LUKAS Knstlerfarben- und Maltuchfabrik, Dr. Fr. Schoenfeld GmbH & Co.

, Harffstrae 40, 40591 Dsseldorf, Germany

Page 1 of 3 0212Lab/uh

LUKAS Cracking Varnish Product Information
Article No. 2311 and 2312


With LUKAS Cracking Varnish you can give different surfaces an authentic, antique
appearance. Oil and Acrylic paintings, painted wood, metal or art prints are all suitable as
painting grounds.


LUKAS Cracking Varnish can be used in two completely different techniques and offers
herewith a multiplicity of artistic designs.




1. Cracking Varnish technique
classical
This technique is suitable for placing
a fine crack lattice on an already
finished picture. Thus paintings or
art prints receive a crackled patina
to appear like an old-master
painting.
2. Cracking Varnish technique with acrylic
colours Deko
A fresh painted colour surface cracks during
drying. The underground becomes visible in
the cracks. This technique is suitable
particularly for one-coloured decorative
articles, like wooden boxes etc.

Cracking Varnish works succeed best at a room temperature of 20 - 22 C. For both
techniques we recommend to do always a pre-test on a comparable underground.



Cracking Varnish 1 (Art. No. 2311)
Cracking Varnish 1 can be diluted with turpentine. To clean the brushes we recommend
LUKAS Pure Balsam Turpentine (Art. No. 2210) or LUKAS Brush Cleaner (Art. No. 2286).

Contents: alkyd resin, white spirit
Available in 125 ml and 5 litre

Cracking Varnish 2 (Art. No. 2312)
Cracking Varnish 2 can be diluted with water. For brush cleaning thorough rinsing with
water is sufficient.

Contents: gum arabic, water, cracking medium
Available in 125 ml and 5 Litre
LUKAS Knstlerfarben- und Maltuchfabrik, Dr. Fr. Schoenfeld GmbH & Co., Harffstrae 40, 40591 Dsseldorf, Germany
Page 2 of 3 0212Lab/uh

1. Cracking Varnish technique classical

This technique is suitable, in order to place a fine crackle lattice on an already finished picture.
Thus paintings or art prints receive fine cracks like an old-master painting.

You need: Cracking Varnish 1 (Art. No. 2311); Cracking Varnish 2 (Art. No. 2312);
brown oil colour (e.g. LUKAS Studio Van Dyck Brown; Art. No. 312); a painting
or another painting support on which you like to try the technique; cloth; brush

Procedure
1) Priming: Take a brush and place a
layer of Cracking Varnish 1
evenly on the dry surface.
Let it dry for 1 - 4 hours. The shorter
the drying time, the more roughly the
crackings will be. For a first try we
recommend a drying time of 2 hours.
Very absorbing surfaces should be
pre-primed with Cracking Varnish 1
until the surface shows an equal
brilliance.

2) Apply Tension: Apply Cracking
Varnish 2 evenly with a brush.
Drying time approximately 30
minutes to 1 hour. Cracking begins
after a short time.
(In case you are not satisfied with
the result, remove Cracking
Varnish 2 carefully with a sponge
and water and restart the procedure
by applying the combination
Cracking Varnish 1/2. Changing
drying times will affect the result.)

3) Patination: Rub oil colour (e.g. LUKAS
Studio Van Dyck Brown; art. no. 312)
with a cloth in the cracks. Surplus oil
colour has to be removed with a dry
and clean cloth. Drying time:
approximately 24 - 48 hours.
Remove Cracking Varnish 2
carefully with water and a damp
sponge. The colour in the cracks
stays as a grid net.

4) Varnishing: Apply Cracking
Varnish 1 or LUKAS Spray Film
Varnish (gloss or matt, art. no.
2321 / 2322) after approx. 2 days
to seal the painting.
Painting

Painting

Water

Painting

Cracking
Varnish 2

Drying Time
approx. 1 hour
Van Dyck Brown
Cloths
Painting
Drying Time
1 2 days
Cracking
Varnish 1
Drying Time
1 4 hours
LUKAS Knstlerfarben- und Maltuchfabrik, Dr. Fr. Schoenfeld GmbH & Co., Harffstrae 40, 40591 Dsseldorf, Germany
Page 3 of 3 0212Lab/uh

2. Cracking Varnish technique with acrylic colours Deko

A fresh painted colour surface cracks during drying. The underground becomes visible in the
cracks. This technique is suitable particularly for one-coloured decorative articles, like wooden
boxes etc.

You need: Cracking Varnish 1 (Art. No. 2311); Cracking Varnish 2 (Art. No. 2312); two
different acrylic colours (e.g. LUKAS CRYL Studio or LUKAS CRYL Terzia); a painting
support on which you like to try the technique (e.g. wooden box);
a wide brush


Procedure


1) Priming: Prime the surface with LUKAS
acrylics. This shade will be the one that
shows in the cracks afterwards.







2) Apply Tension: Apply Cracking Varnish
2 thinly after drying. Drying Time of
Cracking Varnish 2: approximately 1 hour.






3) Patination: Apply the second colour of
LUKAS acrylics quickly afterwards.
Important: always paint in one direction.
While the colour dries it begins to crack.
The first applied colour layer will be visible
now in the cracks.



4) Varnishing: When everything is completely
dry, apply Cracking Varnish 1 to seal
the artwork.




Acrylic
Paint
Acrylic
Paint

Cracking
Varnish 1

Cracking
Varnish 2
Drying Time
approx. 1
hours