Varnishes for inkjet
Inkjet prints offer excellent color permanence, but their surface is fragile. The application of a protective varnish eliminates this weakness and guarantees greater color stability.
Permanence of colors, fragility of surfaces
Inkjet prints are increasingly present in museums and galleries. They no longer suffer from the criticism of inferior conservation compared to silver gelatin prints or chromogenic prints. The public has accepted them. Pigment media and inks offer a very broad chromatic palette. Their level of preservation has exceeded that of chromogenic prints for a good fifteen years.
Henry Wilhelm’s website, a formidable mine of information on the conservation of inkjet prints, tells us that prints made on Canon, Epson or HP printers happily pass the 100-year mark. It has also been demonstrated that a protective varnish increases print conservation by 20 to 40% by protecting them from UV rays. It also eliminates gloss differences between the printed areas and the paper margin. Last but not least, it makes the very fragile surface of inkjet prints, especially matt surfaces, much more resistant to abrasion.
Varnish for prints
The product Wilhelm uses is PremierArt Print Shield, not widely available in France. Spray equivalents are available from Hahnemühle, with Protective Spray or from Ghiant with Inkjet Fix. The latter is available for three surfaces: gloss, satin and matte. Hahnemühle spray contains polymer resin and a benzotriazole derivative, an ingredient familiar to traditional darkroom photographers since it is used as an antifoggant in many developer formulas. Benzotriazole can also absorb UV rays, preventing dyes and pigments from fading. Ghiant gives no indication of the composition of its product. These atomizers can be used for about 80 A4 prints.
Varnish application
Varnish application techniques are similar for both Hahnemühle and Ghiant. Practice on a duplicate print to get the hang of it. First, shake the spray bottle well for about ten seconds.
The print should be placed on an inclined plane or horizontally in a dust-free location. To avoid spraying varnish around the print, use a sheet of paper or cardboard larger than the size of the print. Spray from a distance of 20 to 30 cm from the paper.
Varnish is applied in rapid zigzags over the entire print. The surface will dry in 5 to 10 minutes. A second coat is required to achieve an even coating distribution. This second step is accomplished by rotating the print 90°.
Print drying
At the end of the session, the spray nozzle is purged by briefly pressing it down. Although dry to the touch after a few minutes, the prints need to dry completely for about ten hours before they can be stacked.
Let’s close with a few practical notes. When using Hahnemühle spray on matte paper, we have found that spraying must be done without going over the same area. If the coating is too thick, a mottled effect appears on dark flat areas. We didn’t have this problem with the Ghiant spray, which is designed for matt surfaces. Preliminary tests are therefore highly recommended.
Discover the photography courses at Spéos
Spéos offers various training courses ranging from simple one-week photography courses (initiation and advanced level) to 3-year courses. The long courses to become professional photographers allow you not only to master all the photographic techniques and its vocabulary (blurs, hyperfocus, sharpness zone, depth of field, backlighting, focal length, shutter release, autofocus, wide-angle, rule of thirds, etc.), but also all the stages of shooting and image processing.
Visiting the school allows you to discover the premises, the studios and the equipment, and is undoubtedly the best way to familiarize yourself with your future way of working. This is why, in addition to the open days, Spéos offers throughout the year personalized visits by appointment to come and discover the school with a member of the team.
Text and photos: Philippe Bachelier, teacher of Printing techniques at Spéos
