Why is the painting varnished? A little about the artist’s kitchen.

In the old days, artists themselves created varnishes to cover their paintings. But, as is very often the case with artisanal methods, such varnishes began to darken, become cloudy, which caused a lot of trouble for future restorers – after all, precious layers of paint had to be peeled off along with the varnish. Currently, you can easily choose a varnish for a painting without fear of damaging its paint layer during coating.

It is also necessary to cover the picture with varnish if you want to even out the paint layer, to make it more uniform. For example, you applied oil paints layer by layer, but somewhere on the canvas you missed a piece and did not apply another one.

Secondly, the picture is varnished in order to protect the paint layer from dust and moisture, as well as from the insidious hydrogen sulfide, which is always contained in the air and eventually causes blackening of paints, and from exposure to sunlight, or rather its ultraviolet component. , which is reversed with time.

How to fix an oil painting?
Typically, oil paintings on canvas, hardboard or cardboard are covered with special varnishes, which can be purchased at artist supply stores. Such varnishes differ in special transparency, purity. They are elastic and do not yellow the paintings. As an example, let’s take dammar varnish or Gamblink.

Watch the video below.

Do I need to varnish my paintings with acrylics?

Pictures on demand coating paintings with varnish oil acrylic why
Paintings made with acrylic paints are recommended to be varnished. The peculiarity of acrylic paints is that when they dry, they become dull, lose the brightness that they had when wet. Since acrylic dries within a few minutes, varnish can be applied immediately.

Can oil paintings be overcoated with acrylic lacquer?
Pictures on demand coating paintings with varnish oil acrylic why
Artists use retouch varnish as an intermediate coating, but for the final, final touch, I recommend using acrylic-styrene varnish. This varnish dries well, and if you cover an oil painting with acrylic-styrene varnish, the paint will not turn yellow over time and will not change its basic properties.

Types of varnishes There is a huge choice for paintings and paintings. For works painted with dry materials, such as pastels or watercolors, choose a fixative varnish, and for oil paintings, use top varnishes.

Dammarny The most common varnish in painting. Of the benefits: it is inexpensive, it protects the picture well from sunlight, it can be used both as a cover and as an additive to paint. Of the minuses: it turns yellow over time.

Acrylic Styrene Provides a thin, clear coating that does not discolor or yellow, and has good water resistance properties. Acrylic Pistachio Suitable for cooler paint tones, does not turn yellow or cloudy over time. Has good transparency and elasticity of a covering. It costs more than Dammar.

Fir As well as dammar, it is made of resins, therefore it has similar properties. Less common, as dammar varnish is commonly used.

Retouch Do not confuse with covers! Their principle of operation is the opposite: retouch varnishes are used to dissolve the paint layer in order to continue working on the dried painting. It is applied before and after applying the paint and enhances the adhesion of the layer.

Fixative Lacquer for works made in dry technique – watercolor, pastel, charcoal, sanguine, pencil. Gives the ink layer brightness and saturation and protects against dust and moisture. A watercolor work on paper covered with such a varnish can be safely wiped with a damp cloth to remove a layer of dust, for example.

Pistachio Lacquer for works made in dry technique – watercolor, pastel, charcoal, sanguine, pencil. Gives the ink layer brightness and saturation and protects against dust and moisture. A watercolor work on paper covered with such a varnish can be safely wiped with a damp cloth to remove a layer of dust, for example.

What varnish is better to cover the picture
Oil paintings, and artists, as a rule, can be varnished several times, at different stages of work. So, while you are just creating a future masterpiece, you can add dammar varnish to the paint to give it brightness.

Artists use retouch varnish as an intermediate coating, but for the final, final touch, I recommend using acrylic-styrene varnish. This varnish dries well, and if you cover an oil painting with acrylic-styrene varnish, the paint will not turn yellow over time and will not change its basic properties.

Mistakes in the selection of varnish for painting

In order not to spend extra money when choosing a varnish, always read the instructions on the varnish cans, and remember that: If the varnish is glossy, then the picture will give glare. If you want to avoid glare on canvas, choose a matte varnish – it almost does not differ from glossy, except that it is not able to increase the depth and color saturation of paints.

When choosing a varnish, pay attention to the date of manufacture and expiration date. For most products, it is no more than six months, and for some varnishes, no more than three. If the varnish is expired, then it will stick even after drying, attracting dust and dirt, and will also soften with high humidity.

I advise you not to save on such an important part of painting as varnish, because this is the final coating, and varnish can either ruin the picture or transform it to perfect condition!

Cover the picture with the right varnish, and it will last for many years.

Gallery | Modern Artist Nata Shemshur

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