Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss sheens by the addition of "flatting" agents. Body made from natural resin obtained from certain trees. Natural resin obtained from living trees or from fossils which are superior Vehicle in varnish is the same as used in oil-based paint.
Thinner and dryers used in varnish are the same as used in oil based paints. Common resin is heat treated with glycerin to form a gum. This gum is treated as the body for the varnish.
Less expensive varnish than the oleo resinous varnish. Short-oil contain 5 to 12 gal of oil per lbs of resin. Polishing varnish belongs to this group. Varnish has a strong and unpleasant odor so it is requiring to wear a mask while using varnish.
Varnish has low resistance to abrasion. It has a possibility of reaction with glues, waxes, and silicones. The varnish is harder to apply in the summer. Varnishes are generally applied to wooden surfaces like windows, doors, floors, and roof trusses from the atmosphere. Varnishes can be applied as a topcoat on worn finishes. Varnishes may be used to brighten the look of natural grains in the wood. Most varnishes are made of a blend of resin, drying oil, drier, and volatile solvent.
As varnish dries, its solvent portion evaporates, and the remaining constituents oxidize or polymerize to form a durable transparent film. Varnish is applied to wood to provide protective coatings for wooden surfaces, paintings, and various decorative objects. Varnish is mainly used as a wood surface finisher where stained or not, the distinctive tones and grains in the wood are intended to be visible. The natural types of varnish are produced by heating the resins, adding natural oils such as linseed oil, cooking the mixture to the desired viscosity, and then diluting it with turpentine.
As result, the coating took three to four days to harden, had a yellow tint, and eventually developed cracks as it aged. As time passes, dirt and dust will stick to the varnish, rather than the painting. Varnish ing can prevent scratches and abrasions on tabletops. Similarly, In the case of waterproofing the wood, varnish can also prevent wooden surfaces from getting scratched. Wood product with varnish applied on it, serves to protect the wood from the little knocks and spills that are inevitable in a busy family home.
The following are various varnish types, Spirit Varnish. Acrylic Varnish. Exterior Varnish. Polyurethane Varnish. Yacht Varnish. Oil Varnish. Impressionist painters such as Claude Monet and Willard Metcalf, as well as Fairfield Porter and Post-War Color Field painters such as Morris Louis and Helen Frankenthaler are among those who did not varnish their paintings, opting instead for the immediate visual impact of the raw paint surface.
Conservators typically do not use varnishes containing natural resins, because they are not as easily removable over time as synthetic resin varnishes like B67 and B Synthetic resin varnishes are also less susceptible than natural resin varnishes to discoloration over time.
In keeping with the highest conservation standards, Lowy uses synthetic resin varnishes whenever possible and takes great care in their application. For example, some 19 th -century academic paintings typically are enhanced by a glossy finish, whereas American folk art paintings, which tend to have matte surfaces, usually require little or no varnish.
There are, of course, a number of different finishing options between these two extremes. And the well-trained eye of a skilled conservator can make all the difference in bringing a painting back to its former beauty and vibrancy. As conservators, we are frequently asked whether a painting should be varnished when it is cleaned or restored.
In general, most Western paintings prior to the late 19th century had a protective surface coating of some kind. But then, some of the Impressionists decided they preferred the look of their paintings unvarnished. Just a few quick questions. Can I just do a quick isolation coat and be done? Or do I need to do more if I do an isolation coat? Hi Heather, you could just go straight on with a polymer varnish, the isolation coat is only if you intend to replace the varnish layer in the future.
Totally love LOVE your site! Such generosity in sharing your information and knowledge, and so cheerful and encouraging too. Fabulous for a newbie to the craft. SOOOO …. Will a matte varnish improve it due to lightening the darks , or will a gloss be better due to increasing the tonal range? A gloss varnish would make more of a difference than the matte, but a few extra brushstrokes of paint would be the best remedy.
I painted with oil but used golden extra heavy gel to enhance…used it all over. Should I also varnish or is the gel a type of varnish? Usually you would have an acrylic base and then an oil paint ontop due to the differences in drying time and the lack of adhesion of the acrylic medium onto the oil surface.
