Golden Isolation Coat 237ml

An isolation coat is a clear, non-removable coating that serves to physically separate the paint surface from the removable varnish.

The isolation coat serves two purposes:

- To protect the painting if/or when the varnish is removed by separating the pigmented area of the painting from the solvents used in removal.

-To seal any absorbent areas in order to create an even surface on which to apply the varnish.

CONSIDERATIONS AND CAUTIONS:

To Apply or Not to Apply:

An isolation coat can be very beneficial to the preservation of a piece of artwork but it is not for every painting.
The decision of applying an isolation coat is first an aesthetic decision:

-Will this serve the purpose of the work?
-Secondly, are the changes created by the application of an isolation coat and subsequent varnish understood and anticipated?
-These are important questions to consider as the isolation coat will become a permanent part of the painting.

Some ways that an isolation coat may negatively affect the underlying painting are:

-Foam and bubbles resulting from mixing Soft Gel (Gloss) and water too vigorously.
-Brushstroke texture
-Change and/or loss of texture
-Change or shift of color

Testing and practice should always be done before application to insure that the isolation coat will not change or damage the piece in any way that is undesirable.

Here are a couple of examples of pieces that should not receive an isolation coat:

-Oil paintings
-Any painting done with water soluble media
-A piece with intentional varying sheens and surface qualities
-Work with metallic leaf (imitation gold leaf can tarnish with exposure to gels and paints)