Search results for 'varnish'

Linseed Oil is derived from flax seeds, and appears on our shelves in many guises: Cold Pressed, Refined, Stand Oil, and as a key ingredient in many mediums. It has been appreciated for its drying properties since the Medieval period, and has become the most popular oil used in painting today due to the strong, flexible and glossy film that it creates.

Alkali Refined Linseed Oil has been treated to reduce its acidity, and is a useful ingredient in mediums and varnishes.

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Shellac is a natural resin that is deposited by the female lac insect on the branches of trees in India and Thailand. It is soluble with alcohol, but not with mineral spirits or turpentine. It forms a tough yet flexible film, with many applications. It is suitable as a top coat for gilding when applied thinly, a sealant for porous surfaces, an isolating layer for tempera paintings, a base for pigmented inks, a protective layer for collograph plates, and a warm varnish for wooden floors and furniture. As it is prone to darkening with age, it is not recommended as a varnish for oils, and its solubility can reduce over time. There are various grades of shellac. When mixed with alcohol, it may initially form a cloudy mixture, due to traces of wax in the shellac, but this should become clear once it has dried. The highest grades of shellac are Clear Dewaxed Shellac, which has been de-coloured using the carbon filtering method, Lemon Shellac, and Orange Shellac, which are pale in colour. Button Shellac is less refined and therefore produces a reddish varnish. It was, in fact, widely used as a red dye before synthetic dyes became available. Learn More

Gamboge is a natural tree resin, available as a powder and in the solid "pipe" form. It is highly transparent, fugitive to light, with a weak tinting strength. The powder can be dissolved in alcohol to colour resin-based varnishes. In its solid form, Pipe Gamboge does not require a binding agent to be used as a paint. Instead, colour can be lifted with a wet brush, as from a watercolour pan.

Larger quantities are available by request.

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Clear, lightfast with excellent ageing properties. Can also be used as picture varnish and protective lacquer for gilded surfaces. Unable to send overseas. Learn More

Roberson Liquid Metals have a rich deep colour, ideal for a wide range of applications including plaster, wood, paper & canvas. The Liquid Metal range does not tarnish and does not need to be varnished. All colours are intermixable and water wash up. Learn More

Gamboge is a natural tree resin, available as a powder and in the solid "pipe" form. One of the unique features of Pipe Gamboge is that it does not require a binding agent to be used as a paint. Instead, colour can be lifted with a wet brush, as from a watercolour pan. It is highly transparent, fugitive to light, with a weak tinting strength. The powder can be dissolved in alcohol to colour resin-based varnishes.

Pipe Gamboge is available while stocks last. Larger quantities are available by request.

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From the Winsor & Newton website: This quick drying gloss medium offers a slight gel that brushes out smoothly and is ideal for artists looking for a non-drip effect when mixed with colour. Speeds drying (touch dry in 1-6 days depending on colour and film thickness). Ideal for glazing. Resists yellowing. Not suitable as a varnish or final coat. Learn More

Zest-It Oil Painting Medium improves the flow of oil paint and reduces brush strokes. It is suitable for wet-on-wet techniques, especially suitable for blending and glazing without using varnish. Learn More

Bitumen, turpentine. Covering varnish with hard finish. Recommended for aquatint techniques. Learn More

Buff Titanium is great for value studies and provides a gorgeous, classic-looking surface for work in neutral grays, earthy reds, black and white. *Please note, this product is stored offsite. Please allow extra time for your order to be processed and dispatched. Learn More

By Pip Seymour. The Artist’s Handbook provides artists with in-depth, practical information on the materials, equipment and skills necessary for all areas of artistic practice. Topics covered include advice on how to select appropriate art materials, including paints, brushes, canvases and drawing materials; techniques for making your own paints, glue, varnishes and paper; advice on how to achieve the best results from both manufactured and hand-made materials; the best methods of storing and preserving finished artworks, and health and safety precautions. (520 pages) Learn More

From the Winsor & Newton website: This reliable favourite is a general purpose semi gloss medium which speeds drying, improves flow and reduces brush stroke retention. Halves the drying time of conventional oil colour (touch dry in 1-6 days depending on colour and film thickness). Resists yellowing. Not suitable as a varnish or final coat. Learn More

Colophony is a by-product of the distillation of turpentine. It is soluble in most solvents, but considered an adulterant in varnishes and paints, as it forms a weak surface that is prone to darkening and cracking. It is, however, a key ingredient in wax-based etching grounds, imparting hardness, and can be used in powdered form (rosin) to make aquatints. Learn More

Casein is a protein derived from dried milk, which has been used in painting since ancient times. It can be combined with Ammonium Carbonate to form an emulsion, which acts as a durable, non-resoluble binder for pigments, producing a matte, fast-drying paint, similar in appearance to egg tempera. We use casein as a binder for our L. Cornelissen & Son Pigment Colour Charts, as it is a medium that clearly showcases the characteristics and behaviour of each pigment in its pure form. Casein paints can be applied in thin layers to watercolour paper, but would require a more rigid support, such as a gesso panel, to be applied thickly, as the comparative inflexibility of the paint layer means that it can be prone to cracking. Subsequent layers of paint should be more diluted to aid adhesion, and impasto effects are not recommended. It is possible to varnish casein paintings using an acrylic or damar varnish to obtain a glossy surface if desired, although this is not a necessary step. Casein can also be used as an ingredient in gesso, and is a suitable binder for fresco secco techniques.

Some pigments may require a wetting agent in order to fully disperse within the binder, in which case alcohol may be used.

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Dragon's Blood is a natural, resin, mentioned by Pliny in his Natural History. It has a weak tinting strength, and its rich red colour can be fugitive in direct sunlight. It is fully soluble in alcohol, and can be used to add a warm, transparent tone to spirit varnishes. Also available in powdered form.

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Varnish remover. For softening old varnish and colour layers. Strong solvent should be used by experienced persons only. Learn More

Acrylic resin/quick drying petroleum/rectified turpentine. Highly flexible with good resistance to blooming. Gloss finish. Learn More

Reversible - for conservation use only. Learn More

Very fast drying, light varnish for retouching and restoration. Moderately shiny, does not yellow (Ketonic resin 22% and White Spirit). Learn More

Ideal for making oil paints, mediums and varnishes more fluid, and for cleaning painting equipment. It also removes stains. Learn More