Our ICON accredited paper conservator is highly skilled when it comes to the preservation of historic and contemporary artworks in this medium, whether they have been disturbed by mould and foxing, or have faced devastating damage from tears, flaking or creasing. 

Our ICON accredited paper conservator is able to professionally restore issues such as:

• Mould growth and moisture disturbances
• Foxing, staining and discolouration
• Tears and creasing
• Water damage
• Fire and smoke damage
• Acidic mount and frame deterioration
• Damages following a household disaster or accidents

Fragile pigments

Pastels are a very soft medium and their binding agent can sometimes be affected by the environment or by natural decay. This leads to the flaking or dusting away of loosening powdered colours. Older glass may have a static quality, this can attract the loosening pigments away from the artwork.

If this type of damage occurs to pastel, chalk or charcoal artworks, our conservator will always work to re-adhere loose pigments where possible. Losses can be sensitively retouched with conservation-appropriate pigments. 

Natural fixing agents were sometimes used from the 19th century onwards, but generally antique pastels, charcoals and chalks have no protective layer.

Today, various options are available for fixing pastels in place, but these are not recommended for an attempt at home and will not be used during conservation treatment, as they can darken and disturb the artwork over time. Instead, conservation-approved framing options are recommended. 

Conservation framing

Our specialist technicians offer frames appropriate for the ongoing protection of artworks, this includes acid-free mounts and backing boards.

A deep mount is required when choosing a frame for chalk, charcoal or pastel artworks. This ensures that the picture is unable to rub against the glass or any surrounding elements.

All protective aspects will be carefully considered by our knowledgeable conservators and framing specialists when your pastel, chalk or charcoal artwork is framed. 

UV protection

Our framing team recommend UV protective glazing to avoid the disturbance or fading of pigments in bright display locations. This is important for pastel artworks that may have light-sensitive pigments.

Bespoke mounts and washlines

A variety of creative mounts can also be created for your artwork, either in the form of multi-tiered mount boards in various colours or hand drawn washlines from our extensive catalogue of examples. We can also recreate historic washlines and details that you may have seen in museums or galleries. Colours can be selected from your artwork or chosen to provide the perfect accent.