Unfortunately I don't have a definitive answer here. But the purpose of this website is to be my online portfolio and a place for me to explore my technological creativity. But hey, I'll keep you posted if I find the definitive purpose of life.
The Care of Pictures (1948, repub. 1975) by George L. Stout
While first published in 1948, a surprising amount of the information he presents is still relevant today. Stout writes clearly and engages the reader with his descriptive prose and apt comparisons. Targeted at the non-conservator, he explains the types of damages and the outlines the basic techniques that a conservator would employ to restore a picture to good condition. Helpful illustrations further clarify the various types of deterioration and defects that can come to a painting.
Stout himself was a notable historical figure, a conservator and museum director credited with founding both the first conservation research lab in America and the first art conservation journal in America. He was most well-known, however, for his role as a "Monument Man" during World War II, where he helped recover works of art from repositories and war zones.
In 2021, I decided it was about time to make a large acrylic painting. My mom took a lovely photograph of our cat Jasper that inspired me both with its subject and indoor/outdoor light composition. With acrylic, I find I use a lot more layers, both because the paint is more transparent than oils and because I know it will dry faster and I can paint over it on the same day. The layering helped achieve the fluffiness of the cat's fur. Like usual, I spent quite a bit of time on the patterned fabric.
This painting and Rachael were featured in the Golden Employee Art Show along with many other lovely paintings by my coworkers.
Now that I've got a proper large easel, I think more large paintings will be coming (after many hours of labor over several months, of course)!
