What Are Varnished Watercolors?

Many art collectors, as well as galleries and museums, prefer to display watercolors without glass or plexiglass, so that there is nothing between the viewer and the painting itself. My husband and I have undertaken mastering the art of varnishing watercolors in order to provide this experience.

 A varnished watercolor goes through several processes before it is ready to hang. Either before the watercolor is painted (i.e., a blank sheet of watercolor paper) or after the painting is completed, the paper is dry-mounted to hardboard that has been coated with at least three coats of acrylic acid-free gesso. Acid-free glue sheets are used for the dry-mounting process. After the dry-mounting and painting are complete and allowed to dry completely, the painting is lightly sprayed with two coats of sealer. This keeps the varnish that is applied later from smearing the watercolor.

 The final stage is varnishing the painting. This is done by applying several very light coats of acid-free UV-protective acrylic varnish. The light coats allow the texture of the watercolor paper to remain visible and the satin-finish of the varnish allows the painting to be viewed without any harsh glare.

 After the varnishing is completed and the painting is allowed to dry for a few days, it is ready to be framed and hung. The paper is no longer penetrable and can be wiped with a damp cloth when necessary.

 Judith