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Something About Oil Painting Cleaners

Posted On : Sep-09-2011 | seen (243) times | Article Word Count : 596 |

It isn't uncommon for an oil painting to start collecting dirt and debris over time, even when it is hung on display in a safe place. Because an oil painting is tricky to work with, many recommend that a professional conservator clean it in order to prevent damage. It isn't impossible for you to clean your own oil painting, though, with some practice and proper instruction.
It isn't uncommon for an oil painting to start collecting dirt and debris over time, even when it is hung on display in a safe place. Because an oil painting is tricky to work with, many recommend that a professional conservator clean it in order to prevent damage. It isn't impossible for you to clean your own oil painting, though, with some practice and proper instruction.

Significance
Art collectors and enthusiasts have been adding oil paintings to their collections and their wish lists for centuries. These same art lovers have been noticing their paintings, or paintings elsewhere, yellowing or darkening over time. This yellowing and darkening occurs as the paintings age and begin collecting particles, such as dust and other debris, in the air. Many believe this happens because an oil painting never truly dries. There are ways to resolve this issue, though, by cleaning these oil paintings.

Types
In order to clean an oil painting properly, you'll need specific materials. You'll need emulsion cleaner, varnish remover, neutralizer, cotton swabs, gloves and small plastic containers for each material. These materials have been used by museums and galleries for decades and have been found to be the safest when cleaning an oil painting.

Warnings
When cleaning an oil painting, there are several measures to take into consideration in order to prevent the painting from becoming damaged and to prevent health risks. First, do not use any water-based materials on your oil painting. Water-based materials have been proven to cause the paint to flake off as the water seeps into any small cracks that have formed over time. Next, do not press down too hard on the canvas during the cleaning process or else it will stretch. And finally, be sure to wear gloves and work in an area with a lot of ventilation.

Considerations
In order to best determine which cleaning materials will work best to clean your oil painting, you are going to have to test a corner of the painting with the emulsion cleaner and varnish remover to see which works the best. If you are experiencing a yellowing oil painting, typically it is because the varnish is yellowing over time. If you are dealing with dust or tobacco smoke damage, then the emulsion cleaner will work the best. Prior to testing the corner of the painting, lightly wipe the painting's entire surface down with neutralizer in order to get off the first layer of dirt on the painting's surface.

Misconceptions
Many people who have never cleaned an oil painting before believe that only the dirt will come off when using these cleaning materials. This is not true. It is important to use a gentle rolling motion, rather than a rubbing motion when cleaning the oil painting with the cotton swabs. You are going to have to be very patient with the process, otherwise you will begin to see paint on your swab and not just dirt.

Benefits
Taking your time and working in small sections of the painting at a time will prevent any further damage from potentially happening. Clean a small area, and then neutralize it before moving on to the next. Be sure to use cotton swabs that are as clean as possible to prevent the spreading of dirt accidentally. When you are finished cleaning the entire painting, apply a new coat of varnish over the entire canvas. The benefit to adding a new coat of varnish is that it seals and protects, as well as brings out the vibrancy of the painting's original colors.

Article Source : http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Something About Oil Painting Cleaners_81131.aspx

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Keywords : oil painting,

Category : Arts and Entertainment : Arts and Entertainment

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