Gamvar vs Liquitex | Acrylic Paint Varnish Review
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
- In today's video I am comparing Gamblin Gamvar Varnish and Liquitex Acrylic Varnishes! WHO WILL WIN?
You can find both Liquitex Acrylic Varnishes and Gamblin Gamvar at Michaels, Jerry's Artarama, and Blick.
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I wish I had come across this video first before ruining my brushes with Liquitex. Also, Liquitex made my painting foggy although I used only one coat. I'm glad I finally shifted to gamvar. Works like a charm!
Use an silicone or rubber brush to apply varnish, you'll never ruin it again. With silicone I can even use it to apply resin and it STILL comes off. For larger paintings, go to dollar tree in the kitchen section to find BIGGER silicone spatula/ spreaders they are really helpful in spreading across large surface area. Cheers thx for making this!♥
Wow this was actually really helpful. I wasn't sold on the Gamvar until you did the side by side comparison. The Liquitex reflects too much light and it makes it hard to see the canvas. The Gamvar reflects but you can still see the colors. Good video!
I am glad that you found it helpful! Thank you so much for watching!
Thank you for your video, I thought I was doing something wrong with the liquitex gloss varnish I used. I can most definitely agree with you on how liquitex damages brushes. I used a brand new brush made just for varnishing and it completely messed it up.
I am glad that it helped you out! And yeah that is one of my biggest grips with Liquitex.
I put my varnish brushes in a mix of Murphys oil soap and water after use. My brushes are fine.
Try acetone with your hard brush or solvent used in car sprays.
thank you, finally I found what I was looking for. i use oil and acrylic mediums on the same canvas but didn’t know which product to use to seal it.
as for ruining brushes with liquitex, that all Ive ever used and have just ruined 1 brush which was my fault for forgetting to wash it out.
thanks again for the Gambling Gamvar tip. ordering that asap.
Thankyou for being thorough, excellent and to the point!
I saw a video saying to using three layers of varnish -- two the non-removable acrylic varnish and then the gamvar. It looked really good with the acrylic varnish, but the gamvar turned the paintings matte and chalky. I have found you can pour some acrylic varnish on the a painting and spread it around, though; also I use a house painting trim brush with the liquitex and clean it thoroughly and immediately and the brush is still useable after half a bottle.
Thanks for the comparison, very helpful. Obvi. Team GAMVAR!!
gamvar is also completely archival and REMOVABLE. so if you mess something up you can reverse it completely. that alone makes it all worth it to me
Yeah, I would prefer the Satin because the shininess lowkey annoys me lol. It's like you cannot see the actual painting. All I care about if it makes the colors saturated.
great comparison Thank You. I was surprised by your price mention until I saw this vid is six years old. Yeah, Gamvar has gone up A LOT since this video was made. *LOL*
I see a lot of brush streaks with the Liquitex not so much with the gamvar.
I never use a permanent varnish as my final varnish! I tend to go with a gloss/ high gloss UV spray varnish for the first couple coats as a permanent isolation coat , then I just do one coat of Gamvar as my final varnish. I avoid ruining brushes and I dont have to worry about brush strokes. I can also remove the Gamvar if necessary.
I use Liqutex varnishes. If you immediately wash your brush with soap and water and then again clean it with The Masters brush cleaner, your brushes won't be stiff as a board. I haven't tried the Gamvar varnish yet, but I do use other Gamblin products which I love. Try thr Master's brush cleaner- it really works even on dried out brushes.
Thank you for sharing! I haven't used Liquitex in awhile, but I am sure there are others who will appreciate this advice. I am also a big fan of Master's cleaning products.
This is the only best explanation I have got till date. I will use gamvar and share it on my channel too. I will refer your channel on my channel as I found this very informative. Thank you so much
I am glad that you found it helpful! And thank you so much :)!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I’m a new painter and your info will save me!
Happy to help! I am glad that you found it helpful! Thank you for watching!
I wish there were more videos like this. Thanks so much for your help. 🤗
You are very welcome! I am glad that you found it helpful.
I can see the brush strokes from applying the Liquitex - most likely because of the quick drying time. The Gamvar leveled itself much better.
