Have you ever read one of our articles, and wondered, “what does that mean?” In this third installment of this series, we’ll highlight different conservation terms to support education. Happy learning!
Isolating Varnish Layer
An isolating varnish layer serves just that function - to isolate the artist’s original paint from the inpainting applied to areas of damage or loss. It also saturates the paint layer so the conservator can match colors properly when inpainting.
French Polish
French polish is a traditional technique for finishing wood surfaces. French polish creates a very high gloss finish by applying many thin coats of shellac diluted appropriately with alcohols and oils.
Closed Corner Frame
Closed corner frames are cut and joined prior to applying decorative finishes. They are considered aesthetically superior to joined frames because of the uniformity created by joining the corner prior to finishes decorative elements and finishes. Joined frames are created by cutting molding with pre-made finishes. The corner joins are much more noticeable due to inconsistencies in the molding stock.
Aqueous Solutions
An aqueous solution is a water-based solution with varying additives, such as surfactants, chelators, and buffers. While it seems straightforward, developing the correct solution for cleaning requires understanding the unique needs of the artwork being treated, and extensive knowledge and expertise of chemistry of both materials and solutions.
Mechanical Cleaning
Unlike cleaning with aqueous solutions or solvents, mechanical cleaning techniques do not include liquids of any kind and can be performed with tools such as sponges, brushes, scalpels or erasers.
