Jason , thanks so much for another great video. What I admire the most is your professionalism when teaching different subjects. Your knowledge and experience are a source of great confidence for others. Thanks! Happy holidays!
Thank you. Every video seems to have a little gem of information that is particularly helpful beyond the basic info. Thanks for all your efforts doing these videos. I have applied your gems of advice from many of them already. All the best.
Hey! I like your new intro. Very professional looking, although I thought the other was very well done also. I just finished an oil painting and it has been drying for two months. This video is just in time. Thanks Jason.
Hi Jason. Thanks for all you do. I've been reviewing ALL your videos (in no particular order) and taking notes. Today was my 60th. Do you know how many you have posted? Hope you keep it up.
I never varnish my paintings, but I am going to varnish some now. I've have paintings years old they will be perfect for it and give then a new lease of life.
Thanks for watching! Yes, varnishing those paintings will restore the color depth and make it look wet again. Varnishing isn't absolutely necessary, but it is recommended.
Hello. I'd like to please have your thoughts on a couple of things. 1, I've read that Damar can polymerize over time and become hard to remove. Have you heard this? Also, to avoid this I've considered using Mastic Varnish instead. What do you think about using Mastic? 2, About 15 years ago I did a painting that had some high impasto in it. When I was ready to varnish it I wanted to avoid reflections off the high impasto so I mixed some bee's with thinner and applied that instead of a varnish. I may have heard about using wax for this, or I may have come up with it myself. I don't recall which. It worked ok, but could have been better. In any case, when I went to clean the painting a few months ago, the bee's wax came off with the dirt very easily. My question to you is, what do you recommend as a mat protective coating/varnish for a painting? 3, I read someplace that some artist, back in the day, coated his painting with a protective non-removable varnish film, before coating it with a removable spirit varnish. Doing this protected the paint from accidental removal or damage when the spirit varnish was at some point removed for cleaning. I did this using Stand Oil, very very thinly, and it worked like a charm - so far. Your thoughts? If there's no downside, I'd suggest doing this because I was able to clean my painting with no pigment at all coming off on the cotton. I enjoy your videos, and I'm learning a lot from you. Thanks, Tony
Thanks for watching! :) 1) Yes, Damar does become harder to remove over time, but I still feel it's the best time tested varnish. Newer synthetic varnishes can be easier to remove over the long term, but I've heard a lot of people have trouble with them "beading up", or not sticking to the surface. This never happens with Damar. Being a natural resin, Mastic has a lot of the same issues as Damar, and I've even heard that it can yellow worse than Damar does. 2) I have never used a matte varnish on my work, but I do know there are several on the market. You could try the Gamvar matte even though it's a synthetic varnish, it might work for you. Beeswax is a traditional material used in some varnishes and mediums so you could just stick with that if it's working. Sounds like it came off easily which is what you want. 3) That's actually a good idea! And Stand Oil would work perfectly for this as it dries to a nice smooth finish.The downside could be some additional yellowing you might not get without the extra layer of oil, but keeping it thin would help.
Thanks for watching! Yes, the foam brush for varnishing is very convenient. Cleaning varnish out of a brush is much harder than cleaning paint, so it just doesn't make sense to waste time with it. :)
Had to come back to this video, going to varnish some paintings... and i was like wait which way reduces shine? But upppp and down. . Thank you again man
Hi thanks for your amazing videos. Do you have one explaining oiling out !!.. I have watched a few , but find the way you explain and different methods fantastic. Keep posting 😃
Thanks for watching! I plan to make a video on oiling out, but don't have one yet. I've had to take a break from uploading for awhile, but hope to get back to it soon. :)
Great tips on warming the varnish and using the sponge brushes (or could use throw away cheap brushes?) I have recently tried the synthetic varnishes, like Gamvar, and they are way more problematic to apply plus the finished look is not as good as Damar. One question though, how long is pre mixed Damar picture varnish good for? I have some that has been laying around for years and still seems fine.
Great question! I have found that traditional Damar varnish has a super long shelf life. If it is still liquid and not yellowed it is probably fine to use. I have tried Gamvar and it's OK, but it can sometimes bead up which is a pain. I would not recommend cheap bristle brushes because they are very likely to lose hairs and you'll be picking them out of the varnish. The foam ones work really well. Thanks for watching! :)
So why do you heat the varnish up? Is it so it's easier to work with? For example it doesn't dry and get sticky as quick? Or is it because it makes it easier to spread? Also does heating the dammar varnish make the varnish look better?
Great question! Yes, warming it makes it easier to spread and work with. It should be warmed not hot. The hot water from your tap is sufficient to warm the glass jar the varnish is in. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching! Technically yes you are supposed to wait that long, but it's not always possible to do that. Especially for artists who sell their work. A workaround is to use Retouch Varnish, which is a thinned down version of Dammar. It will bring the color back and still allow the painting to dry properly.
