Its a Peeler ! Epic Varnish Removal!

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A seemingly straight forward clean turns into an epic varnish removal as we discover a polyurethane varnish has been overpainted on this 18th Century portrait. The only way to remove it is to painstakingly peel it bit by bit. If you like ASMR and satisfying content then this is the episode for you! We research the artist and also do some small frame repairs. Its a wonderful portrait and I hope you enjoy the unusual varnish removal.
#artrestration #asmr #fineartrestoration
Equipment:
Iphone 14pro
Yeti Blue Mic
Edited with Adobe Premiere
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ABOUT Bloomfield Art Restoration Is an unlimited series exploring the art restoration of oil paintings, period history, and artists lives.
ABOUT Bloomfield Art & James Bloomfield Bloomfield Art specialise in all aspects of art restoration, oil easel painting restoration and fine art conservation. We offer fine art restoration and picture cleaning services across the North West of England, We also offer a National Painting Restoration service. Bloomfield Art is an associate member of the British Association of Paintings Conservators - Restorer's (BAPCR) . We have a selection of quality antique oils for sale please vivit our website to see our current stock, we offer free international shipping:
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We have completed art restoration work on behalf of Christies London, National Gallery Ireland, the NHS, local authorities, schools, churches and historic houses. We have also worked on paintings by Sir Terry Frost, Ambrose McAvoy, Mary Fedden, Kyffin Williams, Robert Lenkowiez, Helen Bradley, L.S Lowry, R.R. Reinagle, J.Hoppner, W.Sant and many more. James Bloomfield is an accredited Art Restorer and Artist and has worked on 1000's of oil paintings. He was selected for the prestigious John Moores painting prize in 2012 and has his artwork in museum collections in the UK. He lives and works in Manchester England.

[@stefanwild326]

@BaumgartnerRestoration can only dream of encountering an unwanted layer of varnish that peels off like this - never happens to him 🤣

[@melodymacken9788]

If Julian saw this, he'd have a fit. 😂

[@georgH]

He once removed a polyurethane cover from a paint and it was painful scraping all the way...

[@DanaTheInsane]

@@georgH I remember that it was brittle and flaky.

[@rickvaiBBB]

@@melodymacken9788 He would have spent an hour telling you how he was peeling it off.

[@DaleDix]

Even if he did, he'd make a song and dance and bang on until he could segue into a squarespace ad.

[@dougl945]

I got that sunburn at Malibu Beach in 1978. Layed in bed for 3 days.

[@alisonmeeks5580]

I remember my brother and I peeling each other’s sunburns as kids.

[@quenoselecruzenadie]

Same, Miami Beach 2014

[@lindab.716]

Reminded me of Redondo Beach in the 60’s 3 days after baby oil and iodine 🙄

[@catopig7611]

Everyone who has tried an over-aggressive face mask knows how that painting feels. I love how fascinating even the more "routine" work is, it's a window into something we usually wouldn't get the chance to see happen.

[@geniestotz2240]

I have watched a lot of painting restoration but never ever have I seen polyurethane removal. Fascinating.

[@Ss15996]

You should check baumvartner, he also had a layer of polyurethane, but a thick and very hard to remove layer 😅

[@Skirt553]

Removing the polyurethane was a HUGE improvement. And when the peeling revealed the artist's signature? Best part.

[@megwolff58]

Wonderful to see that the polyurethane just peeled off and no damage was done! For a 290 yr old portrait it is in beautiful condition.

[@QuivaRPG]

I can't say enough times how much I love that you really get into the history of the painting, subject, and artist. It really makes the whole process feel personal.

[@yvettem52]

Just removing the polyurethane made a huge improvement. I enjoy the history you provide about the artist. Art and history are a passion of mine. As you started cleaning off the varnish the painting really started to come to life. Thank you for all your videos.

[@darlene2662]

Really enjoyed this video. It certainly lit up nicely with the polyurethane removed. As always enjoy the bits of provenance and other history about the timeline always a good part of your work. Thanks!😊🇨🇦👏🏼

[@rubenproost2552]

The peeling reminds me of childhood summer holidays in France, lol. Handsome feller also.

[@nickimontie]

That's so interesting. It's like peeling a sunburn!

[@caittails]

I’m continually amazed that there are some absolute smooth-brains going “Eh, furniture varnish is varnish, I can put it on a painting.” 🙄

[@cynthiasmith5425]

Reminds me of when we'd cover our hands in elmer's glue as kids and peel it off when it'd dried. Or a 1980's facial mask.

[@bdickins2190]

Who ever thought I'd enjoy watching someone peel varnish from a painting?! But then, I used to love peeling my sunburns...

[@JoanMcDonald-sy1bs]

At 25:30 and on, commentary on the wig being not as well executed. I think that is real hair, not a wig, and well done too! Home curling of natural hair involved a lot of burning and frizzling, this honest painter captured it.

