Information about paintings

 

All paintings of Małgorzata Kruk are Original and Unique.

This paintings are not print !

 

TIPS FOR OUR CLIENTS - FROM THE ARTIST

Varnishing

"Picture is varnished" - this sentence is very often repeated, as an additional advantage of the picture. What is "varnishing"? Is varnished better than not varnished?

From the definition: Varnishing means covering the surface of the picture with varnish. Varnishes are the substances produced on the base of gum, which can be used for oil, acrylic and alkyds pictures, applied after the complete dry up of the work.

The key word of this definition is the phrase "after the complete dry up".

As in acrylic works the total dry up can be achieved after a few hours, in oil painting state this depends on the thickness of facture treatment and can last from one to two years - and even longer. During this period OIL PAINTINGS CANNOT BE VARNISED. Even though the first layer of the oil painting seems to be dry already after two weeks, the long-lasting processes of drying take place inside the facture.

Varnishing is used in almost all the paintings performed with acrylic paintings because: 1) it causes that paints have deep, 2) causes that inexperienced client is not able to distinguish the oil painting from acrylic, 3) protects the surface of the painting from dust, scraping off the paint and simplifies cleaning. 4) Because acrylic dry up quickly and they can be varnished almost immediately after completing.

Varnish is used also to equalize the gloss on the whole surface of the painting in case when: 1) better and worse quality paints, of different producer were used in the painting. 2) Different techniques such as acrylic, oil, pastel, distemper were used for the painting. In this case it is the absolute necessity. There are such cases known when the artist performed the ground using the distemper and the final layer by oil. Such painting wiped by wet cloth starts to "run the paint" in some places. This painting must be varnished.

To the information included in the purchased varnish we can add, that varnishing of the oil painting by mat varnish causes the partial lose of depth of the painting, but instead of this we will get the satin, mat surface of the work. Varnishing using the varnish of "gloss" type causes the increase of depth illumination of the painting, and we will receive the glossy surface of "mirror" type. There are also the varnishes of semi-mat which are the most optimum. They don't "eat up" the depth too much and don't "lacquer" the picture into brilliance.

Before applying the varnish it has to be considered how the picture will look like afterwards. Very often varnishing is irreversible. Taking off the varnish from the picture is the conservation activity and can be very expensive.

Applying the varnish is not so easy as it seems to be from the description of the package and requires some experience and skills. It is very easy to "spray" a little bit more in one place and less in another, which will not be so visible with mat varnish, but with gloss it will create "mirror" in some parts of the painting. I recommend varnishing while the picture is lying, twice, with equal moves from the top to the bottom and back, and equal moves from left to right and back. The painting should stay in this position for a few hours, and "till tomorrow" would be the best in order (in case it sprayed too much in some place) for varnish not to drain on the painting and create awful "bruise" hard to be removed. Note: all the dust sticks to the fresh varnish, and that is why varnishing should be performed in the room free from flying dust.

So the information that painting is varnished doesn't have to mean that or is better . It is just preserved and hopefully it was done after the complete dry up of the paint and with the proper varnish. Varnished doesn't also mean that it is a worse picture. This information has to be taken with common sense.

We do not recommend varnishing paintings bought in our gallery , at least not for the first year - two after the purchase. Paintings in our gallery are painted with thick layers of paints and process of dry up lasts even up to 2 years. During that period chemical processes take place inside the paints and it only seems to be dry. After too early varnishing the surface of the paint can go mat, and become sticky and wet and will not want to dry up in those places. Varnish bonds with the wet paint while it should cover and protect it.

Varnishing by spray is quick and not expensive, but for the skilled conservator or artist-painter it is easy. Spay with varnish costs about 35 PLN and with this volume you can varnish 3 pictures of 60cm x 80cm size into "mirror" and 4 into "smooth".

When Canvas will wrinkle

Our canvas is from Italy . Pine frames are ordered with Polish craftsman, thank to which we have very solid loom. Each part of the loom is made of two slats. They are matched to each other such way to eliminate the stress in the wood. Thanks to this the slots don't shorten after some time and don't warp. These slots can though shrink as they dry, especially when the pine from which they were made had lots of resin. It happens once every 50 looms. In this case canvas stretched over such a loom will wrinkle after 2-4 months. What to do?

