As we love pushing the boundaries and experimenting we have a little cheat list of products to share with you so you can achieve this at home!
Glossy final coat for acrylic paintings
Since I usually mix a little acrylic medium in my paints as I go along, I don’t put a final glaze on any of my paintings. I would probably do so only if I had used matte medium in the painting stage and then decided I wanted a final, gloss finish or vice versa.
Debra
Debra
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.
Debra Spinks Art on Facebook & Instagram
January 13, 2003 at 1:19 am #1005863
Hi Dennis and welcome to WC. There are a couple of considerations that affect the answer here. I presume that you’re planning on displaying the work on the wall so I’ll go from there. First is, are you really concerned with the work lasting? Great if you do, but if you don’t worry about how it’s going to be in about ten or twenty years the piece is probably fine as it is (dependent on the answers to what follows). I have a number of acrylic paintings from when I first learned them, roughly twenty years ago, and protected from dust they are in perfect condition. What brand is it painted in, what is the finish (gloss, matt or satin) and how thick is the paint? Glossy acrylic attracts more dust and it seems to mar the surface more readily than when the paint is matt. Thicker paint films also appear to attract more dust than thin ones. What’s the support? If the painting is on paper it’s really a good idea to frame behind glass anyway, so you don’t need to worry about varnishing in this case. On board and most fabric supports framing is also really necessary for the work to look good I think, but in this case a coat of varnish is probably better to protect the piece. Without going into detail the best varnish for acrylic paintings, in a number of ways, IMO are spirit-soluble acrylic varnishes such as Golden’s MSA Varnish, available in three finishes. Some additional points, very textural paint with a lot of brushwork or knife texture probably should not be varnished, in which case you might also like to consider framing behind glass. Some people believe that varnishing is not a good idea for acrylic paintings at all, because of what is called the solvent gap – the solvent necessary to clean off old, dusty and discoloured varnish will also be strong enough to act on the paint film. If you agree with this then framing behind glass is the only option. Some sources also suggest that before you varnish an acrylic painting you paint a layer of acrylic medium over the whole work, to aid in protecting it come time to replace the varnish many years down the road. Einion
D o y o u k n o w i f y o u r c o l o u r i s o f f i n h u e , v a l u e , c h r o m a . . . o r a l l t h r e e ?
Colour Theory & Mixing forum WetCanvas Glossary Search Tips Advanced Search Acrylics forum Acrylics – Information Kiosk
January 13, 2003 at 8:26 pm #1005868
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Einion and Debra, thanks for your response back. I did forget to mention that it is on stretched canvas and is framed. It doesn’t entail a lot of thick brush strokes nor an excessive use of paint and the use of a clear medium should suffice for a surface protection. I would like it to last forever, but initially just want to ensure my grandkids will get to see paintings done by me of our family, etc. I really thank you for the detailed information and it will not be wasted. Talk soon.
Mont Marte Premium Painting Board
First, let’s choose our surface.
We discovered for the best results in achieving a smooth and effortless piece using a painting board was our best option.
Having a smooth surface on this painting board enables the paint to glide on desirably and dry with an even finish that is optimal for achieving that glassy look. For an interesting effect, leave portions of the blonde wood exposed without paint and simply cover it with layers of varnish.
Another cool effect and a great way to be a little more sustainable is to use wooden chopping boards in your kitchen.
Display it on the walls as art or use it to display your food beautifully. That’s definitely one form of #foodart we can get on board with!
While we are not limited to surfaces there are so many items you can create with this fun activity, beautiful unique jewellery, coasters, and clocks, the options are endless and we have some more inspiration below.
Liquitex Pouring Medium
This one takes the hard work out for you.
When mixed with acrylic paints and poured, it creates even puddles with ease and creates a flowing application of colour.
It does not craze, crack or hold bubbles and retains an ultra-glossy, wet appearance when dry.
This medium does not alter the colour or opacity of paints when mixed and is flexible, non-yellowing and water-resistant.
This is an easy-to-use product with excellent results and a solid contender in our series.
Acrylic Pouring Paints
You can’t make the perfect pour without the perfect paint!
To use, mix with your acrylic paint of choice we recommend a free-flowing one like Mont Marte Pouring Paint or Atelier Free Flow Acrylics.
Using these recommended paints in the required amounts you can watch the paint glide and marble onto your chosen surface and dry with that gleaming but soft finish we are looking to create.
These recommended paints are a highly-pigmented, fluid paint that applies evenly and smoothly and dries with a rich, vibrant finish.
High pigmentation means only a small amount of paint can go a long way when applied to your mediums.
This paint makes pouring and achieving stunning and gleaming results a breeze while adding rich colour while not altering the overall chemistry.
We suggest if you want to take that glass finish to the next level and make your artwork more durable, get your hands on a high-quality gloss medium/varnish we fill you in more soon.
Gloss Medium and Varnish
This brings us to our next secret weapon, our friends Gloss Medium and Gloss Varnish.
Added to your paint and pouring the medium mixture, this dual-purpose medium and varnish add an extra level of durability and protection to your works and an even more intense sheen when dry.
It’s a flexible formula that won’t crack even with changes in temperature and humidity.
A good ratio we’ve found is mixing three parts Liquitex Pouring Medium to one part Liquitex Gloss Medium. If you go beyond that and add too much gloss medium you will find your colours may darken when dry.
With this mixture, you will notice the paint will have a slightly thicker consistency but don’t worry, it will still pour fine.
Liquitex High Gloss Varnish
And finally, the cherry on top of our beautifully glossy iced cake is the Liquitex High Gloss Varnish.
Slightly different to the aforementioned Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish, this can be used only as a finishing varnish, not a medium. With a very thin consistency, this is like a little bottle of liquid glass that will be the final layer of protectant and of course help you to achieve a lustrous resin gloss finish. Once your painting is dry after at least 24 hours, apply several layers of varnish with 3 hours in between each coat.
We are sure you’ll be amazed at the results and enjoy your creation.
Other substitutes: Art Spectrum Gloss Varnish, Jo Sonja Gloss Varnish, Matisse Polyurethane Gloss Varnish, Liquitex Gloss Varnish
Give these Art Shed tips a go next time you’re creating your own pour masterpiece, as always art is about enjoyment so get experimenting and have some fun with it. If you create anything from our blog tutorials don’t forget to upload photos of your masterpieces to social media and tag us, we love seeing what you guys create.
If you have any topics you’d like to learn more about drop us a line with some blog suggestions.
Plus, don’t forget you can watch video tutorials on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/artshedonline.
Happy creating!
Comments (2)
Can’t get art spectrum varnish
By: Megan on 4 January 2021
Hi there I’m hoping you can help I can’t seem to get Art spectrum gloss varnish in the United States is there anyone that you could recommend going through to get it shipped here? Is there a better alternative? Please email me if you have any ideas or any suggestions. Your help is much appreciated thank you so much for your time and help!
Art Shed Online Response
Hi there! Unfortunately due to extreme delays because of COVID-19 we have had to temporarily close our International Shipping service. We hope to reopen this service later in the year but we are unsure of when this is likely to happen. If you would like to be notified of when we reopen International Shipping you can sign up to our email list on our website, as this is how we like to keep our customers in the loop with updates on the store. 🙂
Atelier Free Flow Acrylic Paint
By: Liesa reed on 17 October 2020
Can you use Atelier Free Flow Acrylic Paint with a paint brush as I want to use it inside the top 4cm of a wooden bowl and don’t want it to run. I want to see the grain behind it but with a little maroon /red glassy finish. Is this achievable . Thanks in advance for your reply. Kind regards liesa
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