[@julie6092]

You have *no idea* how *_absolutely jealous_* I am! This is like the 'perfect sunburn' for "peelers"! Lol ☺️

[@serendipitousprincess6142]

It's amazing to see something with so much history in such good shape

[@uplateaustin]

Removing the varnish on this painting is a-peeling !!!

[@blackdog850]

I didn't know I would get so drawn into your art restoration projects, but it really is amazing & fascinating to watch. This, however, was the first peeling video I have seen...and honestly, I was a little horrified at first! I had no idea what was happening! Then I quickly realized all was under control...and listened to your proper explanation of the process, and then I relaxed. But still jumped past that peeling part! Lol! Well done as always and thanks so much for sharing

[@BadJawa]

Like peeling a sunburn lol

[@dougl945]

Let me just say, what a beautiful painting.

[@quenoselecruzenadie]

and a beautiful frame!

[@katherinef4291]

Look at the beautiful painting under it!

[@jasoncorreal8810]

It's like pealing off a sunburn

[@JMS-2111]

Reminds me of my childhood. Because if I or one of my friends got sunburnt, we'd try to see if we could pull the whole thing off in one go. Watching this I got a stingy sensation on my skin.

[@melodymacken9788]

Brilliant, brilliant and brilliant. Love your vids, there is no big ego, just genuineness.

[@patriciacooney5705]

Wow. Well you did hint at something special. Have never seen a painting being peeled like this. Reminds me of when we were kids in summer and the days after too much sun when we actually peeled each other's flaking skin. LOL Thanks, that was enjoyable.

[@kathysmith6413]

i am as far from an art restorer as you can get but even i know polyurethaane is an absolute no no in art.

[@borge2014]

So satisfying to watch and hear the comments. Thank you!

[@mrasmo]

So, who else initially thought it was a layer of thinned down Elmers white glue? Amazing work

[@Vimby233]

Oh my! That may have been a bad choice of varnish professionally-wise but I loved the peeling, so satisfying!!

[@fredygump5578]

In defense of polyurethane, it is quite good as a floor finish! And it cures by a chemical reaction, which makes it good when solvent resistance is required. Possibly the previous restorer was a genius and knew it would peel off? (Probably not...)

[@XMarkxyz]

Looks like when as a kid you played or make stuff with vinyl glue and then peel it when inevitably stuck to some parts of your hands

[@jugheadjones5458]

Haha. I forgot about the Elmer’s glue fun. Polyurethane makes a beautiful finish. I can’t believe someone would use it on a painting. I about lost my mind trying to strip a polyurethane-painted guitar. NO solvent worked, nor a heat gun. Ended up sanding it off. I was going to use a color-shift paint and after 6 times painting and stripping it finally came out beautiful. Poly is infuriating to strip.

[@TealCheetah]

so many people would volunteer to peel this for free

[@Jules_Pew]

people would pay to peel it. LOL

[@Figueiredoartconservation]

It is quite amazing that someone would be motivated to apply a varnish of this chemical composition on an antique painting of such kind and value. Fortunately for you, it came off very easily, I must say, even easier than an old dammar or more recent resin. We are not that lucky every day... But really bad for the painting.

[@DaleDix]

It was a long time ago. They didn't know what we know now.

[@marileestetson737]

I like that it peels off. That part is fun. But it looks like it won't need much cleaning underneath. I've never seen this happen on restorations, learned something new.😁

[@Eurydice870]

Best facial ever. ❤

[@rosew6342]

Reminds me of when I had a sunburn as a kid.

[@januzi2]

It's like removing the skin after getting a sunburn.

[@emeraldqueen1994]

That varnish looks like peeling dead skin from a sunburn or something…. My hands peeled like that when I used WAY TOO MUCH hand sanitizer because I didn’t feel like waiting for the tap to heat up in the middle of winter!

[@anitadavidson1266]

Peel freak fully satisfied…🎨🖌️👩🏻‍🎨👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻👏🏻😂

[@sandrader2889]

It's like peeling off wallpaper piece by piece and every time you think you're able to get a big piece...........😂

[@Garden366]

Beautiful painting and I enjoyed your work on this piece!

[@deedeelicious375]

Ooh yeah peel freak right here! 🙌

[@stephaniemcintosh2808]

I've never wanted to join in and help you so much in my life! 😂

[@coffeewithmia7498]

Thank you! That was fun!

[@Vanessa279...]

that was so good- thank you for sharing so much technical and historical information - a joy to watch

[@SupernovaBetty]

Like peeling a sunburn 😂

[@PINTandDALE]

Good one! How lucky that stuff came off as easily as it did. Very satisfying! Thanks.

[@MrBehem0th]

I think it's perfect Varnish, 100% reversible. 🙂

[@JiveDadson]

... and requiring no dangerous solvent!

