Featured New game: Yea or Nay?

Gila, I think there's a good chance we do share some right-brain traits, though I've had so many years to work on them that they've morphed somewhat. My energy level certainly is a whole lot less than when I was your age.

 

Luvvvvv ya, Pattttt !

 

I think you're terrific, Gila!

 

To Pat...
HUGSZZSZSZSZSZSZSZSZSZ

 

Since the guys aren't answering, I thought this was odd.
Makes you wonder if the test was originated in China so they can study our responses.

Also noticed the "very hot" Spanish lessons - What?

I scored 71 to the right.
Says I'm spontaneous. Hmmm, not so sure about that.

 

The last painting is signed M. Lines and is dated 1948. I have not been able to attribute it to any known artist. As noted, it is heavily influenced by Grant Wood and/or other Regionalist painters. I picked this up on ebay for under $50.00 if I remember correctly. It was housed in a very damaged oak frame.

This is a style that I am particularly drawn to. I can't afford a multi-million dollar Grant Wood painting so this may be the next best thing. I suppose that some might prefer a print of the famous works but I tend to want original works of art. I have never understood the propensity for people to buy a print that everyone else has. I also think that prints of paintings never do the art justice. They are poor facsimiles IMHO. On the other hand, original prints in print mediums are a whole other kettle of fish.

One thing I have noticed in putting these paintings up here is how dirty many of them are. I think this impacts how they can be appreciated and they are not being shown in their best light. I tend to be able to overlook this when I am purchasing but maybe some can not. I do my own cleaning and restorations so that may factor in to my approach.

This last painting is particularly dirty and I could not keep my hands off it once I had it out. I began cleaning the sky area. Blues tend to suffer the most from soiling and is why we see so many paintings with yellow or green skies. The picture here shows this well. The center area has had an initial cleaning. I will need to go back over this and will apply a coat of new varnish once completely clean. At this interim step, the paintings tend to look dull and can have a white haze on them. This will be taken care of once completely clean and the varnish will enhance and deepen the colors.



Once I got into this, I realized that this painting is going to be a bigger project than I bargained for right now. It has a coat of old varnish that, not only is dirty, but has yellowed. Varnish removal is much trickier than just cleaning. I have removed the varnish in the center area but will need to postpone this work until I have more time down the road.

 

Quite a difference, but quite a project as well.

 

Brad, may I ask a question, please?
A few years ago I brought a rather large oil on canvas, about 4'x3', to a "restorer." It had one tear and was quite darkened. To show me what it entailed he dipped a Q-tip into a liquid and applied it to a section of the canvas.
After watching for ten minutes or so I made a wild guess that at that speed it would take him perhaps two months @ 40 hours per week to finish the cleaning. Then x hours to repair the tear.
Is my WAG correct? Is that how one would go about cleaning it?

The frame was the typical elaborate gilded plaster on wood and was also in need of moderate repair. Speaking about it to an auctioneer I knew he made a statement I didn't question but didn't know if I heard correctly - that the frame might not be worth restoring but a new one could actually cost more than restoration.

That painting was my Grandparents and had been put in the attic because of the tear, and had been there for perhaps 80+- years.

That painting unfortunately suffered additional damage and I decided it would not be worth restoring.

 

A large old oil painting of that size could take that long. It really depends on how big of an area you can work at once. Some modern paintings can be worked on in large areas. The old pigments are less stable and need to be worked on in very small areas so that you can better control what you are doing. It is very easy to start removing paint if you are not very careful or using the right solvent. I won't even attempt an old valuable painting for this reason.

The center section of the painting above, took about 10 minutes to clean. I will probably need to spend another 5 minutes on this area before it can be varnished. Consequently, this 17" x 23" painting will probably take about 6-8 hours to clean and varnish. It is kind of hard to tell at this point since some areas seem to have heavier varnish and more soiling than others.

 

I am not sure what he meant either. Depending on the amount of damage to a frame, it might be more cost effective to repair than buy a replacement. This would be particularly true if you are trying to replace apples to apples with an old frame. If a modern frame will do, it is probably more cost effective to buy new unless you just happen to stumble on to an old frame on ebay or at another low cost venue.

 

Thanks, Brad. When I began guessing what could be done, and how fast, using a Q-TIP, I was more than amazed. I could understand the necessity to be careful but knew that I definitely lacked the patience.
You brought that to my attention with the project you are beginning. I do not envy you.

In fact I am beginning to think that my now 57 year old third child, second son, may have inherited his ADD from his father.

 

Brad I'm trying to remember what the restorer quoted to bring the not badly damaged frame up to snuff. I keep thinking $1,200.

 

OK I will confess.
The rather small tear on the canvas was annoying. At one time someone had used what probably was wide masking tape. But evidently wasn't great - so into storage.

When I brought the painting home I temporarily put in on a couch in the rec. room
Lying against an arm and then touching the back.

Does anyone remember the picture of my late and great 20 lb cat?

Well, he evidently decided to use it as a trampoline.

Didn't totally destroy it. But didn't help, either.

 

Ouch, TOG, that must have hurt to see the painting destroyed!

My understanding is professional restorers often use saliva as the safest method to clean an oil painting.

 

Well, that makes a lot of sense. Especially when you compare the size of the average Q-Tip and the size of the average tongue. You can do the job 1,000 times faster.

Unless, of course, it's a 3x4 foot canvas that just scared the sh*t out of a 20 pound cat, collapsing when he jumped on it.

​

 

I hope you were kidding, TOG! The thought of putting my tongue on an old, dirty painting makes me a little sick to my stomach!

They use the saliva with Q-tips.

 

Ewwwwww!

 

Here's a video from the Art Institute of Chicago about the restoration of Caillebotte's masterpiece "Paris Street; Rainy Day."



I enjoyed seeing this video last year. And the painting a little later!

 

Thanks for posting that. I was somewhat surprised to see that she was working in such large strokes. However, this is a very large painting with broad brushstrokes anyway. One tries to follow the brushstrokes in the painting as you clean so it makes sense.

The Q-tip (cotton swab) is the preferred method of cleaning. I see that in the above video, she made her own large ones. This was again in keeping with the large size of the task at hand. Have heard of using saliva but think the preferred method is distilled water if using water at all.

In cleaning the above spot on my painting, I went through 8-10 Q-tips, using both ends before discarding. The clean spot is about 4" long and 3" tall at the left. It is about 2" tall at the right. I worked on this area in 4 sections and then went back and evened things out. You can see how I followed the contour of the cloud at right and mountain below. I was working right to left when I stopped. There is still more work to do before even this area is done.

 

I'd love to see the painting when you finish restoring it, Brad. Bet it's going to look great!