Need advice re: varnishing

[Terri Ficenec]

I am looking for opinions regarding how best to varnish the portrait I've just completed. It is acrylic, my first real paid commission and I want the finish to be 'professional'.

My initial plan was to use a couple of coats of Gloss varnish (permanent/non-removable) as an isolation layer, followed by Liquitex's Soluvar varnish (The Soluvar being matte or gloss or in-between depending on client preference.) But, here I am getting nervous. I've never used the Soluvar before, but was thinking that I should based on the literature on (you guessed it!) Liquitex's site. From what I understand the Soluvar is not an acrylic based varnish - it is removable with mineral spirits.

Benefits of the Soluvar are that it is:

- UV protective and
- removable.

(Note: I've used only paints with an 'Excellent' lightfastness rating.)

Drawbacks/concerns:

1) It is a new/unknown product for me (if anyone has used it, perhaps on a landscape or still-life if you do those in acrylic, I'd be interested on hearing your experience with it?)

2) I find varnishing the painting to be so nerve-wracking. . . Here you've got client approval on the painting that you've spent so much time with and you're going to go in and mess with every square inch of it! My own biggest fear - what if you mess up on the varnish!?! I'm not sure if this is as much a concern with oil paints, but with the acrylic varnishes, other than the Soluvar, they are permanent/non-removeable, AND they can fog/cloud if you brush them once they've started to dry. Even with the Soluvar, the painting needs a couple layers of gloss varnish as an isolation layer. So... is this extra layer - the Soluvar - just another chance to mess it up or is it a necessary step? (It's removeable, but I wouldn't want to have to do it!!)

3) Will use of a removeable varnish cause the painting to need more maintenance in the future (Aren't removable varnishes supposed to be removed and re-applied periodically? - whereas the gloss/matte varnish can just be wiped with a wet cloth?)


So, the questions are:

-Is the Soluvar layer necessary/desireable or not?
-Would you use it?
-If you were the client would you want it?

-And I guess a related question, do you note somewhere with the painting what finishes were used, for future reference?

Please let me know your thoughts/opinions. Thanks!

[Marvin Mattelson]

Golden makes the best quality acrylic paints and their varnishes are wonderful and removable. You can mix the gloss and mat together to customize the sheen.

I wouldn't put on any isolating permanent varnish. When I was an illustrator working in acrylics I had a very bad experience with an acrylic varnish made by a very well known manufacturer. We'll just leave it at that.

[Terri Ficenec]

Marvin, Thanks!

I've just visited Golden's site - I was not previously familiar with them. It appears as if they have 2 different types of varnish. . . Polymer varnish (remains soluble with ammonia) or MSA varnish (remains soluble with mineral spirits). Would you recommend one of these over the other?

Also, have to admit I've already applied the isolation layer of gloss varnish, since I was thinking I'd need it regardless. For future reference though, does the lack of isolation layer make it more likely that the painting will be damaged if the varnish needs to be removed - or has it been your experience that the varnish can be safely removed even without it?

Also in your experience, do the Golden varnishes remain 'wet' long enough that visible brushstrokes or fogginess are not a problem when slightly overlapping adjoining areas as you varnish? (The Liquitex varnishes I've tried seem to be very sensitive to this and it makes them downright frightening to work with sometimes!)

The client in this case is leaning toward satin or matte varnish as the painting will be going in a room with many windows on multiple walls and she really doesn't want to be constantly battling glare. From what I've been reading, either satin or matte varnishes will alter the appearance of darker colors in the painting, lightening them. How noticeable is this affect and would you avoid a matte varnish because of it?

Again thanks so much for your help!

[Timothy C. Tyler]

I agree with Marvin. Some of the clear meduims and varnishes are famous for yellowing. You can test this yourself very quickly. Just coat 1/2 of a throw away painted canvas with this stuff on one half and leave the other side bare. Set this in the sun for a day and look at it.

(Leave one side bare and do test areas..try several batches of stuff.) Draw a line and label each so you'll remember what went where.

[Terri Ficenec]

Thanks Timothy!

It's raining here today, but will try that the first chance I get. I'm really interested to see what happens!

[Marvin Mattelson]

I wouldn't be so bold as to tell you what to use especially since you are varnishing over Liquitex paint, which I abandoned early on due to certain problematic experiences I had.

I would call Golden and ask them about which varnish was slower drying or if there was a paticullar reccommendation regarding the application to avoid visable brush strokes. They are a very responsive company and nurture their relationship with their customers.

It's important to test out any new product before applying to a critical situation. I wouldn't take anyone's word without verifying it myself. Everyone has different ideas about what works for them. As Paul Simon so aptly put it, "One man's ceiling is another man's floor."

I personally don't like when paintings appear too glossy. However, a totally mat varnish can deaden a painting. So I mix some matting agent into the gloss varnish to give me a slightly matted gloss.

I'm sure either of Golden's varnishes would be easily removable and wouldn't damage a high quality acrylic paint film. Again, testing on a similar painting would be advised.

[Terri Ficenec]

Marvin, Tim - Thanks again!

I tested varnish samples using 8 x 10 canvas boards and different varnishes and matte/gloss combinations over a color gradient of acrylic paints (with an isolation layer - since that's what's already on this painting). The Golden's varnishes were much easier to work with than what I had been using - more fluid - brush marks not a problem. I'll be recommending at least a 50/50 mix of gloss with matte since the pure matte Goldens was VERY matte and did result in a quite noticeable lightening of darks. On the other hand, it was easy to apply evenly and easy to remove (Tested that too ). So I'll feel comfortable using it if the client really wants to go more matte. AND as an added bonus, I've got samples of different varnish sheens for the client (and future clients) to select from.

No longer anxiety-ridden about varnishing!! Yay!

[Marvin Mattelson]

Glad it worked out for you.