Artists’ acrylic emulsion paints: materials, meaning and conservation treatment options

Abstract

For more than 10 years, conservation concerns surrounding the use of artists’ acrylic emulsion paints have now been investigated, largely from a scientific perspective. As a result, we have a better understanding of several important aspects pertaining to the care and appreciation of works of art made with these paints, including typical paint constituents, physical properties and how these may change with age. We also have an increased understanding of the risks, such as swelling, extraction and gloss changes, associated with surface cleaning treatments; as well as protective and preventive conservation measures. Research has also informed potential ethical and aesthetic considerations regarding the appearance of acrylic works of art, along with the significance of potential changes in appearance resulting from the use of wet surface cleaning systems. Ongoing collaborations between the conservation community and industry have now begun to produce wet cleaning system options that have been modified and/or designed to minimise the risks associated with wet cleaning acrylic paints. These new options are based on modifications to aqueous and non-polar solvents, as well as water-in-oil microemulsions where the continuous ‘oil’ phase is either a mineral spirit or silicone solvent. This paper aims to summarise current understanding of the material and ethical aspects of acrylic paints and briefly introduces the new cleaning system options becoming available to conservators.