After you are done? FIxative?

[Rich Williams]

I realize that the Krylon spray does have an oder and as such I tend to spray the paintings either in the garage or on the back deck and leave them there for about 20 min. By that time most if not all the smell is gone…

Rich

Rich Williams A.S.A. I.P.A.P.
Member of Federation of Canadian Artists,
Alberta Society of Artists,
International Plien-Air Painters
http://members.shaw.ca/richwilliamsstudios

When we look at a piece of art work it has to form some kind of connection to the viewer. It must evoke a memory or stir the imagination or it will fail to cause the person to return to it and examine it further. By painting some of natures hidden treasures I hope to bring the viewer back to places or times that are stored in their memories.

[baba]

Rich, I am intrigued that you use the combination of fixative and varnish with success. When I tried this the waterbased varnish would still pick up the watercolour even after five layers of fixative…
The only varnish which worked really fine was Daler Rowney’s Poster Varnish, which is impossible to obtain here… No fixative, just brush on. Loooong drying time, alcohol clean up.

Baba

[seedy]

Rich…..
Interesting…..I have’nt tried this, but will…..if I still use metal/glass will there be a noticable difference?
What I’m looking for is the watercolour look before it dries.

Brian.
Keep your stick on the ice. Red Green
http://ottawaartassociation.ca/gallery/artist/brian-seed-0

[Rich Williams]

[Quote]seedy Rich…..
Interesting…..I haven’t tried this, but will…..if I still use metal/glass will there be a noticeable difference?
What I’m looking for is the watercolour look before it dries. [/quote]
This is what you will get if you do this method. The colors come back to what they were when they were wet.. Brighter and darker.
The thing about glass is that not only do you get reflections but glass cuts 10% of the light in a painting. Non-Glare glass cuts 19%. For this reason alone the use of glass in my opinion hurts the final product and reduces the effect that you intended when you did the painting. The UVL protection you get from glass in almost non-existent. Paintings under glass and especially watercolors have to be hung in areas that do not get any direct sunlight or they will fade very quickly.[Quote]
baba Rich, I am intrigued that you use the combination of fixative and varnish with success. When I tried this the water based varnish would still pick up the watercolour even after five layers of fixative…
The only varnish which worked really fine was Daler Rowney’s Poster Varnish, which is impossible to obtain here… No fixative, just brush on. Loooong drying time, alcohol clean up. [/quote]
I believe the trick is to use a loaded brush and give each area One and only One application and let this dry. The fixative works long enough to allow you to lay down the first coat. Once the first coat of varnish has dried you can now brush on the next coat without any fear of moving the paint. I start by giving the painting one long stroke across the entire top. Then one down each side and across the bottom. I now can cover the painting with strokes from the top to the bottom working across the painting until the entire surface has been covered. I do not go back in and work any area other than to pop any small bubbles.

Rich

Rich Williams A.S.A. I.P.A.P.
Member of Federation of Canadian Artists,
Alberta Society of Artists,
International Plien-Air Painters
http://members.shaw.ca/richwilliamsstudios

When we look at a piece of art work it has to form some kind of connection to the viewer. It must evoke a memory or stir the imagination or it will fail to cause the person to return to it and examine it further. By painting some of natures hidden treasures I hope to bring the viewer back to places or times that are stored in their memories.

[seedy]

OK Rich…..
Assuming I use the varnish to get the “wet” look, By using glass, I loose 10% of the wet look, but still gain a whole lot.
However, if I go glassless and double mat and hinge on foam board with metal frames, I’m going to assume that the unit is not solid.
Just don’t look forward to all that mounting procedure
In any case, I’m going to try it and find out.
What has been the reaction to those “in the know” and the general public on your varnish technique?
100% jump in sales?

kblack…..
Hope I’m not taking away from your thread. It was a good question.

Brian.
Keep your stick on the ice. Red Green
http://ottawaartassociation.ca/gallery/artist/brian-seed-0

[kblack]

Nope .. go right ahead I have learned alot from all the input and questions of others…. which is good. I don’t think I would have thought of all that to ask.
Kblack

I confess that I should have, in the past, tried more of life... but there is still time.

Come visit me!
See my WC Gallery!

[Rich Williams]

Brian I would like to tell you I have had a 100% jump in sales but I do know that there has been a definite increase, maybe around 60%. I have one gallery that wont take watercolor under glass and as a result I am there only watercolor artist which makes me happy.
I would hesitate to frame paintings with mats that were not covered with glass. The mats will get dusty and not look good after a while. But then that is your choice……. lol If you have a frame with a linen liner have a look at what it looks like I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.

Rich

Rich Williams A.S.A. I.P.A.P.
Member of Federation of Canadian Artists,
Alberta Society of Artists,
International Plien-Air Painters
http://members.shaw.ca/richwilliamsstudios

When we look at a piece of art work it has to form some kind of connection to the viewer. It must evoke a memory or stir the imagination or it will fail to cause the person to return to it and examine it further. By painting some of natures hidden treasures I hope to bring the viewer back to places or times that are stored in their memories.

[seedy]

kblack….
Thanks for letting us bounce around in this thread.
Guess I’ll just go the trial and error route.
First the fixative and varnish, then under glass just to see what it looks like, and then the linen frame.
Thanks for getting this going, and thanks Rich for the info….
Don’t give out the name of the glassless art dealer.
Will try to remember to let you know how it turns out.

