Windsor Newton has information about varnishing fine art paintings on their website. I can't help but notice that some of the paintings in the art shows I have been in are very shiny and intense. Mine, on the other hand, are more matte because I have not varnished them. Why did I not varnish? Because I use thick paint layers and oil paint normally takes 6 months to a year to thoroughly dry. You are not really supposed to varnish a painting before that. Still, I know that my paintings would be much more vibrant in color if I varnished them. So, before every show, I debate whether I should varnish or not. Is it dry enough, I ask myself? I usually decide not to. Besides, varnishing is very difficult to get just right. The Windsor Newton website also says that acrylic paintings actually need varnish more than oil paintings do. I never knew that! Friday, September 05, 2008
Varnishing Paintings
Windsor Newton has information about varnishing fine art paintings on their website. I can't help but notice that some of the paintings in the art shows I have been in are very shiny and intense. Mine, on the other hand, are more matte because I have not varnished them. Why did I not varnish? Because I use thick paint layers and oil paint normally takes 6 months to a year to thoroughly dry. You are not really supposed to varnish a painting before that. Still, I know that my paintings would be much more vibrant in color if I varnished them. So, before every show, I debate whether I should varnish or not. Is it dry enough, I ask myself? I usually decide not to. Besides, varnishing is very difficult to get just right. The Windsor Newton website also says that acrylic paintings actually need varnish more than oil paintings do. I never knew that! 
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But do they say how long Acrylics are supposed to dry before varnishing? I'm mostly digital of course, but I'd hate to assume the paint was dry that day and have the varnish mess it up...
This what the WN website says:
"Acrylic paintings will dry and be ready for varnishing once water has fully evacuated from the film. Depending upon film thickness, that will require anywhere between two days and a number of weeks."
I guess it all depends how thick you paint... if you use thin acrylic washes they would dry pretty fast.
Acrylics actually need varnish more than oil? Wonder if Windsor-Newton would tell us that were they not in the business of peddling varnish? Never heard it before, and acrylics have been used since the 1940's. Varnish will impart shine better than any polymer medium but it also begets challenge after it yellows over time.
I have no idea why W-N says acrylics need varnish even more than oil...I never heard it either. But, they know more about it than I do, I suppose.
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