Artists Share Their Tips On Varnishing Art

Varnishing your art is important for a number of reasons. It protects your art from dust and dirt, prevents your colors from fading over time, deepens the appearance of your colors, and creates an overall beautiful finish. I had some artists share their tips and process to help you figure out what varnish and application method is best for you.

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Monica Janes creates stunning abstract art. Here’s what she shared:

• One of the questions I am asked most often when discussing varnishing an acrylic painting on canvas, which includes an isolation coat first, is “What is an isolation coat?” Let me back up for a minute and let you know that I don’t use any products that are formulated as sprays because I find that I’m very sensitive to chemicals. That being said, my process of finishing an acrylic painting involves two steps. The first step is the isolation coat followed by the second step which is the actual varnish layer.
• The Isolation Coat- The first step is an “isolation coat”. This step involves brushing a clear, permanent, non-removable coating onto the canvas which serves two purposes. First, it protects the painting, if or when the actual varnish layer might need to be removed, noting that the varnish layer is not permanent. And secondly, it unifies and seals the surface of the painting so that the varnish layer will go on smoothly and evenly. The isolation coat layer should always be glossy to maintain the richness of the acrylic paint colors used. Below are some tips for working with an isolation coat before adding the varnish layer.
• Follow instructions. Whenever I have taken a shortcut with this process, it has created problems. I don’t “skip” any steps. The key to success with the product I use, which needs to be mixed with water, is to mix it the night before as directed. Adding the water slowly, stirring, then adding more water and stirring again until all the water has been added, and then letting the mixture sit overnight allows the bubbles to settle out so that there is less chance that there will be existing small bubbles when you’re ready to apply it.
• Contact the manufacturer of your product if necessary! I can’t tell you how many times I have contacted “technical or customer support” for the products I use. If there are ever issues with a product where something doesn’t seem right or the results were not as expected, there should be a phone number to easily contact technical support. Being able to readily get feedback on a specific problem is a sign that the manufacturer will stand behind their products. 
• Bright lighting. I like to apply both the isolation coat and varnish by a large window on a bright day. Being able to see the reflections where the product has been applied is key to even coverage and not missing a spot.
• Correct brush. I use a flat brush with medium-stiff bristles which I use only for isolation coats and for varnish. Make sure the brush is dry. If your brush is damp or wet, you can imagine that the product (which is mixed with water), will now have an additional amount of uneven dilution and will be streaky when applied. I learned this the hard way! 
• Even application. Use sweeping strokes across the painting working quickly and evenly and overlapping the previous area of application to continue blending the product down and across your entire painting. You will have to dip the brush into the solution multiple times depending on the size of your painting. I do the sides of my canvas paintings last and carefully smooth out drips. Add additional solution to the sides being careful not to allow the brush to touch the top surface of the painting.  If the painting is heavily textured you may see some small bubbles when you’re done. Do not try to go back and smooth them out although it will be tempting to try to do a quick “touch up”. Yes, I learned this the hard way too! Be patient and as the isolation coat is drying you will see the bubbles start to smooth out. It may look a little “streaky” at first. Depending on how much of the product was applied, different parts of the painting may be drying at different rates. Don’t evaluate it until it’s completely dry! And if you missed a spot, don’t worry! You can do another isolation coat layer later (making sure the first layer is completely dry), using the same steps as above to “fix” the area you missed by going over the entire painting again.
• The Varnish- After the isolation coat is applied and dry, the colors of your painting should be rich and true. The surface of the painting will now have a high gloss finish. I recommend a varnish that includes Ultra Violet Light Stabilizers, for protection. Now is the time to decide what you want the final “finish” to look like.
• Choose your preferred degree of “glossiness.” Varnish generally comes in matte, satin and gloss finishes. It is very important to test these different finishes before choosing. Depending on the manufacturer, the degree of glossiness can vary greatly. Usually a completely matte finish is not recommended because deep colors will look as though they have a “film” over them. I like to mix a satin and gloss varnish together to achieve a slightly shiny finish, but not so reflective that you “lose” part of the painting if it’s by a window due to heavy reflections. But I will choose a somewhat glossier finish if the painting has a lot of deep colors.
•  I follow the same steps for varnish application as for the isolation coat with one exception. The varnish I use also needs to be diluted with water however it should not be mixed in advance or it will separate. I mix it right before applying and follow the same steps that I mentioned above for applying the isolation coat.
• In Summary always test on a sample painting and experiment until you feel comfortable with varnishing before you apply what you have learned to your most recent “masterpiece!” 
• I recommend the finishing steps that I outlined above because they work for me, but I also want to acknowledge that there is no right or wrong way to finish a painting. Every artist has their own methods which are completely valid and a personal choice. I hope you found the information above helpful and/or interesting!

