Hi Peter, nice to hear from you and glad youve been enjoying the site. I was taught a while ago to add Re-touch varnish after the oil painting was touch dry for commissioned and other paintings that I sell. A cheap Gesso, a too absorbent or an unevenly absorbent ground. Or possibly know of any products that would help? Too much solvent or Turpentine in the paint mix 2. I just want to say that I have taken many of your classes and I love your work! If you try a sample piece first to decide which finish you prefer youll be good to go. :). Although any gloss varnish built up in many layers will also give you an enamel like effect. Hi Dylan, Nice to hear from you, have you tried a Cold Wax Medium? Fabulous! Is there hope? Also, please could you tell me: does using an oiling-out technique do essentially the same thing as using retouching varnish? Pro-tip: If the difference in sheens is very minimal then you dont have to oil out, you can go straight on with the final picture varnish. This means soft varnishes are still removable from an oil painting surface without greatly affecting the paint layers below. I am wondering I have a collage (mainly ripped magazine paper) and I have done a few layers of Windsor and newtown gloss as a finish. I have order the gamvar matte finish hoping that adding that on top of the satin might provide the evening out I need. I suspect it would adhere to the varnish layer, but you wouldnt then easily be able to remove and replace the varnish layer. Brillian coverage of a tricky procedure which have struggled with for many many years. Allow the medium to be absorbed into the painting for approximately two minutes. Cant see the painting! Question I have an oil paining with uneven sheen. I want him to be perfect . The oil doesnt evaporate, the linseed oil and pigments oxidize, meaning they react with oxygen and harden. Or do I have to strip the painting first? Will. I started a comment several days ago but got interrupted. I have just read your information on varnishing oil paintings. Great article thank you! So if you work in very thin layers it dries a lot quicker than if you work impasto with thicker blobs of paint. Hi Will, Ive recently oiled over a very important painting and have discovered it has got some dust on it which shows up against a very dark background. I often cover my painting with a board slightly larger than the canvas, resting it on props so it hovers and reduces the amount of dust that could fall on the wet varnish layer. Thanks for latest email packed with useful information as usual. What can I apply over that to bring down the high gloss but not lose the vibrant colors and dark background? Will. Thanks a million for that advice Will. Every time before we have begun painting, we have oiled (out?) Since moving etc., I really didnt have a nice clean ventilated area to spray, so decided to brush Damar Varnish on a 24X30 inch oil painting. which can be dissolved in a solvent, this solvent evaporates away when the paint dries. Ive ony used Dammar in the past and never had this problem. Thanks for speedy reply. How much if so? Just need to fix a bit in the background! I am using a wide variety of brands for paint. Yep, that was a good delivery, thanks. Can you offer any more information on that? The article said it was called in-painting. Do you think Oiling Out can serve the same as an isolation coat for an oil painting to keep the dust down when applying gamvar later? Would applying a gloss coat over the matte coat bring back the saturation more than a satin coat will? Sign up now to get the latest posts, news about products & art inspiration, straight to your inbox, How Controlling Your Light is Key to Painting Realistic Florals Outside. Did I ruin this thing in the first place by using the fast dry oils and liquin? Now I worry about yellowing and/or cracking. Thanks for the info Steven, I took art classes at the local museum art studio 2 years ago, the instructor only referred me to the Golden Varnish, which was good, however difficult to work with. Hi Verna, pleased you enjoyed it, I cant think of a way of thinning the Varnish after its been applied. However, now retired, nearing 71 and have not painted for years and needed a refresher on varnishing. However I have my back ground made on acrylics and the subject made on oil. Wow, I dont know how you manage to pack so much info in and make it so accessible but youve done it again :) Many, many thanks Will. it can be prone to cracking if knocked due to the high number of coats, but the effect can be fantastic. These pieces are 3 x 4 ft. Do you have other recommendations. Generally, theyre harder to come by or they simply do not exist as they are the fossilised remains of prehistoric tree sap and many of them have been mined to extinction. A sprayed coat of varnish will dry within 10 minutes and subsequent coats can then be applied, always allow the previous coat to dry first. If you were to apply the final picture varnish directly on top of your painting without oiling out first, all that will happen is the glossy areas will look more glossy and the matte areas will only look a bit more glossy so youll still have the difference in sheens between the two. Just wondering if this is a problem you have come across with other gloss varnishes, and if the solution is to thin it a bit? For most artists waiting 6 months or a year to varnish can seem a bit excessive, especially if the piece is for an exhibition or a commission that you cant easily revisit to varnish at a later date. Cheers, Will. I