How to Get a Shiny Lacquered Look on an Acrylic Painting

Keep your painting and varnish brushes separate.

Painting with acrylics has its advantages. Acrylic paints dry quickly, and they can be layered to produce bold colors so that you end up with a vibrant masterpiece. They do not, however, dry with a lacquered-like shine the way other types of paint do. If you want to make your acrylic painting glossy, the procedure for doing so involves using varnish, which is a clear sealant that adds the shiny lacquered look.

Preparing the Painting

To apply varnish to an acrylic painting, wait until the painting is dry. Since you are working with acrylics, the painting may dry within 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many layers of paint you use. However, to be on the cautious side, let the painting dry overnight before applying the varnish. If you use varnish on an acrylic painting that is still slightly damp, the varnish will mix with the paint, causing obvious streaks on the canvas, which will interfere with your painting. Another preparatory must is to make sure the painting doesn't have any dust or debris on it. You can take care of this by wiping the dry paint with a clean, dry rag.

Preparing the Tools

The varnish must be prepared accordingly or else you can ruin the painting when the varnish is applied. One thing you must do is wash out the jar or bowl that you intend to use when you pour the varnish out of its container. If you neglect to rinse out the jar or bowl, you risk dust and other particles mixing into the varnish, which will contaminate your painting, making it look dirty or gritty. In addition, wash out the brush that you will use to brush the varnish onto the painting. Make sure you are using a new brush so that you don't risk leftover paint discoloring the clear varnish.

Mixing the Varnish

Varnishes have to be mixed with water. The product packaging tells you the exact mixing measurements so be sure to follow those ratios. It is appropriate to mix more than you think you will actually use. The reason for this is because you won't want to varnish half of the painting and then have to stop to mix another batch of the varnish. It's more effective and efficient to mix more than enough varnish and then save whatever is unused.

Applying the Varnish

Painting varnish on an acrylic painting is a process that must be done with the painting laying flat on a working surface. While you may be used to painting the acrylics onto the canvas with the canvas in the upright, vertical position, do not attempt to paint the varnish onto the painting with the canvas still on the easel. Doing so can cause the varnish to drip down, taking some of the paint from the painting with it. After laying the painting flat, dip the brush into the varnish jar or bowl and saturate the brush enough so that the varnish is on the bristles but is not dripping all over. The varnish must be applied in even strokes, which should be consistent throughout the painting. Do not start painting the varnish going left to right and then change it midway to up-and-down strokes. After the first coat dries, assess the painting to see if it is shiny enough. You can add a second coat for more glossiness.

References

• Art Is Fun: How to Varnish an Acrylic Painting