Brian.
Keep your stick on the ice. Red Green
http://ottawaartassociation.ca/gallery/artist/brian-seed-0

[baba]

kblack, I must warn you, we’re hijacking this thread and the varnishers will take full control…

Seedy, maybe this wasn’t clear enough in my first post, but if you can lay your fingers on that Daler Rowney poster varnish, you will not need fixative (which may steal some of that glow in your painting), but you can varnish directly and that stuff does not pick up watercolour. The only drawback is that you’ll need to find a dust-free place for the long drying time (something like a week, not kidding). Plus, it’s alcohol-based and thus presumably less poisonous that some other stuff.

Baba

[seedy]

Barb…..
THere is no such place as dust-free in this house….but at least Schaunzers don’t shed.
Thanks …..will experiment. Not too sure I like the idea, but why not?
And thank you, kblack….this should end it…..maybe

Brian.
Keep your stick on the ice. Red Green
http://ottawaartassociation.ca/gallery/artist/brian-seed-0

[kblack]

Thanks Everyone!
Happy Painting!

Kblack

I confess that I should have, in the past, tried more of life... but there is still time.

Come visit me!
See my WC Gallery!

[NodakerDeb]

Rich, I am intrigued that you use the combination of fixative and varnish with success. When I tried this the waterbased varnish would still pick up the watercolour even after five layers of fixative…
The only varnish which worked really fine was Daler Rowney’s Poster Varnish, which is impossible to obtain here… No fixative, just brush on. Loooong drying time, alcohol clean up.

Baba, are you able to get Varathane there? I know Rich says it yellows, but I’ll quote right from the can:

“Vrathane Outdoor Diamond Wood Finishes uses interpentetrating Polymer Network (IPN) technology to provide beautiful, transparent protection and much easier application in a unique waterborne coating, superior to conventional clear finishes. This crystal clear finish is designed to provide maxiumum protection against sun, water, weather, sea spray and chemicals, is twice as durable as conventional wood finishes and does not alter the appearance of the surface or yellow with age. It is virtually oderless, offers rugged durability and easy water clean-up.”

Here is an URL for a someone who as used the product for many years in her bead making.

http://www.polyclay.com/flecto.htm

Because it is water-based it WILL move the paint if you don’t use the spray product first. The spray is also virtually odorless, and it dries very quickly. When I coat my paintings, I spray first, then apply a light layer of the product with a brush. Let dry, and then go over it with a thicker layer. It takes about an hour between each coat before I can re-surface.

It comes in three finishes: Satin, semi-gloss, and gloss.

Deb

My Paintings

[NodakerDeb]

Rich…..
Interesting…..I have’nt tried this, but will…..if I still use metal/glass will there be a noticable difference?
What I’m looking for is the watercolour look before it dries.

Brian, if you put a coating on your watercolor paintings you will most certainly achieve the watercolor look before it dries. I can’t imagine NOT using a coating after trying it because it really brings the painting back to it’s original richness of color.

Like you, I am in a quandry about how to frame without glass I am stuck in the black metal (Neilson N11) mode with usually white or black matting. Sure wish there was some way to go that route without adding the glass. I am going to try putting a coat of Varathan on a matte :). I will experiment on something not too dear. Maybe I could glue the painting on to a sturdy piece of foamcore to add stablility. If the matte has been coated, dust should be easy to removed from the matte ??

Hmmm….

My Paintings

[seedy]

Deb….
So are you saying that there is not a big loss under glass compared to glassless?
I don’t think that dust would be a problem with a matted and metal framed painting, but I think the full sheet would be a problem in that it could accidentally get dinged from the back or front.
If the finished and varnished painting looks almost as good under glass as it did glassless, then I ‘m going to go that way, just for damage control and scratches.
I do my own framing and hate it enough without gluing etc….but a least it something different to try out. To say nothing of all the questions from people who have never seen it done, which includes me
Thanks for the info.

Brian.
Keep your stick on the ice. Red Green
http://ottawaartassociation.ca/gallery/artist/brian-seed-0

[NodakerDeb]

Deb….
So are you saying that there is not a big loss under glass compared to glassless?

[COLOR=Blue]Noooo, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I think the glass causes a LOT of glare, and I would much rather go without the glass… just haven’t figured out a way yet, and still use metal frames :([/COLOR]

I don’t think that dust would be a problem with a matted and metal framed painting,

[COLOR=Blue]Dust may not be a problem, but if you splatter something on it, like spaghetti sauce you will ruin your matte. You would be able to wipe off the watercolor if it had been coated with either the way Rich does it, or Varathane, but the matte would be history.[/COLOR]

but I think the full sheet would be a problem in that it could accidentally get dinged from the back or front.

[COLOR=Blue]Getting dinged is probably no more of a problem than if it were an oil. If you were to glue it to matboard or foamcore that would protect it from the back I should think.[/COLOR]

If the finished and varnished painting looks almost as good under glass as it did glassless, then I ‘m going to go that way, just for damage control and scratches.

[COLOR=Blue]There is still a lot of glare. The colors are richer, but the glare is always there.[/COLOR]

I do my own framing and hate it enough without gluing etc….but a least it something different to try out. To say nothing of all the questions from people who have never seen it done, which includes me
Thanks for the info.

Deb

My Paintings

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