First I made Giclee, then I enhanced with oil colors not painting everything Next I went over covering all and adding some texture with Golden Gel Gloss medium which is acrylic…Now, do I varnish with acrylic based varnish or oil based varnish?
Hi Lina, Ahhh, that adds a slight complication as the ink for a Giclee print is usually water based, so solvent-based oil varnishes are best avoided, the only varnishes that can be applied to a Giclee print are acrylic water-based varnishes.
I would usually add acrylics to a Giclee if enhancing areas of the print due to oil being in direct contact with the water based print which can cause discolouration over time by the oil soaking into the unprimed surface. Thx so much… Lets hope the family enjoys the picture long enoough for that to happen.. Just wanted to let you know I painted the giclee with oil, textured with acrylic gel and varnished with acrylic varnish and it looks great!
Thank you for your help….. Next question…got an old half finished oil painting sitting around…last night I smothered it with acrylic gesso primer…leaving lots of texture. I intend to paint with oil over it…. Yes, because you would have painted acrylics ontop of oil, rather than the oil ontop of acrylics.
I also never heard of an isolation coat before. Do you recommend I change my habits? Hi Nicole, nice to hear from you, your paintings will still be technically sound and protected with the varnish, the isolation coat just makes it easier for the varnish layer to glide onto the surface and gives a protective layer so in the future if the varnish needs replacing the acrylic paint surface will be protected when the varnish is removed.
The Varnish will be suitable for stretched canvas. Here is the Golden technical page on Polymer varnish that goes into more details. Hope this helps, Will. Thanks so much Will, This helps a lot and makes me feel much better. Thanks for sharing so much knowledge. Hi, Thank you for the article. I must missed something.
Can you point out to me? Most of the time I would then mix a bespoke solvent based varnish by adding matte varnish to a gloss varnish. So in essence creating a controllable satin finish. Question: I purchased a recently purchased small oil painting. I am not going to frame it, just put it on an easel. It was not varnished. Is it essential that it be varnished or can I display on a shelf as is? Thanks for your time.
Hi Will, I need some help. The problem is a kind of leaves with velvety and porous texture that absorb part of the varnish, leaving stains when dry. I tried with acrilic varnishes, Liquitex, Mod Podge, Delta but the same result. Somebody told me that is because those are waterbased, so I should try a more hard resin coat or a silicon varnish.
Please, any recommendation in this case? Thanks for the info. Is it ok to roll the canvas after letting the varnish dry? This guide by Agora Gallery goes through the steps.
Thanks Will for the link to Agora Gallery. I feel relieved — somewhat. Hi Will, Your website is so informative, really interesting to browse through! I have completed a Christmas mural in acrylics on 6 large canvases which will be used for a couple of years as set dressing at a visitor attraction.
The paint is applied relatively thinly so should be truly dried, however they are a last minute request therefore any type of varnishing needs to be done in a short timescale! Any advice would be much appreciated, Thanks, Sarah. Due to the nature of the pieces you could apply a final picture varnish straight onto the canvas without an isolation coat.
Alternatively, due to the size of the canvas and the fact that the canvas could be moved around a lot you could also use yacht varnish. It will yellow slightly, but will be more cost effective on the large scale and give a very tough finish. Best wishes, Sarah. I worried about putting a varnish that stays in place permanently, now I know that I must take the removable.
I use acrylic painting for mental therapy. I truly am an amateur as you can see in my etsy store, but just need your advice. Thanks in advance for your advice! Hi Laura, your existing paintings will be absolutely fine in terms of protection, you would just have to be more careful when replacing the varnish not to damage the surface of the painting. I recently varnished an acrylic abstract painting with Liquitex High Gloss varnish undiluted , and I did not do a good job.
It is now a streaky disaster. Is there any saving it? Hi Monica, for the high gloss varnish you can keep on adding coats, so yes, you can apply a few more thin layers of varnish to even out the brush strokes from the stiffer bristles.
