How To Make A Painting Shine! 

I’m so in love with the bear painting being a resident of BC it’s so much like the forest feels when your walking

Your paintings are incredible. Absolutely incredible.

Hello Julia. My first time watching you and your work is lovely! Your abstract that you think is awful is not awful. Maybe in the ugly stage …I don’t think it’s ugly either, but just at that stage before it becomes wonderful. When I get like this with a painting I take one of two paths. I put it away and look at it again sometime in the future or I just throw caution to the wind and go nuts! I look forward to watching more of your content. Thank you.

First off, you are so adorable! Secondly, I absolutely LOVE that abstract painting!

Love how you take us along on your journey and evolution. Change is great. Keep going with the abstracts and using the oils too. 😊

I love seeing your painted apron, i get it all over me when i paint, enjoyed your class i will get some varnish and do one of my paintings.

lol…I paint for my own pleasure and friends. I’ve been using that same varnish for a few years. . Who knew I “actually know what I’m doing”. Thank you for your very helpful and informative videos. I love them and have learned so many helpful tips. Deb Edmonton

So good art-work Thanks, Julia

I just love the realistic her in the middle of an abstract forest. It is just amazing. I wish I could paint half as well.

I love the bear painting and the colors really popped (even more) once you varnished it.I usually have to do at least two coats of varnish as my work has a lot of texture.

Thank you for sharing 🥰👍

I am a painter and I am so inspired by your work Julia! Thank you for sharing your amazing skills and imagination with us ❤

Truly loved the abstract more so when you first began it. The stroke work and the colors were exceptional💗😎 and unique showing you 💟😎

Beautiful painting. A real gem by a rustic Master.

Varnishing makes paintings pop! Yours look so good varnished, Julia. When doing abstracts, the saying is....when in doubt, get the big brush out. It always works! Use a big brush to x-out the areas you don't like and maybe go in a different direction than the strokes that are on the canvas. I typically use a dark color on the big brush. Just a suggestion! You don't have to do this....but.....if you're going to throw the painting out, give it a whirl and see if it does something that opens up a new avenue for you, Julia. :D

I do see the difference it brings Them to life your beautiful paintings 😍

Prismatic effect. Varnish divides visible light into the 3 primary colors. Luv the look honey buns.💝

WOW that makes a big difference! I like your art style bold and colourful and confidence with a big canvas. Im just starting to paint and I havent made anything bigger than A4 yet. But i like your saying 'go big or go home' :) Also what a lovely bright studio and beautiful garden! Thank you for sharing, greetings from New Zealand

I think the Bear painting is my favorite that I have seen of your work. Maybe it is because I love animals :). Yes, the varnish makes a huge difference. I like your abstract. For the Q&A video, can you maybe talk about your time when you lived in Africa.

Thank you Julia I learned some things I needed to know and I saw the things that you wanted us to see

Just found your channel, love this pic with the bear

I can really see it! Thank you so much for this video! Subscribed and looking forward to more of your art. ❤️

Great work !! I always varnish 4 coats and being very careful to be even. Next time I’ll try your technique it looks like a lot of fun. I know customer appreciate having the painting varnished and it also protects the artwork.

I can’t believe I haven’t seen your videos before. I love love love your style. New subscriber for sure.

It really brings out the color to varnish!

Thanks for sharing! Everything looks great!!!

I paint in oils and I do love the varnish at the end!❤😘🙏🏻✨🎨

Love your painting style! I have used the gloss varnish but prefer the satin as it still brings out the colors but it's not as shiny. Some of my clients prefer a matte finish.

I don’t think it’s awful! From a distance it looks great and you can do more to it. Don’t give up.

The bear painting is stunning! I really want to buy glossy varnish now - the painting looks enameled! 😄

Wow very nice Painting. I very2 like you style.i want to try this . I still always follow you channel,

Oh my yes u can see. I tend to forget that! I did varnish one tonight wow and post it

Varnish is dreamy❤

Actually I quite like the abstract! The bear painting 😍

When you use the paint brush to stroke on the varnish, do you have to be careful that you don't end up with visible (obnoxious) brush strokes? Also, have you ever tried spray-on varnish? (that is the only one I've used.) And, does the scent make you keel over? lol I am very sensitive to strong smells like varnish. Just spraying one very small painting just about gave me a headache. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. I can definitely see, on the close-up, that the varnish does add a wonderful richness. To me, acrylic paint is very matt in finish (kinda boring and dull in my opinion), so I like the look of your varnished paintings. What is an isolation coat? Sounds interesting. lol

New subscriber. Just gorgeous and free feeling! Does this varnish turn yellow at all? I have a painting with lots of white, and am researching. Love to hear about your on line art shows! Keep that abstract a while. Turn its face to the wall. You can slash it or burn it or take a power sander to it later, but once done, it’s done. Don’t stress. Do something that makes you happy! I’ll certainly be back to see what else you’ve done in the past videos, and look forward to future posts!

Beautiful bear painting!!!

Hi Julia. How long do you let your painting dry before varnishing and how many coats of varnish do you apply?

Wow, awesome, we can definitely see the difference that the gloss varnish makes! Great that you have ventilation with the oil paint. *You said that your square foot show is, "Thursday, June 11th." (It's during the 12th minute of this video.) I believe you mean Thursday, July 11th. In case you want to pin a comment with that or anything. :). Good luck with the abstract and if you end up hating it, you can always gesso over it and start over again fresh! There's also black gesso, if that is appealing to you.

