how could i remove old yellowing varnish on an old painting?

Answer 1

If the painting is valuable, take it to a professional restorer. Ask a local museum for help finding one.
If you are determined to try it on your own, buy a product called Artists' Picture Cleaner that's put out by Winsor & Newton. (Try a good art supply store or online.) Also get a big box of q-tips. Dip the q-tip in the solution and twirl the q-tip gently on the surface of the painting. Do not rub or scrub. Keep changing q-tips as they get dirty.

Answer 2

Remove Varnish From Oil Painting

Answer 3

You can clean a painting on your own, which will help if there is dirt sitting on the surface. This is particularly caused by smoke--a long time ago they would decorate bars and such with nice oil paintings, which left layers of dirt on them. Anyway, I would avoid touching the varnish on your own. It is a tricky situation (and incredibly time consuming) which is why a conservator tends to have a painting for months. There are numerous varnishes and a conservator will do a little test to determine which chemicals they need to remove the particular varnish from your painting without damaging any of the underlying paint (which would cause a decrease in the value). Museums tend to have their own staff, which I would guess, are also more expensive. Good luck!

Answer 4

I've always used a hot air stripper for the job. Do wear a mask though as really old paint is likely to contain lead which you really don't want in your system! Your eco stripper is probably the best product from this point of view, I've always found that 'wet' strippers of any kind seem to drive the paint further into soft woods. Bear in mind that the soft pine furniture made for Victorian houses was intended to be painted, so repainting would be the easiest and most historically correct approach. Good luck with it, it once took me 3 weeks to strip a cupboard only to decide to repaint it again as the grain of the resulting wood was not attractive enough to keep stripped!

Answer 5

You won't be able to remove the old varnish without damaging the oil paint. Any product that would remove varnish, would also remove oil paint.

The first answerer has the best advice.....a professional restorer is your best bet.

Consider leaving the varnish, however. Often it helps to make the painting look antique and adds to the value.

I hope I've helped.

Answer 6

Hi,

Check the menu items on the left :
http://www.gainsboroughproducts.com/index.html
You may also check:
http://talasonline.com/
Winsor and Newton also sells stuff for that, I guess.
You may also check Studio Products.
And I've red that on may use an onion to clean an oil painting, BUT I'm NOT sure of this.
Some folks here mentioned and quite well, taking it to a specialist. If it's valuable do so. But take it to a REAL specialist, not a REAL oportunist.

Kind regards,

José
http://sitekreator.com/hushcolours/index.html