Below is the recommends process from Liquitex : the bold has been added by me. Use a wide, soft hair brush or paint pad vacuum the pad prior to use to remove lint. Size of area to be varnished will determine the size of the applicator. The smaller the surface area, the narrower the brush. Apply Liquitex varnish in thin coats , rather than 1 thick coat.
A thick coat will take longer to dry, may dry cloudy, may drip or sag during application and has a greater chance of showing brush strokes when dry. Horizontal surface application is best with less chance of varnish running.
This will prevent any dust or airborne particles from settling into varnish as it dries. Apply Liquitex varnish in slightly overlapping pattern that covers entire artwork.
Apply in horizontal and vertical brush strokes, so that entire area is evenly coated. Do not rework areas you might miss as the brush could pick up partially dried varnish and cause clouding. If areas are missed, wait until the varnish is dry and apply another coat.
A thick application may result in cloudiness when dry. If more than 2 coats are desired, first varnish with Gloss Varnish until desired thickness is achieved, then final varnish with matte or satin varnish. Hi, I have used Clear Coat on my acrylic paintings often but last night I used it while in my garage on 2 very large paintings. It was pretty chilly and when I can back to look at them they had dried cloudy and somewhat streaky.
Can I salvage these paintings? Hi Will, I have just completed my first acrylic painting on canvas and it is a portrait of my grandaughter who is two years old. I have been reading your site and will apply an isolation coat as it protects the paint. Could you please advise me if it is better to use as a varnish the satin finish as opposed to the gloss or matt varnishes for portraits, based on your experience?
Hi Eva, they will each give you a different aesthetic finish, which will often vary depending on personal preference and the style and mood of the painting. When you apply an isolation coat it will look very glossy, so it can give you an idea of if you like the gloss varnish look, and then judge from there.
Hope this helps, Cheers, Will. Hi Will, thank you, I greatly appreciate your advice and will implement your suggestions. I have found your site to be informative and encouraging for myself as I am new to this beautiful hobby.
Kind regards,Eva. Hi Will, First want to thank you for sharing so much information on your website. I have done 3 of your online courses and they have been fantastic! My question.. I painted an agrylic painting about 2 years ago not varnished. I have recently moved it to another place where there is more light from a window. I am so disappointed. Will varnishing help to solve this problem? I used water to thin the paint but at some places I have used flow medium.
Can this cause this milky shine look? I read your advice to Liz but that is for an oil painting. Please help! The differences in sheen will be due to the differences in amount of acrylic polymer which is usually glossy the differences in amount of flow medium and the different absorption rates into the painting support.
Adding an isolation coat and then a varnish layer will even out the surface appearance to an even sheen. I have just finished an acrylic painting for a show. I used liquitex gloss varnish and after that cured 2 coats of liquitex matte varnish. Since it has dried I have noticed 2 small spots that are shiney.
Is it possible to apply a little light matte to those areas without having to apply another coat to the entire painting? I am afraid another full coat of matte will dull down the painting.
I would try on a test piece first purposely miss sections with the gloss and then try to match with the matte before going for it on the finished painting. Thank you so much Will for your input. I thought as much myself and went ahead today and applied another coat of the Matt varnish. It may look different after 24 to 48 hours and pick up more vibrancy. I must tell you as a self taught artist I am delighted I found your site.
Once I get this painting safely out the door and on its way to the show to, irony, raise money for art education I plan on really looking over your site. Once again thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my question. Hi Linda, pleased the extra coat worked well to even the sheen, hope the painting sale goes well. Dear Will, I am new to the acrylics rather in painting, I mostly do on the Canvas but on the cardboard too. You information for the experienced painters looks fine, I am totally confused.
Could you help me out by sending me a to the point information or the reply to my questions as asked below:. I live in Calgary Canada and sometimes its harder to find the full range of the products of these brands, but i will find the ones you recommend. Please send me the picture of the bottle and how to mix this Gel with the water? Solvent etc or the other one me confused, just let me know please which specific one shall I buy?
