Q: Recently I have been seeing paintings varnished with what
I believe to be self-leveling epoxy resin. I would like to test this
product but am not exactly sure what kind to use and whether it is safe
to use on oil paintings. Do you have any information on using this type
of surface?
A: There are many mediums that allow paint
to assume a variety of finished textures, but acrylic and oil paints
each have their own mediums. The self-leveling appearance is a result
of the medium that is mixed with the paints, and the thick, whipped
effect you noticed is called "impasto." There is a wide variety of
mediums designed to produce numerous effects. Sennelier, for instance,
has recently introduced a new line of oil mediums. You can e-mail
info@savoirfaire.com for detailed explanations of the mediums’
properties as well as for information on where you can purchase them.
--by Camille LaPointe-Lyons