FAQs
What is a Varnished Watercolour?
In many of my recent works, I have eliminated the need to frame my watercolours with glass, by finishing them with an archival acrylic varnish. In order to varnish a watercolour, it first needs to be permanently fused to a sealed wood panel.
The varnish is spray applied in multiple layers to achieve a well-protected, natural finish. It permanently bonds with the watercolour pigment and paper resulting in an acrylic impregnated image. Archival acrylic varnish protects a watercolour painting from UV rays, moisture and dirt. Varnished watercolour paintings are as durable and archival as acrylic and oil paintings. They are fully sealed and can be dusted and wiped with a damp cloth.
The texture of the watercolour paper shows through the varnish, allowing these paintings to retain the visual quality of a watercolour. To further present the natural quality of the watercolour paper, I sometimes leave the natural decaled edges of the paper exposed around the panel. Other times they are trimmed flush to the edges.
Overall, varnishing creates a contemporary presentation where a watercolour painting can be experienced directly, without glass.
What is a Giclée Print?
A giclée print is an archival quality ink jet reproduction of an original painting. The original painting is scanned or photographed and carefully colour matched by printing experts to create a giclée print that look exactly like an original. Giclées can be printed on canvas or archival, textured watercolour paper. Canvas giclée prints are coated with a durable UV protective surface. They need to be stretched on internal wood frames for display. Canvas prints do not need to be framed behind glass but can be framed with a float frame depending on customer preference. Watercolour paper giclée prints do need to be framed with mats and glass for protection.
What is a Limited-Edition Print?
A limited-edition print is one of a set number of prints that will be made of a particular original painting. For example, there may be an edition of 50 prints in total for each original work. Limited Edition prints are signed and numbered with a certificate of authenticity attached to the back. Limited Edition prints are typically considered more valuable than open edition prints. They are often part of a small print run, making them more exclusive.
What is Print on Demand?
When a limited-edition print is purchased it is ordered and printed through a trusted local printer. Prints are made specifically for each customer and therefore cannot be returned. When the total number of prints in a limited edition have been printed, the product will be marked as sold out. Please allow 2 weeks processing time (prior to shipping) for all limited-edition print sales.
What is a Transparent Watercolour?
All of my watercolours use traditional techniques for transparent watercolour.
Transparency is the quality of watercolour that allows light to pass through glazes of paint to reflect off the paper’s surface. Transparency as a classification indicates that no white or opaque gouache paints were used. In a transparent watercolour, the white of the paper is carefully preserved by the artist wherever white areas are required.
Creating a transparent watercolour is highly technical. Mistakes cannot simply be painted over and changes are difficult to make. True transparent watercolours have a luminous quality that is second to no other medium or technique. The white paper literally glows through the pigment.