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Painting/oil painting of junk ships

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Expert: Judy - 10/10/2009


Question

oil painting
Hi judy,

i have just recently received this lovely painting. I am wanting to know a little information on the artist if possible as i am unable to read the signature. I would appreciate any kind of information that you can give me. Also as you may notice there is a few specs of white paint which my husband said may be waterbased, do you have any ideas on removing this without damaging the painting. Thankyou very much

Answer
Tamara,

Thank you for your question.  Unfortunately, there is no way for me to be able to tell what artist painted it by just looking at a painting, unless there are characteristics and features found in some artists' paintings.

When your husband said that those white specs might be water based, is there a reason for him to suspect that?  Sometimes, it is even hard to tell if a painting is oil or acrylic by just looking a painting.  Although oil and acrylic have distinctive LOOK that makes brush strokes and blends in different ways, the ways of applying the paints can sometimes confuse the viewers.  The best way is first to test the painting to see if it is oil or acrylic, even if one is sure that it is an oil painting.  After that, test the specs to see if they are water based or oil based.  By doing so, you are going to remove the specs safely with more success.

Get some rubbing alcohol.  On the very corner of the painting (even better if you can use the sides of the canvas where is against the frame), roll a Q-tip with rubbing alcohol on it gentley.  If the Q-tip picks up any paint at all, it is an acrylic painting.  If not at all, then it is an oil painting.

Find a spec on a inconspicuous area.  Test it the same way as testing the painting.  If the white spec is loosen up, it is water based.

If it is an oil painting with water based paint, then just use the rubbing alcohol to remove all the specs.  If it is an acrylic painting with water based specs, you might still be able to removed the specs.  You just have to be very careful.  Perhaps, you don't want to totally remove the specs too well, or you end up removing the acrylic paint too.

Judy

Expertise

I can answer ALL questions related to watercolor paintings, except appraisal or artist identification. I can answer general questions about oil, acrylic, Chinese painting, and other media. I am NOT an art appraiser at all for any kind. I can only answer questions in aspects of materials, techniques, and critiques. I do NOT have the access to records of auction, painting pricing, or artist files & works, unlike art gallery dealers or art appraisers. I would not know how much an art piece is worth, but I am only an expert in the "art form" but nothing to do with VALUE.

Experience

Professional watercolorist for decades. Knowledgeable about all media, but not in value or pricing.

Education/Credentials
BFA in Fine Art, Painting MA in Art

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