Should not be that expensive as i dont afford that much. I know that I wrote so many questions but i need to be specific that instead of any further research, I should go and buy the stuff straight away. I have gone through so many You tube sessions, all talk different and so confusing… Thanks for your time…Regards. Any artist quality acrylic will be good, you can start by investing in an artist quality white and then building up your paints from there.
Thanks Will, My question was for the Varnish, which varnish shall I use? I use think paint , so shall I apply the isolation coat and then varnish with the brush? Try both on a small painting and see which you prefer. Hi, Will, After reading some of your reply to others, I thought I was all set choose the right varnish.
When I went to Art store, I felt more confused then ever. I use oil and a lot of liquin. Especially lately I use a lot of glaze technic,little paint, lots liquin. Past few days, I started to try the glazing technic with Copal medium. The area with more glaze shows a lot of sheen. So the painting has some area shining, some area is not. Will varnish help even out? Could varnish being effected because I use a lot of liquin?
Could you suggest a varnish to use? Also, since I use a lot of drying medium and every layer dry overnight, do I still have to wait 6 months to varnish? Thank you. Hi Shirley, you might find this article of interest that looks at varnishing oil paintings Yes, copal medium will be much more glossy than liquin, but a couple of layers of varnish will even the sheen out. Gamblin varnish is a modern oil varnish that you can paint onto an oil painting when it is touch dry yes touch dry whoo hoo!
Hope you find the article helpful. Thank you so much Will for sharing this info! Going to read your latest post about varnishing. Is this the stuff you mean or is there a full gloss version?
Also, would the Winsor Glazing medium be suitable for an isolation coat — it is glossy. Thanks for such an informative site!
Love your tips! I read online that I should wait months after painting an acrylic piece before varnishing! This sounds crazy. What do you think? Also, how soon after spraying the varnish can I ship the piece? Hi Micaelina, you often need to wait for months for oil paints when using traditional varnishes but acrylics can be varnished within 24 hrs.
Hi Will I want to enter my art work into competition and need to photograph them, put on an isolation coat and the varnish and also want to frame a couple. I read that it is best to photograph without the final protective coats. But I want to photograph them framed.
And when I apply the final coats it will also look different. Should I frame the piece, photograph it, take out of the frame, apply the final coats, then reframe? Thank you for all of the information on your website. Hi Carolyn, the varnish will deepen the colours and make them look more saturated but give you the extra chance of glare on the surface when photographing. The safest way to cover all bases to see which image you prefer is to set up your camera on a tripod and then photograph at each stage.
Once before varnishing, once after varnish has dried and once when framed. Then you can have an edge to edge clean image as once framed depending on your lighting you can have shadows from the edge of the frame fall onto the canvas. Hi Will, I work in oils and when I let my painting dry for a month or so before varnishing, tiny pieces of dust will stick to my painting. How can I avoid that?
Matthijs from the Netherlands :. Hi Matthijs, you could try using a varnish like Gamvar from Gamblin paints than can be applied oils when the surface is touch dry. Now I have learned from your site why all my Halloween paintings got ruined: I used a matte finish when I should have used gloss. Halloween means black and that was the main color on all the paintings. So thank you for solving the mystery. Now please help me. Can it be fixed? Paint over them? Will gloss varnish restore it?
Am I screwed? Hi Tricia, yes, you can apply a layer of gloss varnish over the top and some of the depth will be revised but it still might be slightly duller due to the white matting agent on the first layer of varnish. Hi Will! Thought I would ask — is the milkiness of the matte varnishes out there still an issue? I have completed the first of many hopefully acrylic paintings that has bright colors and heavy black lines, like stained glass.
I want a matte finish for reduced glare, but I want to keep the colors bright and vivid and the blacks really rich. Any suggestions? Do you still recommend mixing matte varnish with gloss varnish? Thanks in advance! And nice going answering all the comments. Love that! Hi Sonia, by its nature, a matte varnish will always give a slightly lighter black than if you used a gloss varnish.