[@djessiedean1111]

Interesting job and you immediately removed his blackheads...

[@ravio777]

I enjoyed the commentary, but could you upload a version somewhere with only the audio of the peeling? Very satisfying.

[@sharicross547]

I never seen a peeler before. It seems to have kept the painting nicely clean. I would enjoy peeling this painting myself. Very interesting.

[@HarPaelTheMessenger]

When the sunburn finally heals, but you like to pick at yourself:

[@rosew6342]

Stunning transformation.

[@Marlene55M]

Comes off like skin after a horrific sunburn. 😂

[@NinaHansen2008]

Thank you, James!

[@leelulady2010]

This could totally be an ASMR video!

[@davidbowerman6433]

It’s actually helping a little. Pulling the dirt off

[@PorkChop71912]

These are all incredibly satisfying.

[@SaraMGreads]

So satisfying to watch this.😂

[@camillechauve1352]

this is exactly what i needed today, thank you :)

[@KarlBunker]

Reminds me of the aftermath of getting a bad sunburn. Kind of gross, but it was nice seeing the colors come to life as the varnish came off.

[@tgh965]

Its amazing what a difference that makes! Thank you for sharing.

[@Arhimith]

It is horribly satisfying to watch.

[@blanchjoe1481]

If I had to make a guess I would say Liquitex Professional Satin Varnish, it "always" ends up peeling, it was the bane of several artist friends when I was painting at the San Francisco Art Institute. Most of us stopped using it altogether.

[@cawfeebean3697]

You had me at “peel freaks”. 😂

[@BigFootedMonster]

Aah, this makes my peely soul happy!

[@liamfoxy]

Reminds me of the sunburn my nightshift wife got last summer 😂

[@cherryllcooper679]

As time consuming and tedious as it my have been to remove, how fortunate to not have to expose the paint surface to solvent any more than necessary.

[@davidmcghee1824]

Quite apeeling!

[@ElizabethBarber-tu9ey]

Beautiful, as usual.

[@dragonmaid1360]

Its like that little bit of skin you peel off a blister but more fun

[@timothyshortnacy7550]

That was awesome!

[@ewhibs]

Lovely job ❤

[@jaycorwin1625]

This is like a black head strip video.

[@mamabear162]

Peeling paint is one of my favorite things!

[@walterengler5709]

I sort of wonder, when did they start using Poly to cover paintings? And is it still commonly in use? It seems to have a drawback of yellowing (like all clear plastics as the UV from the sun cause small changes over time). And even an indoor picture will get some UV over time unless really well protected. And that thin coating will yellow/darken. So I'm sort of guessing it was used as a new miracle covering at some point, protects well, keeps off water, etcetera... before the drawbacks were known.

[@Norfolk250]

2:43 "Don't pick your nose, son!" "DAWDAMNIT IWASN'TPICKIN'ITIHADANITCH!!"

[@marylouise2169]

Really nice! ❤

[@user-bz6zo9ic2w]

Ye gods and men, that's so satisfying!

[@psefti]

Looks like the chap got sunburned

[@samarmagdy4030]

u know iit was a fun beach trip when your skin starts to act like this

This is truly appealing;)

[@irmabresser9218]

Wish i was there for the peeling😊

[@bellatr1xdh]

Next one you get, let me know! Love to peel stuff like this. 😊

[@HenryLoenwind]

Now, if that layer could be peeled off as a single sheet, it would be a nice protection layer, even if it had to be redone every 10 years because of yellowing. ;)

[@maryblanscet3867]

I love it! May I apply for a job. LoL

[@Morbazan125]

Ahh that’s like the most unsatisfying peeling😂

[@jwuphoff]

He would relish this kind of peel!

[@hullabaloo-hcd]

Great

[@skeetsmcgrew3282]

To be fair, it did protect the painting

[@l1zrdking]

I would buy a ticket to sit and do this.

[@anneduff9294]

Oh how scary! fun to watch though..

[@phranerphamily]

Enjoyed it so much on patreon im watching it again here

[@Sharon-bo2se]

What do you use for your barrier varnish and top varnish?

[@MacLeodddd]

So curious how much it costs to get a painting properly refurbished.

[@kathharper]

Didn't know that I was a "peel freak" but apparently so! 😀 Nice work... now I gotta go find something I can peel!

[@jonathanhoeffner573]

What is the history of this painting?

[@kat1368]

Why was there over paint on the top varnish when there wasn’t really any problem spots?

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Sometimes a surface scratch in the varnish can show up as a white mark without penetrating to the paint layer, perhaps this was the case with this overpaint …good point though …

[@painta76]

Would useing painters tape aid in peeling the poly urethane off in solid pieces or as a tacky surface to remove the smaller peices

[@cs3742]

Eeeuuuwww---like peeling sunburnt skin!