I'm a self-taught beginner and literally just stumbled upon the whole idea of varnishing - SO glad I did as it really has an amazing effect, especially for acrylics, and I'm relieved to know I'm protecting my works better! I'm very excited and appreciate the helpful video!
Best tutorial on varnishing after the ten I've seen. His way makes me feel very calm and peaceful like the gray water and mist with the rustic swans. I do think I'll do a sealant as well before the varnish as do lots of impasto bloobs...
I usually want to go in with something I’m unfamiliar with, when creating art, on my own but I’m glad I took the time to watch your tutorial! I feel informed and confident in varnishing this painting I have, for the first time 😁
Stunning paint! Thank so much for this tutorial, all instructions are so clear. I tried already with the BEST results and varnish saving. Definitely will stick on it. ❤
Found this via a Google search and it was the perfect level of instruction and detail, also your art is stunning! Thank you so much for the time it took to make this easy to follow tutorial.
Hello Joseph, I think your paintings are truly impressive. I really love them. Thank you for sharing this video. I have been struggling as an artist to find a varnish that will bring my work out and to protect it. I make paper mache sculptures with an acrylic hardshell topcoat that I created and this will actually help protect my work as well since I use acrylic paints. Very much appriciated. 😸
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the kinds words. I'm glad my video was helpful in finding a varnish that works well for your sculptures. I've certainly done a fair amount of experimenting with vanishes over the years so I understand the struggle it can be. Appreciate you watching, and I'm always happy to share!
I loved your video on varnishing and i adore your painting. I have just finished my first ever acrylic painting on an 8' x 22" canvas. Your technique should work for applying my varnish. I am terrified to start varnishing as I have spent a year on this sea-scape. I'm wondering if I should turn it 90° and start varnishing with my small strokes along the narrow 22" side and work my way down the 8', rather than the wide side first. Also is it okay to varnish flat on my kitchen island? Rather than in the wall? Thank you so much, Judi Wild
Thanks for this video. It s very useful. I m not a painter but I ve just finished my first 'painting by numbers' and had no idea how to varnish it. Now I know. Thank you🤗
Joe, You nailed this tutorial. I also use satin. It does restore the vibrancy and captures the light perfectly. There are as many methods in this process as there are artists I think but this patient approach gets excellent results. I do thin the first coat with just a touch of water to make sure (since it does dry so fast) that I don't get any lines or chunks as you mentioned. A beautiful painting by the way. Thanks for sharing your experience. Joe @ jcadamsart
Thank you Joe! Really appreciate that! Varnishing can be tricky and so I agree, patience is the key. I'll have to give that a try to add a bit of water to the varnish and see how that works for my paintings. There are times where I find it might be helpful it was a bit thinner. Thanks for the tip and I'm happy to share!
Hello Joseph thank you so much for this videos and teaching us how to do an amazing job like you do ! You are a very great talent artist and i admire you so much I have learned a lot from you ! You do a wonderful paints please keep painting so we can enjoy your amazing talent! Thank you so much !
Thank you so much!! That means a lot. I appreciate you watching my videos and I'm glad that they are helpful. I'm always working on new ideas, so I'll certainly be doing more videos in the future!
@@JosephKoensgen oh thank you. I did before oil paintings and acrylic is new so I only learn.But will see, as good as you are its long way to go right now. But it is fun and I have some ideas so will see :)
Wow, I was so surprised to see your method, using the many small strokes! I've only ever seen people use longer strokes. So because you use such a light amount on the brush, is that why it doesn't leave a whole bunch of edges? Thank you for your lovely video and sharing your experience.
You're welcome, happy to share! Yes, because I work very thin, that seems to help with not leaving any edges. But then that also forces me to work with the smaller strokes, as it will dry incredibly fast when it's that thin. And I'd also recommend a good amount of experimenting with this kind of varnish to see what works for your paintings.
Hi Joseph - well I really learned a lot from your video, thank you. I have an acrylic picture that is very dull and now I will have the confidence to put a couple of coats of clear satin varnish on, which (as it's a moonlit sailing scene) should hopefully make the water etc shimmer. Whilst I'm writing, what would have been good to see at the end of your video was a shot of your lovely painting 'before' and 'after' the varnishing - as it didn't quite work when I slid the viewing slider back and forward to the beginning and end of your video. Hope you don't mind my suggestion. Keep Safe! Hazel
Thank you! Glad it was helpful! I hadn't thought of doing a before and after when I made this video, but that is a good idea for me to keep in mind for future videos. I hope the varnishing of your painting goes well!
Good video I was scared I was gonna ruin my painting I also liked u showed yourself varnishing the whole thing cuz it showed me how patient you are with a huge ass painting I gotta not try rushing or anything yk
Thank you so much for this! Your tutorials are very helpful and you are extremely talented. Please keep creating videos! Question, do you use an isolation coat on any of our paintings and do you have anything thoughts or advice on using one? I did it on my first painting and didn’t like the look it left, thankfully the varnish helped
You're welcome!! I'm glad that it was helpful! For this particular varnish you don't need an isolation coat, as it's a permanent varnish that can't be removed, so it's essentially like an isolation coat in itself. I don't use an isolation coat on my work because I had the same issue as you - I didn't like the look the isolation coat left. I paint on board so adding too many layers to the painting meant I lost the feel the original paint had, on an already very smooth surface. For removable varnishes that require a stronger solvent to take off, an isolation coat is probably necessary. Though I've been experimenting with Gamblin Gamvar without an isolation coat and I've been able to gently remove it without damaging the original underneath. I may make a video about that varnish, but I need to do more research and testing before I do that. For me varnish should enhance the painting and not take away from it, so I want keep it to as few layers as I can, while still also providing the protection it needs. I'll certainly be making more videos so stay tuned! Thank you!
I use NOVA acrylic paints and varnishes. I get the same satin effect. I can buy it in gallon jugs. My varnish recipe is 1/2 Gloss Varnish and 1/2 Matte Varnish with a bit of water. I put the solution in a condiment squeeze bottle. I also put this mixture in the paint I'm using
Thank you for this tutorial! Your work is amazing. I've only done a handful of paintings over the years and never considered varnishing them. I noticed you stayed with a vertical brush stroke. Do vertical brush strokes minimize the amount of light relection?
