Abstract: This nitrocellulose-free varnish contains at least one resin in a solvent system for varnishes, and is characterized in that the said resin is a copolymer containing units resulting from the copolymerization:(1) of 20 to 70% of at least one alkyl acrylate or methacrylate of general formula: ##STR1## in which: R' denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical, andR denotes a saturated, linear or branched hydrocarbon chain containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and(2) of 30 to 80% of at least one hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate of general formula: ##STR2## in which: R.sub.1 denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical and R.sub.2 denotes a linear or branched hydrocarbon chain containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms and 1 or 2 hydroxyl(s), it being understood that the said copolymer cannot contain more than 30% of units derived from the copolymerization of an alkyl acrylate and/or a hydroxyalkyl acrylate, the viscosity of the copolymer at a concentration of 28% in ethyl acetate at 25.degree. C. being higher than 0.