Great review I wish I saw this before I purchased my Liquitex 😩 Thank you
You could try to use a silicone catalyst wedge to apply the liquitex gloss varnish bevause as the wedge is made of silicone the varnish SHOULD peel off the silicone once dry if there's any excess or you can wrap the brush up in cling film then store it in an air tight zip lick bag in between uses
Brushes need cleaned immediately after varnishing. If you have to varnish more than one painting use a fresh brush for each one.
Excellent video. I tried Gamvar this morning, and it is so easy to use. I was surprised it takes so little varnish. I really like resin, but it is a lot of work! I have an older painting that needs freshening up. Do you think I could use Gamvar gloss over it if I cleaned toe canvas? Thanks!
I wash brushes under warm water with Dawn soap... never had a brush ruined from Liquitex. You have to clean them as soon as you're done. 🤔
Finally a video that addresses this issue (kinda). I always wondered what type of varnish to use on paintngs that are in oils over acrylics. So I guess the answer is that the varnishes meant for oil paintings can be used on both but the acrylic varnishes can only be used on acrylic paintings, even if a painting is done in both those mediums. Or did I misunderstand?
You can pour the liquitex, though. I always pour it. I find dipping disturbs it too much and creates bubbles. You are on the clock, though, and have to work quickly. Also, I always clean the brush thoroughly after varnishing and haven't ruined a single one from varnishing yet.
So I know Gamvar specifically says that it can be used with acrylics, so that is part of the reason I started using it for my acrylic paintings. I am not sure if other oil varnish brands can be used with acrylic paintings. Though I do plan on looking in to it. As far as I understand you should be able to use any oil varnish with a painting that is combination of oil and acrylic. The oil is the top layer of the painting so that is what the varnish would be coming in contact with, not the acrylic.
As for the Liquitex, I think I just apply varnish too slowly. So that is probably part of the reason I had issues with it. It is a great product just not suited for my specific needs. I also probably didn't' clean my brush thoroughly enough lol.
@@SaenaFineArt Thanx for responding! Yeah, if the whole top layer is oils (over acrylics), I guess the answer is obvious; oil varnishes can be used. But what if it's only certain parts of the painting that's oils? Do you have to use two different varnishes? I think that's what I'm most confused about.
@@grysharp3137 That I am unsure about. I am pretty new to oil painting, and I don't mix them with my acrylics. Personally I would err on the side of caution and use a varnish that can be used with both.
You can indeed pour liquitex varnish. I have done it, after seeing it done by others. You do have to work reasonably quickly, but I haven't had nearly the issues that it seems you have. Then again, I use it mostly on miniatures, I've only tested in on canvas like 3 times. I also only 1 coat everything.
Thanks for the side by side shots, very helpful in seeing the final results. I am completely unfamiliar, until now, with Gramvar. May have to given them a buy on your recommendation.
I am kinda of meticulous when it comes to applying my varnish, so that may have been part of my problem. Gamvar also takes 24 hours to dry, so it has a slightly longer drying time as well. I am glad you found the side by side helpful! I always encourage people to make their own decisions when it comes to products. Issues I may have had don't always happen for others, and that applies to postive experiences as well.
@@SaenaFineArt I certainly appreciate that, as a consumer though, I don't buy without getting some kind of idea what I'm in for. Videos like these are fantastically helpful.
Soaking your ruined brush in Murphy's oil soap overnight can usually save a brush with dried medium on them.
Wow....this is the first time watching your videos and you are an amazing artist. Thank you for the comparison. I am new to acrylic painting and the side-by-side comparison is exactly what I needed to determine which one to use. Question: Do you prefer the Gamvar gloss always or does the satin give a nice sheen (vs shine)?
Awww thank you so much! I am glad you found it helpful! I typical perfer the gloss over the satin, as I perfer more of shine. But yes the satin will be a softer sheen and less shiny. So if are you are looking for less shine that would be a good option for you!
Gamblin has a video demo of how to apply the Gamvar and they specify not to pour onto the painting like you are doing, as it can make it harder to make the varnish layer thin enough--which is likely why you get tacky results sometimes. The demo vid is at the bottom of this page: gamblincolors.com/video-demonstrations/
I actually don't pour it on my paintings anymore :). Unfortunately this video is about 3 years old so my techniques and knowledge have been expanded. I am planning on making an updated varnish tutorial soon though. Thank you for providing the link so others can learn from it!
