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!
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!
It's an excellent painting, but unfortunately, the approach to apply varnish is quite poor. The objective while applying varnish is to spread a thin layer of liquid on the painting before the varnish starts drying. The best approach is to keep the painting flat on a table and drop the varnish liquid all over it. Then, use a clean brush to quickly spread the varnish evenly on the entire painting. The way Joseph has used the brush will leave a lot of varnish marks as it's going to be a slow process and the spread will be uneven.
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 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
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!
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!
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.
Hmmm... here I encounter the problem trying to learn from the University of RUclips... just about everything he said and advised in this video is the complete polar opposite from the last 4 videos I watched on the topic. They advised varnishing Quickly, using full canvas length strokes and not overworking it or going over the same areas too many times. The only conclusion one can draw is that there is no one correct way to do, well, anything and the only way to learn how to do something is to actually DO IT, try different ways, make mistakes, figure out what doesn't work and why, and what works best for you.
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 😁
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!
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!
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. ❤
Literally the worst part of finishing a painting. Im not a professional by any stretch but ive ruined my work varnishing. It gives me great anxiety to varnish. Thank you for showing us how you do it.
It is definitely one of the more stressful parts of the work, as I too have ruined a few paintings in my time with varnishing. I'm glad this was helpful. And I also recommend practicing on scrap pieces and experimenting with the varnish, something I still do with a lot of my work to make sure it will go well.
Just wondering, what did you guys do wrong to ruin paintings when varnishing them? I am gonna try and varnish a couple myself, and it would be extremely helpful to know what to avoid.
@@davidwalker3626 For sure! One of main things that's caused me problems is over brushing. It can cause it to get cloudy, or leave clumps of dry varnish all over as you drag drying varnish into wet. If I miss a spot or make a mistake, it's best to let it dry and catch it on the second coat. You can also have problems using too much varnish but there is a bit of a fine balance with that. So I'd recommend experimenting a few times on scraps before you go to your originals.
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.
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🤗
Is it a removable varnish? If not than you're probably stuck. If so, you'll have to (from what I know) have to go to a conservationist. Ik this is months ago but i thought I'd still answer
I'm a bit confused... It looks like you're varnishing straight on top of the paint? Why would you do this? What if you need to remove that varnish, is that possible? Please explain, I'm confused! I normally paint acrylic on paper but it's more in a watercolour style so they're always left unvarnished and framed behind glass. However I did have three finished canvases which definitely needed varnishing after getting "fly specks" (flies' crap) all over them thanks to an infested mango!!... Anyhoo, I did some research and everyone agreed the right way to varnish acrylics was to smother the dry painting in acrylic gloss medium to seal it in and as an isolation coat. Leave this for a week and the removable varnish gets sprayed on top of this. I experimented with different looks and mediums but in the end settled on matt varnish , you can't even see it's there! All the experts agreed that varnish should be removable and it always needs this isolation coat so you can remove the varnish without removing the paint with it!
Does applying second layer of Satin varnish (on oil canvas) solve the problem of tackyness caused by the first layer of Gloss-cum-Mat varnish (1:1 + 5-10% Gamsol)? Please help.
I’ve ruined some of my paintings from varnishing, the only instructions said “stir gently” after my first varnished painting I had to Google because my varnished painting looks awful. My other ones aren’t too bad, but still bad…. I might have to follow this guys instructions as my varnish dries very quickly
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?
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?
Возможно этот контент будет кому-то полезен. После просмотра вашего видео попалось это./Perhaps this content will be useful to someone. I came across this after watching your video. Never use high gloss varnish to finish your art! ruclips.net/video/_Sa2aJFkqhY/видео.html Acrylic pour finish with NO BRUSH MARKS! - Easy acrylic pour varnish method ruclips.net/video/4VqHUG1ZevU/видео.html
@@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.
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 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.
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.
It protects from UV, but what about other pollution? Smoke? Gave a painting away a year ago to a family member, but want to get it back to seal it from cigarette smoke or anything else. Does varnish work for that as well?
That's a good question. There may be something out there that would protect against smoke damage - I don't know if this particular varnish would protect against that. Smoke particles are so small that they can be absorbed into so many things, and that discolouration and smell can stay for such a long time. One option would be to put down an isolation coat, then apply a removable varnish on top of that. This way when that varnish inevitably discolours and absorbs those particles, it can be removed and reapplied at a later time. Not necessarily the best solution but something worth looking into further. And worth looking into seeing if there are options out there that specifically address smoke damage.
It could be that the spray has some sort of solvent in it that reacts with the acrylic paint. I would make sure that it's specifically a spray that is for acrylic paint, and if you're unsure, you can test it on a scrap piece to see what happens. This may also be something where you'd want to consider an isolation coat before the varnish spray. I didn't do that in this video, as it wasn't necessary for the type of varnish I used, but something to look in to.
