Introduction
A cracked painting is a sign of aging. You made a painting long ago, and if you do not preserve it, it will start cracking. As a painter, you must know how to maintain the painting. You need to understand why paintings break. There are various causes behind that. If you are a professional artist, you must know about the art that sells.
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In this blog, you will find out what cracked paintings are, how to fix them, and how to prevent them in advance from breaking, and you will also read tips for long-term preservation. Keep on reading to understand everything regarding cracked paintings.
Section 1: Understanding Cracked Paintings
If you are doing an oil painting, you don’t want to ruin it. So, to avoid cracked oil painting, you must read this part. Paintings can crack because of several reasons. In this part of the blog, you will understand all the possible reasons your paintings can break.
Poor paint application
If you are wondering why paintings crack, then sometimes poor paint application is a cause you must know. Balance is the key to everything. If you apply a fragile paint layers on your canvas, it is very possible that your painting will crack easily. Also, if you use a very thick layer of paint, it will break, too.
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Low-quality paint
The painting will start cracking if you use low-quality, which has inadequate adhesion and flexibility. Over time, the paint will become more brittle. After some time, every paint medium needs to be reapplied, or you must apply something to protect your painting.
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Surface Preparation
You have to make your canvas surface well-made; this can also be a primary cause behind your cracked painting. Surface preparation is vital for painting, be it any surface. Depending upon how much good surface you have made, your painting cracking will rely.
Fresh plaster
Fresh plaster is another cause why paintings crack easily. If you are applying new plaster, you have to dry it thoroughly before applying paint to it. Fresh plaster has a very porous structure. If it is not dried completely, it can quickly soak all the paint. You have to fill in these holes with either a good primer or by applying a mist coat. So that when you use your paint on it, it will stay.
Section 2: Repairing Cracked Oil Paint on Canvas
If your paintings have cracks, then you should read this part. Here, you will read about repairing your cracked oil paints.
1st step
First, place your canvas on a dust-free table. Then, you have to pile small strips of hard linoleum under the cracked painting to support the painting and to prevent further damage.
2nd step
Now heat 1/4th cup of damar resin until it dissolves. You have to stir 1/4th cup of beeswax slowly into the dissolved resin. You have to mix it until blended. Now, fill the eyedropper with turpentine and add three drops. To incorporate it, stir the whole thing nicely. Now cool it.
3rd step
Now, take some amount of the mixture on a paint brush. Now apply on the cracked areas gently. Now, poke the paintbrush gently underneath and between the cracks for saturation with glue.
4th step
You have to heat a metal palette knife by dipping it in a cup of hot water, then dry it on a clean cotton. Now press the flat side of the palette knife gently on the cracked part. Let it dry and cool.
5th step
Mix 1 cup of white flour and 1 cup of cold water to create a paste. Apply a thin layer over the glued areas of cracked paint. Cover this area with tissue paper. Let it dry. Apply the second base with tissue paper and cover it with gauze. Let it dry. Cover the gauze with paste, then add heavyweight paper over the gauze. Let it dry, cover it with paste, and then attach another heavyweight paper.
Also read: How to Make Photos Look Vintage: A Guide to Achieving That Classic Vibe
Section 3: Fixing Cracking Paint on Canvas
Other than oil, acrylic paints also can get cracks because of the exact causes. In this part of the blog, you will get the answers to how to fix cracked acrylic painting.
Scraping or sanding off your painting
If your painting has tiny cracks, sanding is the best way. But if you prefer clearing all the cracks on your canvas, then scarping is the one. For sanding, you should have atleast 3 hours on your hand, depending upon the size of your canvas.
- Prepare your painting and place it on the proper lights so that you can see the cracks.
- Use fine sandpaper because you don’t want to ruin the whole thing with excessive pressure.
- Use sandpaper over the cracked part and use it in a circular motion.
- Now, you have to repaint the area. Use 1 or 2 coats of the painting.
- Let it dry for 24 to a maximum of 72 hours.
- Now, you can apply varnish to it.
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As you have read earlier, scraping is best if you want to make the whole paint from scratch.
- You must wrap your painting with durable paper towels that won’t dissolve quickly in water. Apply a good amount to cover the front and back of your canvas.
- Now place your painting under the sink and give it a good splash of water so the paper towels can stick tightly. You have to do this process twice or thrice, depending on how much time the paper towel takes to hold the water on it.
- Take off the towel and use a knife to scrape off the paint.
- Start scraping by holding the knife at a 90-degree angle. Do not press hard so that the canvas doesn’t get damaged. If you have splashed water nicely, the paint should come off quickly.
- You can use a dish scrub sponge to remove smaller paint parts from the canvas.
- Let the canvas dry overnight; then, you can repaint it.
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Also read: Creativity with Markers on Canvas: A Comprehensive Guide
Section 4: Preventing Cracking in Oil Paintings
You need to know how you can prevent the cracking of oil paintings in advance. You can’t wait to let the paintings get cracked, and then you will do something. That just doesn’t make any sense. In this blog section, you will understand the preventive measures you can take for your oil painting.
Let it DRY!
Patience is the key if you are an artist. You have to have patience. Typically, your painting will take time to dry completely. You have to wait before applying any other coat after the initial coat. Drying time differs from paint to paint.
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Varnish
You should apply varnish to your painting. You have to give the paint an ample amount of drying time before applying varnish over it. If you instantly use varnish after the paint application, you know what will happen. Sometimes, some professionals advise waiting six months before applying varnish to the painting to ensure all the layers of paint dried completely.
Source: Google
High-quality products
The first thing to consider is always to use high-quality products for your oil or acrylic paintings. You should not use household items or cheap items as substitutes if you use low-quality paints for your canvas paint. Cheap paints quickly tend to crack and peel off from your canvas, And there is a possibility they can cause mold and fungus on your canvas, too.
Section 5: Tips for Long-Term Preservation
There are some additional tips to preserve your painting for a long time that you will want to read from this part.
Avoid direct sunlight
Many studies have shown that continuous, direct sunlight can drain colors from the canvas and severely damage it. You should use light while painting, but direct sunlight is a big no.
Store in a dry & cool place
You should store your painting in a cool place where sunlight can’t come directly, but the place can’t be moist. Excess humidity changes the painting as it may cause fungi and mold. Always choose a dry and cool place to keep your painting safe.
Section 6: Seeking Professional Restoration
You still have an option left with professional help. But you need to analyze and understand when you can seek professional help. If you are entirely unable to restore it by yourself, then you should seek professional restoration.
- Peeling or flaking of paint
- Damage or dirt on canvas wall art
- The painting medium used
- Whether there’s a varnish coating
- The age and condition of the painting
The process by which professional conservator restore the painting includes several steps: -
- Applying a consolidant to prevent further cracking.
- Using reversible materials to fill in the cracks.
- Reapplying loose pigments.
- Collecting all loose fragments of paint.
- Avoiding movement and not touching the fragile paint side of the canvas
- Strip lining the canvas edges.
- Rips repairing of the canvas surface.
Also read: Prints vs Paintings: Unveiling Differences & Making Informed Choices
Conclusion
You have read every critical detail regarding how to fix or prevent the cracked paintings. First step is always remember to analyze the condition of your painting; after that, clean the painting, you have to repair cracks. You can restore it by using the steps and methods discussed above. Also, you can hire professionals to help you, and now you can reapply paint on it; you should varnish the painting. Lastly, you must know and understand the fundamentals of storing and maintaining your artwork from damage-causing agents.
