Let’s Talk About Varnish (aka The Yellow Stuff)

‘What is the yellow stuff?” I get asked this all the time on Instagram – so here’s the answer! In this short video, I’m talking all about the yellow stuff aka varnish that I use on my collagraph plates — mainly shellac varnish, and sometimes acrylic varnish too. I’ll show you what it is, why I use it, and how it helps seal and strengthen the plate. I’ll explain how shellac helps me read the plate more clearly — it brings out the textures and tones so I can see what’s going on before I even start inking. But Im aware not everyone like sthe smell or wants spirits in their studio so acrylic varnish is a water based alternative. If you're curious about collagraph printmaking and want to learn more, my online course covers everything in much more detail. It’s beginner-friendly, self-paced, and packed with tips to get you printing confidently. https://www.jennymccabe.co.uk/onlinec... TABLE OF CONTENTS 0:00 whats the yellow stuff 0:39 the process of making collagraph plates 1:30 what is shellac? 3:48 acrylic varnish 4:26 Varnishing a plate 6:03 painting on the plate with shellac 7:14 painting on the plate with acrylic varnish 8:30 clean up 9:12 - cutting out the plate 9:26 inking the plate 9:52 printing the plate