Are acrylic paintings safe? Do you have to varnish them? I bought some acrylic sealer, is it safe?

Question

also should i apply this sealer to my wood painting?

Answer 1

Does the product say "archival quality" on it? If it does then it should be fine to use. That said, varnishing paintings is a matter of taste.

I paint in a very contemporary style and mix the results I want to achieve directly into my paint. I never varnish my work although I have purchased paintings by others who do, so I'm not opposed to the process.

FYI: I use all Golden Acrylic products. Their colors are beautiful and the additives unparalleled. They have a web site. Check them out.

Answer 2

Those products are safe, but why are u worried about that. If u have never worked with acrylics b4 be aware of the drying time, which is Fast as hell. No you don't have to varnish them, with some of the pieces I've done I varnished them b/c I added paper to the painting and wanted to make sure it wouldn't stop adhering to the surface of the painting. Be careful with varnish though some do tend to yellow after a certain period of time.

Answer 3

An astonishing number of artists do not varnish their acrylics, thinking they are impermeable when dry - but they are not. When acrylic paint cures, the process causes microscopic pores in the paint surface which actually attract and ABSORB dirt, airborne pollutants and moisture. Varnish will protect the surface so that it may be safely cleaned in the future without damaging the painting.

So, if you love your paintings, you'll varnish them. Use a good quality varnish made especially for artwork.

Answer 4

Hi,

Acrylic paints are meant to be varnished with proper varnishes. A good brand is Liquitex, namely Soluvar.
Acrylic paint is porous.
Check the Acrylics forum at http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums

Kind regards,

José

Answer 5

They should be, in less you don't want to varnish them. You could also use matte spray, it won't look so glossy. I use both and they don't hurt my paintings.