Art Conservation Terms

noun a change in the color of something, typically due to damage or decay

• The discoloration on the painting was caused by exposure to sunlight over time.
• I noticed some discoloration on the old photo in the attic.
• The discoloration on my shoes is from stepping in mud.
• The discoloration of her mood was evident in her lack of enthusiasm.

noun a tiny speck of dirt or other substance resembling a fly dropping

• The flyspeck on the painting was barely noticeable.
• There's a tiny flyspeck on your shirt.
• I can't believe you're making such a big deal out of a little flyspeck.
• In the grand scheme of things, that mistake is just a flyspeck.

adjective having a strong, pungent odor or taste resembling smoke

• The air was filled with a smoky haze from the nearby forest fire.
• The barbecue was so good, it left a smoky smell on my clothes.
• I love the smoky flavor of this whiskey, it's so smooth.
• Her eyes were smoky with anger as she confronted him about the betrayal.

verb to deliberately destroy or damage property belonging to others

• The culprit was caught vandalizing the historic building.
• I can't believe someone would vandalize the park like that.
• Those kids are always out here vandalizing stuff.
• His reckless behavior seemed to vandalize the trust between them.

noun A person or thing that restores something to its former condition or state

• The restorer carefully studied the original painting before beginning the restoration process.
• The restorer is working on fixing up that old car in the garage.
• The restorer is gonna make that antique look brand new.
• She was a restorer of broken hearts, always there to mend and heal.

verb to formally record or enter an item into a collection or database

• The museum accessioned a new collection of rare artifacts.
• The museum got in some cool new stuff for the collection.
• The museum scored some awesome new items.
• The museum welcomed a treasure trove of new pieces.