How Long Should an Acrylic Painting Dry Before Varnish is Applied — Art is Fun (2024)

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How Long Should an Acrylic Painting Dry Before Varnish is Applied — Art is Fun? ›

Varnishing Acrylic Paintings

If there are thick, impasto areas of acrylic paint, wait a week or two before applying the isolating layer or varnish.” Upon drying, inspect the isolation coat and if the sheen is uniformly glossy, move onto varnishing.

Clean your environment, or cover your painting after the sealing process, so again dust won't stand a chance. Wait until the paint is 100% cured & dry, for at least over 1 á 2 weeks. This prevents the varnish from mixing with the acrylic paint particles and to have a beautiful long term effect.

All varnishes are permeable, so oxygen will diffuse into and through them, allowing the polymerization of oil paint underneath. All varnishes slow oxygen ingress into the paint film, delaying drying. Waiting at least six months is still the best practice for many painters.

Acrylics go through phases of drying and like a piece of wood, they never really are completely dry unless they are subjected to a zero humidity oven environment. Normally, the acrylic paint becomes touch dry first, which is just how it sounds. You touch the surface and paint doesn't pull up with your finger.

Oil paint requires oxygen for proper curing. So even though your painting may be dry to the touch, the paint will not cure properly if you varnish too soon. The amount of time required for proper curing is variable depending on the thickness of the paint – a heavy impasto may indeed require a year or so to cure.

If you prefer a quick answer and want to know that I've been using for years that I will wholeheartedly recommend, it's Golden Acrylic Polymer Varnish (glossy).

Understanding drying times for acrylic paints

Galeria Acrylic: Thin films of colour will dry in 10 to 20 minutes, whereas thicker films can take an hour or more. Professional Acrylic: Thin films of Professional Acrylic will dry in 20 to 30 minutes and thicker films can take an hour or two.

Most acrylic artists seem to work in this manner - allowing each layer to dry before adding another layer. Since acrylics dry quickly, this is a pretty straightforward process. On the other hand, some acrylic artists like to work wet-on-wet because it allows them to create different effects.

When you're ready to varnish, make sure that the painting is completely dry first. If it's the slightest bit wet, the varnish will mix with the wet paint and streak across the canvas. Unless that is your desired effect (hey, why not?), you will want to avoid this.

Can you paint over varnish with acrylic paint? ›

You can paint over varnished wood as long as you use the right materials and painting process. The best paint to use is a water-based acrylic one. If you're using an oil-based paint only use an oil-based primer, not an acrylic one.

For a very durable finish and one that needs to be very tough, say on a kitchen table, coffee table or end table etc, 2 to 3 coats of varnish should be enough on the top, with 1 to 2 coats on the legs/base. For chairs, benches, chests and other such pieces, 1 to 2 coats should do the trick.

But let another half-hour elapse before applying paint or another coat of primer. What will happen if a second coat of paint is applied too soon? If you paint a second coat while the first coat is still wet, liquid, and pliable, you risk creating pulls and streaks in the soft, gel-like material. Bubbles and pits form.

Yes, one can indeed apply subsequent layers of acrylic paint over dry previous layers. This is one of the major benefits of the medium. However, one should not overly dilute additional layers without adding additional acrylic medium tot he later paint layers.

Using the right varnish, in the right way, is the ultimate way to keep your finished oil or acrylic paintings looking their best. Not only does varnish protect your artwork from the accumulation of dirt and dust, it also enhances the final look of your masterpiece with a radiant glossy, matt or satin finish.

Varnishing an Acrylic Painting. When you're ready to varnish, make sure that the painting is completely dry first. If it's the slightest bit wet, the varnish will mix with the wet paint and streak across the canvas. Unless that is your desired effect (hey, why not?), you will want to avoid this.