<p>Bristol board tends to be water adverse. Good for pencil and ink work but likely to buckle if using water colors or other wash like paints that will dampen larger areas of the board.</p>
<p>The color pencil work will also likely lose vibrancy if you gel over them. They will definitely look different.</p>
<p>For that reason I would advise against varnishing or applying the acrylic medium across the board. The best way to protect works on paper like this is to display them under glass.</p>
<p>If that is not an option then do some tests of the acrylic top coats using the same materials and bristol board. Maybe start with blank board just to see what the gel and/or varnish does to its finish. Then see how it works with the pencils. Since it is made for acrylic paints they should not be a problem but the coatings can still change their finished appearance.</p>
<p>Question changed edit: A varnish typically covers the entire painting to enhance and protect it equally across the work. Varnishing just parts will create an uneven appearance so even if the white areas stay brighter the overall effect will look unfinished at best. It will age differently as well so the uneven look will increase with time.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-26T19:36:04.533Z
2024-08-07T13:54:43.740Z
2024-08-07T13:54:43.740Z
rebusB
<p>I have a mixed media painting made with acrylic paint, Prismacolor Premier pencils and some fixative on Bristol Board paper.</p>
<p>My plan is to protect it with Golden Soft Gel Gloss (isolation coat) and then Golden MSA Varnish with UVLS (Matte).</p>
<p>The goal is to prevent the colors from fading over time.</p>
<p>Is this a good idea for Bristol Board?</p>
<p>Side question:</p>
<p>I have left some areas of the painting free from paint or pencils to use the incredibly white color of Bristol Board for the whitest areas.
If I cover these areas with any of the two products for varnishing, they will most likely become less bright.</p>
<p>Is it a good idea to not varnish these areas?</p>

<varnish><mixed-media>
Varnishing acrylic painting on Bristol board
Rye bread
# Varnishing acrylic painting on Bristol board

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-07-23)

I have a mixed media painting made with acrylic paint, Prismacolor Premier pencils and some fixative on Bristol Board paper.

My plan is to protect it with Golden Soft Gel Gloss (isolation coat) and then Golden MSA Varnish with UVLS (Matte).

The goal is to prevent the colors from fading over time.

Is this a good idea for Bristol Board?

Side question:

I have left some areas of the painting free from paint or pencils to use the incredibly white color of Bristol Board for the whitest areas.
If I cover these areas with any of the two products for varnishing, they will most likely become less bright.

Is it a good idea to not varnish these areas?

**Tags:** varnish, mixed-media


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-07-26. Score: 2

Bristol board tends to be water adverse. Good for pencil and ink work but likely to buckle if using water colors or other wash like paints that will dampen larger areas of the board.

The color pencil work will also likely lose vibrancy if you gel over them. They will definitely look different.

For that reason I would advise against varnishing or applying the acrylic medium across the board. The best way to protect works on paper like this is to display them under glass.

If that is not an option then do some tests of the acrylic top coats using the same materials and bristol board. Maybe start with blank board just to see what the gel and/or varnish does to its finish. Then see how it works with the pencils. Since it is made for acrylic paints they should not be a problem but the coatings can still change their finished appearance.

Question changed edit: A varnish typically covers the entire painting to enhance and protect it equally across the work. Varnishing just parts will create an uneven appearance so even if the white areas stay brighter the overall effect will look unfinished at best. It will age differently as well so the uneven look will increase with time.


---

