paintings to ensure they remain in good condition for as long as possible?
Any particular advice regarding varnishing — how to best apply varnish, and are there any better or worse varnishes?
First of all, an artist should allow the painting to dry under natural conditions.
This process affects how long the work will continue to please our eyes.
When the painting is completely dry — I mean the paint layers — one can proceed to applying varnish, which serves both to protect the painted surface from dirt, dust, or UV radiation, and to bring out the colors, intensifying their saturation.
Varnishes may have different consistencies and shades.
It depends on the type and amount of resin on which they are based.
On the market, there are varnishes available in spray form and in liquid form.
Traditional varnishes based on damar resin have a yellow tint and a tendency to slightly yellow the surface of the painting, which means that the final colors may change slightly over time.
Varnishes based on ketone resin are more neutral and do not affect the colors of the finished painting.
A large group of products currently consists of acrylic varnishes, which are characterized by greater versatility and a somewhat milder chemical nature.
The method of application is rather a matter of the artist’s individual preferences or habits, although the conditions in which we intend to apply the varnish also play a significant role.
If we work in a well-ventilated room, free from dust or floating particles, and it is not the space where we live, we can use spray varnish.
However, if we work at home and it’s hard to find a separate space, I recommend using liquid varnish.
It’s worth gently cleaning the painted surface from dust particles before varnishing, regardless of the method of application.
When applying with a brush, it is important not to apply too thick a layer of varnish.
It is better to apply two thinner coats, 48 hours apart.
After the described steps, we wait until the varnish partially dries, and if there is no risk of the layer running down, we place the painting upright to dry completely.
(I’ll just remind that spray varnish should be applied to an upright painting, while liquid varnish should be applied to a painting lying flat.)
In what conditions is it best to varnish a painting so that it’s safe for one’s health?
As I mentioned earlier, varnish should be applied in a well-ventilated room, but we must remember not to have a draft that would lift and deposit dust particles onto the painting!
For our health, it is advisable to have protection in the form of a chemical mask with filters, which effectively protects the respiratory system.
However, I know that it is not standard equipment in an art studio, so we should minimize the time we spend in the room where we apply the varnish.
How should paintings be most safely stored if they are not hanging on a collector’s wall — for example, in a painting studio?
Paintings on canvas are best stored vertically, covered with foil or fabric.
Leaning them against one another, especially when they are of different sizes, creates a risk of dents.
Therefore, if conditions allow, I recommend building a rack with many compartments, where each canvas can be slid in individually.
How should one best take care of paintings that have been purchased?
A few basic tips for collectors.
There are a few fundamental rules — such as ensuring stable conditions without sudden changes in temperature or humidity.
A painting that we have purchased should not be exposed to direct sunlight, and hanging it close to a heat source is also not a good idea.
When cleaning dust, use only dry, cotton cloths, gently wiping the surface.
Any other cleaning activities should be entrusted to a conservator.
Are there any mistakes made by artists or collectors that a conservator particularly notices?
Many mistakes on the artist’s side can be identified already at the stage of preparing the support.
Often it’s the wrong choice of stretcher bars — too thin for large formats, or with too few crossbars, which causes them to wobble.
In addition, poor-quality canvas made from synthetic material, which is not suitable for this purpose (I myself sometimes made such mistakes during my studies, so I know the topic firsthand).
To complete the list of “sins,” there’s also improper priming or sizing of the canvas.
I know that sometimes instead of gesso, artists use wall paint, which can negatively affect the condition of the painting and also matters during the painting process itself.
A painting built in this way, when it ends up in the hands of a conservator for any reason, may make it impossible to perform all the necessary treatments.
Errors related to paints concern not so much fading but rather the preparation of homemade mixtures using uncertain binders.
Mistakes made by collectors, in my opinion, mainly involve improper storage and failure to follow the principles I mentioned earlier.
I also sometimes encounter attempts to “wash” paintings independently — which never ends well.
That’s when I have to step in — as an art conservator.
Do you have any interesting stories or anecdotes from your work or studies?
Many amusing situations happened when we were working on scaffolding, for example in a church, and people were very surprised to see us — women conservators.
For many people, it was an unusual sight — a woman on scaffolding!
Someone was convinced that we were painting rosy cheeks on angels, and someone else thought we were drinking alcohol during work — which, to be fair, wasn’t entirely unreasonable, because in that particular case we were preparing tempera paint with beer as an ingredient (yes! that’s actually done) so it could easily be misinterpreted.
As for anecdotes from easel painting conservation, what comes to mind are rather tragicomic situations, such as a face wiped off a portrait with denatured alcohol — because the owner thought that’s how one cleans a painting…
What information should an artist include in their Certificate of Authenticity? Can it make the conservator’s work easier in the future?
From a conservator’s point of view, this is a very valuable document that serves as proof of authenticity in case there’s ever a doubt whether we are dealing with the original work by the artist.
However, I’m referring here to historical artworks.
Certificates issued for contemporary works are primarily important for the buyer.
It’s good to include information such as the date of execution, title, author, dimensions of the painting, and the artist’s signature.
A short note or description about the series, if the painting belongs to one, can also be included.
Can a client come to a conservator and ask for a painting to be varnished if they bought it from the artist?
Yes, I definitely recommend contacting a conservator in such a case.
However, if the artist has already applied varnish and everything is fine, there is no need to do it again.
If there is any doubt, it is worth consulting a conservator, who will clarify the issue.
Do you know of any cases in the world where conservation was incredibly spectacular in terms of cost or the amount of work?
The first thing that comes to mind is the restoration project from the late 1980s and early 1990s — the Sistine Chapel, an impressive and quite controversial result of the work of many specialists.
Another project worth mentioning is the recently completed restoration of the Veit Stoss Altar in St. Mary’s Basilica in Kraków.
These are undoubtedly top-ranking works known to everyone.
Returning to the subject of canvas painting conservation, I think we can talk about the spectacular nature of conservation work in the case of any large-scale paintings — such as Matejko’s Battle of Grunwald.
If I remember correctly, the entire project — research, protection, and restoration — cost over 1 million PLN.
Is that a lot?
In my opinion, no — because I’m aware of how many specialist teams participate in such a project and how much time and complex research it requires.
Everyone is “watching the conservators’ hands” when the work concerns a piece of such importance, which also doesn’t make things easier.
Recently, the use of imitation gold leaf (schlagmetal) in paintings has become quite popular.
Schlagmetal can be protected with shellac or varnish — both methods aim to stop the oxidation process.
The Kölner brand products for gilding are also worth checking out.
I hope that thanks to this useful information, your works will please the eye for as long as possible.
If you’d like to learn more about the field of art conservation or have questions, Ela will certainly be happy to answer them on Instagram:
instagram.com/renowaart