A Comprehensive Reference of Techniques, Materials, Tools, and Terms Used in 3-D Art Restoration
Welcome to a comprehensive glossary of terms and techniques related to pottery, ceramics, stone, metal, plaster, Papier Mâché, resin, Kintsugi, and sculpture repair and restoration. Whether you are a professional restorer, ceramic artist, collector, or simply passionate about preserving heirlooms and artworks, this reference guide provides accurate definitions of essential concepts, materials, tools, techniques, and traditional Japanese methods like Kintsugi repair. Explore terminology covering ceramic crack repair, antique restoration, kiln firing, glaze defects, sculpture mending, UV diagnostics, adhesive bonding, gap-filling, polishing, aesthetic reintegration, and more. Organized by category for ease of use, this resource supports informed decisions and deepens understanding for anyone working with damaged or aging ceramics and sculptural objects.
1. General Terms
Archival: Refers to materials and methods designed for long-term preservation. Archival materials are chemically stable and compatible, meaning they do not interact with each other or with the original object in ways that could cause deterioration. This ensures that restorations remain unchanged over time and can be reversed if needed.
Conservation: Preserving an object's current state and preventing further deterioration, while considering historical and artistic significance.
Display Only: Items intended purely for visual appreciation, not for functional use.
Functional Pottery: Ceramic ware intended for practical use, such as dishes or vessels.
Invisible (Seamless) Repair: Restoration work performed to blend flawlessly with the original material, making damage or repair nearly undetectable.
Irreversible Repair: Restoration work that permanently alters or bonds with the original material and cannot be undone without risk of damage.
Kintsugi Repair: The art of repairing ceramics with urushi lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or brass, embracing visible mending.
Minimal Intervention: A restoration approach that covers the smallest possible area around damage, treating only what's essential. It limits material application to just the affected zones, preserving as much original surface.
Museum Quality: A standard of repair or restoration that meets the highest levels of accuracy, durability, and respect for the original object's integrity.
Repair: Returning an item to usable or sound condition after damage.
Restoration: Returning an object to its former or original condition and appearance while preserving its value.
Reversible Repair: Restoration work done so it can be safely undone in the future without damage to the original.
Seamless (Invisible) Repair: See Invisible Repair; combined term to emphasize repair that is undetectable and smooth.
Abrasion / Abraded: Surface wear or deposits from grime or rough handling.
Accretion / Residues: Deposits of foreign matter like mud or dirt.
Break: A separation in a hard material like ceramic or stone, often at weak points.
Compression Impact Damage: Physical damage caused when a material or object is struck with a compressive force that crushes or compacts it. Although the surface may appear solid, the material can become easily crumbled or weakened.
Chip: Material loss, typically on edges.
Crack: Visible fracture with or without material loss.
Crazing / Crackle: Fine glaze lines caused by differing shrinkage rates; sometimes decorative, often a defect.
Factory-Glazed Chip: A chip that occurred before firing and glazing.
Fading: Color changes due to prolonged light exposure.
Firing Flaw: Original imperfections from kiln firing, such as grit or shrinkage cracks.
Glaze Chip: A chip that affects only the glaze, not the clay body beneath.
Hairline Crack: A very thin crack that may almost disappear depending on the angle of light.
Star Crack: A fracture with multiple endpoints, often radiating outward.
Accelerated Life Test (ALT): A testing method used to estimate the lifespan or durability of a material, component, or product by exposing it to elevated levels of stress (such as heat, humidity, UV light, vibration, or chemical exposure) over a shorter period of time than normal use conditions. The goal is to simulate aging or long-term wear to identify potential failures, degradation patterns, or performance limits.
Adhesive Removal: The process of carefully eliminating old glue or adhesive residues from a surface to prepare it for new restoration work. This step often involves solvents, mechanical scraping, or specialized tools to avoid damaging the original material while ensuring a clean bond area. More details
Aesthetic Reintegration: Techniques like inpainting or stippling to visually merge restored and original surfaces.
Air Brushing:
Atomization: The process of breaking paint into tiny droplets to create a fine mist for smooth, even coverage.
Backspray: Paint that bounces back from the surface onto the airbrush or surrounding areas, often caused by spraying too close or at the wrong angle.
Dry Spray: Powdery, rough finish caused by spraying from too far or with inadequate paint flow.
Feathering: Softly blending paint edges to create smooth transitions without harsh lines.
Flow Control: Adjusting the amount of paint released through the airbrush to control coverage and detail.
Ghosting: A faint, unwanted outline or shadow caused by improper masking or overspray.
Masking: Protecting areas from paint by applying barriers like tape or liquid latex before spraying.
Orange Peel: Uneven surface texture resembling citrus skin due to improper atomization or spray technique.