You're welcome!! Yes, I've found that there's way less reflection or glare off the varnish with the vertical brush strokes, as most lights are going to be on the ceiling when lighting the paintings. If you've never varnished before, I'd recommend doing lots of practice on scrap pieces first, so that you have a good feel for how the varnish works on your paintings before going to your original.
I applied the glossy version of this to a large acrylic and several sections of the painting smeared. It was 2 weeks dry. I applied the varnish directly onto the painting from the bottle and then spread it out with a sponge foam brush. What do you think caused the smearing?
Thank you for the video. I should have watched it before trying to varnish my painting which ended in disaster. I tried to do the whole thing at once and by directly pouring varnish on the painting since i didn't know that it dries so quickly and i was stupid enough not to test it on something smaller first. Now i have to try and clean the messed up chunky varnish somehow
Sorry to hear that happened to your painting. In a similar situation with one of mine, I was able to take a very fine grit sandpaper, 600 and then 1000, to sand off the chunks of dried varnish until it was smooth. Then I reapplied the varnish and that did the trick. It did affect the look of my painting, but not too much. So, depending on your painting surface you may be able to try that. You could also look into varnishes that have a slower drying time, like the Gamblin Gamvar, or Golden MSA varnishes. I'm planning on doing another varnishing video with one of those that I've been experimenting with.
Joseph, I recently saw on one of your more recent painting that you say you varnished with Gamblin's Gamvar. Have you now switched to using Gamvar instead of the Liquitex? Was there a reason for that? Thanks!
I still use the Liquitex, but have started using the Gamvar for certain paintings where I've adjusted my technique on how I use the paint in the last couple years. I found that when I was using very very thin layers like in my paintings with mist, (lots of dry brushing), it made those paint layers very absorbent and the liquitex was drying even quicker than it already does, making it really difficult to get an even sheen out of the varnish. So I experimented with the Gamblin Gamvar Satin on those paintings and it worked really well for them. They both have pros and cons so it was a matter of experimentation to figure out which works better on particular paintings. I would like to make a video on how I use the Gamvar, but I just want to have some more experience with it, and do quite a bit more research to make sure I know (mostly) what I'm talking about when do.
Hey! The most useful video about varnishing I've ever seen! ..I have a painting that is cracking (°~°)and I wish to varnish it after i redo the cracking parts in order to prevent it from happening again... In your opinion, what varnish i should use? you 've really helped me with this video .( My canvas has been painted with acrylic paint if that helps) I would really appreciate your help! :)
Thank you!! Glad to hear my video has been helpful! The Liquitex varnish I'm using in this video would work, but it does dry quickly and is permanent. With your painting I would recommend trying the Golden MSA varnish, or the Gamblin Gamvar varnish for acrylic paintings. Both of those have a longer working time and are removable if you want to repair your painting again in the future. I don't have very much experience with either of these varnishes, so I'd recommend reading about them and doing a number of tests before taking it to your original to make sure you have a good idea of how they'll behave once you start applying them. I hope that's helpful!
@@JosephKoensgen sorry to bother u again....turns out I've used tempera and not acrylics 🤦♀️😅 do you know if the use of the liquitex you show in this video would do in this case as well ? I am really sorry..
Oh no problem at all! I don't have any experience with tempera, but I don't think the Liquitex will work because it is a water based varnish and it might make the tempera run when you apply it. And I'm sorry I don't know what you'd be able to use on that, and it might take quite a bit of research and testing to find something to use on tempera paint. Hope you can find something that works!
Thank you so much for your explanation. I have an acrylic matt painting with black background. It was damaged during shipping, I tried to fix it by using gloss acrylic without knowing too much about paintings. However, now I can see the fixed marks because different finishes. I was wondering if I can vanish it using glossing vanish. Will it reduce the difference and make the painting better? Thanks in advance.
You're welcome! Yes, you could use a gloss varnish over the painting to help even out the sheen of the spots you've fixed. However, gloss varnish will change the look of the painting, especially if it's started out matte. Gloss brings out contrast and deepens the colours. Which is great if that's the look you're going for, but not necessarily if you're wanting to keep the matte finish of the original. Something you could try is going over your fixed marks with a matte paint first to see if that helps. And you'd still like to varnish, I'd highly recommend testing it first on a scrap piece if you have, to make sure that it will have the desired effect you want. Hope that's helpful!
Great video....but I'm still terrified of varnishing my painting.... it's a combination of acrylic, coloured pencil and white Pastel pencil.... I'm wondering if a spray affixative would be better in my case. Thank you for giving me a clue, I've never ever varnished my paintings but I can see the positives for it.
You're welcome! And it's totally understandable as you don't want to ruin your work with improperly vanishing. To this day I still have a few nerves every time I varnish. In your case with the mixed media, and especially pastel pencil, a fixative spray might be the way to go. It would help seal those elements in, and then if you wanted you could varnish over top, possibly with another spray varnish to maintain that same finished look. But, I would do lots of research and experimentation with some test pieces before taking it to the original.
Great video and beautiful painting! What do you think about adding an isolation coat before applying the varnish? You're keeping the varnish pretty thin, so I think it wouldn't be too difficult to remove if needed in the future. Some people add a thin layer of gloss gel before the varnish. I do some realism pieces too and I worry about it ruining them.
Thank you so much! I do think an isolation coat is a good idea if you're thinking about possibly removing the varnish in the future. I haven't done it myself as I've gotten the results I want without it. And I totally understand the desire to not ruin your work, I've done it a couple times myself when I was trying to figure it out, so I'd recommend experimenting with it and seeing if that is something that would work for you!
@@JosephKoensgen Thank you! I'm doing large acrylic, circular paintings and I'm about to varnish my first one! I saw one guy use a sponge too. Have you ever tried that?
You're welcome! I haven't tried using a sponge before, but I've seen a video about that as well and it looks like it works great, especially if your work has a lot of texture. It also looks like it has the added benefit of spreading the varnish around nice and quickly before it dries.
