# Acrylic painting fade or dull



## Gopi (May 2, 2020)

Hi, I painted acrylic painting four years back.it was good in color.i applied varnish on the painting.but now it is dull in color and look like fade color.what is the reason. How to correct the painting in orginal color.


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## Mullanphy (Apr 25, 2020)

There are a number of reasons an acrylic painting fades, such as:

Low quality paints used
Paints thinned too much with water or medium (water is the usual culprit, but not always)
Varnish not compatible with paint
Varnish thinned too much with water or medium (water is the usual culprit here, too)
Painting left in sun or high-UV lighting
etc.

To zero in on the most probable cause, more information is needed:

Brand and line of paints (ie Golden Open or Liquitex fluid, etc.) Same for any mediums used.
Brand of varnish and any mediums used with it.
Ground (canvas, wood, plywood, etc.)
Primer (gesso, commercial primers, etc.)
Methods/techniques used
A couple good photos of the painting. One in original state and one in current condition.

To restore the painting, the varnish must be removed. Some varnishes for acrylic paints cannot be removed, and if this is the case there is no way to restore it.


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