Q&A

What kind of brush do you use to varnish a painting?

What kind of brush do you use to varnish a painting?

For oil-based varnish, use a natural-bristle brush such as china bristle (hog’s hair), or a synthetic (commonly nylon/polyester) brush with flagged bristle tips. For water-based varnish, use only synthetic bristles, as water causes natural bristles to splay. For general work, use a chisel-edge brush (Photo A).

How do you prevent brush strokes when varnishing?

The trick is to maintain a “wet” edge. Don’t work too far ahead before starting a new brush line. Once a section is covered, use long strokes with the tips of the bristles (called “tipping off”) to even out the coverage and remove brush and lap marks.

Do you seal acrylic paintings?

It is essential that you varnish your completed acrylic paintings. The varnish will protect the painting from dust, UV rays and yellowing. Varnish comes in gloss, satin or matte finish. I usually stick with gloss varnish because I love the look of a glossy finish, but you may have your own preference.

Do I need to seal my acrylic painting?

It is essential that you varnish your completed acrylic paintings. The varnish will protect the painting from dust, UV rays and yellowing. The varnish will inevitably cause a glare if light is flashed upon it, making it difficult to photograph. I always photograph and/or scan my paintings before varnishing.

How many coats of varnish should you put on an acrylic painting?

2 to 3 coats should be enough to protect your paining, but you can do as many as you want depending on the effect you are going for. 6. Clean your spray nozzle well so that it won’t be clogged when you want to varnish another painting.

How many coats of varnish do you need?

For a very durable finish and one that needs to be very tough, say on a kitchen table, coffee table or end table etc, 2 to 3 coats of varnish should be enough on the top, with 1 to 2 coats on the legs/base. For chairs, benches, chests and other such pieces, 1 to 2 coats should do the trick.

Do you brush or spray varnish on acrylic paintings?

I recommend brushing varnish for works that are quite smooth in finish and are non-moveable. i.e acrylics, oils. However, if the surface is too impasto pools of varnish will settle in the nooks. I’ll always assess the surface and texture to see what is more applicable, brush or spray.

What kind of brush do you use to apply varnish?

Get a clean, wide brush – I usually use a 2-inch flat nylon brush, you can use a ‘varnish’ brush, but it is not essential. I wouldn’t recommend a decorators brush as it will show too many brush marks, you want a brush that is smooth to the touch so you can just glide it over the surface. 2. Pour out some varnish into a shallow dish.

Which is the best brand of acrylic varnish?

Grumbacher has been a leading brand for ready-to-use acrylic spray paint and varnish. Matte and Gloss Varnish formulations can be brushed or sprayed, but the formulation for spraying can be tricky.

Which is the best brush to use on acrylic paintings?

You can trust brushes from Plaid, renowned manufacturers of all things acrylic paint. These are good quality brushes with fine and soft Taklon bristles. The 1 ½ inch thick and flat top works amazing on large areas of canvas. Every stroke produces a silky smooth finish.