Lizet’s materials
•A damaged
painting
•A piece of a similar
canvas, at least 2-3 cm
larger than the rip
•Scissors
•PVA Bond
•A damp rag
•Paint, brushes and a
palette knife (for
touching up)the size of the tear is important.
Anything larger than a third of the
painting will have to be dealt with by a
professional restorer as a patch won’t
hold it. Also be aware that bigger tears
may require you to repaint some of
your picture. If you don’t want to do
this, you should also take the picture
to a restorer.
Finally, a word on adhesives.
There are several options for applying
your patch. Rabbit-skin glue was the
traditional choice of the Old Masters.
The glue often comes in pellet form
and needs to be dissolved in hot
water before application. As a size,
it is not very stable and will shrink and
swell with varying levels of humidity.
Traditionalists like to use this glue as
its use has been well documented
throughout the ages.
The other option is PVA. PVA resins
are a relatively new material. As the
water within the glue evaporates when
drying, the resin particles move closer
together forming a continuous film.
Quality varies, so it is a good idea
to go with an artists’ quality brand.
I used PVA Bond, which has good
stabilityanddoesnotyellow.
1 Assess the damage
It is important to begin by assessing
the extent of the damage to the
canvas. I will be repairing a portrait on
canvas that has about a two-inch rip
on the top right. This happened when
a stand was accidentally knocked
over and the corner went right
through the canvas as it was leaning
up against the wall. The rip is only
small, and it is not in a detailed part
of the painting, so it is perfect for
fixing with a patch.
- Apply the patch
The secret to patching is to
do it from the back of the
canvas, not the front. It is
actually not that difficult, nor do you
need materials that you are unlikely
to have in your studio or at home
already. The canvas does not need
to be taken off the stretcher – it is
actually easier to repair a canvas
when it is stretched as it is stable
and taut.
Start by cutting a piece of canvas
about 2-3cm bigger than the tear.
The goal is to get the fibres of the
canvas to line up as well as possible
before applying the patch. I am
working with a linen canvas here,
but if you are using a cotton canvas
consider using a damp rag to apply
a little moisture to the back of the
canvas – it may loosen the fibres and
make it easier to close the gap.Top tip
Lay the patch on the
back of your canvas
first to see how it fits
before you apply
the glue1
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