Matte varnish

Description

Any varnish that gives a flat, non-shiny, final appearance. As most varnishes are glossy, flatting agents, such as beeswax, fumed silica, diatomaceous earth and heavy-metal soaps, are added to minimize reflections.

See also flatting agent.

Synonyms and Related Terms

flat varnish (AAT preferred); flatting varnish

Authority

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000