Overspray: Fine mist of paint that spreads beyond the intended area, potentially causing unwanted texture or color.
Pressure Control: Regulating air pressure to influence paint atomization and spray pattern.
Spitting: An airbrush defect where sputtering or irregular bursts of paint occur, often due to clogged nozzles, moisture in the paint, or improper thinning.
Thinning: Diluting paint with a medium or solvent to improve flow and atomization.
Tip Drying: When paint dries on the airbrush nozzle tip, causing clogging and uneven spray.
Bonding / Cementing: Joining broken parts using adhesives such as epoxy or conservation glue.
Brazing: Metal joining with filler alloys (e.g., brass) without melting the base metal.
Consolidators: Substances used to strengthen and stabilize weakened, porous, or crumbling materials, such as degraded ceramic, plaster, or stone, by penetrating the surface and binding internal particles. Consolidators are typically chosen for their compatibility and minimal visual or chemical impact, ensuring the structural integrity of the object without altering its appearance.
Chip Fill: Replacing missing fragments with fillers like resin or tinted putty.
Clamping / Alignment: Holding parts securely in place during adhesive curing.
Clay Reconstruction: Rebuilding with kiln-fired clay shaped to original form.
Clean Room: A controlled environment with low levels of dust, airborne microbes, and pollutants, used during restoration to minimize contamination and protect sensitive materials.
Cleaning - Chemical / Mechanical: Removing grime or old repairs with solvents or tools.
Cold Glazing: Applying clear epoxy to replicate a glossy glaze finish.
Consolidation: Stabilizing fragile or powdery surfaces with reversible resin.
Crack Stabilization: Preventing cracks from spreading with early intervention.
Disassembly: Removing prior improper or failed repairs.
Encapsulate: To completely enclose or seal an object or material, often to protect it from environmental damage, contamination, or further deterioration while maintaining its stability.
Enzymatic Cleaning: Biochemical cleaners used for organic grime or biological residues.
Epoxy Cure Time
Working Time / Pot Life: The amount of time the epoxy mixture remains usable after it's mixed. During this period, it stays fluid and workable. Usually ranges from 5 to 60 minutes, depending on the formula and temperature.
Open Time: The window during which epoxy can be applied to a surface and still form a strong bond. Often similar to working time but more focused on adhesion quality.
Set Time / Initial Cure: The point when epoxy becomes tack-free or firm to the touch. It's no longer liquid but not yet fully hardened. This typically happens within 1 to 3 hours.
Handling Time: The stage when the epoxy is hardened enough to be handled or moved without being damaged. This generally occurs within 6 to 12 hours.
Full Cure / Final Cure: The point at which epoxy has fully hardened and reached its maximum strength and durability. This usually takes 24 to 72 hours.
Post-Cure (optional): Some epoxies can undergo a post-cure phase by applying heat to enhance mechanical and thermal properties. This is mostly used in industrial or high-performance applications.
Feathering: A painting or glazing technique, often done with an airbrush, where edges of color or glaze are softly blended or tapered out to create a smooth transition and avoid harsh lines. It helps achieve subtle gradations and natural-looking finishes.
Filling / Gapfilling: Reconstructing losses using formulated fills or epoxies.
Inpainting / Toning / Stippling: Using pigments to match restored areas to original ones.
Loss Compensation: Reconstructing missing parts with suitable materials.
Masking: The process of protecting specific areas of an object during airbrushing or painting by applying a temporary barrier, such as liquid latex, tape, or masking fluid, to prevent paint from reaching those surfaces. Masking ensures clean edges and preserves underlying finishes or details.
Mechanical Integrity: The strength and stability of an object, ensuring it can withstand stress without damage. In restoration, it means preserving or improving the durability of the piece.
Overpainting: Painting beyond a repair zone; generally discouraged unless reversible.
Paint Pooling: The accumulation of paint or glaze in low areas or along edges, resulting in darker, thicker spots due to gravity pulling the liquid downward before it dries or cures.
Pin & Peg Repair: Rods or dowels made from materials like metal, wood, plastic, or fiberglass, inserted into aligned holes in broken parts to reinforce and align the joint during repair. They provide internal support, improving the strength and stability of the restoration. More details
Pinning: A structural restoration technique in which aligned holes are drilled into both sides of a broken object to insert a rod or pin, typically made of metal, fiberglass, or carbon fiber. This ensures precise alignment and provides internal support and strength to the rejoined parts, especially in load-bearing or frequently handled areas. See Lesson
Poultice Cleaning: A method for removing surface stains or salts by applying a clay or paper pulp saturated with a cleaning solution.
