Decorative painting and conservation
What is it?Decorative painting is the application of paint to a surface to add coloured detail and form. Decorative art began when primitives adorned their caves with hunting scenes. Many symbols and patterns that have become standard decorative motifs are derived from early Greek, Roman and Egyptian decoration. Decorative painting includes mural painting, painted and stencilled patterns, marbling, woodgraining, gilding, trompe l'oeil and fresco painting. Anything can be painted: ceilings, walls, doors, joinery and floors.
How is it done?Decorative treatments must be carefully planned and researched to ensure the correct method is used for the space and surface. It is usually carried out in situ, but smaller murals and wall panels can be prepared and painted onto canvas or board in a studio. Murals are painted in oil, acrylic, gouache, tempera or watercolour. A traditional oil glaze combined with artists' oils are used for marbling and wood-graining. Gilding is the application of gold, silver or metal leaf, generally to emphasise detail on mirrors, frames, icons or exterior features such as weather vanes, finials and facades.
What about conservation?Conservation of a decorative area requires detailed preliminary inspection of the fabric of the building. This is to understand the materials and construction methods of the original surface and subsequent repairs. This information determines the methods and techniques used to restore damaged areas. Paint analysis is sometimes used for historical accuracy and to ensure correct conservation. This is recorded for future use. "It is best to save as much of the existing decoration as possible and retouch and stabilise it using natural reversible products," says Ruth Bothwell, a Belfast decorative artist (decowellrestoration.com).
How long does it take?The length of a conservation project depends on the damage to the surfaces: work on a large ceiling, for example, can take months; spot repairs on a wood-grained door can take about six hours.
Where do I sign up?Decorative painting and conservation is specialised. Colleges include the Institute Superieur de Peinture, Van Der Kelen School of Decor- ative Arts in Brussels, the London School of Picture and Frame Restoration, and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
Ruth Bothwell will hold demonstrations on decorative art at the Traditional Building and Conservation Skills in Action exhibition at Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin, on August 14th and 15th. Contact details for decorative artists can be found on the Irish Georgian Society register of practitioners of traditional building and conservation skills (igs.ie) and on the Irish Crafts Council of Ireland website (ccoi.ie)