Hi Joseph, Nice posting.. Hatss off to ur Art Wil u post a video that how to start painting on the board, canvas or a wall Pls put the tutorial about how to paint background colours, how to prepare canvas for painting, colour mixing. Most of ur videos are started from the middle of ur work, So many videos are there in youtube, I saw so many videos about how to paint and how to mix and so many, That's not fair.. Why because? Your video about how to varnish ur painting is a fabulous and clear.. I hope if u put detail tutorial for the beginners, definitely many people wil get the knowledge clearly.. Thanks fr ur wonderful Varnishin video.. Keep rocking... Waiting fr ur new paintings🎨🖼
Thank you!! This varnish might be ok. However, because it's a water based varnish I don't know how it would interact with the watercolors in your painting. I haven't had any experience with varnishing watercolor, so you may need to do some testing with the varnish on them to make sure that it doesn't react poorly to the watercolor. You may also want to look into varnish that is specifically for watercolor, or a solvent based varnish that won't cause the watercolor paint to run.
First off that's a beautiful painting I have a question I bought this wooden toy off of Etsy it was painted with acrylic paint but it feels sticky I love the piece and I don't want the painted chip away what can I put over the paint without damaging it?
Thank you!! For something like that, you may want to consider a spray varnish. And when you say sticky, do you mean that it feels as though the paint isn't dry, or that it doesn't have a smooth finish? It could be good to find out from the artist exactly what paint they were using on the toy so you can choose an appropriate varnish, or if they have a recommendation based on the materials they've used.
Hello Joseph, I love your work. I think it's fantastic. I'm was an amateur painter. I notice you use panel canvas. will that varnish work on regular canvas as well and do you prep your canvases first?
Thank you!! I'm working on hardboard, or what is sometimes called masonite that I prime with gesso and sand smooth. I prefer that to the texture of canvas for my detailed work. As for varnishing canvas, yes this will work on regular canvas. And because this is a final permanent varnish the only prep would be to make it's clean and as dust free as possible. Something like an isolation coat would be for some removable varnishes. I would also highly recommend testing any varnish on a scrap piece before putting it on to your fully finished work.
You're welcome!! I didn't use an isolation coat for this as the varnish is a permanent varnish. An isolation coat would be used for most removable varnishes where you'd want to have a protective layer between your paint and the removable layer on top. In this case the varnish can't be taken off, so there's no need to put an isolation coat on before this.
I have painted with acrylic and then worked with mounding paste on the painting to give it a 3d effect, covered with 24 carat gold foil Can I varn8sh o ly the painted part?
Hi. I'm beginner in painting world, I think most difficult part is to choose a good acrylic varnish, there's a lot of videos where they say, gloss varnish is better, glass ,satin ,or high glass , and I'm really confused that which varnish should I buy. Cab you recommend me any good varnish as a beginner. I'm confused about the types of varnish.
Varnish can be difficult to work with in the beginning so I always recommend practicing on test pieces before using it on your originals. The finish, gloss, satin, or matte, depends on the look you want for your artwork. If you're unsure, you could look into a varnish that doesn't dry as quickly as the liquitex one, like an MSA varnish from golden, that has slower drying time.
I think spray varnishes can be great, as it's very fast and leaves a very smooth even finish. However, it didn't work for my artwork because I paint on board, so any dust that settled on the already smooth surface was very visible after it was dry. For spray varnish on canvas it probably works much better, as the texture of the canvas won't show the dust that ends up settling in varnish as it dries. And if there's a lot of texture to the paint, then the dust wouldn't be noticable. Though you could set a filtered spray booth to be extra careful. Either way, I'd recommend doing a number of tests before varnishing one of your originals!
@@JosephKoensgen thank you Joseph for a reply, that makes sense, I'm still learning about all the things I need to know, I have been painting on canvas, and maybe my teacher finds it easier with students to use the spray on varnish. However, it's good to know that they are just as good as the brush on varnish for a canvas surface and that they are just another way of protecting my painted surface, thank you, and thank you for sharing your video. Cheers!
How do you feel about the "insulator" first coat as proposed by Opus Paints you tube? I believe they say, this will prevent cracking and the ability to remove the varnish if you ever want to Love your chanel and your approach ~ just discovered it today!
Thank you!! I think isolation coats are good for removable varnishes where the solvent would be strong enough to remove the paint underneath. So I think for ones like the Liquitex Soluvar, or Golden MSA varnishes an isolation coat is probably a good idea. For something like the Gamblin Gamvar, I haven't been able to find any definitive info that says you'd need one. That one also goes on extremely thin and I've had success without an isolation coat and I didn't damage the paint underneath when I removed it. The Liquitex Varnish I'm using in this video is a permanent varnish that can't be removed, so you wouldn't need anything underneath this one. I also like to keep my varnish layer fairly thin, so it may come down to personal preference and experimenting to see what combination works best for your paintings.
@@JosephKoensgen Thanks so much for that nuanced answer. I've purchased the Liquitex Basic Gloss and don't anticipate removing it. You are the only person who used the overlapping brush movement; that worked great for the insulator. Now that I've spent $25! on the Gel Gloss and opened it, could I use that to create glazes? many thanks ~ your work is proof positive of how excellent your thoughtful approach and the underlying talent. Cheers, Diane from Exeter, NH US. I will try doing two thin varnish layers and eliminate the insulator.
You're welcome! Appreciate the kind words about my artwork! I haven't used a gel gloss before, but I believe you'd be able to use it for glazes, though it may have a bit more texture than say a gloss medium. Definitely worth experimenting with. I'm glad that it worked for an insulator coat and I hope that works well for future paintings of yours!
Great video Joseph. You are very clear both verbally and in your video technique, and I really appreciate it. Question for you, tomorrow I'll varnish a painting that someone had me do. How long should it cure before I put a frame on it? Beutiful painting by the way! Thanks so much.
Thank you so much! Glad it was helpful! I've often let the varnish dry for a week before I put my paintings in a frame. If you're using the same varnish I'm using in this video, it dries very quickly so it could be ok after only a day or two. So if you can give it as many days as you can that would be good, but usually a week or slightly less is more than enough.
@@JosephKoensgen I'm usi g Liquitex professional satin varnish. The lable is somewhat different, but I'm pretty sure its the same. One more question if I may. Its cool and cloudy today. Should I maybe give it longer between coats? Thanks again.