On the back side of the picture in each corner you can see oaken wedges, which should be clinched lightly using hammer. At first though, you should take out the small nails, which protect oak wedges from falling out. After clinching the wedges drive the nails back so the position of wedges doesn't change during "life" of the picture. The canvas absorbs the moisture from the surrounding and returns it, "works" this way for years stressing and drooping back and forth depending on season and humidity. Wedges and looms are responsible to bear those invisible for the eye stresses of the canvas.

When a neighbour leaned against the canvas

It happens sometimes that the canvas is dented by external factors such as mother-in-law's elbow or neighbour's back. Sometimes too dense dusting can stress the surface of the picture. Created then ugly cavity can be removed as follows: the water the canvas from the back side using some spray - usually water. After a few minutes the canvas will absorb this moisture and will whole wrinkle, and the next day while drying will straighten again. Canvas "works", which means that it absorbs and returns moisture during its whole "life" and that is why you have to consider where it can be exhibited. When painting is placed in the humid room (near sauna, kitchen, air moistener) the canvas will absorb the moisture and will shrink.

With or without the frames

Paintings in our gallery have side surfaces painted, so it is possible to hang them without frames. You have to remember though that frame adds 30-50% of charm to the picture. It is worth to choose nice frames. Actually, there are no rules of choosing the frames. It is known though that what is most important is the light of the picture.

Light painted on the picture most often has pastel colour having the origin in yellow, orange, green or blue. If the frame has the stripe of pastel yellow - this colour is mostly exposed on the picture. If there is light-green stripe on the frame - this colour is mostly exposed on the picture, and so on. Main colour of the frame is chosen to the picture or decoration of the room where the painting is exhibited.

Cleaning of the painting

Because I use thick facture the painting will collect dust. It is good to brush out the dust from the painting using soft brush for clothes, and to wipe it with wet cloth.

If the painting after some time will get greasy - which can happen especially in the rooms where it is smoked, it is enough to use sponge (in case of pictures painted "smooth") or very soft brush (in case of rough surfaces) and potash soft soap . Then wash away with slightly warm water. Potash soft soap dissolves greasy dirt. If during such wash the canvas gets wrinkled you should follow the instructions above, that is spray with water on the back side and wait for 24 hours.

Washing the painting with suds it is some kind of extreme done once every 15-20 years, absolutely not for every Christmas. Note: you can wash the painting with suds only after complete dry up of the paints (at least 2-3 years after the painting was finished).

Potash soft soap is a great way to clean fresh oil artistic paint from hands or clothes. As long as the paint doesn't dry you can remove it using potash soft soap and warm water. This feature of potash soft soap causes though that using it for cleaning not completely dry paintings may have CATASTROPHIC results .

Paints which I order for paintings come from Italy and England . They have very high quality, excellent light resistance, good gloss and strength of colouring . Because I paint pictures not using actually any thinner my paintings have natural, even on the whole picture gloss and they do not need any extra conservation. Painting can be varnished but in the right time (at least 1-2 years after completing the work).

Illumination of the painting

Individual illumination of the painting gets out of the painting unexpected effects invisible on reproduction and in internet, or during the exhibition in a gallery. Very often we receive information from clients that in reality the painting is more beautiful than on the picture in internet.

Lighting a picture painted with paints of good quality, of the facture we receive the impression of "alive" painting, where each bending on the surface creates new colour relations, new pleasant sensation.

Stores (also in internet) offer different kinds of illumination dominated by fluorescent tubes and halogens. I don't recommend the regular fluorescent lamp because they deprive the picture of part of yellow, orange and pink colours. Other colours gain blue glimmer. For illuminating the paintings it is best to use special fluorescent lamps or halogen bulbs giving the natural sun light and this is the lighting you should ask for in the store.

Conclusion

All the tips read by you concern the painting created in my workshop. Applying them to paintings prepared by different artists, with different paints, different techniques, on different canvas may bring different results.

Motto: Painting it is the meeting with new worlds, untold wealth of colours, exciting unknown before the first touch of paint-brush, first sound of colour and shape. Painting it is petting of paper and mitigation of heart vibrating like a Grus's song of Bach's music. Painting it is the second, third, ... hundredth life, each time new. Painting it is incredible meeting, each time the most interesting.