Choosing a Clear Coating
Question: Which clear protective coating should I use for my artwork?
Answer: There are so many clear coating choices on the market that it can be hard to decide which one is right for your particular project. Since I don’t know much about your particular project, I will try to simplify the choices for you as much as possible.
Your choice will be determined based on the medium that you are using, as well as the gloss level that you prefer. Your decision could also be affected by the need for UV protection or the ability to spray indoors. The good news is that whatever you choose, all Krylon® clear coatings are non-yellowing and dry in minutes.
First, decide whether you want a permanent or removable coating. Removable coatings are ideal for fine art as they can be removed if a painting requires cleaning in the future. If you don’t need that particular feature, then choose from the permanent coatings by deciding if sheen, UV protection or low odor is most important to you.
Removable coatings:
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Workable Fixatif is used for pencil, pastels, chalk, charcoal, graphite, conte crayon, India ink, and watercolor. Fixatives protect against smudging of art materials and will not wrinkle your paper. Krylon Workable Fixatif also makes it easy to rework your art if necessary; meaning, after you spray a coating of protection onto your work surface, you can easily erase through the dry coating to make a change to your work.
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Kamar® Varnish is used to protect oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings and to maintain a fresh-from-the-palette look. This synthetic varnish protects like a traditional damar varnish; however, there are no impurities and the finish will not yellow like traditional damar. Kamar Varnish can be removed using mineral spirits to clean a painting if necessary in the future.
Permanent coatings:
Choose by Sheen:
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Crystal Clear is a permanent, protective gloss finish. This non-yellowing protection is moisture resistant and dries in minutes.
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Matte Finish eliminates glossy sheen while not yellowing your artwork. Matte Finish delivers non-glare, moisture-resistant protection quickly and easily. The finish goes on smooth and clear, and dries to the touch in minutes.
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Triple Thick Crystal Clear Glaze creates a bright glass-like coating with a superior high gloss finish. Also, as the name implies, one coat of Krylon Triple Thick Crystal Clear Glaze is the equivalent of three coats of most other clear coating options.
Choose for fade resistance:
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UV-Resistant Clear Coating protects your artwork from harmful UV light rays. This specialized coating is made for use on artwork that is outside or near windows to protect against fading. For a greater variety of finishes, the UV-Resistant Clear Coatings are available in both gloss and matte finishes.
Choose for low odor/soap & water clean up:
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Low Odor Clear Coatings are clear latex enamels. This specialized protection cleans up easily with soap and water and can even be sprayed indoors with proper ventilation to give you the flexibility to do your artwork wherever you want. The Low Odor Clear Coating is also available in both a gloss and matte finish.