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!
I used a spray varnish and noticed there was a hair in the painting. I couldn't even pick it out so I tried to just forget about it and Re-spray that spot a little bit, only to have a puddle up right there and dry. Is there any way to smooth it back out without ruining the painting?
That is tricky. Something I've done when I had a similar thing happen - I took a very fine grit sandpaper, like 600 or 1000 and very lightly sanded the bumpy parts until they were smooth. The reason for the very fine grit was so I didn't sand so aggressively that it started digging into the actual paint. This could take quite a while. Then once it felt level with the rest of the varnish, I then revarnished the entire painting to create a new even coat on top of everything. Something I'd recommend would be experimenting with this first on a scrap, creating the same type of raised bump, and then seeing if the technique will work. As it might change the look of the texture, or colors depending on the varnish, paint colors, and grit of the sandpaper.
Your mod podge is probably good, but I'd need to look into that more. I also wouldn't recommend using anything that isn't designed specifically for using on artwork. Floor polishes or anything like that may have chemicals in them would react poorly with your paint, and may degrade your work over time. You want to find something that is for use on paintings, and is archival if you want your work to last.
That's a good question, and I'm sorry I don't know the answer to that. But it sounds reasonable to assume that it would have some effect on UV reactive paint. Definitely worth doing some research on, or experimenting with the paint and varnish to see what happens.
Thank you!! I still have a few nerves when varnishing a painting, but lots of practice and lots of testing has helped me be more confident when varnishing my artwork!
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
I would like to know whether it is waterproof varnish. I am beginner and today I have painted one little cup coaster in acrylic. But I don't know if it will be usable and resistant to water after varnishing, or I can keep it just as souvenir ?
This varnish is waterproof, but I don't know if it would be good for that kind of use, as it may scratch easier than a varnish meant for that kind of application. Also, I'm not sure if over time that it may get permanent water marks on it from cups. So I might suggest looking into a varnish or a resin that is meant for table tops etc - or varnishes that are meant to take more abrasion for long periods of time.
This particular varnish from Liquitex is a water based permanent varnish so it wouldn't be compatible with mineral spirits. As well, once it's dry it's not recommended to try and remove with mineral spirits. If you're looking for a removable varnish, I really like the Gamblin Gamvar which goes on very thin, and comes off easily with the right application of solvent.
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 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!
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.)
What an adorable man. Love his work. But his personality is the sweetest. :)
It's an excellent painting, but unfortunately, the approach to apply varnish is quite poor. The objective while applying varnish is to spread a thin layer of liquid on the painting before the varnish starts drying. The best approach is to keep the painting flat on a table and drop the varnish liquid all over it. Then, use a clean brush to quickly spread the varnish evenly on the entire painting. The way Joseph has used the brush will leave a lot of varnish marks as it's going to be a slow process and the spread will be uneven.
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...
Looks like a photograph to me. Amazing artist!
Dreadful application method, IMO. Short stabby strokes with insufficient material on the brush. Watch lots of other videos on this topic!
I feel you didn’t finish watching the whole video. He does go over it again in the 2nd coat with longer brush stokes.
It's very helpful, thank you.
Your paintings are breathtakingly beautiful!
A beautiful painting! Thanks for sharing how to varnish, I will certainly use your method.
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
Such a lovely piece of art! thank you for the tutorial!
Thank you!!
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!
This was very helpful. Thank you. Your paintings are incredible! ❤️
I loved the varnish explanation. You're a great painter as well. Great video.
So helpful! And oh my goodness, what a gorgeous painting!
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!
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.
Hmmm... here I encounter the problem trying to learn from the University of RUclips... just about everything he said and advised in this video is the complete polar opposite from the last 4 videos I watched on the topic. They advised varnishing Quickly, using full canvas length strokes and not overworking it or going over the same areas too many times. The only conclusion one can draw is that there is no one correct way to do, well, anything and the only way to learn how to do something is to actually DO IT, try different ways, make mistakes, figure out what doesn't work and why, and what works best for you.
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 😁
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!
So glad I found your site! This is very helpful, thank you. Beautiful painting; incredible. 😊
Thank you!! I'm glad it was helpful!
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!
It looks alive! 👌 thanks very informative, I've been cringing the whole videos thinking of all the mistakes I've done! Thanks a lot!
Thanks Joseph ! Your artwork is so beautiful. A varnishing video was mush needed .
Keep painting! God bless …
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!
Thank you so much for explanations.The painting is beautiful.❤️
The painting looks so natural so real
Thanks for the varnishing lesson, very helpful!
Thank you Sandra! Glad you found it 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. ❤
Oh :'P Ps ty for the vid.
