From the article: Why Varnish a Painting?
How do you varnish your paintings or do you think varnishing is a waste of time and money? How do you feel about only varnishing paintings that you've sold? Share your thoughts and reasons here. Do You Varnish Paintings?
Varnishing
- I use two coats of an acrylic varnish, one horizontal one vertical. It protects the painting and permits easy cleaning.
- —RichNorth
Always Varnishing Paintings
- I always varnish paintings unless they are paper, in which case they will be behind glass.
- —JanDavies
Yes
- I varnish all my acrylics. I cover with a final isolation coat of acrylic medium and varnish. I usually use gloss, since I can use matte varnish if I want it matte. I wait three days. Then I use Liquitex Soluvar spray (wear a mask). That way I never have to worry about getting irregularities in the varnish. It is an MSA removable varnish. (I sometimes use Golden as well.) I choose matte or gloss, or, by combining the two I can make a satin finish. I write what I have done on the back of the stretcher bars. In the distant future, someone can remove the varnish, and yet leave the isolation coat which protects the paint surface, and replace it with a similar varnish duplicating the effect I described on the back.
- —edsmiley
Art Instructor Says No
- I paint in acrylics and when I asked my art teacher (paints and sells) she said no she has never. Her work is framed but not under glass and she has painted for years.
- —Guest Barb
Protects from Dust
- Varnishing is indeed important as it brings out the colours and also protects the painting from dust, pollution and age.
- —Guest Rudy
Every One
- I do varnish my paintings, I will write the date I finish a painting, in pencil on the stretcher bars, so I can keep track. I paint in oils so I do wait about a year. If I sell a piece before this time, I put a note with it for the purchaser to bring it back for varnishing on the correct date. I have a spray both for this, so use spray varnish.
- —StarrpointHost01
Varnishing is the Finishing Touch
- I always varnish my acrylic paintings with varnish for oil paintings -- two coats: the first horizontally and the second vertically. Sometimes the varnish tends to foam in the heavily textured sections of the paintings so I try to avoid overloading the brush.
- —EGsPalette
Yes to Varnishing
- Yes, I varnish my paintings, with a matte varnish. It's like a seal of approval from myself, a sign that a painting is definitely finished.
- —Josh
