Workshop on tear mending for canvas paintings

Workshop on tear mending for canvas paintings
    with Petra Demuth
Simon Gillespie Studio
104 New Bond St
W1S 1SU London
22-24 October 2014

Course fee:
UKP450 (the cost includes toolkits)

A three day tear mend workshop taught by Petra Demuth.  This is
going to be a private workshop with members of the studio but we
need a couple of external people to help cover costs.  Only
successful applicants will be contacted.  If you are interested
please email to

    Rosalia Aloguin-Dols
    Conservator
    Simon Gillespie Studio
    104 New Bond Street
    London W1S 1SU
    studio<-a t->simongillespie< . >com

Day 1
Theory (topics)

    Tear mending:  Its necessity in relation to the preservation of
    canvas paintings authenticity

    Metaphysical, documentary and technical aspects

    Preservation of value and esteem

    Examples of tear mending without appropriate alternatives

    Formation of tears: tear processes and damage phenomena

    The influence of warp and weft

    Impact-related deformations

    The technique of tear mending

    Adhesives for tear mending: bond strength, preparation and
    application

    Advantages of using sturgeon-glue and wheat starch paste

    Examples of single thread joints: 'right' and 'wrong'

    Tear mending instruments

    Temporary securing of flaking paint layers around the tear:
    materials and methods

    Aligning frayed torn threads and reweaving

    Completion of missing threads: Adding new threads

    Joining procedure: thread-by-thread

    Reweaving and darning

    Excursus: Sewing of tears

Day 1
Afternoon
Practical workshop: part 1

    Demonstration I

        Presentation of all tear mending tools and materials (partly
        live via monitor)

        Preparation of the sturgeon glue and wheat starch paste
        mixture

        Single-thread-joint under the microscope (live via monitor)

    Exercise I: Bonding of single torn threads

        Demonstration under the microscope (live via monitor)

        Practice: 10 single-thread-bonds per person

        Tear mending control of the bond: bond strength test,
        optical appraisal

2. Day 2
Theory (topics):

    Realignment of tears

    Tear mending before deformation treatment

    The problem of 'surplus' of canvas

    'Working in' deformations in the process of mending: Reweaving
        with special weave structures

    Bringing together the tear edges

    Tensile constructions: 'Trecker' and modifications

    Open, gaping tears: Restretching of shrunk canvas

    Treatment of canvas deformations on torn paintings

    Stretching and shrinking of the enlarged tear area

    Stretching and flattening of entire picture plane: Temporary
        stretcher with mobile tacking points

    Securing the mended tear before humidification

    Humidifying with saturated salt solutions

    Supplementary tear mending

    Bridging threads: preparation and application

    Patches: preparation

    Protective backing

Day 2
Afternoon
Practical workshop: part 2

    Demonstration II (under the microscope, live via monitor) 2-3
    typical damage phenomena, tear mending concepts and mending
    procedures

    Exercise II: Tear mending in canvas paintings (dummies)
    Practice: The participants have their own special tears
    (individual guidance)
    Demonstration of problems of common interest

Day 3
Practical workshop: part 3

    Demonstration III
    Tear mending with different adhesives under the microscope

    Exercise II: continuation

        Demonstration IV

        Montage of different 'Trecker'-systems on a stretcher

        Preparation of bridging threads

    Final discussion

Simon Gillespie
Simon Gillespie Ltd
Fine Art Restorers and' Conservators
104 New Bond Street
London W1S 1SU
+44 20 7493 3900



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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:13
                  Distributed: Friday, August 29, 2014
                       Message Id: cdl-28-13-015
                                  ***