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Iika Abbe creates beautiful fluid art. Here’s what she shared:

• Varnishing: I recommen to varnish acrylic fluid art paintings, because – besides of a nice shine – the varnish protects the pigments against UV light and the surface against dust. 
• I do two different techniques of varnishing acrylic fluid art paintings, for which I use “Liquitex gloss varnish” and “Liquitex gloss medium and varnish”.
• Here are my tips for varnishing: When you varnish you should wear gloves and old clothes, because the varnish sticks everywhere.
• Your workspace should be covered to protect it against drips of varnish which you hardly can’t remove.
• I always put pins under my paintings before I start to paint and leave them until I have varnished and everything is dried, so the canvas doesn’t stick on the underground.
  
• Before you start to varnish, your painting should be totally dry (I wait at least one week, mostly two weeks or more, before I varnish).
• First of all I clean my paintings just with a dry paper towel to remove the silicone oil and dust of the surface until it looks clean and take a new papel towel when its oily and dirty.
  
• Then I pour “Liquitex gloss varnish” out of the bottle in loops on the painting and cover about one third of the surface with varnish. If you use too little varnish, you cant distribute all of the surface evenly.
  
• After that I brush with a smooth clean brush (not too small) evenly in one direction over the painting until the whole surface is covered with varnish (and also the edges). Then I brush in another direction.
  
• Sometimes, when there still was some silicone oil left on the surface and I got some holes in my varnish, I brush over the painting evenly in differnt directions some more times till the varnish isn´t that fluid any more and covers the holes. Then I need a second coat of varnish so it looks more evenly and glossy again.
• I mostly varnish my paintings with two coats of varnish because it looks more glossy and evenly.
• My tip for varnishing big paintings is to put “Liquitex gloss medium and varnish” on a light damp sponge (these for car washes) and rub quickly over the canvas. “Liquitex gloss medium and varnish” is more fluid than “Liquitex gloss varnish” so you can distribute it evenly with a sponge. The sponge helps to get rid of the holes of silicone oil on the surface. It’s a very quick and easy way to varnish and you need less varnish. It doesn’t look as glossy and evenly as with a brush, but you have a coat which covers everthing and if you want to you can do a second coat of varnish with a sponge or a big brush.
• You should wait at least one day to give the varnish time to dry completely before you do a second coat.
• Dry your painting in a preferably dust free room so nothing can stick on the surface and don’t touch it before it has dried.

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Evelyn creates gorgeous fluid and resin art. Here’s what she shared:

• I like to use a variety of finishes depending on the piece. Current favourite varnishes are Atelier Satin Varnish and Atelier Gloss varnish. The varnishes are super easy to apply, quick drying and well priced. I’ve tried more expensive brands and Atelier works just as well.
• Resin is my favourite finish and I love Barnes EpoxyGlass. Resin is beautiful but you have to respect its properties. It doesn’t work well on large canvases due to the weight, so the resin will tend to pull away from the sides. Even with bolstering the back of the canvas its hard to get an even finish. Because of this I’ve recently started working more on cradled wood boards, these provide a perfectly flat sturdy surface, and allow me to accurately push the resin right to the edge for a domed edge finish, which looks amazing and gives a high end feel. I’m very lucky that my art business partner (@thescienceinart) makes our boards.
• You also have to be very careful of any oil based impurity – I don’t use silicone or other additives in my paintings, but even finger prints on the art will cause the resin to repel and make divots. I always give my art, my mixing implements and spreading tools a wipe with isopropyl alcohol before using them to ensure no contaminants. Always mix more resin than you think you will need, otherwise you can be left with thin or bare patches. I pour any left over resin into little moulds to make paperweights and magnets.
• Be prepared : you’ll need to protect the resin from dust etc while its curing, so make sure you have organised your curing area before you resin. Cardboard boxes are fine for smaller pieces, but for big pieces, you’ll need something even bigger, I often use propped up canvases covered by a drop sheet.

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Jessica Moore creates beautiful ocean themed art. Here’s what she shared:

• Polycrylic Minwax Varnish is by far the highest quality varnish I have found on the market. It’s what I use for my moon acrylic pour paintings which have a smooth glass finish that mimics resin but isn’t resin. They’ve been featured in museums and I’ve gotten hundreds of questions how I get the glass look. 
• To get a glass finish you must work in layers. Start with a minimal amount and wait 24 hours (at least!!) before a new coat. Use larger amounts the more coats. This is how you mimic a resin finish. 
• Use a high-quality brush to apply this varnish. If you use a cheap brush or a sponge brush it will streak and dent, and that’s not professional looking.  Start by brushing vertical. Then brush horizontal. Check to make sure you don’t see streaks, if you do, keep going.
• Humidity and temperature do not seem to effect this varnish, however go over your piece after each layer with a flash light to check for hair, dust, etc. 
• Only use this varnish in a garage with a respirator!  Toxic fumes. 

