Binding Media

New methods for identifying binding media in paint

Project Details

About

Goal

The Binding Media project sought to develop better analytical techniques for the identification of binding media in paint. Binding media are more complex than pigments; most are natural materials treated to alter their properties and prone to chemical and physical changes over time. There was a need for low-tech, low-cost, and user-friendly methods for identification.

Outcomes

  • Development and improvement of thin-layer chromatography tests for detecting binding media components
  • Development of a methodology for radiocarbon dating of paint layers

Background

In 1989 the Getty Conservation Institute's scientific program began developing methodologies to identify binding media in paint. Initial efforts focused on the use of advanced instrumentation; however, recognizing the need for low-tech, low-cost, and user-friendly methods, the Institute developed a kit using medical diagnostic technology for identification of the major binding media types encountered during the conservation of ethnographic art objects.