You could give it longer if you find it’s a bit cool out. The directions for it say to wait 3 hours between coats, so that should be plenty. I usually only wait an hour and don’t have any issues with that.
I normally see artists use a foam brush to apply the varnish, what would the pros and cons be for both the watercolor brush vs the foam applicator? I haven't used varnish before and I want to add it to my latest painting but want to make sure I do the research before i commit to it!
My first recommendation before doing your vanishing would be to practice a lot on scrap pieces before committing to your finished painting. This way you'll feel more comfortable by the time you're ready for varnishing. As for brushes or foam brushes. I like the watercolour brush as it feels like I have a bit more control. The downside would be the possibility for brush marks in your varnish, depending on how smooth your surface is. With the foam brush you may not get any brush marks, but you'd want to use a light touch and newer foam brush most of time so that you minimize the foam potentially leaving particles behind in your varnish. And though it may be a bit of an upfront cost, I would recommend experimenting with both types of brushes if you are unsure. Having confidence with your varnishing before you start on your original is definitely worth it!
Hi Joseph! Thanks for nice video! Is the "Liquitex" varnish sticky after completely drying (after two or three coats)? I have tried multiple brands and they are all sticky after drying. This can be a big problem when transporting an acrylic painting. Also, is it important to shake or mix the varnish well before varnishing (some manufacturers specifically note this)?
You're welcome! Happy to share! Yes, this varnish is recommended to gently mix before use to make sure the matting agents are mixed in properly. In my experience, this varnish doesn't dry sticky at all. It has a hard finish, even if I have applied it a little bit thicker. I do know what you mean with other varnishes remaining sticky afterwards, and have tried some of the solvent based varnishes that do so. Those may have to be applied extremely thin so they don't dry with that sticky texture.
@@JosephKoensgenThank you for your quick answer! Your experiences will be helpful to me. I will try "Liquitex" varnish. I wish you a creative day and lots of good paintings.
Hi I know this is a few yrs ago so I hope u answer lol anyway I'm looking for that brush that u used for the varnish R&L brush #40 I live in Canada & I cannot find it without paying through the nose getting it shipped abroad so. is there another good brush that u can recommend? Btw luv ur painting 👍🏽
Thank you!! I'm sorry to hear that you can't find this brush without it being too expensive. I don't have a specific recommendation, as I've been able to still get these at Michael's where I live, and haven't looked at too many others. But you could try looking at something made by Artist's Loft. They have a pretty wide range of brushes and prices that might work for you. As well, if you're able to go to an art store in person and see them to get a feel for the bristles and quality of the brush, you will hopefully find something that works. It's what I did to find this brush, as I was just trying to find something synthetic that was a bit higher quality that felt like the varnish would flow off of it smoothly.
Also I have used Posca pens and a silver fine nabbed pen to outline. Will the varnish be ok to use over these products? Thanks. BTW I love your painting. So peaceful.
Thank you so much!! I don't have any experience with varnishing over any type of ink, but this varnish I'm using is primarily for acrylics. It may work on ink as the acrylic polymers may not interact with it, whereas a solvent based varnish could potentially react with the ink and make it run. I would recommend some more research and then definitely experimenting on scrap pieces to make sure whatever you use works for your art!
I used water based varnish on my acrylic painting in very dark coloursand it got totally ruined. It was a gloss finish varnish. It worked on other paintings . I am clueless what went wrong. Also, can we apply varnish over imitation gold leaf areas on canvas.?
Thank you very much for captioning this video. I'm deaf and I appreciate very much knowing what you said during the video.
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was helpful!
I agree I didnt nheed them for your video, but I do sometimes. Thanks also.
I'm a self-taught beginner and literally just stumbled upon the whole idea of varnishing - SO glad I did as it really has an amazing effect, especially for acrylics, and I'm relieved to know I'm protecting my works better! I'm very excited and appreciate the helpful video!
What an adorable man. Love his work. But his personality is the sweetest. :)
Thanks Joseph ! Your artwork is so beautiful. A varnishing video was mush needed .
Keep painting! God bless …
Best tutorial on varnishing after the ten I've seen. His way makes me feel very calm and peaceful like the gray water and mist with the rustic swans. I do think I'll do a sealant as well before the varnish as do lots of impasto bloobs...
Hi, Joseph. Good to see your video and from a local artist! Thanks for the valuable information!
I usually want to go in with something I’m unfamiliar with, when creating art, on my own but I’m glad I took the time to watch your tutorial! I feel informed and confident in varnishing this painting I have, for the first time 😁
A beautiful painting! Thanks for sharing how to varnish, I will certainly use your method.
It's very helpful, thank you.
Your paintings are breathtakingly beautiful!
So helpful! And oh my goodness, what a gorgeous painting!
Excellent video. So well done, so helpful.
I loved the varnish explanation. You're a great painter as well. Great video.
The painting looks so natural so real
Looks like a photograph to me. Amazing artist!
Joseph, great tutorial on how to varnish a painting. Thank you Have a blessed day ❤
Wow, your painting is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. It is very helpful.
Thank you!! Glad it was helpful!!
Stunning paint! Thank so much for this tutorial, all instructions are so clear. I tried already with the BEST results and varnish saving. Definitely will stick on it. ❤
Beautiful painting. Looks so real. Informative video. Thank u
You're welcome! Thank you!
So glad I found your site! This is very helpful, thank you. Beautiful painting; incredible. 😊
Thank you!! I'm glad it was helpful!
What a lovely painting ! Looks like a photograph !!
Brilliant painting and explanation 👏🏼
It looks alive! 👌 thanks very informative, I've been cringing the whole videos thinking of all the mistakes I've done! Thanks a lot!
Found this via a Google search and it was the perfect level of instruction and detail, also your art is stunning! Thank you so much for the time it took to make this easy to follow tutorial.
Thank you so much!! I appreciate that! I’m glad to hear that it was helpful, and I hope that your varnishing goes well!
Thank you for sharing..your painting looks real.
Love it..
Thank you!!
Such a lovely piece of art! thank you for the tutorial!
Thank you!!
Thank you! That is an amazing piece!! Nice instructional video.
Thank you so much!! Appreciate it!
your painting is so beautiful and it really shines through with varnish!
Thank you!
