Viewing a glossy oil painting could be difficult if the artwork is placed adjacent to a window or other light source. Some artists may prefer a matt finish to an oil painting, for example, if it is abstract as opposed to traditional art. How can the artist get a matt finish to an oil painting?What Makes Oil Painting Shiny?
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| Matt or Gloss Varnish? Rachel Shirley |
Oil paints basically consist of two elements: the pigment and the vehicle. The pigment, often a powder form, is sometimes derived from organic materials, such as plant matter; others, from minerals. But relatively recently, synthetic substitutes have come into play which offers equal tinting strength and permanency to traditional pigments. Of course, the pigment is no good without a medium through which it may travel. In the case of oil paint, the vehicle is oil.
Shiny and Matt Oil Paint
Oil by its nature is shiny. Pale colours, particularly titanium white are often blended with sunflower oil, as it is non-yellowing. Most other colours are blended with linseed oil. The high finish of oil paint gives a lustrous and rich finish to oil paint, particularly suited to detailed work and traditional oil painting. When wet the oil painting is particularly shiny. But the artist may notice some oil pigments dry more matt than others, resulting in a patchy appearance.
Although in some cases, this may be due to the oil paint sinking into an absorbent painting support, this is more often caused by the individual nature of the pigments and how they are blended with the oil. However, once coated with varnish, the oil painting will have equal gloss.
How to Get a Matt Oil Painting
The artist may obtain a matt finish to an oil painting in three ways:
- Adding an alkyd medium
such as Liquin to the oil paint.
- Using alkyds in place of oils.
- Using a matt varnish
once the painting is dry.
Using Alkyds Instead of Oils
The artist may also consider using alkyd paints instead of oil which offer the same properties as traditional oils, but with a quick drying non-lustrous finish. A misnomer, alkyd oils, as they are sometime known, is not really a type of oil paint at all, as the vehicle is a special alkyd resin. It must be borne in mind, that a matt varnish should be applied to an alkyd painting to retain the matt look.
Matt Varnish for Oils
The third option, using a matt varnish for oil painting is the most common option.
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Varnishes offering different finishes are now available on the market. A matt varnish provides a tough and protective barrier against dirt and dust, just like the traditional gloss varnish, but without the lustrous finish. Spray matt varnish can be obtained for a finish free of brush marks. A matt finish might be preferred to gloss for contemporary or abstract art.
Satin varnish 
offer a finish somewhere between gloss and matt. One of my personal favourites, the artist may find matt varnishes too lustreless for taste and yet not desire a glossy finish. Satin varnishes are ideal for contemporary as well as traditional art.
offer a finish somewhere between gloss and matt. One of my personal favourites, the artist may find matt varnishes too lustreless for taste and yet not desire a glossy finish. Satin varnishes are ideal for contemporary as well as traditional art.Links on Oil Painting Finishes
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