Repair and Maintenance of Your Artworks

Repair and Maintenance of Your Artworks*

*Use this advice as general guidelines at your own risk.
Suggested tips and materials for each listing are listed in order of quality & effectiveness, as well as order of operation.
Contact us for any questions or to have a skilled artisan provide advanced statue repairs.
Use a professional art restorer for critical repairs. Here is some Art Appraiser info.

General Antiques
Grass Flower Accents

'General sculpture Cleaning'
Dust: Use inexpensive 'china bristle' brush, feather duster.
Clean: with mild soap and water, dry immediately with [no heat] air.
Repairing breaks: It is very important protect the sharp edge of breaks so that it goes back together as a hairline seam. Be sure to apply glue in center so that not too much or any will squish out of hairline seam. Clean excess with a cotton swab immediately. I hope this helps.
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'Poxy-porcelain�' Durable exterior grade material
Repair: 5 minuet epoxy, super glue gel.
Maintain: clean with mild soap and water.
acrylic paint touch-up
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'Cement-Stone' Durable exterior grade material
Repair: 5 minuet epoxy, super glue gel.
Maintain: clean with mild soap and water.
acrylic paint touch-up
Re-coat painted surface finishes with a quality cement sealer as needed. [about every 3 years]
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'Cast-stone'
Repair: super glue gel, 5 minuet epoxy, carpenter's wood glue.
Maintain: clean with mild soap and water.
acrylic paint touch-up.
Exterior clear spray paint coating the sculpture:
will greatly improve outdoor use but I can not recommend this product for outdoors*.
*I have had many items last for years if kept clear coated and out of harsh weather.
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'Hand painting'
Poxy-porcelain� degrease well, scuff with Scotch brite, primer, acrylic & oil paints, clear coat sealer after through dry time.
Cast-stone avoid 'soak in' grime, clean with mild soap and water, dry overnight, acrylic & oil paints, clear coat sealer after through dry time.
Cement-stone for exterior usage may require a sealer applied every 3 years or as needed.
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Clear Coats
Our sculptures are coated with quality artistic paints.
Finer details can experience accelerated wear in usage or exterior conditions.
To prolong a fine finish a durable, protective clear-coating may be necessary periodically.
- Care should also be considered to maintain the original artwork's sheen by choosing a Gloss, Egg-Shell or Flat finish.
Please, Exercise due care by using proper safety equipment and work environment when using any chemicals.
Any urethane, lacquer, epoxy, acrylic, enamel spray coating may 'work'. Look for a Quality brand, Non-Yellowing, and UV (sunlight) inhibitors on your choice.
The Automotive industry widely uses a catalyst cured 2-part Urethane Clear Coat ( very tough and slick )
- Be sure to have a clean, dry surface with No Trace of oils for best adhesion.
- If you can test a small area for compatibility.
- Build upon thin layers to desired coating thickness.

Some underlying paints may 'bleed' or 'orange-peel' under thick slow drying clear coats.
Control your over spray draft away for slick, shiny top-coats. Allow it to settle upon a fresh skinned under layer for artistic, flat areas.
When coating cover areas that may not need coating with tape and heavy paper, modeling clay even works well to cover small odd shaped areas (eyes, hardware..).

Rust-Oleum's Clear spray-can finish for fast clear coats may yield good success (available at Walmart or Home Depot).
Cement-Stone items may be re-sealed as needed with commercial cement floor sealers available in flat or gloss finishes.
Remember, carefuly clean before painting. You will assume any risk of damage!
A properly applied clear coat may further protect and prolong the original finish for heavy use.

'Paintings & Prints'
General: Avoid direct sunlight and fluctuating or high humidity.
Use "Archive Quality" acid-free matting and framing.
Non-glare Ultra-Violet light protecting glass is recommended.
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"Paintings"
Dust: Use feather duster, inexpensive 'china bristle' brush.
Clean: Acrylic or Oil paintings with mildly damp cloth, dry immediately with cloth no heat air.
never apply moisture to watercolors, prints or matting boards..duh!
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'Prints'
General: see above
Do NOT change temperature or humidity quickly. Condensation may ruin watercolor paper or prints. (especially temporary moving glass-covered, shrinkwrapped..into sunlight outdoors)
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'Antiques'
The care of fine heirloom furniture is best accomplished in the following way:
Room environment of 48% humidity and temperature range of 70 to 75.
Keep out of direct sun light, low lighting.
Dust with a damp cloth as necessary.
Wax with a good quality bees wax only once a year.
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Grass Flower Accents ' Water birds' ~ group into bundles and poke into pre-drilled 3/16" holes of the base (Look closely!).
Stand back and size up the look (negative space .. more in back ..brush away from the eyes, etc).
Cut bundle off at bottom (only if necessary)
If loose, push some shorter piece around bundle to wedge them in place.
Remember, some reeds in front of bird is totally natural, just stand back to see that it blends into the overall sculpture, enjoy!

Touch-up Paint Kits'
Are usually labeled in order of application: 1,2,3 or 1, 2a,2b,3, etc.
Various painting techniques are required such as:
- a base coat that usually dries before proceeding
- a stain or wash that usually a darker coat that must dry thinned with iso/water [acrylic washes] or paint thinner [oil stains]
- with a topcoat of dry brushed paint usually a lighter shade.
- Finished with a clear coat if necessary
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