Best Ways to Seal an Acrylic Painting 

Leaving the protection of an artist’s artwork up to chance is not a smart idea especially when considering acrylic paintings. These paintings are susceptible to dust, dirt, and other things that could ruin the painting. The best way to avoid ruining an acrylic painting is to apply sealant to your painting. 

The best ways to seal an acrylic painting is to use an acrylic resin varnish, acrylic polymer varnish, clear sealer, or mod podge, depending on the surface you are painting on. 

To avoid confusion, the word varnish can be used to refer to a traditional, oil-based finish or a general term for any finish. In this article, varnish will be used as a general term to mean “protective coat”. Let’s dive in. 

Why Would I Need to Seal An Acrylic Painting?

Whether you plan to sell your artwork or keep it for yourself, you should consider sealing your work with some sort of varnish when you get finished. Just because the paint on your canvas has dried, that doesn’t mean that your artwork is going to keep that same look without any protection.  

Sealing your painting with varnish will protect your artwork from yellowing over time. Varnishing your art will also protect your work from UV rays, dust, and other natural elements that can alter the look of your work. 

Even if you are not concerned about protecting your finished work, a coat of varnish will give your painting a fresh and professional look that will last a long time. It is also completely okay to choose to not seal your acrylic painting, especially if you are not sure if you want to paint over it in the future. 

How to Seal an Acrylic Painting

To properly seal an acrylic painting, you will need to decide on a varnish, a finish, and an application style. Let’s go through each of these categories:

What Type of Varnish Should I Use? 

The specific type of varnish you need will be determined by the surface you are painting on. For canvas paintings, you should be choosing between acrylic resin varnish and acrylic polymer varnish. 

Acrylic Resin Varnish 

Resin varnishes are great if you are looking to give your painting a glossy finish, and this type of varnish tends to be stronger and clearer than polymer varnishes.

However, you will need to apply an isolation coat to your painting before you apply the varnish to avoid a cloudy appearance. This step is especially crucial if you plan on using satin or matte varnish. 

One major disadvantage of using resin varnish is that these solutions are toxic if inhaled, so you must make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated space. You also have to use mineral spirits to clean your brush when you are done. 

Acrylic Polymer Varnishes

You may find that artwork with a layer of polymer varnish applied to it may not be as vibrant and glossy as artwork with resin acrylic applied to it. 

But, polymer varnish is non-toxic, so you do not have to worry about the ventilation of your workspace. You can also use regular soap and water to wash your brushes. 

Clear Sealer for Wood Surfaces 

If you are using acrylic paint on wood, in order to seal it, you have to use a clear sealer or a wax-based polycrylic sealant. This type of sealant is non-flammable and typically has very little odor, so you will not likely have to be concerned about the ventilation of your workspace.

Polycrylic sealant does not require a special solution for cleanup and can be washed away with regular soap and water. This sealant is safe to use to seal artwork on wood, but it is good practice to do a test section before you seal the entire artwork. 

Mod Podge 

If you are an artist who uses acrylic paint on a variety of surfaces, mod podge may be the best option for sealants for you. Just as water is the “universal solvent” to chemists, mod podge is considered to be a “universal sealant” of sorts. You can use it to seal acrylic paint on anything from paper to metal or even fabrics. 

Mod podge is also extremely safe to use anywhere as it is non-toxic, non-flammable, and can be easily cleaned up with soap and water. 

This sealant has a variety of finishes, so you have the same ability to choose the type of finish that you want. You also have the ability to choose between brush-on application and spray-on application. 

Mod Podge is a very popular varnish brand so you can find it pretty easily online and in brick-and-mortar stores. 

Clear Coat Acrylic Sealant 

Clear coat acrylic sealant is very similar to the clear sealer for wood. It doesn’t add a yellow tint to your artwork. Clear Coat also protects your artwork from smudges and moisture.

The big difference between the two is that Clear Coat can be used on a variety of surfaces. 

Acrylic Glaze 

One alternative to using a varnish would be to use an acrylic glaze. Acrylic glazes are just simply translucent paint. 

Despite the simple description, glazes are known to transform paintings and give them a life-like appearance. 

Glazes tend to be watery, so it is important that you are attentive during the application process. 

Different Ways to Apply Varnish 

There are a few different characteristics of varnishes that you should consider especially if you  have a specific type of finish in mind:

Brush-On vs. Spray-On 

There are two application methods for coating your varnish on your work. You can either apply the varnish with a brush onto your work or you can spray the varnish onto your work.  

Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to both, and what you decide to use can be determined by your personal preference as there is not a significant separation in quality.  

Brush on varnish gives the applicant a greater feeling of control than the spray, but the spray-on varnish does allow for a more even application. If you want to save time during the application process, the spray-on varnish is the way to go. 

If you decide to use spray-on varnish, be aware that it may be more difficult to purchase as brush-on varnish is more commonly used and produced. 

What Type of Finish Do You Want? 

There are three types of finishes you can choose for your painting: glossy, satin, or matte. 

Depending on the look you are trying to achieve with your artwork and the surface you are painting on, the type of sealant you use will vary. 

• Glossy sealant → use for a vibrant finish that will make your colors pop 

• Matte sealant → use this if you don’t want your painting to have any glare

• Satin sealant → a medium between the matte and glossy finish 

Matte varnish is best for someone who wants to seal their artwork without a shiny look. This type of varnish is also known to soften the colors of your painting. 

On the other end of the spectrum, a glossy varnish will often bring out the pigments in your work, making the colors more vibrant. 

A satin varnish is a happy medium between a glossy and matte varnish. Satin varnishes typically create less glare than a glossy varnish. Satin varnishes are also known to lighten dark colors as well as soften the pigments overall. 

If you are not sure if these varnishes will give you the finish that you want or if you want a finish that falls in between two types of varnish, you can mix two or more of the varnishes to get your desired finish. 

Choosing the Right Sealant for You

Sealing an acrylic painting can protect precious artwork for years to come. Choosing the right one takes a little bit of time to make just the right choices for your artwork. What did you choose to seal your painting with? Share in the comments below what you chose and why!