see the paints touch dry in a couple of days. I wouldnt recommend a decorators brush as it will show too many brush marks, you want a brush that is smooth to the touch so you can just glide it over the surface. Thanks, WIll! The only option at the moment seems to be retouching varnish. I think it might have been due to the differences in absorption between the collaged paper/gesso/acrylic paint and thin oil paint. Hi will, you mention putting dammar varnish in a final glaze. Any reputable brand like Winsor & Newton, Golden or Liquitex will work well. Will. Or something else? Should be applied to a thoroughly dry painting. Will Very informative and detailed. They must be dissolved in hot oil which can get a tad complicated! Will. Does not have the amber tint of natural resins. I was told this in art school, and maybe it is a good practicebut in todays world it is far too long. Jeff Nelson. 3 thin coats are better than 1 thick one. The canvas on board was really dirty and dull. Hi Melva, so pleased youve been finding the articles helpful in your paintings. One question, can I use an acrylic varnish like those produced by Winsor and Newton to protect an oil painting. Is this a bad idea? Would you advise varnishing the painting, which is to be framed with glass??? Dammar is most commonly used in liquid form and applied with the brush, however, if youre after a really super smooth finish it can also be found in an aerosol can form and used as a spray application. Hope this helps. So, chances are that minute dust particles might stick on the surface. You can mix in different quantities of wax to change the sheen of your varnish. Pro tip:I often use Dammar in the final layers of an oil painting as part of the glazing medium because it really goes on so nicely and has a nice translucent quality when you first apply it. I noticed when I varnished two paintings, one a plain oil painting, and another an acrylic painting with a gel isolation coat, and I used Gamvar varnish on both paintings, the oil painting had a lot of dust stick to it, but the acrylic painting with the isolation coat came out dust free and smooth in the same setting, time and place that they both received gamvar. Hi Nancy, Can I oil out on top of retouch varnish? Really helpful for both professionals and beginners. Ack. If you have obvious, larger areas of different sheens then see Oiling out above, as the varnish on its own will only emphasize the differences. Thank you! Winsor & Newton high gloss varnish has been recommended to me. 6. Will, Thanks for getting back to me Will. Now I just recently bought a lot of artist materials at a yard sale but they are all German products and old. I have an oil painting that Im wanting to wax and buff to a high sheen. Thanks! Its always advisable to follow good professional practice for the conservation of your pieces if youre using traditional varnishes. I have an Ageing Varnish that goes over a Cracking varnish, the Cracking that I do not use. You can use a satin varnish, or mix your own between matte and gloss to get the perfect sheen youre after. Is it advised to varnish the mount or mat board used in the framing as well? My very best wishes to you, Anna. If you have very thin paint application with earth colours, an oil painting can be fully dry within a couple of months but for a thicker painting, it may take 6 months or as long as 2 years. Thank you! When youre varnishing an oil painting it really depends on how thick or thin the paint application is. I was wondering if there is matte or lessy glossy retouch varnish out there I could apply, which allows the paint to continue to cure over the next year or two. Yes, you can use modern varnishes over traditional varnishes. Iv just varnished a large oil painting (80x80cm) in this varnish and I can see what you mean. I also thought Oiling-out may be useful, but will that dry out too after a year or so? Hope this helps. I understand that a gloss varnish will accentuate the sheen difference, but what about a matte varnish? Fortunately, I think I found the answer on another site, but would appreciate your input, too. Alkyd Synthetic Resins such as Schmincke Picture Varnish provides a glossy, non-yellowing, colourless, highly resistant topcoat. This can be very effective to get a smooth finish if youre not used to applying with a brush. Sign up now to get the latest posts, news about products & art inspiration, straight to your inbox. Cheers, Will. Thank you in advance! Its frustrating and Im considering pouring a shit load of gamvar on top and waiting till the puddle dries. Hope this helps. Change the surface finish to gloss or matte, Provide a more unified finish to the various areas of a painting, I respect your privacy and take protecting it very seriously -. Ive used Gamvar in the past, applied three coats, was pretty satisfied, but wondering if theres anything else that will produce an even higher gloss result? I want to oil out some paintings to even the surface, but as most mediums seem to contain turpentine I am concerned that the turpentine in the medium will break down the paint when I apply it to the painting. Hi Will! Id rather not put it behind glass, unless that is really the best solution. Thin only with turpentine. Cheers, Will, Hi will I am planning to start a work , oils with Liquin. Do you know of any use for this without the Cracking Varnish? Can I spray over it with a matte or satin varnish to knock down the sheen a bit? Depending on the level of differences you could go straight on with a matte varnish, but the oiling out will help with the smooth application. Will. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. Cheers, Will. I have used this technique intentionally for effect sometimes, but do I need to stick with the oil mediums if I am wanting to use Gamsol or Damar? Cheers, Will. Can I clean the surface with a damp cotton cloth? I am not sure if this is possible. Hope this helps, Many thanks Will, that seems like a good idea (and a good excuse to do another painting :), Hi Will, I am enjoying all the information you offer-great site! I thought the first coat was applied too thick, even thought I went side to side, but there was unevenness, so I applied a second coat. I do have a small bottle of Grumbacher Damar Varnish but Id hate to waste the other if it is quality varnish. Ive looked for any word of such a product on line but I dont see anything. that will produce the highest gloss effect, for large-scale oil paintings? Great article. Thanks Scorpion, hope youre enjoying the lessons. How long does it take the Winsor & Newton varnish to dry? 3. I was thinking I would try 3 thin coats, first with the glitter additive, followed by two without. Im only interested in stopping dust from sticking to it during the drying process. Need to varnish my oil painting, frame it, and put it in a show. Thank you for replying! 1. Really useful and so kind of you to down load it for free. Will. So pleased youve been enjoying it Stephen. Work side to side, left to right, slightly overlapping each stroke you are aiming to have no visible brush-marks. Here is a Oiling out steps from Gamblin Paints ( I tend to use Gamvar Varnish for my oil paintings), Ive varnished my painting, but the surface is still uneven. On an acrylic painting, this differs as the isolation coat adds a much-needed sheet of thin protection over the paint surface. Some recent varnishes also have the great advantage of being able to be applied when the painting is just touch dry rather than waiting for the painting to be fully cured. The greatest advantage of the Gamvar varnish is the ability to apply it when the painting is touch dry. Thank you. Im thinking about Turpentine dilution but Id appreciate your advice on using it. Since the big piece is a commission, Im concerned about going that route yet all the varnishes worry me with the combo of fast drying oils and liquin. I look forward to the more oil specific tutorials you mention (in reply to Steve). I later removed the gamvar from the oil painting with mineral spirits and no harm was done. Hi Will, Thanks for all the detailed info above. I usually apply Dammar varnish to smaller paintings as it can go very tacky, very quickly and is harder to control with a brush. Could i still go ahead and use the Winsor and Newtons varnish for oils? Do you have any insight on whether I would be able to mix a glitter additive with the varnish, without compromising my painting? I then varnished them and they came out fine. Am I right in thinking that I should oil out then use satin varnish, then buff the painting with a wax varnish (my aim is to have a very slight overall sheen). Cheers, Will, I dont leave comments on articles like these normally, but I feel deeply compelled to extend a HUGE thank you to you for compiling such a wise and extensive fact-based article on something that is critical for a professional closure to my oil paintings before they are handed off to my collectors. Hi Al, yes, you would be able to able the Damar again to give the same aesthetic but if you usually use Gamvar I would personally go for that because it will have less of a yellowing effect than the Damar. Otherwise is there something I could mix into the paint? The more coats that are applied the richer and deeper the colours will be. Hi Shirley, yes, you can spot remove areas, turpenoid wont be a strong enough to dissolve the Dammar resin. There can be slight variations between brands but the main difference will be due to the oil content in the different pigments, a final oil out can help to even the sheen. Id really appreciate Any advice. Hope this helps. The pigments in oil paints are dispersed in oil, which may itself be dissolved in a solvent and that solvent evaporates away when the paint dries. But I have a question, I just want to protect my oil painting without changing it colors, so I dont want my painting become matte or glossy, so what I have to do? I personally wouldnt use an acrylic based topcoat over any oil paintings, fast drying or traditional. Would it be possible for you to suggest a safe formula? I wish I had read all of your info before starting my project. purnima, I have looked everywhere for information about how to protect my oil paintings from dust while they are drying, and all I find is information on varnishing after it has dried. Assuming that using these mediums in the paints wont give me enough separation of gloss and matte in the areas I want, Im researching varnishing. Yes, if the painting isnt too impasto you can use a damp, lint-free cloth. Cheers, Will. Once you leave an area, do not go back over areas that you have done. Hard varnishes do not redissolve in a solvent such as Mineral Spirits or Turpentine. Thank you! Hi Tony, with Gamvar, you can apply when the surface is touch dry. It has been a month or more since they are touch-dry. Hope this helps. The worst that could happen would be that your varnish layer would crack as the paints contracts as it dries, however, this would really only be most apparent if you painted with a very thick application of paint. It would