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Danielle creates pretty fluid art. Here’s what she shared:

• My go-to is Minwax Polycrylic – it’s super easy to use, creates and beautiful and lasting seal, and really brings out the color in dried paintings.
• I also favor Liquitex Professional High Gloss Varnish – but it is definitely more pricey.
• I use a large, usually 3 inch, flat brush. Lately, I’ve been favoring the Liquitex Freestyle Varnish and Mural Brush, but a wide sponge brush should work just fine!
• I have definitely made the mistake of using too much varnish. Don’t do it. If you want a nice, thick coat, do multiple layers of varnish.
• I don’t ever recommend spray varnishes. In my experience, the final piece has always ended up covered with little bubbles.

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Sheryl Masek creates lovely fluid art. Here’s what she shared:

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• Before varnishing make sure that if any silicone oil was used to make “cells” it is removed first. If silicone is left on the surface of the canvas it can yellow over time and create cloudy spots, especially if exposed to light, high humidity and temperatures. Varnish may not set properly in the areas where the oil is left and may not adhere properly either. I have had some beautiful pieces of art ruined that I didn’t get all the oil off of or it may even have been from my own fingers before varnishing.
• There are many ways on how to clean silicone oil before varnishing all over the internet and many opinions on how to do it or if its even needed. Find what works easiest and best for you. I have a way that works great for me, its fast and easy but may not be for someone else.
• Make sure to pour out enough varnish on your canvas or you can end up with brush marks. I drizzle enough varnish so that when I gently brush through it there are no visible lines from the brush afterwards. Subsequently if too much is used thick puddles can occur (usually from an uneven canvas top) and as it dries may crack. 
• Work quickly when applying varnish, especially in warm weather conditions. It can start to set up before your done if you don’t work briskly and leave stroke marks from your brush. Have everything set up that you need before starting and don’t answer that text while your in the middle of brushing. When you go back to brush the rest out, its going to be a sticky mess at that point.
• Apply 2-3 coats and give the canvas a 1/4 turn before each coat so that the varnish is applied evenly. I look at the canvas in the light reflection to see if there are any areas I missed and pay attention to those areas on the next coat.
• If you have a bunch of bubbles from brushing on the varnish, use a kitchen torch to pop them. Use a fast sweeping motion across the canvas, make sure not to stay on one spot to long and burn it. For stubborn bubbles that don’t pop afterwards, use a toothpick.
• Try using different types of varnish finishes on one painting. I like the look of a soft satin finish but with multiple coats it can look too cloudy and dull the colors in the painting. So I use a gloss coat first and let dry before adding a satin coat next. The gloss is super bright and clear, but the layer of satin on top tones it down a bit.

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Maggie Schirmer creates bright and beautiful art. Here’s what she shared:

• Wipe your art down three times before you declare its clean. There’s lots of little tiny bits that our eyes don’t see, we want that all gone. This is especially important if you’ve used silicone in your creation- that stuff is a challenge. (I use baby wipes from Aldi. They’re a good size, price, and remove silicone)Wait a few hours after cleaning your creation to really allow your art to be completely dry before applying varnish.
• Choose your varnish finish to complement your favorite. Not every piece needs high gloss, some look amazing finished in satin or even matte. I like a spray varnish. Short light bursts and many layers beats fighting against brush strokes any day (for me) I have had success using a foam brush to apply varnish, I must say. Explore your hardware for varnishing options, in Australia Bunnings Warehouse will become a new place for you to hang out.

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Michelle Marra creates bold beautiful art. Here’s what she shared:

• I have learned that you don’t always need to varnish. Especially when you like the look of a flat paint over gloss or satin. 
• When I refer to varnish I’m referring to acrylic work on canvas. Not works on paper. favorite 
• When I do varnish I will put on two coats of gloss medium and finish with Liquitex Satin Varnish. It makes the painting look rich and gives it depth. The, has a look of a fine oil painting. 
• Sometimes I like to mix it up and let the layers mix….gloss, satin and flat. And then I let the different finishes be part of the painting and I don’t varnish at all. 

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Laura creates vibrant beautiful pieces of alcohol ink art. Here’s what she shared:

• – For any piece that has alcohol inks, I use Krylon brand sprays. First Kamar varnish then UV gloss. Follow the instructions on the can.
• Because I spray out on my balcony, I blu-tac pieces onto rigid boards for stability and so they wont blow away. Makes it a lot easier to lean the pieces against the railing and also bring inside to dry.

Thank you to all the amazing artists who shared their tips!

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you did find this helpful I would appreciate you sharing it so much! What’s your favorite varnish? Do you have any helpful tips when varnishing? I would love to hear from you! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. 

XOXO, Taylor