A Damaged Canvas is Tragic, but not the End of the World!

(Sold several prints from this painting the last three months) "Beach Buddies;" 16 x 20 mixed media

I had made up my mind. I was going to enter a favorite painting in a juried gallery. All it needed was a frame; one that would complement the colors in the painting without distracting. I had a framer already in mind, who never disappointed me.

I pulled out the canvas from a box it shared with two other paintings, and horror of horrors there was a screw sized hole in the canvas. Sometime, either in transport or storage, the canvases had been weighed down by enough weight to cause a puncture.

Lesson learned: Always have sufficient cardboard or materials between each painting so this never happens!

(This painting has sold more prints than any others) "With these Hands -- Wonder" mixed media

Could I repair the canvas; absolutely! Was its value compromised? Unfortunately, yes. I found several web sites on instructions for repair, but I also discovered that once a canvas is damaged, most collectors don’t want it. In addition, even if you could find a buyer; you must declare the damage (or ruin your reputation if discovered), and the price of the painting must be slashed by at least 30-50%.

If that doesn’t push you into protecting those precious original creations, I don’t know what will..Here are a few remarks from a helpful site and a link:

“The worst possible course of action in the event of damaging an art piece is for the artist not to tell the buyer, repair the problem, and hope the buyer doesn't notice. If the buyer does happen to discover the repair at some point down the road, ask about it, and find out the hard way what happened, that will pretty much ensure the end of any relationship between the two of you. And now for some facts about how the condition of a work of art impacts its value...

(This commissioned painting is still selling prints) "Skudeneshavn Norway" 16 x 20 oil on canvas

“Condition is a paramount consideration in any decision about whether or not to buy-- both from the dealer's and collector's perspectives. Original untouched condition is best by far. In fact, unless a work of art is excessively rare or important in some way, many experienced dealers and collectors won't even consider adding it to their collections or inventories if condition is anything less than perfect.

“But wait; there's more. Approximately 100% of dealers and collectors will tell you that a work of art with repaired damage is worth less than a comparable work of art in perfect original untouched condition.

“. . . People are less interested in owning art that has been damaged at some point in its existence than they are in owning art that's in perfect original condition. It's precisely that simple and no more complicated.”

http://www.artbusiness.com/how_to_options_fix_repair_return_damaged_art.html

Never put your coffee next to your turp!

If you’re still intent on repairing the canvas, you must declare that it has been damaged, and the price better be discounted. We all make mistakes, but this one we have to live with!

If you want to forge ahead and fix the canvas, at least for yourself, here are some links to help you. The following site Suggested pasting the back of the canvas with another piece of canvas to reinforce and aid in appearance. Use a pallet knife to paste and flatten under the spacer bars.

I discovered after I’d repaired my small hole that I had done all the right things. I’d applied a small piece of canvas on the back with adhesive, and put modeling paste and gel on the front side over the hole. It worked well because the hole was where a worn stone wall appeared. Paint wouldn’t even be required, but I will still add the needed acrylic with a dry brush to avoid any shiny appearance.

If you want specific help and details, the following sites are helpful!

http://www.gainsboroughproducts.com/patching_vs_lining_article.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-Canvas