How to Fix a Painting on Canvas with a Hole in It!

👉Want to know how to paint better skin tones? Get my FREE "Fix Muddy Skin Tones" PDF Guide and improve your portrait! → realisticacryl...
How to Fix a Painting on Canvas with a Hole in It!
It's something all artists dread: getting a hole torn in your canvas. Sooner or later, it's probably going to happen to one of your paintings.
But what do you do? Is the canvas ruined?
Nope. You don't have to throw the painting away or relegate it to the closet. I'll show you how to fix it, step-by-step.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
1 small piece of canvas
Matte medium
Gloss medium
Scissors
Utility knife blade
Plastic sheet
Weights
Foam or wood board
Acrylic paint
DISCLAIMER: Use the knowledge in this video at your own risk. I cannot be held responsible for any painting that is damaged further in the process of utilizing this repair method. But I will say it has worked well for me!
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👉Paint Realistic Reflections on Eyeglasses in an Acrylic Portrait: bit.ly/3AgLXPm
👉How Do You Begin an Acrylic Portrait: bit.ly/3I3LLF8
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👉Techniques for Painting Realistic Hair in Your Acrylic Portrait: bit.ly/3Lo047j
👉Questions About Glazes: Where and How Many? bit.ly/39zAnDE
👉Demonstration: 30-Minute Freehand Portrait Sketch: bit.ly/3MpZMhE
👉30-Minute Acrylic Portrait: Man in the Dark Brown Cap: bit.ly/3FZf7Dk
For more video tutorials, you can also subscribe to my KZbin channel.→ bit.ly/3i8uT3C
You can also join my Facebook Group: bit.ly/3Lv2rVU
You can also visit me on my Facebook page: bit.ly/3vWNgkq
Send me something here: [e-mail]
My recommended acrylic paint and matte medium: Nova Color Paint (affiliate link): realisticacryl...
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[@MultiplicityCrafts]

Wow! I didn't know that canvas could look so seamless with repair! Thanks for the helpful tip. Excellent work.

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

My pleasure! Thought this would be a fun one to share.

[@GailPalmerMills]

Found your video on repairing tears very interesting. I recently moved cross country & the mover destroyed alot. I have a 9ft X 5ft oil painting I had consigned an artist to paint. It is also framed. There are at least 6 gashes in it. Is there a point where it is not possible to repair? The largest gash has caved inward leaving a gaping hole at least 5 inches big. The piece is extremely heavy. Thank you for any input.

[@geffreyjewell6546]

I always remove the painting from the frame. The face of the painting can then lay flat on your repair table. To protect against gloss medium adhering to the flat table by leaking through the old canvas and the hole, lay wax paper on your work table before starting your project.

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Thanks for the tips!

[@monicaparson6118]

That's exactly what I am doing now... I've removed the painting from the frame so that it lays flat on the

[@monicaparson6118]

table to dry. I am so happy this video was on the web!!!

[@geffreyjewell6546]

I think it's funny how he walks out of the room and leaves us to talk amongst ourselves 'til he comes back. Stage your supplies on your "work central" but not on your work surface. Keeping tools and supplies off your work table you don't risk further damage to your project. "Work Central" is my name for a separate surface where tools and glues and other supplies are kept close at hand.

[@joanchronister7741]

I appreciate this, I have a painting that I have wanted to repair for a few years now. Thank You! God Bless

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

You are so welcome

[@guilldanny]

I just tried your technique on an oil painting from the 70's with a small hole. It worked very well.

[@mjrewerts]

It’s very nice that you made this video. A few years ago, I had to repair one of my acrylic paintings that was damaged by a gallery. I had to do a lot of research to find information on how to do it. The method was similar to what you are demonstrating and it worked well. I would be reluctant to put any “lean” acrylic medium over oil no matter how dry or old the painting. I would probably just apply thicker oil paint as I was touching it up. God is good, ALL of the time! ❤

[@CS-bn4un]

Thank you! I'm going to try this on a floral still life painting of my grandmother's that is over 100 years old. Want to stop the tear from getting larger!

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

You're welcome. My pleasure. Hope this helps you!

[@1800primitives]

Excellent video, thank you 😊

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Thank you!

[@catherineking-smith5519]

Thank you, Matt. Wish I knew this 20 years ago. Very interesting and what a great repair.

[@lindasabic914]

Excellent tutorial. It’s amazing how well the repair turned out! Well done Matt.

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Thanks! I didn't know either, getting into it how it would work. This is only the second repair I've done like this. But both turned out successfully. So I thank God for that.

[@lindasabic914]

@@fineartbymattphilleo I have a question though, if it’s an oil painting should you have used oil instead of acrylic to paint the rooster? Unless you did and I didn’t notice. Or perhaps it doesn’t matter.

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

@@lindasabic914 From my knowledge and experience on this (but I am not saying I am not past learning more or to be corrected) it is ok to paint with acrylic on top of oil, if the paint is completely dried out. This painting is about 50 years old, so the risk of the oil molecules evaporating and disturbing the acrylic adhesion is very low. Ideally, over oil you would want to use Zinnser primer sealer to provide the best surface to paint upon. And oil on top of oil would work even better. But I don’t have oil paints and I’m not about to purchase them either. My recommendation: try it out, test it and see! :)

[@marymonson905]

Thank you for sharing this video, Matt. Great job!

[@elainek1234]

Thanks for a super interesting video Matt. Great job!

[@casimonton]

God helps us accomplish so many things. Forever grateful. Job well done!

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Amen and thank you!

