articles/Paper/breathingcolourcanvas-page5
by Mike McNamee Published 01/08/2011
Varnishing - The Technique
Apart from the matter of the increase in saturation and density, varnishing also toughens the print surface very considerably. Given that most canvas prints are better displayed without glass, then some form of protection is desirable.
The Breathing Color website hosts excellent video instructions on using their giclee varnishes both by roller application and LPHV (Low Pressure High Volume) spraying. Obviously the spray method is for serious users and those who make prints as part of their core business. More casual users will stay with roller application and the extra work this involves.
Other than following the video, here are some notes from our experience. Firstly ensure that the tray for holding the varnish is clean and free of flash trimmings from the moulding process. Also check that the roller is moving freely on its holder while it is dry. The sponge material of the rollers is a high-density variant, essential to reduce the foaming that can occur during application.
The surface of an inkjet canvas is quite delicate and roller application of the first (and sometimes only) coat should be gentle. We still prefer to puddle the varnish onto the print and then push it about using only the weight of the roller, ie do not apply any additional pressure. Our roller was slightly flat spotted and when we pushed a bit harder to ensure coverage we dragged colour off the print onto the roller - you should avoid this. Take special care not to move drag-off pigments onto white picture surrounds.
Other than that, coating is a straightforward process. The only thing we would take issue with is the difficulty opening the small tubs of varnish. This is not a job for classical guitarists or ladies with long or false nails! We really struggled to open the tub and resorted to some fairly robust activity with a metal spoon. Talking of fingernails, we did not carry out any scientific tests on the durability of the surface after varnishing, it was possible, though, to drag your fingernails across it quite heavily - 'nuff said!
As described in the video, the prints should be evenly coated with quite a lot of varnish, smoothed after two minutes (once only, and gently!) and then allowed to self level and dry in a dust-free atmosphere.
Timeless varnish requires no dilution, it is ready to go, Glamour Gloss requires dilution with lukewarm water (one part water three parts varnish. Mixtures of matt and gloss varnish can be made up to create in-between levels for satin and semi-matt finishes.
The expected coverage is as follows:
1 pint (473ml) roughly does an area of 2.5-3.0 m²
1 gallon (3.78l) roughly does an area of 20-25 m²
These are estimates and heavily dependent upon the user's application technique! Glamour II can cover a bit more area because of dilution capability but probably best to err on the cautious figures above which seem to actually stack up well. For example, one pint will cover nearly 50 A4 sheets which means a £20 pot adds about 40 pence per coat to an image - not bad for what it does! Usually one or two coats (maximum) do the job!
OVERALL
These make a competent trio of materials and if you require an OBA-free canvas with good performance, the Lyve takes the prime spot. The Economy 800 makes a nice print and is rather undersold by Breathing Colour, who make great play of the OBA-free Lyve. This might reflect their American heritage; they seem to be a lot more fussy about such things over there. The price reduction on Economy means that the saving per print is trivial compared with the price at which your wall art should be sold. All the options are very competitive on price.
The Crystaline is a little enigmatic. Canvas really needs to be coated for durability. It seems to us that you might as well save the cost of the start material and invest in a coating. Then you have a choice of gloss, matt or anywhere in between (by mixing gloss and matt varnishes). However, if you really wish to avoid coating (and it is a lengthy, messy process) then you get super performance out of Crystaline.
Breathing Colour media are imported and distributed by: The Imaging Warehouse: www.breathingcolour.co.uk
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