I could definitely see the increased details in the varnished sections and that seems like a must do to cover up the weave indents of the canvas. I agree on painting around the edges to extend the image. Question: do you “normally” varnish all your square foot paintings? PS - I like how you remedied the left tree area on the bear painting!

. Thank you for your videos..

❤ That bear painting is just so beautiful. Do you think the varnish will yellow over time? I'm just finding you on youtube. And wow! I have been missing out! What kind of varnish are you using and can this be done with watercolor do you think?

Wow, I just found you! I really love your style! I am working on a commission too..24X48 in oil. I would like to see how you finish an oil painting. These two look like acrylic, am I right? I love the extra drying time of using oil and the mixing to get the correct hue. Watercolor is my true passion. Do you also do watercolor? I really like your style and use of color….you have a great eye for it. So glad I found you.👍👍

i really like your video..its amazing ,

Question, with oils how long into the drying process should you wait for it to be dry before you varnish? Thank you, David.

Thanks so much for showing this. You don’t seem to have any issues with brush strokes in the varnish? Can I ask how long you leave the painting to dry please.

No! I like the abstract!

Do you photograph your work for prints before you varnish? I find a gloss varnish makes photography difficult. I love the shine, but tend to use satin instead so that I can photograph it later

I like is. After how Many days or weeks? Can you do this? Is this only for the acrylics?

Wow, I just found you! I really love your style! I am working on a commission too..24X48 in oil. I would like to see how you finish an oil painting. These two look like acrylic, am I right? 👍👍

Hi. How long do you leave your paintings before you varnish? How many coats do you apply?

Another question... I'm painting a Barstool Table Set.. any ideas about a varnish that will withstand drinks & outside weather? It's a wooden table top & wooden top seats. Metal I plan to spray paint. Thank you! 😊

How do you avoid getting bubbles when applying the varnish???

Does your varnish show brush strokes when it dries? I have use the liquitex gloss medium before but it shows brush strokes, is there a difference?

Love the abstract!!! Do you take photos for prints BEFORE you varnish?

Stunning works Julia! I have to agree, I'm not feeling the oil painting. Best of luck for the show, and enjoy your break x Nell.

I have a question. I have many paintings I have finished that need a coat of varnish. They are covered in dust at the moment. What's a safe way to clean them before varnishing? I have oil and acrylic paintings. Can the same varnish be used on both or do you need to use something special to varnish oil paintings? Ok that was more than one question, sorry. 😊

What kind of varnish are you using? I’m a newbie. Your paintings are beautiful!

Oil looks like Kodak film acrylic is like Fujifilm circa 1985 or so.

Thank you for this vid! Silly QUESTION??? Acrylics new to me so what do you do with a brush hair that you missed and is now dry? It's easy fix in watercolor but this....

Yes, Julia....we can see very well...and i would like to know If when you varnish on diferent directions, It Will not appear when It dries....do you know what a mean?

What type of brush do you use to varnish? Is it nylon, synthetic…? LOVE your work by the way.

Does the varnish show the paintbrush strokes after it dries? Kinda worried... I bought a Triple Thick varnish spray on.. have you tried that before?

I am trying to make my own yard paintings. I am ordering what tips or tricks you have for outdoor art because I’m clueless.

Varnishing It is always a tense moment to me....and i keep doing the brush Strokes in one direction....

Why are the canvases that color?

Is that varnish self-levelling? I follow the Milans - Elli, Dimitra and John and have taken some of their classes online - they will often paint with both acrylic and oil so I am going to experiment with that. Don't give up on your abstracts....and don't roll up - perhaps just quieten areas you do not like....and then see

I just bought isolation coat. Is it necessary to put this on before varnishing?

Is spray varnish as good to use as the brush on?

Julia... your abstract is just in its "ugly" stage. Keep going, cover up what you don't like and some of what you do like. It will be wonderful.

I’ve always found that I can only do one stroke in one direction because it’s drying already. Is the difference in the Liquitex? I’ve used polyurethane varnish.

Added a thin liquitex gloss medium coat to even out my acrylic painting and it’s taking forever to dry! 3 weeks now. Is this normal that a gloss medium has to cure?

Julia what is the brush that you are using to apply varnish to your finished piece? 🎨

What kind of varnish do you use thank you

How do you clean your brush and remove the varnish?

Can you use liquid varnish over spray fixative?

how do you get ride of the brush strokes?

What kind of varnish? Brand? Gloss?

How do you clean your varnish brush?

Your paintings are beautiful,you have you own style. But the bear is supposed to be a little bigger. So people know the main theme is a bear.

Looks like Gaugan to me.

Very Emily Carr who I love

You need to put something in the upper right corner to balance your abstract. I don’t like the red rim on your paintings. I love the paintings just not the red rims

$5000 or more in a gallery I'd say.

😻💖💗💙💜💚💛💟🤩🤩

Don’t use solvents …very dangerous and completely unnecessary. We use soap and water to clean our greasy cook wear, so we can just wash our brushes in soap and water. It works well.

I’m only here to protest against sharing secret things on RU-vid.

And what is the top secret??🤣🤣🤣🤣

ХХХ !!!