Hello Joseph, I think your paintings are truly impressive. I really love them. Thank you for sharing this video. I have been struggling as an artist to find a varnish that will bring my work out and to protect it. I make paper mache sculptures with an acrylic hardshell topcoat that I created and this will actually help protect my work as well since I use acrylic paints. Very much appriciated. 😸
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the kinds words. I'm glad my video was helpful in finding a varnish that works well for your sculptures. I've certainly done a fair amount of experimenting with vanishes over the years so I understand the struggle it can be. Appreciate you watching, and I'm always happy to share!
Thanks for the varnishing lesson, very helpful!
Thank you Sandra! Glad you found it helpful!!
Awesome painting and video. I’m super into birds and just started painting them. Looking forward to watching more of your vids.
Thank you so much!! I hope the new venture into painting birds goes well, and I hope some of my videos are helpful!
I loved your video on varnishing and i adore your painting. I have just finished my first ever acrylic painting on an 8' x 22" canvas. Your technique should work for applying my varnish. I am terrified to start varnishing as I have spent a year on this sea-scape. I'm wondering if I should turn it 90° and start varnishing with my small strokes along the narrow 22" side and work my way down the 8', rather than the wide side first.
Also is it okay to varnish flat on my kitchen island? Rather than in the wall?
Thank you so much,
Judi Wild
The fuzzy haze on the back of the necks looks amazing.
Thanks Brendan! Took some time, but the outcome was great!
This was very helpful. Thank you. Your paintings are incredible! ❤️
Thanks for this video. It s very useful. I m not a painter but I ve just finished my first 'painting by numbers' and had no idea how to varnish it. Now I know. Thank you🤗
Thank you!! Glad to hear it was helpful!
Excellent help. So appreciateed❤
First time varnishing my painting. So glad I watched this video instead of pouring it on my canvas like they do on Instagram
Very informative and descriptive, thank you!
Joe,
You nailed this tutorial. I also use satin. It does restore the vibrancy and captures the light perfectly.
There are as many methods in this process as there are artists I think but this patient approach gets excellent results. I do thin the first coat with just a touch of water to make sure (since it does dry so fast) that I don't get any lines or chunks as you mentioned. A beautiful painting by the way. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Joe @ jcadamsart
Thank you Joe! Really appreciate that! Varnishing can be tricky and so I agree, patience is the key. I'll have to give that a try to add a bit of water to the varnish and see how that works for my paintings. There are times where I find it might be helpful it was a bit thinner. Thanks for the tip and I'm happy to share!
Not just super helpful, but also calming! Thank you, Joe! (Liking it so much that I’ve just subscribed.)
Hello Joseph thank you so much for this videos and teaching us how to do an amazing job like you do ! You are a very great talent artist and i admire you so much I have learned a lot from you ! You do a wonderful paints please keep painting so we can enjoy your amazing talent! Thank you so much !
Thank you so much!! That means a lot. I appreciate you watching my videos and I'm glad that they are helpful. I'm always working on new ideas, so I'll certainly be doing more videos in the future!
Love the painting!!! Your so talented, Wow!
Thank you so much!!
Beautiful art work! Thanks for sharing
And that’s beautifully done.☺️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I started with acrylic painting and really thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am going to subscribe as well as I love your work. Thank you.
Thank you so much! That means a lot. I'm glad my videos have been helpful and I hope that your acrylic paintings go well!
@@JosephKoensgen oh thank you. I did before oil paintings and acrylic is new so I only learn.But will see, as good as you are its long way to go right now. But it is fun and I have some ideas so will see :)
Great painting!
Thank you so much for explanations.The painting is beautiful.❤️
I just fell in love with this painting. Its so beautiful 😍
Thank you so much 😀
Thank you
A beautiful work
Beautiful painting.
After completing the varnishing process how long should one let the varnish completely dry?
Very excellent video!
Wow, I was so surprised to see your method, using the many small strokes! I've only ever seen people use longer strokes. So because you use such a light amount on the brush, is that why it doesn't leave a whole bunch of edges? Thank you for your lovely video and sharing your experience.
You're welcome, happy to share! Yes, because I work very thin, that seems to help with not leaving any edges. But then that also forces me to work with the smaller strokes, as it will dry incredibly fast when it's that thin. And I'd also recommend a good amount of experimenting with this kind of varnish to see what works for your paintings.
Hi Joseph - well I really learned a lot from your video, thank you. I have an acrylic picture that is very dull and now I will have the confidence to put a couple of coats of clear satin varnish on, which (as it's a moonlit sailing scene) should hopefully make the water etc shimmer. Whilst I'm writing, what would have been good to see at the end of your video was a shot of your lovely painting 'before' and 'after' the varnishing - as it didn't quite work when I slid the viewing slider back and forward to the beginning and end of your video. Hope you don't mind my suggestion. Keep Safe! Hazel
Thank you! Glad it was helpful! I hadn't thought of doing a before and after when I made this video, but that is a good idea for me to keep in mind for future videos. I hope the varnishing of your painting goes well!
Thank you! Just what I was hoping to find on You Tube today.
Good video I was scared I was gonna ruin my painting I also liked u showed yourself varnishing the whole thing cuz it showed me how patient you are with a huge ass painting I gotta not try rushing or anything yk
Thank you so much for this! Your tutorials are very helpful and you are extremely talented. Please keep creating videos! Question, do you use an isolation coat on any of our paintings and do you have anything thoughts or advice on using one? I did it on my first painting and didn’t like the look it left, thankfully the varnish helped
You're welcome!! I'm glad that it was helpful! For this particular varnish you don't need an isolation coat, as it's a permanent varnish that can't be removed, so it's essentially like an isolation coat in itself. I don't use an isolation coat on my work because I had the same issue as you - I didn't like the look the isolation coat left. I paint on board so adding too many layers to the painting meant I lost the feel the original paint had, on an already very smooth surface. For removable varnishes that require a stronger solvent to take off, an isolation coat is probably necessary. Though I've been experimenting with Gamblin Gamvar without an isolation coat and I've been able to gently remove it without damaging the original underneath. I may make a video about that varnish, but I need to do more research and testing before I do that. For me varnish should enhance the painting and not take away from it, so I want keep it to as few layers as I can, while still also providing the protection it needs. I'll certainly be making more videos so stay tuned! Thank you!
