Varnish is more than simply a layer to protect your oil painting from ultraviolet light, pollution in the atmosphere and abrasion. Always work in the same direction. This will give you a good, even finish. To test whether the varnish is dry or not, touch the edge of the oil painting to see if it's still tacky. Try to have the same amount of varnish on the brush for each stroke so you put equal amounts of varnish on all parts of the oil painting. 

When a varnish is applied to a reproduction art oil-on-canvas painting before the 6 month drying time, the varnish fills the pores of the oil paint film, The solvent content of the varnish can easily re-dissolve the incompletely dried oil paint at the bottom of the canvas and cause all kinds of problems - such as wrinkling of the oil paint film, cracking, and yellowing of the color. Leave your painting to dry for several hours. Then prop it up against a wall to dry, face inwards. If you don't want your oil-on-canvas painting to be too shiny, use a matt varnish rather than a gloss one.

 It takes at least 6 months drying time for the dried oil paint film to become dry enough that it won't be re-dissolved by mild solvents such as turpentine. When the first coat of varnish is dry, apply a second coat at right angles to the first. During the drying process small pores form in this surface skin. With your fingers, gently remove any cotton fibers that have semi worsted wool been caught in the oil paint. Varnishes may be brushed or sprayed on. It will also bring out the brilliance in colors, making them sparkle. Use a flat bristle brush to apply the varnish. It should dry within a day or two, depending on the weather. Clean the painting so it's free from dust and dirt. Lay the oil painting flat, then dampen the surface a bit of cotton wool with clean water. Keep in mind that oil paint dries from the outside in; when it dries, it forms a surface skin first. Dry the oil painting with another bit of cotton wool. Varnish is made from Damar resin dissolved in a mixture of turpentine and other organic solvents. 

The surface of the paint may feel dry, but under the skin, the paint is still wet, no matter how thin the coating is. Leave the painting flat for at least 10 minutes after you've finished varnishing to stop the varnish running down the oil painting. Always varnish the whole of the oil-on-canvas painting in one go. Choose from high gloss, satin or matte finishes. With the painting flat, work from the top to the bottom, applying the varnish in parallel strokes from one edge of the oil painting to the other.

Posted by: yarnmanufact at 02:18 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 480 words, total size 3 kb.