Picturesque canvases are inevitably aging, be it Dali, Vasnetsov or Rubens. The restoration of paintings in workshops at museums is carried out constantly, using a very old natural remedy - Karluk fish glue.
Fish glue and restoration
Fish glue is widely used in the restoration business and in the practice of painters. This substance is distinguished by its strong adhesive properties even at low concentration, resistance to fading and darkening. But, like any other organic-based substance, such glue is prone to decay and decay. Karluk is made from leather, bones, swim bladder and fish scales. The highest quality types of glue are made from beluga, sturgeon and catfish.
Preparation of Karluk fish glue
Prepare antiseptics in advance, they are needed to slow down the decay process. In this case, antiseptics are: boric, carbolic and salicylic acids, creosote oil, mercuric chloride, formalin and chromic peak. Any of these substances is introduced into the prepared adhesive solution and preserves it. Please note that after boiling, you should have translucent plates that look like tree resin.
It is quite difficult to cook fish glue at home. In many treatises, the recipe is imprecise and too confusing, while others require ingredients that are difficult to obtain on your own. In addition, the cooking process itself is also very laborious and requires knowledge of all the nuances. All these facts together make the process of making glue at home almost impossible. Therefore, it is better to buy dwarf plates and weld special glue from it for duplicating, which is used when priming wood and strengthening the picturesque layers of canvases and icons.
Break the plates of the purchased fish glue into small pieces and throw them into the glue pot. Fill the granules with water by weight approximately 1: 1, the liquid should completely hide them. Leave it on for 5-15 hours. The glue should soften, swell and settle to the bottom. Transfer the mixture with a saucepan to a water bath, place on the stove and heat over low heat. Do not bring to a boil, otherwise the cellulose will loosen and the glue will become rough, completely unsuitable for restoration. Strain the solution through cheesecloth. For wood processing, the glue can be diluted with hot water to a concentration of 1:24. It is better to work with a solution no colder than 20 ° C. The remains of the dwarf should not be used a second time.
When the glue has cooled, add antiseptics, if you chose acids, give preference to 2% solutions. Very little pure crystalline boric acid is needed - 0.5-1% of the total solution volume. This mixture is used for the first sizing of the canvas for duplication. To glue the picture itself, add honey to the solution in proportions 1: 7-1: 5, but not more. Adding too much honey can lead to early mold growth. Pay attention to the fact that the fish glue leaves a film on the surface when it cures. If you re-cover the painting with glue, the canvas may change the intensity and shades of its color scheme.
