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Mirjam HintzWhat is a realistic expectation for the ‘service life’ of a painting? How long can one expect a painting to last when using best practices and reasonably archival materials? We don’t have any definite answers, but we’ll try to put things into perspective for you. The oldest surviving body of work from the Western painting … Read more
Animal glues have a long tradition in the preparation of oil painting supports – as sizes and as an ingredient in traditional gesso grounds. Some of their characteristics have yet to be matched by modern adhesives, namely the tightening and stiffening of the canvas as well as their oil blocking qualities. In a previous Just … Read more
Glare and reflections are the typical challenge when photographing paintings with a glossy finish. We can do our best by photographing in indirect sunlight, which provides the best lighting, and eliminate shadows and “hot spots” as best we can, and still find that the light distorted the representation of our original artwork. Getting reliable and … Read more
If you’ve ever wondered where it makes sense and is safe to cut corners on art supplies, while maintaining a high standard and ensuring longevity of your artwork, this article is for you. We’ll share a few simple tips on how you can make the most of your art supply budget while using professional artist … Read more
When I first started working for GOLDEN, training to become a Materials and Application Specialist, I was told that I should never give restoration advice. Coming from a painting conservation background I understood the concern and the reason behind it. GOLDEN as a company would put itself in a vulnerable position if we were to … Read more
In winter time we might find ourselves in situations where our studios have no heating, we want to finish a mural, spray varnish outdoors or actually paint en plein air. But when is it too cold to paint? The short answer first… The answer depends largely on the painting medium. For waterborne acrylics, we recommend … Read more
Brushes carry our paint from the palette to the canvas. They give us control over our marks and assist us in handling paint and mediums. Therefore, brushes are an important tool for any painter and worth looking into deeper. At GOLDEN, we produce paint in three different mediums: oils, acrylics, and watercolors. Not every brush … Read more
EDITOR’S NOTE (4/26/23): Please note that Polymer Varnish has been discontinued and replaced with Gloss Waterborne Varnish. You can read more about it here. If you are working with mixed media, the best display solution is usually behind UV-protective glass. This provides ultimate protection against UV-light, dirt and dust. If you decide against mounting behind … Read more
Is there a best orientation for stretching fabric and does this really make much of a difference for primed and painted canvas? Well, the general consensus is that the weft should be in the shortest dimension since it is the most reactive. But what is the weft, how can one recognize weave directions and what … Read more
If you ever have a stroke of bad luck and accidentally punch or tear your canvas painting, don’t patch it up. Holes and tears in stretched canvases can happen and patches can seem like an easy fix but are not recommended. Likewise, adhering labels with information about the painting on the reverse is generally a … Read more