Resin Reconstruction: Sculpting new forms using epoxy or polyester resin. See video
Reversibility: Ensuring repairs can be safely undone in the future. See lesson
Stabilization: Immediate, minimal repairs to prevent worsening damage.
Strength:
Shear Strength: Resistance to forces causing sliding or tearing along the bond line.
Tensile Strength: Ability to withstand pulling forces that try to stretch or pull the bond apart.
Compressive Strength: Resistance to forces pushing or squeezing the bonded joint.
Peel Strength: Capacity to resist forces that peel layers apart.
Impact Strength: Ability to absorb sudden shocks or forces without breaking.
Adhesion Strength: The quality of how well the adhesive sticks to surfaces.
Cohesive Strength: Internal strength of the adhesive resisting failure within its own material.
Flexural Strength: Resistance to bending or flexing forces on the repaired area.
Subtractive Modeling (or Subtractive Sculpture): A restoration or sculpting technique in which material is carefully removed from a solid block (such as plaster, resin, or wood) to recreate a missing part. This reduction process requires precision to match the original form and is often used when adding material first (additive method) isn't suitable.
Surface Preparation: Smoothing or shaping a surface before paint or fill application.
Surface Texture: The tactile or visual quality of a surface, describing its roughness, smoothness, or pattern. In ceramics and restoration, texture affects both the feel and appearance of the object,s surface.
Welding: Fusing metal pieces permanently by melting the base material.
Acetone: A solvent for cleaning or removing adhesives.
Adhesives: From conservation-grade (Paraloid B-72) to modern epoxies like PC-11.
Acrylic Paints: Water-based paints commonly used for inpainting and touch-ups.
Chalkware: A soft, porous plaster material used historically for figurines.
ColdGlaze PRO 2: A two-part resin that simulates pottery glaze.
Compressor: Equipment used to power airbrushes and spray tools.
Donor Sherd: A matching ceramic piece used to replace a loss.
Epoxy Putty: Two-part putty (like Milliput) used for sculpting and filling.
Fiber Sheet: Reinforcing fabric used in resin repairs to add strength.
Filler: Any material used to compensate for missing areas.
Fumed Silica: A powder added to resin for thickness and strength.
Glass Microspheres: Lightweight particles that enhance fill workability.
Glass Sandpaper: Abrasive paper made with glass grit, used for fine sanding.
Gold Leaf / Gold Powder: Thin sheets or powder of real gold used in gilding and Kintsugi.
HXTAL NYL-1: A crystal clear epoxy resin favored for museum-quality restoration.
Instacoll: An adhesive for applying metal leaf.
Isopropyl Alcohol: A cleaning solvent commonly used to prepare surfaces.
Lacquer / Organic: Natural lacquer (urushi), derived from tree sap.
Lacquer / Synthetic: Modern shellac or synthetic finishes used in coatings.
Matting Agent: A fine powder, commonly silica, talc, or ceramic-based fin fine powder, added to glazes, paints, or cold glazes to reduce surface sheen effect. It works by introducing micro-roughness that scatters light, helping to recreate the original matte or satin finish of the ceramic surface.
Metal Alloy: A mixture of two or more metals, or a metal combined with other elements, designed to enhance strength, durability, corrosion resistance, or appearance.
Milliput: A popular brand of epoxy putty for restoration.
Mold Putty: Flexible molding material used to replicate shapes and textures.
Paraloid B-72: Versatile acrylic resin used for adhesion and consolidation.
Polyester Resin: Strong resin for sculpting or building parts, not fired.
Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA): Common archival adhesive; might be worth naming specifically.
Sabi Urushi: Clay-thickened urushi for gap-filling in Kintsugi.
Sculpting Clay: Either air-dry or kiln-fired clay used to reconstruct shapes.
Shellac: A natural resin sometimes used as a barrier or temporary coating in restoration.
Silicone Molds: Flexible molds used to replicate forms for repair.
Solvent: A liquid used to dissolve adhesives, paints, or residues.
Torch: Tool producing flame heat for controlled heating during metal repair or lacquer curing.
Vacuum Chamber: Removes air bubbles from resins.
Wax:
Beeswax: A natural wax used to polish and protect stone, wood, or ceramics. It enhances surface luster and adds a warm, soft sheen while creating a water-resistant barrier.
Renaissance Wax: A highly refined microcrystalline wax developed for museum and conservation use. It provides a clear, non-yellowing, durable finish on stone, metal, ceramics, and wood. It protects without altering the appearance or color of the surface.
Wax Warmer: A device used to gently heat wax, mending compounds, or filler epoxy to improve their workability and ease of application.
Welding / Brazing Rods: Consumable rods for joining metals.
Calipers: Measure dimensions precisely during restoration.
Dental Tools: Precision tools for shaping or cleaning tight spots.