Brilliant painting and explanation 👏🏼
Thank you! That is an amazing piece!! Nice instructional video.
Thank you so much!! Appreciate it!
Excellent video. So well done, so helpful.
Eine sehr ungewöhnliche Methode...
Joseph, great tutorial on how to varnish a painting. Thank you Have a blessed day ❤
Literally the worst part of finishing a painting. Im not a professional by any stretch but ive ruined my work varnishing. It gives me great anxiety to varnish. Thank you for showing us how you do it.
It is definitely one of the more stressful parts of the work, as I too have ruined a few paintings in my time with varnishing. I'm glad this was helpful. And I also recommend practicing on scrap pieces and experimenting with the varnish, something I still do with a lot of my work to make sure it will go well.
Just wondering, what did you guys do wrong to ruin paintings when varnishing them? I am gonna try and varnish a couple myself, and it would be extremely helpful to know what to avoid.
@@davidwalker3626 For sure! One of main things that's caused me problems is over brushing. It can cause it to get cloudy, or leave clumps of dry varnish all over as you drag drying varnish into wet. If I miss a spot or make a mistake, it's best to let it dry and catch it on the second coat. You can also have problems using too much varnish but there is a bit of a fine balance with that. So I'd recommend experimenting a few times on scraps before you go to your originals.
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.
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!
Wouldn't using a roller or spray varnish leave a more even coat with no brush strokes?
And that’s beautifully done.☺️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I have over varnished on the first coat can I rectify this please?
Is it a removable varnish? If not than you're probably stuck. If so, you'll have to (from what I know) have to go to a conservationist. Ik this is months ago but i thought I'd still answer
Wonderful painting, can you do a tutorial on that one ?
The fuzzy haze on the back of the necks looks amazing.
Thanks Brendan! Took some time, but the outcome was great!
I'm a bit confused... It looks like you're varnishing straight on top of the paint? Why would you do this? What if you need to remove that varnish, is that possible? Please explain, I'm confused!
I normally paint acrylic on paper but it's more in a watercolour style so they're always left unvarnished and framed behind glass. However I did have three finished canvases which definitely needed varnishing after getting "fly specks" (flies' crap) all over them thanks to an infested mango!!... Anyhoo, I did some research and everyone agreed the right way to varnish acrylics was to smother the dry painting in acrylic gloss medium to seal it in and as an isolation coat. Leave this for a week and the removable varnish gets sprayed on top of this. I experimented with different looks and mediums but in the end settled on matt varnish , you can't even see it's there!
All the experts agreed that varnish should be removable and it always needs this isolation coat so you can remove the varnish without removing the paint with it!
Does applying second layer of Satin varnish (on oil canvas) solve the problem of tackyness caused by the first layer of Gloss-cum-Mat varnish (1:1 + 5-10% Gamsol)? Please help.
What a lovely painting ! Looks like a photograph !!
Thank you
A beautiful work
I’ve ruined some of my paintings from varnishing, the only instructions said “stir gently” after my first varnished painting I had to Google because my varnished painting looks awful. My other ones aren’t too bad, but still bad…. I might have to follow this guys instructions as my varnish dries very quickly
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?
Beautiful painting. Looks so real. Informative video. Thank u
You're welcome! Thank you!
Beautiful art work! Thanks for sharing
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!
Very informative and descriptive, thank you!
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?
Возможно этот контент будет кому-то полезен. После просмотра вашего видео попалось это./Perhaps this content will be useful to someone. I came across this after watching your video.
Never use high gloss varnish to finish your art! ruclips.net/video/_Sa2aJFkqhY/видео.html
Acrylic pour finish with NO BRUSH MARKS! - Easy acrylic pour varnish method ruclips.net/video/4VqHUG1ZevU/видео.html
Excellent help. So appreciateed❤
Lol!
How to clean this Brush after you are done with varnishing?
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.
Why vertical syrokes when the beautiful water is horiz
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 :)
Thank you for sharing..your painting looks real.
Love it..
Thank you!!
your painting is so beautiful and it really shines through with varnish!
Thank you!
Is that painting on a wood board?
Yes, it's on quarter inch hardboard that I've primed with gesso and sanded smooth. It's a great surface for the fine detailed work I like to do.
Would you please recommend a good brush brand? Thanks.
Sir water based or oil based varnish used to protect the acrylic painting
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.
Why is my acrylic varnish liquid and not milky thick.
Does this varnish darken the colors and yellow over time?
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 👍👍👍
THANKS YOU GOODNESS 🌟 DAPHNE COTTON ALWAYS 💜 AWESOME
Think you so much! So very helpful and that painting is absolutely stunning.....
I love this pic! Please do a tutorial of this beautiful painting.
Wow, your painting is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. It is very helpful.
Thank you!! Glad it was helpful!!
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.
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.
