varnish gouache? - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

This topic has 29 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 3 months ago by Bob Rooney.

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August 28, 2006 at 5:41 pm #985898
ash204
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I’m returning to an old love, gouache, for some small paintings. I just cannot get acrylics to flow smoothly enough for detail work, and I find them ‘greasy’ on smooth surfaces; I know there are mediums that can be added, but gouache does the job fine for what I need here.

However, I do want some of the protective and long lasting qualities of acrylics,and have been trying different varnishes, sprays etc;..does anyone have any experience of varnishing/protecting gouache, or should it always go under glass anyway?

cheers m’dears
Ash
August 28, 2006 at 9:07 pm #1074406
dbclemons
Gouache doesn’t need varnishing to last a long time, it just needs protection from getting wet and accumulating dust. A raised glass does that well.

There are acrylic “gouaches” on the market that have a similar look, such as Holbien’s Acryla Gouache, but they dry permanent. I still see a bit of an synthetic look in them, but they are an alternative.

David Blaine Clemons
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August 28, 2006 at 11:23 pm #1074418
Richard Saylor
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Gouach produces a porous paint film which can make it hard to clean. Any varnish which works for watercolors should be okay for gouache, but it will change the appearance of the paint film. I prefer glass.

Richard

C&C is welcome.
Richard
August 30, 2006 at 12:33 pm #1074428
Dallen
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Can Gouache take a high sheen varnish so it appears to look like an oil painting? If so, what kind of varnish?

I would prefer to preserve the painting and not rely on glass, which can be easily broken overe time, or collect moisture on the inside.

Dallen
"It feels like snow" he said, "and it was all there, all the sadness and all silveryness in a single sentence." ~ George Frazier
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September 19, 2006 at 1:56 pm #1074420
Mark_xiii
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I’ve been looking for around for a varnish too – I’ve found these;

http://www.talens.com/mainaux_gouache.html
http://www.pebeo.com/asp/prod/fiche.asp?lang=us&id=38

I think the spray from Talens is worth a try… I let you know how it goes when my order arrives.
September 29, 2006 at 11:19 am #1074413
Alachua Artist
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I DO NOT RECOMMEND VARNISHING GOUACHE at all.

I work extensively with gouache and (almost) totally ruined a painting that I varnished with Windsor & Newton gouache varnish. I wanted to give the gouache a more protected finish so it wouldn’t have to be behind glass. I did quite a bit of research and even performed a “test patch” on a sample painting. Everything seemed fine until I varnished one of my finished pieces.

Holycrapwhatamess!! It dried to a milky film over the entire painting. Many many bad words were said over this! I tried EVERYTHING to get it off, but alas, it was set. With all the workings and rubbing and effort, it polished up into a high gloss. The painting looks washed out, now, and very shiny. Not like gouache at all, and definitely NOT what I had wanted or planned on.

No varnish for me! It’s glass all the way.

- Wendy
"It works 'cause I don't know any better."
Cicuye Studios
September 29, 2006 at 11:29 am #1074421
Mark_xiii
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I know that feeling! The last gouache painting I tried to varnish turned milky too, and I may have sworn once or twice too.

I figured the varnish I used wasn’t designed for gouache, so find one that is. I admit I didn’t know W&N made one specifically for gouache, but the can I’ve ordered from Pebeo looked promising…

Perhaps I’ll spray an unwanted painting as a harsh test for this stuff before I dive in wholeheartedly.

Thanks for the warning, but is glass really the only alternative? (I’m planning a 6ftx4ft painting, and that’s a whole lotta glass!)
September 29, 2006 at 11:37 am #1074414
Alachua Artist
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…but is glass really the only alternative? (I’m planning a 6ftx4ft painting, and that’s a whole lotta glass!)

Some of my larger paintings (4’x5′) are framed with plexiglas instead of glass. It’s lighter in weight and less likely to break.

I do hope you are taking photos of this billboard (just teasing). Is this a commercial installation or just work you are doing in your studio?

- Wendy
"It works 'cause I don't know any better."
Cicuye Studios
September 29, 2006 at 11:40 am #1074416
pinkrybns Moderator
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Alachua_artist:
If it was spray varnish, it might have been humidity (of any sort) that was trapped by the spray that may have caused the milky film/haze to appear. Being in Alexandria, Va., I suppose you get some high humidity. When I lived in North Florida, I often used spray varnishes, but could only spray under low humidity conditions (not easy to do in Florida), often I had to spray indoors, all windows closed, with the air conditioner on ( I wore a heavy duty air filter mask, the neck hurting kind!)… or I’d get lucky in the winter and be able to spray outdoors, but only if the humidity was below 50%.

Mark: What about clear plexiglass? Costly, I know, but it doesn’t break and it weighs less than glass. Just an idea for you to consider.
Oops! I see Alachua had the same thought!

Judy - Moderator: Art History Forum and Reference Image Library
September 29, 2006 at 11:54 am #1074422
Mark_xiii
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Plexiglas is a good plan – I tend to avoid it because I often use pastels over gouache – but it might work on this one.

Humidity might be reason… I remember it was summer when ‘the incident’ occurred. It’s the best theory I’ve heard yet.
September 29, 2006 at 12:38 pm #1074417
pinkrybns Moderator
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Plexiglas is a good plan – I tend to avoid it because I often use pastels over gouache – but it might work on this one.

Humidity might be reason… I remember it was summer when ‘the incident’ occurred. It’s the best theory I’ve heard yet.

Mark,
Well, I can only say that 20 years of personal experience with spray varnishes and the effect of humidity is the only credit to my theory I can give you And, when I say spray only in low humidity, I mean something around 40% or lower…the weather channel was my favorite program on TV at the time…

hope you show us what you’ll be working on, or the finished piece!

Judy - Moderator: Art History Forum and Reference Image Library
September 29, 2006 at 2:56 pm #1074423
Mark_xiii
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The more I think about the varnish the more I think it’s a bad idea… I just can’t imagine getting an even finish on a 6’x4′ area. I’m thinking paper behind plexi is the way forward… (or, hey, here’s an idea – Painting on the reverse of the plexi?)

I do hope you are taking photos of this billboard (just teasing). Is this a commercial installation or just work you are doing in your studio?

This is a purley personal effort, something to get my teeth into and to keep me sane between paid jobs. I will take progress photos if I ever get it started! I seem to be too wrapped up in the “nuts n bolts” of it right now. Other excuses for not starting include sourcing materials, too much paid work and… well, it’s terrifying me!
September 29, 2006 at 4:19 pm #1074415
Alachua Artist
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Other excuses for not starting include … well, it’s terrifying me!

oh c’mon baby – the water’s just FINE!!

- Wendy
"It works 'cause I don't know any better."
Cicuye Studios
March 9, 2007 at 4:20 am #1074431
ambrebrune
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OOhhh ! I’m afraid, now, to varnish my gouaches :confused::confused: And what about matte acrylic spray ????? I want to keep the matte effect of the gouache. I don’t want them to becom glossy I need help

My website : www.fabienne-monestier.fr
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September 26, 2007 at 11:21 am #1074433
ritagoldner
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I really don’t like having to use glass or Plexiglass, so I spray gouache paintings with Krylon clear spray You can buy it at Michael’s I use the UV protectant type. THe support is Ampersand claybord (textured) or pastelbord so it’s not a smooth surface to begin with so it avoids being glossy. I ove the results, but if you’re skeptical, try it on a small, quick, 5×7 painting first.
Rita Goldner http://www.ritagoldner.com
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