@@SaenaFineArt I look forward to the updated vid then! :)
This is so helpful. Thanks so much. ❤
This was VERY helpful thank you!
john doe I am glad!! You are very welcome 😊
I ironically use liquitex both paints & varnishes for custom figures. Only issue I have is gloss slightly go matte if touched too much :/ and matte varnish goes more sheen tell you shake it go full matte or in between. But I'm now looking into gamvar for more resin solid base than liquitex polymer base also liquitex is removable just hard get off.
but seriously your video helped no doubt I'm definitely give gamvar go see works with the pvc.
I am glad you found it helpful! I hope Gamvar works out for you!
@@SaenaFineArt hell yeah! Yup got some coming soon can't try it out :D
Thank you! That was really helpful :)
I have a 30x40 inch oil painting I need to varnish. I'm considering Gamvar gloss and wanted to ask if a 16oz bottle will cover with one coat. My painting is on a gesso coated stretched canvas.
Thank you
Why do you say you can't pour the Liquitex directly onto the painting? I have seen others demonstrating just that?
For me the Liquitex dried too fast when I poured it on my surface. I have two guess as to why this happened; I paint on a very absorbent wood surface and I work very slow when I apply varnish.
@@SaenaFineArt Thanks for your super-quick reply!! I have just watched another video where she dilutes the liquitex with water, applies it with a lint free cloth and sort of 'rubs' it in! It appears to work seamlessly!
@@trishsykes449 You are very welcome! And that sound very interesting! I have seen an art conservator do kind of of the same thing with a badger hair brush.
Thank you very much for the information
You are very welcome!
Thank God I came across this video. I am not too crazy about the shininess because does the non-gloss by Gamvar make the acrylics colors on paintings MORE saturated?
I love the look of Gamvar Gloss on my oil paintings, but have an issue on a poured w/silicone acrylic painting. I cleaned off the silicone as I always have for other varnishes, and used a very thin coat, scrubbing with my brush in every area, but it still dried without varnish on the part with silicone on it. I'm wondering if it's o.k. to apply my usual acrylic varnish on top of the Gamvar in this one instance. Can you help? (I don't always use silicone)
Hmmm I am not sure about that. Many acrylic varnishes are water based, and Gamvar which is solvent based. So mixing the two may not workout well. I would recommend putting the acrylic varnish only on the silicone vs the whole painting. I would test it out on a sample piece before trying it out on your final piece. I would also recommend contacting Gamblin and asking them about that as well! I hope this helps ^-^.
Thanks for this review, it was super helpful! :-)
You are very welcome! Thank you for watching!
Have you had issues with it leaving brushstroke marks?
I really wish I would have found this video like 9 days ago.
Was it fair to compare Liquitex High Gloss with Gamvar? Why didn’t you use Liquitex Gloss - surely that’s more like with like?
Thanks for the comparison. Have you tried dipping your ruined liquitex brush in Ammonia? I've heard that helps with the varnish drying from folks before but I haven't tried it myself. I also think Liquitex has a removable varnish as well, though I think they recommend it goes on top of the permanent one. Once I get to the point of having paintings i want to varnish though, I'll probably try both brands. The Gamvar does seem more flexible, though I'm not super crazy about the Gamsol oxidizing but I'm sure it's fine if it's in a well ventilated area.
I have not tried that for my brushes, I will look into thank you! Liquitex's Professional Soluvar Gloss Varnish is removable and I am sure a few others are as well! This particular varnish just happened to be permanent :( . Gamsol is actually odorless so that is a big plus, but using it in a well ventilated area is still a great safety precaution! Gamvar and Liquitex are both great products so I do recommend trying them both out!
I have also read, but not tried, that you can remove GamVar from a painting with a little GamSol.
Thank you for this review.
I use a mixture of gloss and matte acrylic paints which gives me contrast in my paintings.
I dont know what type of varnish to use? If I used a gloss varnish the contrast between the values will go. Is there a varnish that protects the painting yet keeps the original look?
Can i use it on color pencil drawing?
