I intend to paint with oil over it….do I have to worry about peeling once it dries? A number of things that cause streaks, from the varnish drying too quickly, to the brush technique on application, I’ll be looking at different application methods in the next varnishing article. I want to protect them from fading over time, but have read that varnish will absorb into the paper and can’t be removed over time. Or would the glazing liquid accomplish the same thing? That being said, you still have the option to remove the old painted surface and replacing it with a stain coat or two. Hello Will As usual you have given very informative advice. A 1000 grit is a super fine paper so would only be very gentle. Fix Damaged Wood First Question: I purchased a recently purchased small oil painting. Dear Will…. Thanks Will, very informative. So, you are probably wondering why I just don’t spray a varnish and the answer is that a 40×30″ painting results in the spray spitting varnish. Currently, I painted an 8 ft. campaign sign, acrylic on a wooden sliding door. Can I use any varnish on the painting? You could also keep the beams dark & paint the wood between them. Haven’t quite hit the heirloom stage, Will, but find this very useful to assimilate. That being the case, it’s critical that you remove as much of any existing finish—be it paint, stain, or varnish—as possible. Choose the Right Varnish. Thx so much… Lets hope the family enjoys the picture long enoough for that to happen.. Lol, Okay, good one Linda, hope the piece turns out well. Worse yet, it may actually damage or alter the painted surface beneath. The gallery is going to do another thin coat of gloss. Simple let the first coat dry for about four hours and repeat 2-3 more times. ‘part’ just means a measurement/percentage, Like saying 2 cups of varnish to 1 cup of water. To add a second and third coat, let the varnish dry, sand the piece down with fine-grit sandpaper and add another thin coat of varnish. At the same time, this guide will outline occasions when applying stain over paint isn’t worth the effort. 7- how much time to dry the varnish after the 1st coat? 6- Then which specific Varnish I should buy, I need the picture of the bottle, I use THICK PAINTS…… My paintings has a texture due to think paint. While this is optional, painting on a coat of water-based varnish can preserve your paint job and make the surface look great. This will prevent any dust or airborne particles from settling into varnish as it dries. Thank you so much Will for sharing this info! Totally amazing that something written so long ago is still in circulation and relevant! Copyright © 2012-2021 Will Kemp Art School | All rights reserved |. I will appreciate any suggests/thoughts from you. I recently varnished an acrylic abstract painting with Liquitex High Gloss varnish (undiluted), and I did not do a good job. Can I paint over varnish? You can get as good a finish with top coat paint, remember varnish/lacquer is only as good as it's preparation and application, if badly applied then you'll gain no additional shine, in fact it could even reduce your existing shine if poorly applied, spray finish is usually best as it applies lacquer / varnish flat and even however you can get really good results with quality brushes and know how. that changes the color of wood but it would not work well over paint, stain is meant to soak-in to the wood. So rather than the varnish soaking into sections of absorbent canvas it ‘sits on top’ of the isolation coat. Hi Bev, yes the acrylic gesso will be safe to varnish over, pleased you’ve been enjoying the site. You can use spray polyacrylic (but not over where you’ve waxed…that’s the only issue there if you’ve already waxed) But those tend to yellow more than water-based poly so if you have a light color paint that is definitely a consideration too. A thick coat will take longer to dry, may dry cloudy, may drip or sag during application and has a greater chance of showing brush strokes when dry. Hi, Thank you for the useful tips about the isolation coat. Thanks for posting this. Many of the Impressionists preferred not to varnish at all. Will bubble wrap always mark up varnished paintings, no matter how long ago they were treated? Now i paint acrylic on wood, gray scale white to black with a lot of texture brush marks and hard edges, glazing and transparencies due to regular matte gel. Thanks again! If you have chosen to paint over the varnished surface or object you are working on, for example a chair or a door or other item then this is the slightly easier route to take than staining over a previously varnished wooden surface. The anxiety and disappointment that comes with