Varnish for oil paintings
kmei...@gmail.com
I am unable to apply an even coat of varnish on my oil paintings. I
usually
let my paintings dry for 6 months before I can apply varnish. I use
Grumbacher Damar vanish (spray). I am never able to get a very even
coat.
Some say that applying varnish with a brush is better? I would
appreciate
any comments in this regards. Also, is there any easy way to remove the
existing
varnish and reapply one?
Thanks,
Krishnan
Bob C
> I am unable to apply an even coat of varnish on my oil paintings. I
> usually let my paintings dry for 6 months before I can apply varnish. I use
> Grumbacher Damar vanish (spray). I am never able to get a very even coat.
>
I've found it easier to apply and get an even coat using the spray
varnish. I apply it very thinly and in most cases use multiple
applications. Perhaps you're trying to get a thick coat on in just one
application? The spray varnish dries to the touch quickly (which is
another big advantage) so you can easily apply multiple coats.
> Also, is there any easy way to remove the existing
> varnish and reapply one?
No easy way. You have to use whatever solvent the varnish recommends and
you dab at the varnish just enough to get it off but not enough to
remove the paint underneath. You use a clean white lint-free cloth so
you can see if any color is being lifted. I've done this twice, it was a
major pain both times, and it only worked well on once.
- Bob C.
Krishnan Meiyyappan
Thanks for your reply.
I always varnished my paintings by placing it on the easel. This was
causing the varnish to drip down. Now I place the painting on the floor
(horizontally) and apply the spray varnish. It does come out better but
I would not call it 'perfect' yet.
I shall try giving thin coats like you have recommended.
Thanks,
Krishnan
HooDoo U. Doo
kmei...@gmail.com says...
>I shall try giving thin coats like you have recommended.
It takes so many coats of aerosol spray to build
up a decent thickness that you might wish to use
a fine brush and apply from the bottle. That way
you can do the coating with the painting lying
flat and there will be not concern for runs and
drips. I use a two-coat application, brushing the
varnish on one direction, letting it dry until it
is no longer tacky to the touch, then brushing a
second coat on in a cross-wise direction. I make
my own damar varnish and thereby have control over
how fluid I make it, preferring a rather free-flowing
fluidity that produces a thin coating in each application.
You can think commercially purchased varnish by
adding mineral spirits (or turps) to increase brushability.
Too Many Kooks Spoil the Brothel
On an acrylic painting, natch.
Biljo White wrote:
> I second your recommendation to use a fine brush.
HooDoo U. Doo
bright...@yahoo.co.uk says...
>
>I recommend acrylic varnish.
>
>On an acrylic painting, natch.
There is nothing wrong with using an
acrylic varnish on an oil painting.
It's done all the time. Kamar (brand)
is but one acrylic substitute for damar.
It's important to document which varnish
you do use if the painting is important
enough to ever face a conservator's cleaning.
Most of us have no such expectations for
our paintings - hoping they don't get tossed
in the trash when our mother's or siblings die
or our friends tire of looking at them or
decide to redecorate...
Too Many Kooks Spoil the Brothel
HooDoo U. Doo wrote:
> In article <1123322850....@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> bright...@yahoo.co.uk says...
> >
> >I recommend acrylic varnish.
> >
> >On an acrylic painting, natch.
>
> There is nothing wrong with using an
> acrylic varnish on an oil painting.
> It's done all the time.
I read you could paint oil over acrylic, but not vice versa. Later, I
read someone's claim that you can mix up to 30% acrylic with
(water-soluable) oils. Though whether the paint film crumbles to dust
within a few months is another matter. (I haven't tried the experiment
yet.)
HooDoo U.
bright...@yahoo.co.uk says...
>> There is nothing wrong with using an
>> acrylic varnish on an oil painting.
>> It's done all the time.
>
>I read you could paint oil over acrylic, but not vice versa.
Don't confuse "painting" in mixed mediums
with "varnishing" a finished painting.
What you read about NOT painting acrylic
over oils is based on the fact that
waterbased paints won't adhere well to
an oily surface.
But using a protective varnish usually implies
a "removable" varnish. You don't want a strong
bond between the finished painted surface and
the varnish coating since you want to be able
to remove the varnish if and when the painting
needs cleaning/restoration.
Ellie C
> HooDoo U. Doo wrote:
>
>>In article <1123322850....@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
>>bright...@yahoo.co.uk says...
>>
>>>I recommend acrylic varnish.
>>>
>>>On an acrylic painting, natch.
>>
>>There is nothing wrong with using an
>>acrylic varnish on an oil painting.
>>It's done all the time.
>
>
> I read you could paint oil over acrylic, but not vice versa. Later, I
> read someone's claim that you can mix up to 30% acrylic with
> (water-soluable) oils. Though whether the paint film crumbles to dust
> within a few months is another matter. (I haven't tried the experiment
> yet.)
Read the labels that come with the paints. Water soluble oils can be
mixed with up to 30% traditional oil paint and still allow you to clean
brushes with water. Painting oil over acrylic is not a good idea.
Opinions differm but I have a friend whose paintings started to shed
their oil layer after a very few years. Acrylic gesso is formulated so
that oil paint will adhere to it, but acrylic paint is not.