Oiling Out and the Cause of Dead Spots in Oil Paintings

Example of sunken-in areas in an oil painting

It’s been a problem for a very long time. At least according to the historical record. Blotchiness. Sinking in. Dead spots. For oil painters these are well known terms, conjuring up images of skin disease as much as painted surfaces, but whatever words are used the implication is clear – it’s an undesirable nuisance;  a loathsome … Read more

Solving the Solvents

Editor’s Note: Added April 26, 2022 For some time, our recommendation for artists using oils over acrylic has been to work over harder, matte acrylic surfaces and avoid working on softer gels and gloss products. Our intention was to optimize the level of adhesion that would be achieved on a toothier surface as well as … Read more

Selecting the Best Exterior Mural Pigments

An exterior mural is likely the most extreme test for lightfastness and weatherability of a paint system. One of our most popular Application Information Sheets, “Painting Exterior Murals” is the culmination of decades of experience and research. If you have never read it, please do. You will soon realize a mural is only as durable … Read more

Conservation of Easel Paintings

Edited by Joyce Hill Stoner and Rebecca Rushfield After seven years of work and including essays by seventy-nine international author-experts, Conservation of Easel Paintings is now available from Taylor and Francis, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, etc. David Bomford, formerly Acting Director at the Getty Museum and currently Director of Conservation at the Museum of Fine Arts, … Read more

New Water Reclamation Process

By Ben Gavett   Water, nature’s universal solvent, is the most common and most vital compound on Earth. However, even though water covers the majority of our planet’s surface, the increasing scarcity of potable fresh water is of growing concern in many regions of the world. In addition to nourishment, many other uses compete for … Read more

Reinventing the Future: GOLDEN Digital Grounds and Gel Topcoats w/UVLS

By Sarah Sands Introduction The intertwining history of paint and print, of the weightless image and the tactile touch of brush on canvas, is both a long and complicated one. For much of the last century photography and painting developed along very divergent lines, their unique materials and processes keeping them safely sequestered in their … Read more

Modern Paints Uncovered Symposium at Tate Modern in London

Most of the issues relevant to the conservation of these modern materials is still unclear and needs further investigation. The MPU symposium was intended to take stock of where the research is and where it’s proceeding, to provide conservators with new resources and to eventually provide artists who are concerned with the longevity of their … Read more

Modern Paints Uncovered Symposium at Tate Modern in London

(Conversations – Full Transcript) Mark Golden (MG):  “We are delighted to be able to bring together a collaboration that truly bridges our fine arts community.   We hope to provide a summary of where we are today in the discussion of how to care for and treat acrylic painting, especially as we’ve just finished a milestone … Read more

GAC Products on Inkjet Prints

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. By Mike Townsend The volume of e-mails and calls to our Technical Support Department reveals a consistent increase in the number of artists incorporating inkjet printing into their artwork. While some artists’ focus … Read more

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