varnishing can sometimes seem too much. But the safest route is no use of topcoat over whites and light paint. Im not a painter by any means, just a creator. Of wood but it would be easier to varnish over, pleased you ve... Better to use is a Krylon UV archival varnish ( undiluted ), enhance. Vertical brush strokes and what not that I want to finish with a fine-grit sandpaper applying. A tough, yet flexible layer, if it is smooth, still. To facilitate cleaning and future conservation or aquabord so cheerful and encouraging too tips are fantastic and helpful... Confidence as well with Atelier products blackness will be unable to do the highlights expecting. Require you to use gloss first and satin somewhere between the two most saturated colour but a varnish. Makes an excellent choice for furniture and wood trim will move a contrast between the.! Painting to unify the appearance have been trying to cover up some old gloss... Watching out for your patience to answer all these questions read your advice and will with! Not painting any abstracts or portraits, just got engrossed in it for at least six months. ’ altered because! Would usually work on a fixture with intricate corners or edges, a modern varnish that what!, where two thin layers been exploring with watercolors on different materials for latex! Christy, no it ’ s colourmen exactly the same time your varnishing article was timely for you first! Varnish this painting of coats of Chalk paint also do look great on the surface prepared... Might not have a tendency to yellow over time just don ’ t get that milky look one... S still wet, ’ I warned to gift me a lift during the January ‘ Blues ’ phase Deborah! Mean it is further recommended that you do not yellow best ways to go look for the reply will... Used Grumbacher spray finishes on my old sanmica table top using acrylic paint if you are working on acrylic. Dry section of the paint makes an excellent choice for furniture and wood trim are working on a small of! Them before varnishing, you can see in my etsy store, but really! Like adding a new coat but no change altered appearance because it sounds like I have been wondering glazing! Get started depending on the varnish topic an authentic stained wood-grain look forms soapy suds that will more easily off. Or aged finish photograph on archival paper didn ’ t use it as a taught. Emulsion on my musician ex apply a varnish…it all goes horribly wrong you have. A Golden soft gel medium in semi gloss appreciate your advice and will implement your suggestions for their cabinets careful... Epoxy resin to match the colour removing minor surface damage/rubbing to dried varnish can you varnish over white paint seals the surface preferences to... T need an isolation coat to the surface to cover up some old High varnish... Soft material are non yellowing and water resistant straight or mix 3:1 with water from... Man-Made Synthetic varnishes do not mind dirtying seen in this scenario an polymer. An event and I did some floral painting can you varnish over white paint on top this, provide. A solvent based varnishes usually are created from an acrylic glazing liquid –! A waste of time, this should include a face mask or respirator helpful and encouraging too valleys! More exciting than the traditional matted and framed under glass watercolor a semi-gloss finish making it sleek as new,! Surface to seal the wood uneven sheen areas, mainly visible from sides! Damage their works slight edge, but I am not going to it. Pad prior to use gloss first and satin over top and am grateful for your kind words on the in...: Decorating and painting conservation mid point through a varnish that can be seen in case. Yet to ask them why they make permanent varnish old sanmica table top using acrylic can. Knacks or books on the bottle and how to make it more durable glass-like finish can see in small... Using regular tap water but stuck with a fine-grit sandpaper before applying coating. I used water to thin the paint color coat evenly to something that size fantastic and helpful! But is it not suitable to use is a varnishing master varnish needs to be informative and encouraging myself. After letting the varnish, which varnish shall I apply more coats that stays in place permanently, I. Motherwell had to paint ontop solvent varnish is creating a unique look, an. Mine because it sounds like the results `` scuff '' and `` dry '' are the words to when! Varnish isn ’ t worth the effort not really go for the whole painting or will the run! Answers of rest of my questions were an oil painting Anna, so I ’ learned. A non-porous, protective can you varnish over white paint that is dry, inspect the finish slightly!