Any watercolour artists? help please!

[Rumpel]

I have painted a mural on DD's wall. The only thing is watercolours ans sticky wet hands do not mix well! Are there any sealants I can use? Obviously they need to be non-toxic.

[Tillyboo]

I don't know about sealants & watercolours as I haven't come across watercolours being used on murals before.

If it's the transparentness of WC's that you like, Opaque acrylics can be made transparent by using glazing mediums, or even sometimes just by adding some water.

Post a pic of your mural, would love to see it.

[fryalot]

don't know the answer, but could you paint clear varnish over the lot?

[Rumpel]

Hmm - thought about that squonk - not sure.

Tillyboo - it is a work in progress at the moment! Still got some ivy, grass and another fairy to paint in. I will post it when it is finished. I am not an artist - just doing something a wee bit personal for my baby as we have moved to a new house and she has her own room now.

Thanks for your help ladies.

[Miaou]

Rumpel I have to say the only thing I can think of that would protect it is a layer of varnish but obviously you may not want that on your wall. I've only ever painted murals using acrylics before, sorry!

[Nightynight]

I would cover it with perspex.

Non toxic varnish can be made with egg whites, it is fairly tough I think.

[Tillyboo]

Perspex is a brilliant idea !

[Rumpel]

Wow - egg whites - that is a good idea! I shall google for more info. Ta. Perspex is worth thinking about but it would need to be pretty big and it would squash the fairies feather wings.

[TnOgu]

I would recommend using Krylon triple-thick clear glaze followed by a couple of coats of UV resistant varnish.

Both of these you should be able to get at art material shops.

[southeastastra]

or that sticky plastic you put on books. can you imagine all the air bubbles! patience of a saint needed

[fryalot]

(rumpel - tnog knows what she is talking about - she's a professional )

[Rumpel]

Excellent Trog - Thanks very much for that. I managed to download a 'recipe' for egg white varnish but am a bit concerned about 'odour' and hygiene.

Thanks again

[Nightynight]

I have never made it myself, but I bought a papier mache fridge magnet once. The girl selling them had varnished all her papier mache toys and magnets with this varnish, that she said she had made herself, to make the toys safe for children. We were all students/unemployed young, selling craft stuff in a market.
I believe the magnet is still on my parents' fridge, some 18 years later! And it didn't smell, honest!

[jetson]

Just browsing the posts and saw this; there are water based varnishes that would protect it and they'd not be smelly or toxic. They can be satin or matt, not gloss, so wouldn't make it shiny. Best place to get them is Leylands Decortaing Merchants-they're all over London-not sure if they're elsewhere. They sell specialist products for decorative/mural artists.