Using varnish in acrylic painting is the easiest and most popular way to make your painting look better even greater archival-quality protects your painting from dirt, dust, UV rays, and yellowing. Most essentially, varnish also unifies uneven tones caused by using various mediums and water in different areas throughout your painting.
Ideally, varnishes are made from solvent and resin that create good gloss that can enhance the vibrancy of the colors in a painting, especially dark colors giving it the look of an oil painting.
When you are choosing the Best Varnish for Acrylic Painting on Canvas, at first, you need to decide whether you want to use a brush-on varnish that is mostly used by acrylic artists or spray varnish. It might be better for you to prefer brush-on varnish because it gives greater control over the outcome. But some artists might prefer a spray varnish. Here you will get both kinds of the best brand of varnish for acrylic painting on canvas.
Best Varnish for Acrylic Painting on Canvas
| Brand Name | Image | Rating | Price |
| Liquitex 5216 Matte Varnish 16Oz Multicolor |   |
4.7 | View on Amazon |
| Sargent Art 22-8808 16-Ounce Acrylic Gloss and Varnish |   |
4.5 | View on Amazon |
| Grumbacher Hyplar Gloss Varnish Spray for Acrylic Paintings |   |
4.6 | View on Amazon |
| Pro-Art Golden Polymer Varnish 8Oz Gloss for Acrylic-Multicolour |   |
4.7 | View on Amazon |
| Golden Polymer Varnish W/UVLS, 16 Oz, Gloss |   |
4.7 | View on Amazon |
1. Liquitex 5216 Matte Varnish 16Oz Multicolor
When you are looking for the best varnish for acrylic painting on canvas, Liquitex 5216 Matte Varnish 16Oz Multicolor would be your first choice.
It comes in several different sheens which can all be intermixed for a customized sheen. It is a low-odor, permanent and durable medium with water-based technology, translucent when wet, clear when dry. Liquitex 5216 Matte Varnish resists discoloring due to humidity heat and ultraviolet light. You can use it with spray paint, heavy body, soft body.
The varnish dries to a non-tacky, hard, flexible surface that is resistant to dirt retention. It is hard, archival, non-yellowing, and water-resistant when dry that protects acrylic color from harsh elements for interior and exterior use.
The Liquitex varnish mediums protect the painting surface from the environment and protect the pigments from ultraviolet light. Moreover, varnishes you can use to change or unify an acrylic painting’s surface sheen.
Liquitex varnishes are either permanent or removable and can be applied to both flexible and rigid supports.
2. Sargent Art 22-8808 16-Ounce Acrylic Gloss and Varnish
Then you can choose confidently the Sargent Art varnish that dries to a permanent, waterproof, and protective finish. It is non-toxic, acid-free, and safe to use as it is AP certified. You can also mix it with acrylic paint or use as a clear coat.
Moreover, you can apply it to the
3. Grumbacher Hyplar Gloss Varnish Spray for Acrylic Painting
If you would like to get a stunning gloss for your acrylic painting and a protective coating, then you can decide on this spray varnish that provides an even and brilliant gloss surface. Grumbacher Hyplar Gloss Varnish Spray is non-yellowing, transparent that dries quickly, and create a permanent effect.
Potentially it protects paintings from dirt, moisture, and scuffing. It is removable with paint thinner or other mild solvents contains no fluorocarbons.
4. Pro-Art Golden Polymer Varnish 8Oz Gloss for Acrylic Painting-Multicolour
Pro-Art Golden Polymer Varnish would be your perfect suit that is a waterborne acrylic polymer varnish that dries to a protective flexible dust-resistant surface. You can use it as a final sealant over acrylic paint on canvas. You need to make it thin before use. It is formulated thicker than traditional varnishes to maintain an even suspension of matting agents. This varnish is removable with ammonia for restoration purposes. This package contains an 8oz jar of polymer varnish that conforms to ASTM D 4236.
Highly suitable for acrylic painting projects that acid and toxic-free designed for easy uses.
5. Golden Polymer Varnish W/UVLS, 16 Oz, Gloss
And finally, it would be a great deal if you go with Golden Acrylic Polymer Varnish with UVLS, 16 oz, Gloss. This waterborne acrylic polymer varnish dries to a protective, flexible, dust resistant surface over acrylic paint. Ultraviolet light stabilizers reduce the damage caused by the sun. It can be removed with ammonia.
There are acrylic-based spray polys that are better suited for gloss finishes on alternate surfaces.
If you apply it to a very large acrylic canvas painting it will turn out great. You can mix the two varnishes to get a medium glossy finish. It goes on great and really made the colors bright. It also will bring out your brush strokes a lot more which adds a nice textured look to the painting. Eventually, you will get a very consistent and high-quality finish.
Things to Keep in Mind When Applying Varnish for Acrylic Painting on Canvas
You should take a day or two for the acrylic paint to be completely dry, then apply the isolation coat (optional), and wait another day or more before varnishing. If you paint with thick acrylic paint like impasto, it is better to wait a couple of weeks before applying the isolating layer of varnish.
It is good applying varnish on acrylic artwork between the temperature of 65-75° F and the humidity between 50-75%. Keep in mind that too much humidity or cooler temperatures may cause moisture to get trapped between the varnish and paint layers, resulting in whiteness or opacity.
You can brush or spray the acrylic varnishes. When applying, watch out for foaming, non-uniform coverage, releasing of particles from the applicator, etc. Let them dry flat in a place with no dust, leaves, or other things that might fall on the wet surface. You can also read How to Varnish Acrylic Painting in a simple way.