Yes, you can intermix gloss and matte to create your perfect mix or opt for a satin varnish which is halfway between the two. Hi Will, my question is what varnish or protection do I put on a painting with both acrylic and oil?
Thanks, Judy. Gamvar from Gamblin is a good choice. Hi will, Love your site. I was wondering if you have ever tried Liquitex Soluvar varnish? The barrier coat physically separates the acrylic painting from the Liquitex Soluvar Varnish and seals the surface. This aids in a more even application of Liquitex Soluvar Varnish and protects the painting if the Liquitex Soluvar Varnish needs to be removed.
Allow to dry for 3 days. Hi Megan, a modern varnish that can be applied to oils when the surface it touch dry for oils is Gamvar from Gamblin. This can also be applied to acrylics. I painted and varnished a painting that I no longer like. I would like to paint over it using acrylic paint. I used an acrylic spray varnish, so would the new acrylic paint stick to it? Or do I need to remove the varnish? I am an amateur who dabbles in a lot of different things.
I usually have at least fifteen different projects in some state of semi completion. I have always used Grumbacher spray finishes on my acrylic paintings. I had a painting that was done, but not varnished, decided to finish it to give to someone, took it out to the garage, grabbed the can of spray sitting on the bench, and proceeded to spray.
After the fourth coat, I realized I had used Minwax polyurethane meant for wood. Is this going to be a problem? Been reading through years of this treasure trove which it totally is , and learned a lot. Total production of paintings is super low hobbyist and just been lucky with varnishing up until now I guess. Specific situation: acrylic paint on canvas. Both varnish coatings came directly on top of paint without isolation coat. Third time round this time fully sure it was finished ; I decided to go for a satin version of Talens varnish spray can again.
Everything went perfect again, but seeing the satin result, must admit it slightly takes just a hint of depth away from the painting, compared to the earlier glossy finish. My question for now is how I should go about it…. Can I respray a glossy layer on top, to find full detail depth again, or will I just end up with a more shiny version still with the loss of depth enclosed due to earlier satin layer? Would love to hear your insights on this Will. Big thanks for your knowledge and your time.
Recently I am re-discovering painting with acrylics after some 30 years of doing watercolour paintings. As well, I note that you and a few other artists warn about wrapping varnished paintings in bubble wrap for transport; however, none of you offer any alternate suggestions.
Will bubble wrap always mark up varnished paintings, no matter how long ago they were treated? Hi Julia, the varnish will usually say if it needs diluting or not and the ratios for dilution. Just make sure the bubbles are facing towards you so there is a flat surface on the painting surface.
Hi Will, Thanks so much for this info—it was necessary, helpful and encouraging! Best, Carolyn. I did some floral painting directly on my old sanmica table top using acrylic colours. The base black colour is completely dry. But the other colours are little bit sticky even after 3 days.
Can I use any varnish on the painting? If yes, what varnish should I use? Hi Sharada, the acrylics should dry within a few hours, if they are really thick they might take a couple of days.
For furniture, the most hardwearing is a polyurethane varnish. Good work, art man! As much as I am an artist biased against the use of varnish on oil paintings, I found your tips worthy. Hi Will, So glad you have this website with your expert advice!
My question regards acrylic ink. I like the color saturation of the inks. I was wondering if you suggest an isolation coat and final varnish as you described in this section or if something else is better with acrylic ink.
Thank you! For works on canvas, the same route of an isolation coat can be used but I would double check with the manufacturers recommendations, I use Golden high flow paints and here are their recommendations:.
Isolation Coats and Varnishing: Allow hours for the HFA layers to dry before applying isolation coats or varnish layers. Some colors, such as the Fluorescent Colors, can take longer to fully cure than others. Test the process to identify the amount of time to wait for drying or which mediums can be more problematic than others. I was planning to do the same with quite a few other paintings, but am now wondering whether this is really okay to do.
Is there a danger of smearing paint or other unhappy results? Two questions: Why do you suggest adding water?
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