oil Painting Care

Most oil paintings have varnish over their surface to protect as well as bring out the vibrancy of the paint. Varnish yellows and darkens with age, concealing details, reducing depth, and skewing colors toward yellow. This is normal and it's a sign that it's time to have your painting cleaned by a professional.

Cleaning in progress

The varnish has been removed from the upper right region and the middle left region of this oil painting. Because varnish ages slowly, we tend to adjust to the way it looks without being aware that the true painting is concealed.

Oil Painting repair

This portrait has old mends that have discolored and otherwise failed over time. The paint is alligatoring and lifting at the seams which is both unsightly and unstable.

The lifting paint can be stabilized and the old mends can be removed and repaired. Nuisance cracks can be filled and in-painted, producing highly effective results.