@@JosephKoensgen thank you so much! This is great information. I think I’m going to get the same varnish. Will definitely stay tuned!
I use NOVA acrylic paints and varnishes. I get the same satin effect. I can buy it in gallon jugs. My varnish recipe is 1/2 Gloss Varnish and 1/2 Matte Varnish with a bit of water. I put the solution in a condiment squeeze bottle. I also put this mixture in the paint I'm using
Think you so much! So very helpful and that painting is absolutely stunning.....
I found your video very helpful.
Thank you!
Thanks Joseph🙏🏻
Very Beautiful Painting 👌🏻💜
Thank you so much!! Appreciate that!
Thank you for this tutorial! Your work is amazing. I've only done a handful of paintings over the years and never considered varnishing them. I noticed you stayed with a vertical brush stroke. Do vertical brush strokes minimize the amount of light relection?
You're welcome!! Yes, I've found that there's way less reflection or glare off the varnish with the vertical brush strokes, as most lights are going to be on the ceiling when lighting the paintings. If you've never varnished before, I'd recommend doing lots of practice on scrap pieces first, so that you have a good feel for how the varnish works on your paintings before going to your original.
Wonderful painting, can you do a tutorial on that one ?
Thank you very much for sharing! It really finished the painting off beautifully ❤amazing painting too btw 😁 x
So glad I found your channel! Love your paintings and advice! Thank you!
Thank you so much!! Glad my videos have been helpful!
What an amazingly realistic painting! What brush dis you use please?
Thank you so much!! The brush I'm using here is the Royal & Langnickel Flat 40. Something I was able to get at Michaels.
I applied the glossy version of this to a large acrylic and several sections of the painting smeared. It was 2 weeks dry. I applied the varnish directly onto the painting from the bottle and then spread it out with a sponge foam brush. What do you think caused the smearing?
Thank you! I really love this painting! ❤️👍🏻❤️
Thank you!!
Thank you for the video. I should have watched it before trying to varnish my painting which ended in disaster. I tried to do the whole thing at once and by directly pouring varnish on the painting since i didn't know that it dries so quickly and i was stupid enough not to test it on something smaller first. Now i have to try and clean the messed up chunky varnish somehow
Sorry to hear that happened to your painting. In a similar situation with one of mine, I was able to take a very fine grit sandpaper, 600 and then 1000, to sand off the chunks of dried varnish until it was smooth. Then I reapplied the varnish and that did the trick. It did affect the look of my painting, but not too much. So, depending on your painting surface you may be able to try that. You could also look into varnishes that have a slower drying time, like the Gamblin Gamvar, or Golden MSA varnishes. I'm planning on doing another varnishing video with one of those that I've been experimenting with.
Nice work! 👍
Thank you!!
Wow ur paintings looks like a photograph 😱hyper realism overloaded😭🥺good job👍🏻🤘🏻
Would you please recommend a good brush brand? Thanks.
Great video, mate. Thanks a lot!
Joseph, I recently saw on one of your more recent painting that you say you varnished with Gamblin's Gamvar. Have you now switched to using Gamvar instead of the Liquitex? Was there a reason for that? Thanks!
I still use the Liquitex, but have started using the Gamvar for certain paintings where I've adjusted my technique on how I use the paint in the last couple years. I found that when I was using very very thin layers like in my paintings with mist, (lots of dry brushing), it made those paint layers very absorbent and the liquitex was drying even quicker than it already does, making it really difficult to get an even sheen out of the varnish. So I experimented with the Gamblin Gamvar Satin on those paintings and it worked really well for them. They both have pros and cons so it was a matter of experimentation to figure out which works better on particular paintings. I would like to make a video on how I use the Gamvar, but I just want to have some more experience with it, and do quite a bit more research to make sure I know (mostly) what I'm talking about when do.
Wouldn't using a roller or spray varnish leave a more even coat with no brush strokes?
Thanks for sharing your tips and God bless you.☺️👍🏻🙏🏻
You're welcome!! I'm happy to share!
I love this pic! Please do a tutorial of this beautiful painting.
Hey! The most useful video about varnishing I've ever seen! ..I have a painting that is cracking (°~°)and I wish to varnish it after i redo the cracking parts in order to prevent it from happening again... In your opinion, what varnish i should use? you 've really helped me with this video .( My canvas has been painted with acrylic paint if that helps)
I would really appreciate your help! :)
Thank you!! Glad to hear my video has been helpful! The Liquitex varnish I'm using in this video would work, but it does dry quickly and is permanent. With your painting I would recommend trying the Golden MSA varnish, or the Gamblin Gamvar varnish for acrylic paintings. Both of those have a longer working time and are removable if you want to repair your painting again in the future. I don't have very much experience with either of these varnishes, so I'd recommend reading about them and doing a number of tests before taking it to your original to make sure you have a good idea of how they'll behave once you start applying them. I hope that's helpful!
@@JosephKoensgen Thank you so much for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@JosephKoensgen sorry to bother u again....turns out I've used tempera and not acrylics 🤦♀️😅 do you know if the use of the liquitex you show in this video would do in this case as well ? I am really sorry..
Oh no problem at all! I don't have any experience with tempera, but I don't think the Liquitex will work because it is a water based varnish and it might make the tempera run when you apply it. And I'm sorry I don't know what you'd be able to use on that, and it might take quite a bit of research and testing to find something to use on tempera paint. Hope you can find something that works!
@@JosephKoensgen oh that's okay! I am still very grateful for your advices! Best wishes 👍👍👍
Thank you so much for your explanation. I have an acrylic matt painting with black background. It was damaged during shipping, I tried to fix it by using gloss acrylic without knowing too much about paintings. However, now I can see the fixed marks because different finishes. I was wondering if I can vanish it using glossing vanish. Will it reduce the difference and make the painting better? Thanks in advance.
You're welcome! Yes, you could use a gloss varnish over the painting to help even out the sheen of the spots you've fixed. However, gloss varnish will change the look of the painting, especially if it's started out matte. Gloss brings out contrast and deepens the colours. Which is great if that's the look you're going for, but not necessarily if you're wanting to keep the matte finish of the original. Something you could try is going over your fixed marks with a matte paint first to see if that helps. And you'd still like to varnish, I'd highly recommend testing it first on a scrap piece if you have, to make sure that it will have the desired effect you want. Hope that's helpful!
