GLAZING AN ACRYLIC PAINTING CREATES PROFESSIONAL RESULTS – This is a step-by-step guide to glazing an acrylic painting for beginners.
Perfect your acrylic painting with professional gloss glazing! This simple guide will show you all the steps you need to know to achieve a perfect final result giving your painting either gloss or sheen and a beautiful luster.
Acrylic painting can be a rewarding and satisfying hobby, and the final step of glazing can add a polished, professional sheen to your work. With the right supplies and technique, you’ll be able to give your acrylic piece a glossy finish that will stand out from the rest.
STEP ONE: Prepare the Painting and Glazing Medium.
Before you can begin glazing, it’s important to make sure your painting is free from dust and debris. Start by wiping the canvas down with a lint-free cloth, then allow it to dry completely.
PREPPING YOUR ART: Before you start applying the glaze, it is important to ensure your painting is properly prepared. Start by making sure the surface and back of the painting are completely cleaned with a lint-free cloth. For a truly smooth finish, use a fine sandpaper to lightly sand away any rough edges or patches of paper before continuing.
Next, mix the glazing medium with a very little bit of water to help it move. The ratio of medium to paint should be 4 parts medium to 1 part water.
IMPORTANT TIP >> When mixing acrylic glazing medium and water, do not use too much water! It will thin the glaze too much and you won’t get the lustrous finish you are working toward.
Once the mixture is ready, use a synthetic flat brush to spread the mixture evenly across the painting. Start in one corner, working in slow strokes and overlapping each pass as you go. Let each layer dry before adding another; you want the glaze to be subtle.
LAYERING IS KEY: Glazing can take several layers to achieve the desired result; for a more dramatic effect, you can use a heavier coat of glaze without any water added. Once you’re finished, the acrylic paint will have a beautiful, translucent quality.
SATIN GLAZE – a great glaze that I use all the time!
DOES GLAZE TAKE THE PLACE OF VARNISH?
No, the varnish layer (final layer) will protect your painting and give it a final finish, if you choose a matte or gloss varnish.
The glaze is just a pre-varnish layer I like to add to add luster and a final “seal” coat to a painting. You can use the final coat of glaze as a final layer and opt to not varnish, however it is up to you.
This is a glaze and varnish all in one – easy to use and inexpensive
BEST BRUSH TO USE FOR FINAL ACRYLIC GLAZE
When glazing an acrylic painting, it’s essential to use a good quality brush so the medium won’t pull away any of your carefully placed strokes.
My choice is a flat wash brush. I have them in very cheap to more expensive versions. The expensive ones are ideal for a super smooth final finish, but when working as a hobby artist or just learning, the cheap versions are just fine!
Cheap set of flat wash that would work great
More expensive “Mottler” brush is ideal for a smooth, brushless finish – you may not use it as often, but as your progress with your skills and art, it’s really nice to have at least one of these on-hand.
Example of a mottler brush
To begin the glazing process, lightly brush the mixture in even strokes onto your painting’s area of emphasis. This is done to accentuate the colors and give a lush feel to the painting. Continue on glazing with thin layers of paint until you’re happy with the depth of color and luminosity.
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USE CODE: AcrylicGlaze-10
LET ACRYLIC GLAZE LAYERS DRY THOROUGHLY – at least 24 hours.
Ensure every layer dries before continuing on – during this time you can make adjustments such as adding more intensity or expanding outside the highlighted area. Once all is set and dried completely, you can add a final coat of varnish for ultimate protection against dirt and UV rays.
Before you begin glazing, choose an acrylic medium to use as your glazing medium. This is important because the medium will mix with your paint and control how transparent or opaque the glaze will be.
The most common choices are gloss varnish, gel gloss, and flow enhancer. Each of them has their own strengths, like a high-gloss finish from the gloss varnish or more extended working time from gel gloss.
With all that in mind, it’s up to you to do your research and find what works best for your project. Once you have chosen the medium, mix it with the paint using a palette knife until you’ve achieved a consistency more viscous than regular paint.
I like to use:
-Acrylics Glazing Medium – GLOSS for a glossy finish
-Acrylic Glazing Medium – SATIN for a smooth, luster finish
I usually mix them together in a Gloss 1/3 to Satin 2/3 ratio with a few drops of water (teaspoon or less) and then use that.
SEE MY POST : How to Make an Acrylic Glaze Recipe
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