How do you varnish? How long does it last
It protects from UV, but what about other pollution? Smoke? Gave a painting away a year ago to a family member, but want to get it back to seal it from cigarette smoke or anything else. Does varnish work for that as well?
That's a good question. There may be something out there that would protect against smoke damage - I don't know if this particular varnish would protect against that. Smoke particles are so small that they can be absorbed into so many things, and that discolouration and smell can stay for such a long time. One option would be to put down an isolation coat, then apply a removable varnish on top of that. This way when that varnish inevitably discolours and absorbs those particles, it can be removed and reapplied at a later time. Not necessarily the best solution but something worth looking into further. And worth looking into seeing if there are options out there that specifically address smoke damage.
Acrylic paint bleed when i used the varnish spray?pls guide why did this happen
It could be that the spray has some sort of solvent in it that reacts with the acrylic paint. I would make sure that it's specifically a spray that is for acrylic paint, and if you're unsure, you can test it on a scrap piece to see what happens. This may also be something where you'd want to consider an isolation coat before the varnish spray. I didn't do that in this video, as it wasn't necessary for the type of varnish I used, but something to look in to.
Thank you! I really love this painting! ❤️👍🏻❤️
Thank you!!
Why do the paint spread when I varnish it
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!
That two coat... Suggest me varish names for use this... One and second.. Pleace.. I need to buy without any mistake.. Thats why
I used a spray varnish and noticed there was a hair in the painting. I couldn't even pick it out so I tried to just forget about it and Re-spray that spot a little bit, only to have a puddle up right there and dry. Is there any way to smooth it back out without ruining the painting?
That is tricky. Something I've done when I had a similar thing happen - I took a very fine grit sandpaper, like 600 or 1000 and very lightly sanded the bumpy parts until they were smooth. The reason for the very fine grit was so I didn't sand so aggressively that it started digging into the actual paint. This could take quite a while. Then once it felt level with the rest of the varnish, I then revarnished the entire painting to create a new even coat on top of everything. Something I'd recommend would be experimenting with this first on a scrap, creating the same type of raised bump, and then seeing if the technique will work. As it might change the look of the texture, or colors depending on the varnish, paint colors, and grit of the sandpaper.
can you use pledge/future floor polish this on a canvas painting also? they use on airbrush models i airbrush on canvas i presently use the mod podge
Your mod podge is probably good, but I'd need to look into that more. I also wouldn't recommend using anything that isn't designed specifically for using on artwork. Floor polishes or anything like that may have chemicals in them would react poorly with your paint, and may degrade your work over time. You want to find something that is for use on paintings, and is archival if you want your work to last.
Since varnish protects from UV does that mean if I varnish my artwork done with UV reactive paint it will not glow when lit with UV lights? Thanks
That's a good question, and I'm sorry I don't know the answer to that. But it sounds reasonable to assume that it would have some effect on UV reactive paint. Definitely worth doing some research on, or experimenting with the paint and varnish to see what happens.
@@JosephKoensgen your reply is much appreciated, thank you
After completing the varnishing process how long should one let the varnish completely dry?
Very excellent video!
absolutely ridiculous painting! I would be terrified to try to varnish it.
Thank you!! I still have a few nerves when varnishing a painting, but lots of practice and lots of testing has helped me be more confident when varnishing my artwork!
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
Finally, I had to go tho 4 different videos to find someone who doesn't just pour it directly on the painting😂😭
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.
Whats the name of varnish sir?
I would like to know whether it is waterproof varnish. I am beginner and today I have painted one little cup coaster in acrylic. But I don't know if it will be usable and resistant to water after varnishing, or I can keep it just as souvenir ?
This varnish is waterproof, but I don't know if it would be good for that kind of use, as it may scratch easier than a varnish meant for that kind of application. Also, I'm not sure if over time that it may get permanent water marks on it from cups. So I might suggest looking into a varnish or a resin that is meant for table tops etc - or varnishes that are meant to take more abrasion for long periods of time.
@@JosephKoensgen thank you very much!
First time varnishing my painting. So glad I watched this video instead of pouring it on my canvas like they do on Instagram
Love the painting!!! Your so talented, Wow!
Thank you so much!!
Is your varnish soluble with mineral spirits?
This particular varnish from Liquitex is a water based permanent varnish so it wouldn't be compatible with mineral spirits. As well, once it's dry it's not recommended to try and remove with mineral spirits. If you're looking for a removable varnish, I really like the Gamblin Gamvar which goes on very thin, and comes off easily with the right application of solvent.
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🎨🖼
Thanks Joseph🙏🏻
Very Beautiful Painting 👌🏻💜
Thank you so much!! Appreciate that!
Thank you very much for sharing! It really finished the painting off beautifully ❤amazing painting too btw 😁 x