Diamond Burs: Rotary bits coated in diamond for precision grinding.
Dremel Tool: Versatile rotary tool for shaping, grinding, or sanding.
Glass Sandpaper: Abrasive paper made with glass grit, used for fine sanding.
Glue Injector: A tool designed to inject adhesive with precision into tight cracks, voids, or joints. Ideal for restoring ceramic, wood, or composite objects where internal bonding is required without disturbing surrounding surfaces.
Grinding Wheel: High-speed wheel for shaping or material removal.
Grit: The coarseness of abrasives like sandpaper; e.g., 220 grit indicates medium-fine sanding paper.
Hot Knife / Wax Spatula: Heated tools for shaping wax or soft materials during fill work.
Humidity Chamber (non-urushi use): For safe softening of adhesives or humidifying delicate objects.
Lapidary Machine: A tool or machine used to cut, grind, sand, and polish stones, gems, or minerals. It helps shape and smooth these materials to create jewelry, decorations, or art pieces.
Micro Files: Small files used to refine restorations.
Micro-Mesh: Very fine sanding material used for delicate surface finishing.
Micro Spatulas: Small tools for applying adhesives and fills.
Mixing Containers: Small, reusable or disposable vessels used to combine and prepare adhesives, fillers, pigments, or other restoration materials. Typically made from plastic, glass, or silicone.
Optivisor / Magnification Headband: Used for precision work.
Pebble Container: A container filled with small pebbles or beads (some use rice) used to support and hold broken pieces at precise angles during repair or adhesive curing, allowing adjustable positioning without rigid clamps.
Pin Vice: Hand drill for creating holes for metal pins.
Polishing Pads: Abrasive pads for finishing resin or fill surfaces.
Precision Scale: A highly accurate digital or mechanical scale used to measure small quantities of materials such as epoxy components, pigments, or powders.
Rotary Bits: Various attachments for rotary tools.
Sanding Discs: Used with rotary tools to smooth surfaces.
Sandpaper: Basic abrasive for smoothing or shaping.
Silicon Carbide Sandpaper: Durable sandpaper with silicon carbide grit for hard surfaces.
Scalpels / X-Acto Knives: Sharp blades for precision trimming.
Sculpting Tools: Tools for shaping clay, epoxy, or resin.
Spray Booth: A ventilated, enclosed workspace designed to safely contain and extract airborne particles and vapors generated during spraying processes. Used to protect both the user and the surrounding environment.
Spring Clamps: Handheld clamping tools with spring-loaded jaws that apply consistent pressure. Commonly used to hold small parts together during gluing or positioning without the need for screw mechanisms.
Tweezers: Small, handheld pincers used to grasp, position, or remove tiny fragments or delicate materials during restoration or repair.
UV Inspection Lamp: Highlights previous restorations through fluorescence.
Vacuum Chamber: Removes air bubbles from resins.
Vapor Respirator / Filter: A safety device worn over the nose and mouth designed to filter out harmful chemical fumes and vapors during activities like spraying adhesives, paints, or solvents. Equipped with replaceable cartridges specific to organic vapors or particulates.
Wet/Dry Sandpaper: Used for polishing both wet and dry.
6. Defects & Diagnostics
Abrasion / Abraded: Surface wear or deposits from grime or rough handling.
Air Bubbles (Resin/Plaster): Trapped air during casting causing voids.
Biological Growth: Mold, fungus, or lichen damaging surfaces.
Chatter: Ripple marks from improper trimming in pottery.
Chipping: Loss of material, especially edges or corners.
Color Changes (Fading): Due to light exposure or weathering.
Cracks and Hairline Cracks: Fractures from drying, firing, or stress.
Crazing: Network of fine cracks in glaze from thermal mismatch.
Crawling: Glaze pulls away leaving bare patches.
Delamination: Layers separating in resin or painted surfaces.
Depositions: Accumulation of salts or dirt on surfaces.
Expansion due to Metal Armature Corrosion: Rust causing splits in statues.
Firing Flaws: Imperfections from firing, e.g., grit or shrinkage cracks.
Firing Lines: Cracks forming during kiln firing.
Mistmatch Fill: Repairs intentionally visible for transparency.
Pitting / Pinholes: Tiny holes from trapped air or organic burn-out.
Powdery / Friable Surface: Weak surface due to moisture or age.
Salt Efflorescence: Crystalline salt deposits causing surface damage.
Shivering: Glaze flaking at edges due to poor fit.
Sticky or Soft Surface: Incomplete curing of resin or lacquer.
Surface Roughness: Poor mold quality or casting issues.
Thermal Shock: Breakage from rapid temperature changes.
UV Response: Behavior under UV light to detect repairs.
