Today’s question comes from Christina and she asks:
“I am not a painter. I just purchased a set of painted pictures for my grandson of his favorite characters to be hung in his bedroom for his birthday. The artist shipped them to me but the sealant she used has made the painting look like they are splattered with oil kind of. They are 12×16 canvas panels painted with acrylic paint and sealed with a gloss. Is there any way to fix them now with like a Krylon glossy sealant or something like that? I contacted her and she said this is the way they all come out with the gloss sealant spray and the only other option is her redoing them new with a matte sealant. I’m not sure that will look good. Any advice would be appreciated? Can they be salvaged? Thank you!”
Do you have any information that may help Christina? Please leave your response in the comments box below. Thanks!
hi, How disappointing for your son, but there is just time to remedy this! I would be asking her to remove the sealant then painting one on for you, or else refunding your money so that you can purchase the supplies and do it yourself. What she has told you is the lazy way of doing it! I would guess she is using up a faulty spray can or using a cheap substitute, because its not acceptable for a professional artist to do this or give you that answer! I hope you used a credit card or Paypal to pay her.
I live in Australia, where art supplies are very hard to get and also very expensive, and even I know there is a bottle substitute for the spray varnish – I have some and its not as expensive as the spray. I found it among the oil painting supplies in my local art shop, and it happens to seal acrylic as well thin oil paints. Its simply painted on!
Its called Painting Medium #1 from National Art Materials, who are an Australian company, so there is bound to be an equivalent in the States. Its a hydrocarbon so flammable in use. As for removing the original finish, Derivan, Atelier and other good quality manufacturers produce a varnish remover. A trip to a good art store will get you the advice and materials you need should she refuse to help; in that case I would make sure people know exactly how awful she is! A photo of the originals on FB along with your “little chat” should do the trick; I would not normally suggest this as negotiation is always the best policy but so far it does not seem to have worked and you are running out of time.
Good luck! You can sort this out; but so can she, and she should, if she is open to resolving this issue.