

What is the difference between a protective finish and a varnish?

The more layers you add, the less any unwanted little bumps or textures will be noticeable. If your painting dries with a few pinholes or more texture in the paint than you would like, you can usually smooth out the surface by using a self-leveling protective finish. By adding a glossy coat on top of the dry painting, you can really make those colors shine again, and it helps to brighten them up – like a wet-look again. That doesn’t mean you should rinse off your painting under the tap if it’s dusty, but a wipe with a lightly damp rag shouldn’t do any harm.Īcrylic paints can dry rather matte and dull and often look a bit disappointing when compared to how they shine when they are wet. It would also protect it from splashes and create a water-resistant finish, ideal for acrylic paint on wood. Water-Based Helmsman Spar Urethane: Glossy finish that won’t amber over timeĪ protective top coat on your paints can keep off dust and other dirt or marks that could build up over time and discolor the painting.Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish: Glossy, matte, satin, or semi-gloss finish that self-levels and smooths out like a resin.

Varnish: An older form of finish that contains alkyd resin, oil, and solvents (not recommended).Acrylic paints can dry rather dull and darker than when wet, but adding back a glossy finish and brightening up those colors again is easy! Quick Linksįor your convenience, here are store links to items we mentioned in this article. N our Facebook Group, the question comes up a lot about the best way to bring shine and a nice glossy finish back to the dried paintings.
