Stage 1: Cleaning

In order to apply a paint treatment to the restored statue, it would be necessary to prepare the surface so there's no loose or dusty material, however, when I bagan to remove the dirt with only a stiff kitchen brush it became apparent the the dirt had become ingrained in the plaster surface, so I had to switch to using a very fine foam-backed abrasive pad, and in places some abrasive cream cleaner with a toothbrush. This successfully removed the ingrained dirt as can be clearly seen in the images above. With a fully cleaned surface it will be easier to undertake the reconstruction work, and the final paint treatment.