I want to seal/varnish collaged images on paper that are glued to a variety of woods, ie yardsticks. The mediums used in drawing on the sticks are varied including India Ink, sumi ink, watercolors and oil base etching ink. The paper varies in type and some is 100 years old, and also includes new AAA maps, and handmade paper. Should I apply GOLDEN Soft Gel Gloss first, then Matte Varnish? I'm after a protective matte finish with as little interference to the images as possible.
The materials we are most concerned with are the inks and watercolors. Try to use small brushes and apply the Soft Gel Gloss isolation coat as thin as possible to reduce resolublizing these products. In fact, the best way to seal with thin coats is to spray apply. If you do not have an airbrush, you can use a Preval® sprayer, which is an inexpensive aerosol can you can fill with whatever liquid you want, even the varnish. For spraying you could continue to thin the Soft Gel Gloss, but GOLDEN Airbrush Transparent Extender works without thinning and is ready to spray. However, if you are careful with the very first brushed coats, you may not have to spray, but test before going right onto the artwork.