Hello. I am a french painter. I used liquin original for a great surface painting for thé first Time with thin layers and i think it’s dry when i touch after 15 days. It’s a work for a church. Can you say me please when i can varnish ? 3 months afters ? + or - thank you for all answers and your videos
Yes, in the case of what you described, three months should be fine, but I would give it that. Liquin dries must faster than plain linseed oil and if your layers are thin that helps too. Thanks for watching! :)
I've always wondered about this.I never varnish because, well, I didn't know how. I haven't been asked to either. But I think now I'll give it a try. Would you still recommend that varnish for my oil paintings? I only use a palette knife so I have a lot of raised bits in my painting. Would the varnish not get stuck and eat at my work?
Thanks for watching! Yes, I would recommend varnishing for any oil painting. You can stick to one thin coat if you are worried about the varnish getting too thick. It will help protect your painting and enrich the colors.
Thanks for watching! An oil painting needs to be throughly dry before you do final varnish...it sounds like you are talking about Retouch Varnish which can be used during the painting process. Retouch varnish is a very thinned down version of damar. It acts as a temporary varnish while the painting dries enough for true final varnish and can be applied once the work is touch dry.
Hot tip: denatured alcohol is "hot enough" a solvent to dissolve Damar Varnish, and works great to clean out your brush, if you desire using a soft brush for application! I keep a jar of denatured alcohol just for cleaning, so as to reuse the alcohol a few times before throwing it away, and replenish the jar. After a rinse in the alcohol, use soap, then rinse with water. Good as new.
Yes it will remove old dammar but please be very very careful with denatured alcohol if it is methanol. That stuff is really toxic. Thanks for watching!
@@walcottfineart5088 As with any solvent, always use ventilation. Denatured alcohol is sold as is, and can be used as a fuel for stoves, no, it contains no methanol. I dare say that it's a far cry from using spirits or thinners, turpentine, or lacquer thinners.
Thanks for watching! I would avoid the spray varnishes. It's really hard to get an even coat and I've heard from artists who have tried it and said it just didn't work very well.
Do you have a good opinion about these?( Winsor newton Damar, or Winsor Newton spray retouch varnish ( the one with blue label) ) i have available small variety of varnishes for paintng here, i use the blue one, retouch varnish spray after the painting is finished and dried to touch and i used/ still have a bottle of damar from WN. maybe i get some proffesional opinions about the quality of it, i used it for a few years now, didn t had time to experiment or buy others since it was handy and available to buy at local store:) but slowly i would like to change to better quality, i am a bit frustrated because of the glare , and photographing the artwork:) Have you tried Gamvar ? the satin one is fine or it changes the painting a lot? THESE ones i used a really good when you spray on sunk in areas, but the glare is too disturbing, the matte one is too white, any other good products ? i was thinking to buy the Satin from Gamblin Gamvar Is spray retouch varnish good if i want to do a finished painting after touch dry? or can i also use damar from bottle? or damar is used just when the painting is dried after 6 months 1 year?
Thanks for watching! I typically don't recommend the spray varnishes as they are hard to apply evenly...if you've had good luck with them though, there's no reason to change. I have never used Gamvar... You could try the satin varnish on an unimportant test painting and see if you like the finish. Personally I like the gloss of traditional damar, but I know some people don't. The Winsor & Newton varnish is fine quality... but if you wanted to try a better brand go with Rublev or Michael Harding.
Walcott Fine Art thanks!can.I apply after 1week dry touch?usually artists put some varnish before final varnish ,is damar good for varnishing when it is touch dry?without waiting 6months?
You are really supposed to wait about six months before varnishing a painting with a final varnish. In the meantime you can use Retouch Varnish which is basically like a thinned down version of Damar. It will restore the colors and still allow the painting to dry properly. That can be applied when it's touch dry.
Thanks for watching! I mostly use the traditional 3/4" canvases which means the sides are left blank and will be covered by the frame. If you are using the thick 1.5" gallery wrap canvases, then if there is artwork on the sides varnish it as you would the face. A lot of artists also paint the sides a flat black or frame in a floater frame.
Walcott Fine Art thank you very much! With that new information.. do you think you could do a video on framing artwork? If you have my already. Thank you so much. I've been watching your videos constantly and have been learning a lot!
Thanks for watching! I have never used that varnish specifically, but most varnishes can be removed with a soft cotton cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Be very gentle so you don't damage the painting underneath.
Thanks:)! i used so far Winsor Newton retouch Varnish spray the blue label one, but the paintings get very sticky after i apply and they are stick long time after:) the one you shown me in th link is also sticky? i always wait for the painting to touch dry, about 1 week or 2, and also i used sometimes alkyd white, so mostly they are dry:)
Actually it's normal for there to be some tackiness to freshly applied varnish...I don't know if there is much you can do about it. It will usually go away in a week or two. Yes, alkyd paints dry faster than oils so as long as everything is touch dry you're OK. Two weeks is a good time to wait.