After varnishing 8 paintings with Gamvar, ( acrylic and oil) all of them became uneven with dull and shiny patches. Had to remove the varnish with Gamsol spirit. Unfortunately, that changed some paintings. Varnished again. Same horrible result. So disappointed!
this is really helpful. thank you
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!
What kind of brush do you use when you use the Gamvar varnish?
THANKS, Great information!! Well presented.
I am glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching!
Who has successfully used Gamvar on spray paint art?...any idea? that fast dry acylic enamel has solvents/solvent clean up. A group of us want to get it applied within an hour. save money & a second trip.
Otherwise I know a ton about paints, & drytimes, pushing the limit.
Beautiful art! How much can I buy a painting for?
Thank you so much! You can email me and we can discuss it! My email is in the description box :)
Does the gamvar varnish need an isolation coat before applying?
No
I've been wondering, how many applications of varnish can I safely apply? I like a 'thick' looking varnish to make the painting look older!
That I am not sure. I know most artists do one to three layers of varnish. I would suggest doing some experimenting and see what you end up liking!
Hi! This video is very informative! I've mainly used Golden gloss varnishes for my paintings, however this video makes me want to look more into Gamvar. I was wondering that if the permanent Liquitex varnishes could still possibly be used as an isolation coat for Acrylic paintings? I use the liquitex mediums as an isolation coat for my pieces, and was wondering if these prepared varnishes could also work the same as well?
I am glad that you found it helpful! I have heard good things about Golden's varnishes, I would like to try them out at some point. As for using Liquitex varnishes as an isolation layer, I am not sure. I wouldn't recommend the permeant ones as an isolation layer because it it can't be removed. I would do a few tests before using it on your final pieces.
@@SaenaFineArt Thank you so much! Do you have any isolations coats you'd recommend trying out?
@@Yaz_Bear I normally don't use an isolation coat, but mediums are a great a for isolation coats. My favorite medium is Golden's High Gloss Medium.
For those that do pouring and using silicone, can you use the Gamvar over the dried painting without cleaning off the silicone?
That I am unsure about. I did use Gamvar on a poured painting , but I didn't use any silicone. It should be ok, but I would suggest that you experiment on some test pieces first.
Which brand has the best white gesso?
Can I use the gamvar in an airbrush? Looks like it but I just want to be sure lol. I make little customized figurines from toys I used to play with, and I use kneadatite clay, want to start using sculpy for bigger projects, and I use acrylic paints. I also shade with pastels and am gonna start using water color pencils, which will both I'm sure smear if I use a brush on varnish. I'm looking for a varnish to use on them that I can use through an airbrush and gamvar looks like a good candidate ?
I am not sure. Gamvar is solvent based so you would need to use a mineral spirit to thin it out for the airbrush. I know there are spray on varnishes out there, so that may work better. However if you really want to use Gamvar I would suggest contacting Gamblin and asking them if it is possible or recommended.
did u try nail polish remover?
I love both . If I use lyquitex varnish and gloss f and a brush is stuck, what type of brush do you recommend to use
If you use Liquitex varnish, use an older brush that you don't mind getting destroyed or any typeof disposable brush. I have also seen people use a sponge with it. Most craft stores have packs of disposable sponges that are pretty cheap.
hi! i’m new to paining. do you always have to paint the gamvar on? or can you use a painting spreader thingy? (it kinda looks like an icing spreading knife idk hopefully i explained that right) i just hate the look of brush stokes and want more of a smooth glossy finish 😬
I think you may be thinking of a palette knife. I have never heard of people using a palette knife, so I don't recommend it. You can use a sponge brush to apply Gamvar if you are looking for an alternative to a brush. However if you put on thin layers of Gamvar and work slowly you are less likely to have brush strokes in your varnish.
Saena Fine Art thank you!!!
A 4 oz. bottle of Gamvar cost me $18 at Michael’s, twice what it is online! Made me do mad…
Thanks! This really helped! Can I use gamvar on paint pours?
Yes! Gamvar can be used on paint pours. Thank you for watching!
@@SaenaFineArt Oh ok thank you! And your welcome, I enjoyed watching :)
Do you have to put a under coat or a protective coat under the gamvar or can it go straight onto the painting?