@@JosephKoensgen Thank you so much for your detailed reply. I will try your suggestions!
Very helpful, thanks for the lesson.
You're welcome!
Super helpful. Thank you
Great video....but I'm still terrified of varnishing my painting.... it's a combination of acrylic, coloured pencil and white Pastel pencil.... I'm wondering if a spray affixative would be better in my case.
Thank you for giving me a clue, I've never ever varnished my paintings but I can see the positives for it.
You're welcome! And it's totally understandable as you don't want to ruin your work with improperly vanishing. To this day I still have a few nerves every time I varnish. In your case with the mixed media, and especially pastel pencil, a fixative spray might be the way to go. It would help seal those elements in, and then if you wanted you could varnish over top, possibly with another spray varnish to maintain that same finished look. But, I would do lots of research and experimentation with some test pieces before taking it to the original.
Great video and beautiful painting! What do you think about adding an isolation coat before applying the varnish? You're keeping the varnish pretty thin, so I think it wouldn't be too difficult to remove if needed in the future. Some people add a thin layer of gloss gel before the varnish. I do some realism pieces too and I worry about it ruining them.
Thank you so much! I do think an isolation coat is a good idea if you're thinking about possibly removing the varnish in the future. I haven't done it myself as I've gotten the results I want without it. And I totally understand the desire to not ruin your work, I've done it a couple times myself when I was trying to figure it out, so I'd recommend experimenting with it and seeing if that is something that would work for you!
@@JosephKoensgen Thank you! I'm doing large acrylic, circular paintings and I'm about to varnish my first one! I saw one guy use a sponge too. Have you ever tried that?
You're welcome! I haven't tried using a sponge before, but I've seen a video about that as well and it looks like it works great, especially if your work has a lot of texture. It also looks like it has the added benefit of spreading the varnish around nice and quickly before it dries.
Hi Joseph,
Nice posting..
Hatss off to ur Art
Wil u post a video that how to start painting on the board, canvas or a wall
Pls put the tutorial about how to paint background colours, how to prepare canvas for painting, colour mixing.
Most of ur videos are started from the middle of ur work,
So many videos are there in youtube,
I saw so many videos about how to paint and how to mix and so many,
That's not fair..
Why because?
Your video about how to varnish ur painting is a fabulous and clear..
I hope if u put detail tutorial for the beginners, definitely many people wil get the knowledge clearly..
Thanks fr ur wonderful Varnishin video..
Keep rocking...
Waiting fr ur new paintings🎨🖼
Nice video, and great painting by the way!
I have a mixed media painting, acrylic, watercolor, color pencil. Would that varnish be compatible?
Thank you!! This varnish might be ok. However, because it's a water based varnish I don't know how it would interact with the watercolors in your painting. I haven't had any experience with varnishing watercolor, so you may need to do some testing with the varnish on them to make sure that it doesn't react poorly to the watercolor. You may also want to look into varnish that is specifically for watercolor, or a solvent based varnish that won't cause the watercolor paint to run.
First off that's a beautiful painting I have a question I bought this wooden toy off of Etsy it was painted with acrylic paint but it feels sticky I love the piece and I don't want the painted chip away what can I put over the paint without damaging it?
Thank you!! For something like that, you may want to consider a spray varnish. And when you say sticky, do you mean that it feels as though the paint isn't dry, or that it doesn't have a smooth finish? It could be good to find out from the artist exactly what paint they were using on the toy so you can choose an appropriate varnish, or if they have a recommendation based on the materials they've used.
Hello Joseph, I love your work. I think it's fantastic. I'm was an amateur painter. I notice you use panel canvas. will that varnish work on regular canvas as well and do you prep your canvases first?
Thank you!! I'm working on hardboard, or what is sometimes called masonite that I prime with gesso and sand smooth. I prefer that to the texture of canvas for my detailed work. As for varnishing canvas, yes this will work on regular canvas. And because this is a final permanent varnish the only prep would be to make it's clean and as dust free as possible. Something like an isolation coat would be for some removable varnishes. I would also highly recommend testing any varnish on a scrap piece before putting it on to your fully finished work.
Hi, thank you so much for the video. Did you do an isolation coat? Why or why not?
You're welcome!! I didn't use an isolation coat for this as the varnish is a permanent varnish. An isolation coat would be used for most removable varnishes where you'd want to have a protective layer between your paint and the removable layer on top. In this case the varnish can't be taken off, so there's no need to put an isolation coat on before this.
I have painted with acrylic and then worked with mounding paste on the painting to give it a 3d effect, covered with 24 carat gold foil
Can I varn8sh o ly the painted part?
Hi. I'm beginner in painting world, I think most difficult part is to choose a good acrylic varnish, there's a lot of videos where they say, gloss varnish is better, glass ,satin ,or high glass , and I'm really confused that which varnish should I buy. Cab you recommend me any good varnish as a beginner. I'm confused about the types of varnish.
Varnish can be difficult to work with in the beginning so I always recommend practicing on test pieces before using it on your originals. The finish, gloss, satin, or matte, depends on the look you want for your artwork. If you're unsure, you could look into a varnish that doesn't dry as quickly as the liquitex one, like an MSA varnish from golden, that has slower drying time.
What's your thoughts on spray on varnishes. Thanks for the video it was very interesting. Cheers!
I think spray varnishes can be great, as it's very fast and leaves a very smooth even finish. However, it didn't work for my artwork because I paint on board, so any dust that settled on the already smooth surface was very visible after it was dry. For spray varnish on canvas it probably works much better, as the texture of the canvas won't show the dust that ends up settling in varnish as it dries. And if there's a lot of texture to the paint, then the dust wouldn't be noticable. Though you could set a filtered spray booth to be extra careful. Either way, I'd recommend doing a number of tests before varnishing one of your originals!
@@JosephKoensgen thank you Joseph for a reply, that makes sense, I'm still learning about all the things I need to know, I have been painting on canvas, and maybe my teacher finds it easier with students to use the spray on varnish. However, it's good to know that they are just as good as the brush on varnish for a canvas surface and that they are just another way of protecting my painted surface, thank you, and thank you for sharing your video. Cheers!
