Oil paints are one of the most difficult materials for painting. It’s not enough to be able to paint a picture well and in high quality, you still need to properly prepare the canvas, pick up brushes and paints, process the palette, dilute the “tee” thinner in the correct proportions and, most importantly, fix the work. These rules apply mainly to oil, but in some cases will be true for other materials.
Why fix the job
Varnishing provides the picture with a long life. This saves her from deformation of fading, cracks, chips and shedding paint from the canvas. Fix the picture with topcoat. Depends on this for how long it will last in its most presentable form without damage.
Varnish for painting creates a protective film, most often glossy, but not always. In addition to protecting from the effects of temperatures, light, humidity, cracks and shedding, it saves from dust, leaving the picture bright. Litter and dirt from the varnished surface is much easier to remove. They will not be able to harm or distort the properties of paints and coatings.
In addition to protection, varnish can also improve the picture - make the colors fresher and brighter, and the coating - more uniform and pleasant to the eyes. It is he who gives the work an element of completeness. An unvarnished painting does not match the work culture.
Varieties of varnishes
They are as follows:
- Pistachio varnish.
- Dammarny (including fir).
- Acrylic styrene varnish.
- Fixative.
- Retouched.
How to choose a suitable varnish
It should be chosen based on the goals pursued. To do this, you need to know what each of the varieties is good for. Coating varnishes are needed to protect the picture, applied after the end of work.
Pistachio varnish is made of pistachio resin. It has many advantages: it is durable, fits tightly with an invisible layer, does not become cloudy and does not change color over time. In addition, it is of natural origin and non-toxic. The only serious disadvantages of pistachio varnish are the very high price. In addition, it is rare in shops for artists.
Dammar varnish (including fir) is the most popular option among art students in the first courses of colleges and academies. It reliably protects work from dust and damage, and at the same time is very cheap. Bad damn varnish so that over time it acquires a yellowish tint, which will certainly overlap with the picture. However, this property can be used to your advantage.
Acrylic-styrene varnish has a synthetic base, due to which it has high water-repellent properties. In addition, it lays down tightly and evenly, dries quickly, behaves predictably, does not change color, does not become cloudy and protects from dust.
The work made by dry, pouring materials is fixed with a fixative: pastel, charcoal, dry sauce, sanguine and others. It is lighter than other types, is applied with a thin light film and protects against shedding and lubrication.
Retouching varnish - thinning. It is not used to protect the painting, but to dissolve the previous coating without damaging the paint layer, and to continue working on it.
Varnishes are not only glossy, but also matte, which do not glare in the light. They differ from glossy ones in that they are not able to make colors cleaner and richer or somehow change their properties. To test the varnish, you need to apply it on a smooth surface. A good coating should lie evenly and not stick when dried.
According to reviews of acrylic-styrene varnish, it is the most effective for protecting paintings. It is the most balanced in terms of price - quality, and it can often be found on store shelves for artists.
Fixative Properties
Compared to other topcoats, it has a softer consistency when drying and a light texture, due to which it does not burden the paper on which it is applied. In contrast to traditional topcoats, it does not crack with slight deformation of the form. He as if glues particles of dry material to the sheet and forms a protective film.
The fixative is almost imperceptible, but in addition to reliably protecting against shedding, it also allows you to clean the work of dust, stains and dirt without loss and lubrication of the material.
Retouching Properties
Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is not needed to protect the paintings, but to dissolve the already applied layer of coating material. Retouching lacquer dilutes the coating and allows the correction of work. In addition, it improves the setting of the already applied oil paint with a new layer.
It is believed that a cut of garlic clove can sometimes cope with the thinning task of retouching varnish, but it may not be so effective and leave a specific smell.
Acrylic-styrene varnish: properties
This coating material also has its own characteristics and differences from the classic dammar and made from resins.
Like fixative, acrylic-styrene varnish lays not in a crust, but in a transparent flexible film, due to which it can be applied between the layers for better setting in order to prolong the life of the picture.
It can be used when working with different materials: oil paints, acrylic and tempera. If desired, it can be removed from the surface of the picture with a special solvent or white spirit.
In addition, acrylic-styrene varnish has a powerful water-repellent effect, protecting the paint layer from moisture, because of which it can become damp, dull and fall off.
It is possible to apply the coating only after the paint has completely dried, the lacquer itself sets and hardens within a day.
In addition to the usual bubble, acrylic-styrene varnish in the form of an aerosol is sold in stores.
Brand Manufacturers
Usually varnishes are produced by the same manufacturers that sell paints. This is a budget Sonnet or a little better - Reeves. A little more expensive is the "Master Class" and varnishes of various foreign manufacturers. These include Amsterdam, Galeria or Vallejo.
In particular, on the territory of Russia produces the best acrylic-styrene varnish "Neva Palette". This is a manufacturer from St. Petersburg, producing several lines, including the aforementioned “Sonnet”, the well-known “Master Class” and “Ladoga”.
Varnishes are most often sold in vials of 120 milliliters or in aerosols, as in the case of fixative and acrylic-styrene, in 210 milliliters. Bubbles in stores for artists cost an average of about 200-350 rubles. It depends on the varnish, its ingredients and the manufacturer.
In classical art, to which painting belongs, a thorough approach is important. Poor quality materials, skipping any stage of the process, neglect of tools - all this will affect the final work. Paints must be carefully selected, having studied their properties in advance, evenly stretched and correctly glued and primed the canvas, dilute the “tee”, or buy it ready and, of course, cover the painting with a layer of protective varnish after it is completely dry. The result is a well-made and culturally designed work.