be great to see an expansion of the oil painting section. I would appreciate your answer. Thank you again, Melva. Michael Harding would be able to advise specifics from his contact page for removing and revarnishing. (most similar to a hard varnish) Must be applied after 8-12 months. I usually spray Retouch Varnish on my oil paintings and months later, spray a final varnish coat. Really appreciate the effort you put into your site. Most of the canvas has no paint whatsoever on it. What aspects are you looking for in a reference photo? Any help is greatly appreciated. Hi Leah, on dear, sorry to hear about your results with the varnishing, did the matte finish help at all? Thanks, Hi Alison, I tend to (rather unscientifically) just prop the painting facing a wall between layers. Thank you very much for the informations, I am usually shy to leave comments or ask a questions but I follow to your website and I found it very helpful. Here is some more information on the different Sennelier Varnishes, it does mention on it is a quick-drying varnish so that might have been the issue, I couldnt find anything specific on ratios for diluting with turpentine but usually, its about 20%. 1. And about sponges, to be used for varnishing, is there a specifice size or kind, please? It is too reflective for our house. I would like to send you my picture and get a opinion. For example, if I use Liquin for a medium, I found that retouch varnish will bead off, and I assume that the final varnish will do the same. Any tips? My client really wants the green and orange areas to pop compared to the grey background. Susan, Good one Susan, pleased you found it helpful. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you very much. What do you think? I work with the spray varnishes but after reading this I would like to try the brush medium also. Ive used it under the paint successfully but now that its a tad dull I wondered if I can spray it over to top and have a similar outcome to restoring the shine? 5. Hi Greg, The Winsor & Newton Varnishes can be used (this is from the Winsor & Newton website All Winsor & Newton varnishes can be used on oil, alkyd, Artisan or acrylic paintings) If you check on the label of the varnish it will be listed if the varnish is suitable for oils and acrylics. You can see a video here. Thanks Carol, pleased you found it easy to follow, Varnish can have a lot of considerations. I have a large oil painting on wood. What can I say, thank you Will for your detail advice! Cheers, Will. It is a fabric canvas, is it okY to varnish unpainted canvas? I suppose as a finished painting it is just a matter of letting the medium dry properly to touch say one or two weeks before final varnish. Hi, this may sound like an strange question, but Im new to oil painting. Thank you. Cheers, Will, Will, The Winsor and Newton varnishes seem to say on their label For oils only and another which says for acrylics. Tried to find information on varnishing oil paintings, and wound up here again. Gamvar is virtually odorless and ready to apply. I bought a large 55 foot oil painting. Will, I dont understand how you can avoid going over already varnished parts of a painting if you first go top to bottom and then side to side Steps 4 and 5 under How to apply a varnish with a brush., Yes thats right Celine, youre trying to go over the already varnished parts to enable an even coverage. Im trying to avoid other varnish and just apply wax, gently rub in, buff out. Hi Will, Wonderful information! For a satin finish have you had a look at the Gamvar new varnishes? It is oil on board. Please advise. True hard Copal and Amber varnishes are rare in the world today, some specialist manufacturers still offer unique historically-accurate painting varnishes if you want to go completely old school. Thanks, Hi Jade, if you use a cold wax medium and then buff with a cloth that with give you the effect youre after. Id try a couple of test pieces with and within oiling out to see which you prefer. I use Langridge Impasto medium and Art Spectrum paints to achieve a thick, stable surface. Hi Susan, you wouldnt need to varnish the mountboard, just look for an archival mountboard that is acid free. 2. One question though, can the brush used for varnishing, be cleaned so as to be useful for painting in oils, or must it be thrown away? After varnishing. Features a very resistant satin surface that is colourless. just what I needed to proceed with confidence. Oil out the surface this is a method of applying sparingly a thin coat of Linseed oil or clear artist medium over the entire surface of the painting. Blessings to you and your work. Oiling-out reduces the absorbency of dull paint layers, unifies the paintings appearance and allows Gamvar to cover more evenly. which can be dissolved in a solvent, this solvent evaporates away when the paint dries. Just one more question if you dont mind. It is easier to control the amount of varnish on your brush this way. I think I should have oiled out but am unsure what to do after the fact. I would like so to use this too as I have! Hi Will. With oiling out and retouch, yes, youre trying to bring the level of the colour back to the same for matching colours, less is more for either application. When using a spray varnish if you work in several layers, you can judge the sheen and increase the gloss level the more coats you apply. Sponge application can also give a smooth finish and enable you to keep your materials super clean by using the sponge once and then throwing it away. Pro-tip: To dilute the Dammar varnish you ideally need to use Turpentinewhich is better suited to awellventilatedseparatestudio space, rather than a ventilated room in a home. Mmm, its a tricky one because most varnishes are designed to be removable so you can replace and re-apply them in the future but this will be much harder to do with the raw canvas because the varnish will go into the weave of the canvas. Thank you for this article! Im very interested in the new synthetic varnish that you mentioned is being developed. Odourless Mineral Spirit (OMS) is not strong enough to dissolve the natural resins of Dammar. Dries quickly to a colourless and hard film, difficult to reverse. A bouquet of thank you for the wonderful information, Cheers Hussein, really pleased youve been enjoying the site. Thanks for all the tips. We recommend a process called oiling out prior to using Gamvar. Cheers, Wil, Thank you so much for the information, very complete! Can I remove where I wanted to touch up? 2. Learn how your comment data is processed. You can only brush or sponge apply it, as it is not available in spray form, however, its a lot easier to apply than Dammar because it has a longer working time when youre brushing it on. The piece has a brushed on varnish but i dont remember what i used. Thanks again, Hi Archana, its a personal preference as the glass will protect the surface, but I tend to always apply a protective varnish. Can I use turpenoid instead of turpentine? For example, if youre using Alizarin crimson or Ivory black which are very slow drying, (there is a lot of oil used in the binding process of the oil paint) it would take a lot longer to dry compared to if you used a fast-drying paint such as Raw umber which has a lower oil content in it. Ill try it out on a less successful painting first! Je vous remercie. I want to protect a 20 yr old oil painting that has never been varnished. Someone told me that they can discolour otherwise, as usually with oils there is no glass on the frame. Hi Gail, having an oil out layer will help to even the sheen before applying a matte varnish. Unique diluter: Turpentine. Ive applied gamvar satin with awful results. For example, MSA varnish needs to be diluted with Turpentine before applying and if using a brush application is best applied with a few thin coats. However Im having trouble achieving a non-glossy final finish to my oil paintings and didnt find a simple solution. Hope this helps. Hi Neal, personally I would go for the pour on puddle technique, but you could always email Gamblin to see if there will be any adverse effects. However the finish came out too glossy with some remaining dull spots and a lot of distracting reflections off the texture & impasto. Some of the liveliness has been flattened by the varnish. How do I clean it before varnishing? Thanks Elaine, pleased you found it helpful. You need to work quickly but gently Apply in long even strokes to cover the surface top to bottom while moving from one side to the other. Hi Elizabeth, yes you can paint ontop of it, ideally you would remove the varnish first and them paint ontop. However, for realist paintings when you are trying to bring out colours and form in your work, the matte varnish will dull, desaturate and flatten out the three-dimensional effect and colours of the painting. I see that you can buy varnish for water mixable oil so I wondered if there was much difference between them. Ive painted a masterful piece but there is always ( i since Im not Dali yet) small birms around that varnish layer wont clear. First of all, a big thank you for the wealth of information on this site. Im a well seasoned artist in multi-media forms, painting, drawing, glass etching, metals and wood. The absorption has been uneven even after 3 coats of the gamvar. Apply only on paintings which have thoroughly dried. If you dont mind let me know. Hi Will! The resin just seems to give it a sturdier feel that it will last longer. With a slightly damp lint-free cloth. God bless! Some colours dry glossy and others dull so I tried Winsor & Newton retouching varnish hoping to achieve uniformity. Must be applied after 8-12 months. Thanks for your replies will. Hi Will, I have an unfinished oil painting that has been sitting for a few months and now I am ready to work on it again. Hello, please help! This is because if you ever needed to remove the varnish at a later date, the solvents used to remove the layer of oil varnish wont damage the existing oil paint layer. The absorption is terribly uneven even after multiple layers and including over the oil painting part but its especially noticeable over the gesso. There are a couple of main reasons why it happens: 1. Tried it on a couple small test pieces and so far these pieces look fine. What varnish is used to obtain an ENAMEL effect on oil and acrylic paintings ? How soon after I oil out a painting should I wait to apply a final varnish? Any suggestions Best regards Al. On Oiling Out, you mention that this can be done by applying sparingly a thin coat of Linseed oil but I dont know what a thin coat would be. Will, Thank you so much for replying Will, I will do that. I was afraid you would say that. Will, Thank you for the info! Hi Brendan, you can paint over when touch dry if using Gamsol, but traditional varnishes will need a few months. I used to think I need to wait more than six months for varnishing, now I know a couple of months is enough for my paintings :), Great stuff Wero, glad it was helpful.

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