Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Acrylic painting - varnish question

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Showing page 1 of 2
Author
Message

Duarte Camara

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1
Posted
Hi! I have been painting lately acrylic paintings on paper pre-prepared with gesso. I like that because it gives me a more "hard" surface to paint, scrap, sand the painting if I want. My question is because they will be displayed framed behind glass and also I wanted to varnish them, is this wrong? Is the varnish looked behind a glass visually will work and not be affected by the glare of the glass and the varnish at the same time or should the varnish be matte or satin, although I prefer using the glossy one? Thank you
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 6377
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1783
Posted
Try it out on small examples, varnish with different varnishes, stick them ( not literally) behind glass and decide. Job's a good'un.

David Perry

  • Respected User
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 610
Posted
Should I varnish the acrylic portrait I did of my black lab?
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20341
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7135
Posted
Varnish helps to add a uniform coat, and enlivens the colours, which can go matte and duller after the water has evaporated. But you can counteract that by using a medium - doesn't have to be high gloss. I wouldn't varnish an acrylic that's intended to go under glass - the glass in that case would perform the function of varnish. And this does all depend on the acrylic you're using: an acrylic like Cryla, intended to be used thickly, has a rather pleasing duck-egg sheen when dry - and while I've varnished some of them, with others all I've needed to do is give them a rub down with plain water, perhaps with a bit of soap added, to lift the dirt off. A thinner acrylic, on the other hand, often needs either varnishing or glass to protect it, because it's more vulnerable. And yes, if under glass use a mount.

Keith Batey

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1
Posted
My acrylic paintings have just had 2 coats of gloss varnish as recommended by the shop i bought the varnish from, after applying the first coat the colours came up a lot brighter and more intense colours i then applied the second coat 24hrs later. In my view i think the varnish was worth doing for the results i got.
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3850
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1552
Posted
An interesting discussion. I have never varnished any of my acrylics but then I have always presented them under glass.  On visiting a gallery a few weeks ago the owner declined my work on the sole grounds that he was opposed to work behind glass saying that customer appeal was compromised by the glass glare factor.  He suggested I represent without glass and so the appeal of using varnish is something I am now considering.  I will try out one painting using gloss to see how it goes.

Sylvia Evans

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 15275
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4118
Posted
Are your acrylics on oiled paper Michael? .  If so I understand the under glass route.  I paint on board in a block format therefore glass could not be used. I understand the comments re not using glass.  I do like a gloss varnish not only does it enhance the colours but retains the almost tactile nature if the acrylic paint. I suppose it also depends on your colours used , mine tend to be bright and in your face.  For more subtle work a softer matt varnish might work better .
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3850
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1552
Posted
Most of my acrylics are on mountboard and I guess my liking for glass is influenced by the fact that I am (or was) predominantly a watercolourist. Having said that mountboard is not that firm and does require the extra support especially as you work larger. I am about to start a new one on canvas and have several cannvas boards I will be trying out  - outwards and upwards. 

Alan Owen

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 255
Posted
I tried an acrylics yesterday      it was painted on 11x15   140 lbs paper .a  big change for me   I find I can roll it ,that's good..,and put into tube for posting ..with no cracking ,my friend uses a  ~PVA glue thinned down for a final coat   the only colours I had were cad red    ,,raw Sienna ,cad yellow and a panels grey and white ..  the struggle was the phthalo blue I  could not cool it down,, any way up ..I managed to do the painting ,but next time I must buy some other colours   Ultranarine   included 

Alan Owen

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 255
Posted
is this the grave yard shift ,owl shift ,or are you all on dark days ,

Sylvia Evans

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 15275
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4118
Posted
Possibly Christmas shopping Alan.  I’ve just had a walk in the fields and taken some pics.  Will see if they are any good.  Watch this space . 

Alan Bickley

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 9045
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 3419
Posted
Well I do make the effort and join in as and when I can. Much of it seems to still be complaining about the new site though, which is getting rather tiresome. There are still a few minor issues and they are getting looked into, Dawn has done a sterling job of dealing with everything.
Showing page 1 of 2