Freehand sketching in the contemporary conservation of monuments

Abstract Freehand sketching and painting have assisted conservation of monuments for many years. They served as an auxiliary source of information where other sources were unavailable. However, many questions accompanied this historic collaboration. Modern conservation, combining the advanced technologies and techniques with the original ones, is setting new tasks and adding new questions. This paper provides a brief state-of-the-art review and focuses on selected aspects of application of freehand techniques in contemporary conservation of the built heritage. It exemplifies the use of an auxiliary instrument, which can help a modern conservator in achieving deeper understanding of a historic monument, and through an easier process. The paper outlines use and contribution of freehand images to study of the material deterioration of historic monuments. Keywords: Conservation of monuments; freehand drawing; painting.