[@sheilasinghal2922]

This was super-helpful, and your repair is amazing. I have a large and quite beautiful oil painting from Nigeria that's about 60 years old, with a rip that's been there for about 30 years. I recently received the painting as a gift, and your video has given me the confidence to gently try fixing it. I am no good with oils, however, so I'm definitely passing off the in-painting to my husband. (If I tried it, it would look like a child with palsy had scribbled on the painting with a melted wax crayon.) I will also definitely need God's help for the repair itself. Thanks for your video and for your encouragement. 😊

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Thank you for letting me know, Sheila. Glad this has been helpful for you!

[@sheilasinghal2922]

@@fineartbymattphilleoI bit the bullet and did my canvas repair using your instructions, and it turned out way better than I expected. Now to get my husband to paint the damaged areas. 😊

[@rebeccawhite4153]

That is so beautifully done!!! Thank you for putting this video out!!! I hope I can match the colors in my ripped painting I am trying to fix. I bought the painting ripped because it is so beautiful!!!!

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Thanks for your encouragement!

[@maryjanejones6858]

Thank you so much! I had a picture that I had put a hole in several years ago. This has been so helpful.

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Glad it helps!

[@jasonbricker7498]

Awesome job

[@pedrojaldopozuelo6072]

Mr Matt, no se que líquido blanco hecho sobre la capa pictórica, normamente se pone estuco y nunca usar una hoja de cuter para trabar he igualar para eso hay que hacerlo con espátula, enfin veo poca profesionalidad en la labor, ni si quiera empapelo la capa pictórica para evitarle daños, enfin no estoy muy de acuerdo

[@pedrojaldopozuelo6072]

Mr Matt, creo que es atípico el parche y poco ortodoxo la cola con el que lo pega, por el momento. Sigo viendo el video

[@toddbashem1430]

That was a fantastic job. Consider me sub'd. I'm going to try a CRL 3X3 silicone caulking squeegee. They have a really crisp chamfer and a little give as well. Heres to bringing your catalog and hoping that no one really needed to be told not to hold the sharp side of the blade. Had me smirking there. BTW you look like Ted Nugent if he used a skin care regimen and a better barber....😮

[@calgacusofcaledonia]

Nice 👍

[@juptonstone]

Im assuming all your color work is done using acrylics. I always thought that you had to use oils to repair oils, so this is good news.

[@reneezeitzer9631]

Interesting but I have only read that you should not use oil paint over these gloss mediums. (?)?

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

There are many ways to make repairs like this. I tried my best based on what I know. But I am an acrylic artist not a professional art conservator. I have limited experience with oil paints as well. So anyone watching this video, please use caution when attempting a repair like this and do your research!

[@ck9383]

You can use oil over acrylic... but should avoid acrylic over oil.... oil paint doesn't ever fully "dry" oil paint oxidizes over time to form a tough film... that's why oil painters add more oil to their mediums with each successive layer... they have to oxidize slower than the layer beneath or cracking in the paint film can happen.... acrylic paint is very flexible but won't really bond with the oil beneath... in time the acrylic might start to flake off

[@tiagodagostini]

Can I recomend this channel about restoration for the ones interetes in a deeper view? www.youtube.com/@BaumgartnerRestoration even these patches he show a more elaborate method that has some advantages specially for larger paintings with more tension from the canvas.

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Sure, thanks for sharing.

[@dianenoblett6054]

Are you using acrylic paint on an oil painting?

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Yes. It is generally not advisable to paint with acrylic on top of oil. However, for an oil painting that is very old and dry, because the paint has had time to oxidize and contract, the probability for the acrylic to crack on top is very low. But it’s possible. in that case, it would have to be restored, and I would be willing to do that for a client for free. I am not a fine art conservator or restorationist. I’ve done this one other time about eight years ago, and as far as I know, the acrylic paint is still adhering fine. I don’t use oil paints. So this method of repairing a damaged painting was not so much to demonstrate what should be done with using acrylic on top of oils, but rather the method of how to make the repair, how to fill in the surface, crack, and how to paint match. Ideally, you would want to use oil on top of oils and acrylic on top of acrylics. one more step to give better adhesion would be to lightly sand the painting surface and apply and alkyd or oil based primer. From my experience, I found that Zinnser Bulls-Eye Acrylic or Shellac Primer works well over even oil base paint. It adheres well and gives excellent an adhesion surface for whatever is placed over it. Of course, viewers should do their own research before using a method that they see on a KZbin video. Everyone is responsible for their own results. I’m just showing what has worked for me.

[@jason5409]

What kind of paint do you use?

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

I use Nova Color paint. I’ve been using it since 1999! They manufacture and ship their own acrylic paint direct to the artist. As good as Liquitex in my opinion but less expense. You can purchase it at realisticacrylic.com/get-nova-color

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Want to know how to paint better skin tones? Get my FREE "Fix Muddy Skin Tones" PDF Guide and improve your portrait! → realisticacrylic.com/fix-muddy-skin-tones

[@victoriaculbertson8266]

❤️❤️🎂

[@NinaHansen2008]

Julian would be horrified. I just can’t watch this anymore.

[@godschild6694]

few people can afford Julian. I cannot. I need to fix a painting the best I can. When you are actually living on Soc Sec, there are things that are just out of your reach.

[@CDW1981]

Julian is on a higher level, working on higher pricetags, you cant compare them to eachother okey. this painting is worth like 10 dollars or so? jullian his knife is worth more that that for christ sake. i think did dude is doing a fine job on a cheap painting.

[@sharonblankcanvas7173]

Yeah, agreed.

[@fineartbymattphilleo]

Want to know how to paint better skin tones? Get my FREE "Fix Muddy Skin Tones" PDF Guide and improve your portrait! → realisticacrylic.com/fix-mudd..

[@jeniferbaker4858]

A lot of over painting there. Not good.

[@godschild6694]

It is fine if it is your own painting worth a few bucks. Not good for expensive art work. Don't be so judgemental