Is Polymer Gloss Varnish as shiny as Polymer Medium?
In our testing, we notice the Polymer Varnish Gloss seems less glossy than the Polymer Medium Gloss. It may just be a visual thing, as the gloss reading seems to be similar in the lab. The GOLDEN MSA Varnish Gloss, which is a mineral spirit-based acrylic, does offer similar if not better gloss than the Polymer Medium. We would suggest testing these products out (dark colors show differences best) and seeing if it alters your work in a less than positive way. If so, you may not wish to varnish. There are many artists who do not varnish their work, but it may come back to haunt them or the collector later down the road. A conservator will essentially have to remove grime a small section at a time, which takes a long time. Some artists feel it's not their problem to deal with, but it will be something you'll have to consider for yourself. Take a look at the varnish information on our Web site.

Can you use Polymer Medium as a final varnish?
As durable as these films are, the evaporating water leaves microscopic "worm holes" making the film porous. This is great for allowing moisture to pass through it and not cause the film to crack, but the pores eventually fill with dirt and dust, and this will lower the brilliance of the artwork until a conservation effort is undertaken. When you apply Polymer Medium over the paint, it's the same material without the pigment, so it consolidates the gloss, but doesn't really offer any protection. GOLDEN Varnishes are meant to be removable, offer ultraviolet protection, and come in gloss, satin (lower sheen than gloss) and matte. As the grime builds up (more slowly since it is a different acrylic) it can be stripped off relatively easy with the varnish layer and a new one applied, returning the original depth.