Topic: varnish (Read 3493 times)

sfblue · « **on:** May 28, 2009, 11:01:13 pm »

Hi,

I just saw the Robert Frank exhibition at the San Francisco Moma: "The Americans." Really worth seeing if you happen to be in the area. obviously all of his prints are silver gelatin, but there were prints as part of the show from other photographers including ones that listed the media as archival pigment on rag paper with varnish. Does anyone have any idea what the varnish would be?

Thanks,

Dan

CathyMcK · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2009, 10:02:59 am »

There is a varnish that is applied to pastel or charcoal drawings to protect them. It's in a spray can. It is widely available in art supply stores. Although I haven't used it on photos I would imagine it would similarly protect them. Is it archival?Don't know. Hope this information is helpful
Cathy
www.cathymckelvey.com

Quote from: sfblue

Hi,

I just saw the Robert Frank exhibition at the San Francisco Moma: "The Americans." Really worth seeing if you happen to be in the area. obviously all of his prints are silver gelatin, but there were prints as part of the show from other photographers including ones that listed the media as archival pigment on rag paper with varnish. Does anyone have any idea what the varnish would be?

Thanks,

Dan

AaronPhotog · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2009, 05:07:24 pm »

Most of the products for use on inkjet prints are lacquer sprays, though there are also some roll-on lacquers.
A few examples are PremierArt Print Shield (spray or roll-on liquid, some water-borne acrylic); Lyson Printguard; Lascaux Fixative; and Lumijet ImageShield.
The PremierArt, Lyson, and Lumijet products claim UV protection as well as protection from airborne pollutants.

They should be readily available at most camera stores that carry digital printing papers and the like.

"Varnish" is a more familiar term to people who know that painters historically varnished their canvases to keep the paints from crazing. Often, though, the varnish itself crazed, yellowed and darkened with time, but then conservators could still remove it to reveal well preserved colors underneith. I think the photographer who used the word "varnish" is using a little poetic license, though some old processes may have used a varnish as a final coat.

Aloha,
Aaron

jjlphoto · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2009, 01:11:32 pm »

I received a free issue of an inkjet printing trade pub a while back. There are tons of sprays and varnishes out there. Almost as much as there are inkjet papers!

Brush-on Giclee varnishes designed to leave heavy brush marks, thin ones to leave none, aersol sprays, air compressor gun type sprays, you name it.

Mulis Pictus · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2009, 03:05:57 am »

Quote from: sfblue

I just saw the Robert Frank exhibition at the San Francisco Moma: "The Americans." Really worth seeing if you happen to be in the area. obviously all of his prints are silver gelatin, but there were prints as part of the show from other photographers including ones that listed the media as archival pigment on rag paper with varnish. Does anyone have any idea what the varnish would be?

I have good experience with Breathing Color's Glamour II on their Sterling Rag paper. Not sure if it is really varnish though. (they call it laminate or canvas varnish on their pages) The paper curls when the Glamour II is applied, so I first mount it on a foam core board and then spray it with HVLP gun.

Gemmtech · « **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2009, 09:18:43 am »

The only types of coatings I have ever used were laquers and pour on thick plastic coats. I'm curious about the use of varnishes on photographs since they (Varnishes) yellow over time. Why would anybody use a varnish and add an amber effect?

Colorwave · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2009, 12:49:23 pm »

The selling point of acrylic, which is the primary component of most modern water based clear coatings, is that it does not yellow or get brittle over time. I think very few of us are after the Rembrandt effect with our inkjet coatings.

Gemmtech · « **Reply #7 on:** June 30, 2009, 02:21:42 pm »

Quote from: Colorwave

The selling point of acrylic, which is the primary component of most modern water based clear coatings, is that it does not yellow or get brittle over time. I think very few of us are after the Rembrandt effect with our inkjet coatings.

I don't think Rembrandt was after that effect either, but finishes were a "little" different back then.

DottieC · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2009, 03:22:40 pm »

jjlphoto, do you mind sharing the name of the brush-on Giclee varnish designed to leave heavy brush marks or the inkjet printing trade publication you mention in your post?

I'm about to try Golden's Aerosol Archival Varnish to seal the surface of my prints and provide UV protection.

Golden's website (http://www.goldenpaints.com) describes the varnish:GOLDEN Archival Varnish is formulated with 100% solvent-based, reversible acrylic co-polymer resins. It is designed to produce a flexible, clear film to protect against environmental concerns such as ultraviolet light, dirt and moisture. The cured coating is resistant to yellowing.

For my work, I'll follow that with Golden's Gel Topcoat in order to add brushstrokes to the surface.
If I could accomplish the brushstrokes in one step (the brush-on Giclee varnish you mentioned), that would be much easier!

Thanks!

DC

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