I normally don't do an undercoat before I varnish. Gamblin's website doesn't mention applying an undercoat before varnishing , so I don't think it is necessary. However if you want that added security, especially if you plan on removing the varnish in the future, then feel free to add an undercoat. I would recommend testing out different undercoats with the varnish before adding it to a final piece :).
Thank you xx
Can you use gamvar varnish with golden, lyquitex and winsor and Newton acrylic paints ?
Yup! You can use Gamvar with any type of artist acrylic. I use Golden acrylics myself!
How is it on paper ? I find the liquitex warps paper so much
I haven't used it on paper :(
Can the Gamvar Gloss be used to varnish terracota pots painted with acrylic paint? And how long does it take to dry? Thanks in advance for your help.
It should work, Gamblin doesn't have any warning against it on their website. As for the drying it can take up 24 hours to cure, but it may take longer if you apply it on thickly. However, if your terracotta pots are going to be outside I do not recommend using Gamvar. While it is light-fast, I do not know if it is weather proof so it may not provide the protection needed against the elements.
@@SaenaFineArt thank you so much, I appreciate your advice, I'll go ahead and work with it and see what happens. Your video was very thorough and informational, thanks again.
Ive seen in other reviews that Gamvar varnish starts to yellow over time,have you experienced this?
I haven't had that issue with Gamvar, but most of my varnished paintings are less then 5 years old. So it is possible that those paintings used an older formula.
Is it safe to varnish inside if I open the windows and turn on a fan? Its my first time and I'm skeptical
It safe to use Liquitex and Gamvar indoors. They are designed to be safe and easy to use. You can open a window to be safer if you like, especially if you are sensitive to smells. But if you use a spray on varnish you will have to wear a mask and do it outside.
@@SaenaFineArt ok thank you for your help Im a little nervous using it for the first time
Can I pour unused Gamvar back in the bottle?
I would recommend keeping it in a separate glass jar. That is what I do. That way if it picks up any dust or hair won't get into the bottle.
@@SaenaFineArt great tip thank you
So you can use Gamvar over acrylic paintings?
Yup! It works great with acrylic :).
Dollar store brushes work fine...
Can I varnish over the paint markers?? I have used paint marker for outlines on my acrylic painting and I waited 2 days to dry than paint marker...than I applied liquitex satin varnish and that marker gose spread 😟
That I am not sure of. If the markers are acrylic then there shouldn't be any issue, but if they are anything else it may not work. You could also extend your drying time a bit more, depending on the thickness of your lines it can affect the drying time.
Saena Fine Art than may be I should extend my drying time because that marker is for acrylic paint!!!
@@vibhavispute2008 If the markers are water based then liquitex varnish is going to ruin your art because it's a water based varnish. I found using a watercolour varnish which is alot thicker does the job and doesn't bleed.
Have you tried the Golden Acrylic Polymer Varnish? If so, what's pro/cons compared to the Gamvar?
I haven't had the chance to try it yet! But I think that may be a great topic for a future video.
@@SaenaFineArt I agree, so many different ones to choose from. I learned a hard lesson on making the top coat too thick. It yellowed my paintings. Now I'm searching to find the best top coat and method that works best for me. Love your videos!
How fast can you put gamvar on? Within a week or so?
You can varnish sooner depending on how thick your paint is. If you apply a very thick layer of acrylic paint, I would wait a week just to make sure that that it is dry. However if you paint in very thin layers, then you can varnish at least 24 hours later. If you are painting in oils, Gamblin says that you can varnish your oil painting when it is dry to the touch. However I have heard oil painters that use Gamvar recommend to varnish your oil painting when it is dry to the touch plus one week. Hope this helps!
Clean brushes with 91 percent alcohol
Does anyone know if gamvar gloss will smear dried sharpie during application?
I am not 100% sure, Gamvar is a solvent based varnish so the solvents used in the varnish may react with the Sharpie ink. You may also encounter issues if you try to remove the varnish in the future, Gamvar varnish can be removed using mineral spirit. Unfortunately I do not use Sharpies in my work, so I may not be the best source information.
I don’t ever recommend pouring any varnish directly on a painting
does gamvar yellow?
No, Gamvar will not yellow over time. Most modern varnishes will not yellow, as they are made with synthetic materials.
Liquitex streaks like crazy it's awful
Gamvar it is
Thank you
You're welcome!