How do you varnish? How long does it last
Your painting is amazingggg!!!!
Thank you!!
Sir water based or oil based varnish used to protect the acrylic painting
How do you feel about the "insulator" first coat as proposed by Opus Paints you tube? I believe they say, this will prevent cracking and the ability to remove the varnish if you ever want to Love your chanel and your approach ~ just discovered it today!
Thank you!! I think isolation coats are good for removable varnishes where the solvent would be strong enough to remove the paint underneath. So I think for ones like the Liquitex Soluvar, or Golden MSA varnishes an isolation coat is probably a good idea. For something like the Gamblin Gamvar, I haven't been able to find any definitive info that says you'd need one. That one also goes on extremely thin and I've had success without an isolation coat and I didn't damage the paint underneath when I removed it. The Liquitex Varnish I'm using in this video is a permanent varnish that can't be removed, so you wouldn't need anything underneath this one. I also like to keep my varnish layer fairly thin, so it may come down to personal preference and experimenting to see what combination works best for your paintings.
@@JosephKoensgen Thanks so much for that nuanced answer. I've purchased the Liquitex Basic Gloss and don't anticipate removing it. You are the only person who used the overlapping brush movement; that worked great for the insulator. Now that I've spent $25! on the Gel Gloss and opened it, could I use that to create glazes? many thanks ~ your work is proof positive of how excellent your thoughtful approach and the underlying talent. Cheers, Diane from Exeter, NH US. I will try doing two thin varnish layers and eliminate the insulator.
You're welcome! Appreciate the kind words about my artwork! I haven't used a gel gloss before, but I believe you'd be able to use it for glazes, though it may have a bit more texture than say a gloss medium. Definitely worth experimenting with. I'm glad that it worked for an insulator coat and I hope that works well for future paintings of yours!
Thanks for teaching how to varnish
Does this varnish darken the colors and yellow over time?
Great video Joseph. You are very clear both verbally and in your video technique, and I really appreciate it.
Question for you, tomorrow I'll varnish a painting that someone had me do. How long should it cure before I put a frame on it? Beutiful painting by the way! Thanks so much.
Thank you so much! Glad it was helpful! I've often let the varnish dry for a week before I put my paintings in a frame. If you're using the same varnish I'm using in this video, it dries very quickly so it could be ok after only a day or two. So if you can give it as many days as you can that would be good, but usually a week or slightly less is more than enough.
@@JosephKoensgen I'm usi g Liquitex professional satin varnish. The lable is somewhat different, but I'm pretty sure its the same. One more question if I may. Its cool and cloudy today. Should I maybe give it longer between coats? Thanks again.
You could give it longer if you find it’s a bit cool out. The directions for it say to wait 3 hours between coats, so that should be plenty. I usually only wait an hour and don’t have any issues with that.
I normally see artists use a foam brush to apply the varnish, what would the pros and cons be for both the watercolor brush vs the foam applicator? I haven't used varnish before and I want to add it to my latest painting but want to make sure I do the research before i commit to it!
My first recommendation before doing your vanishing would be to practice a lot on scrap pieces before committing to your finished painting. This way you'll feel more comfortable by the time you're ready for varnishing. As for brushes or foam brushes. I like the watercolour brush as it feels like I have a bit more control. The downside would be the possibility for brush marks in your varnish, depending on how smooth your surface is. With the foam brush you may not get any brush marks, but you'd want to use a light touch and newer foam brush most of time so that you minimize the foam potentially leaving particles behind in your varnish. And though it may be a bit of an upfront cost, I would recommend experimenting with both types of brushes if you are unsure. Having confidence with your varnishing before you start on your original is definitely worth it!
Hi Joseph! Thanks for nice video! Is the "Liquitex" varnish sticky after completely drying (after two or three coats)? I have tried multiple brands and they are all sticky after drying. This can be a big problem when transporting an acrylic painting. Also, is it important to shake or mix the varnish well before varnishing (some manufacturers specifically note this)?
You're welcome! Happy to share! Yes, this varnish is recommended to gently mix before use to make sure the matting agents are mixed in properly. In my experience, this varnish doesn't dry sticky at all. It has a hard finish, even if I have applied it a little bit thicker. I do know what you mean with other varnishes remaining sticky afterwards, and have tried some of the solvent based varnishes that do so. Those may have to be applied extremely thin so they don't dry with that sticky texture.
@@JosephKoensgenThank you for your quick answer! Your experiences will be helpful to me. I will try "Liquitex" varnish. I wish you a creative day and lots of good paintings.
Hi I know this is a few yrs ago so I hope u answer lol anyway I'm looking for that brush that u used for the varnish R&L brush #40 I live in Canada & I cannot find it without paying through the nose getting it shipped abroad so. is there another good
brush that u can recommend? Btw luv ur painting 👍🏽
Thank you!! I'm sorry to hear that you can't find this brush without it being too expensive. I don't have a specific recommendation, as I've been able to still get these at Michael's where I live, and haven't looked at too many others. But you could try looking at something made by Artist's Loft. They have a pretty wide range of brushes and prices that might work for you. As well, if you're able to go to an art store in person and see them to get a feel for the bristles and quality of the brush, you will hopefully find something that works. It's what I did to find this brush, as I was just trying to find something synthetic that was a bit higher quality that felt like the varnish would flow off of it smoothly.
Also I have used Posca pens and a silver fine nabbed pen to outline. Will the varnish be ok to use over these products? Thanks. BTW I love your painting. So peaceful.
Thank you so much!! I don't have any experience with varnishing over any type of ink, but this varnish I'm using is primarily for acrylics. It may work on ink as the acrylic polymers may not interact with it, whereas a solvent based varnish could potentially react with the ink and make it run. I would recommend some more research and then definitely experimenting on scrap pieces to make sure whatever you use works for your art!
I used water based varnish on my acrylic painting in very dark coloursand it got totally ruined. It was a gloss finish varnish. It worked on other paintings . I am clueless what went wrong.
Also, can we apply varnish over imitation gold leaf areas on canvas.?
How do you clean the brush after it was used for vanishing ?
For this varnish, which is water based, you can use soap and water. For a solvent based varnish you'd use mineral spirits.