Yes, the final varnish is pure varnish (no oil or turps added) which is different from my medium. The final varnish protects the surface of the painting and makes it look wet again so the colors are deep and rich. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching! I think I would let sit flat a bit until it sets and then let it dry upright. The idea is to prevent dust from settling on it and getting stuck in the varnish.
@@nickfanzo OK I understand! Yes, if you have very thick impasto you can still varnish, but you must wait a long, long time before you do... You want to make sure the paint is completely cured before applying the varnish. Standard painting varnish time is two to six months or so. If you have really super thick impasto (like 1" or more off the surface) then it might be even two years. Again, you don't have to varnish, and many artists do not. It just means if your painting would ever need to be cleaned, not having it varnished would make it more difficult.
You are STILL the best on youtube!! Thank you, revisiting all your help/teaching now that I have been trying out oil painting for 6 months.
Thanks so much for the kind comments! :)
Jason , thanks so much for another great video. What I admire the most is your professionalism when teaching different subjects. Your knowledge and experience are a source of great confidence for others. Thanks! Happy holidays!
Thanks so much for the nice comment! Happy Holidays!
Thank you. Every video seems to have a little gem of information that is particularly helpful beyond the basic info. Thanks for all your efforts doing these videos. I have applied your gems of advice from many of them already. All the best.
I'm so glad you've found my videos helpful! Thanks so much for watching and for the kind comment! :)
Lots of helpful advice in this video, Jason. Thank you, as always, for the upload.
Thanks for watching! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :)
Hey! I like your new intro. Very professional looking, although I thought the other was very well done also. I just finished an oil painting and it has been drying for two months. This video is just in time. Thanks Jason.
Thank you for watching! I'm glad you found it helpful. :)
I had this very question today and then thought to myself "Jason would give good advice on it for sure! " Thank you 😊
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching :)
Hi Jason. Thanks for all you do. I've been reviewing ALL your videos (in no particular order) and taking notes. Today was my 60th. Do you know how many you have posted? Hope you keep it up.
I'm actually not sure exactly how many videos I have LOL, Happy 60th! :) Thanks for the nice comment!
I never varnish my paintings, but I am going to varnish some now. I've have paintings years old they will be perfect for it and give then a new lease of life.
Thanks for watching! Yes, varnishing those paintings will restore the color depth and make it look wet again. Varnishing isn't absolutely necessary, but it is recommended.
Walcott Fine Art thanks for replying I've been painting for 15 year's and are still learning, in a way iam still a rookie haha.
Thank you a lot for all your tips !!! Amazing
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching and for the nice comment :)
Great tip on the hot water bath. Thanks Jason!
Thanks for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
Hello. I'd like to please have your thoughts on a couple of things.
1, I've read that Damar can polymerize over time and become hard to remove. Have you heard this? Also, to avoid this I've considered using Mastic Varnish instead. What do you think about using Mastic?
2, About 15 years ago I did a painting that had some high impasto in it. When I was ready to varnish it I wanted to avoid reflections off the high impasto so I mixed some bee's with thinner and applied that instead of a varnish. I may have heard about using wax for this, or I may have come up with it myself. I don't recall which. It worked ok, but could have been better. In any case, when I went to clean the painting a few months ago, the bee's wax came off with the dirt very easily. My question to you is, what do you recommend as a mat protective coating/varnish for a painting?
3, I read someplace that some artist, back in the day, coated his painting with a protective non-removable varnish film, before coating it with a removable spirit varnish. Doing this protected the paint from accidental removal or damage when the spirit varnish was at some point removed for cleaning. I did this using Stand Oil, very very thinly, and it worked like a charm - so far. Your thoughts? If there's no downside, I'd suggest doing this because I was able to clean my painting with no pigment at all coming off on the cotton.
I enjoy your videos, and I'm learning a lot from you.
Thanks,
Tony
Thanks for watching! :)
1) Yes, Damar does become harder to remove over time, but I still feel it's the best time tested varnish. Newer synthetic varnishes can be easier to remove over the long term, but I've heard a lot of people have trouble with them "beading up", or not sticking to the surface. This never happens with Damar. Being a natural resin, Mastic has a lot of the same issues as Damar, and I've even heard that it can yellow worse than Damar does.
2) I have never used a matte varnish on my work, but I do know there are several on the market. You could try the Gamvar matte even though it's a synthetic varnish, it might work for you. Beeswax is a traditional material used in some varnishes and mediums so you could just stick with that if it's working. Sounds like it came off easily which is what you want.
3) That's actually a good idea! And Stand Oil would work perfectly for this as it dries to a nice smooth finish.The downside could be some additional yellowing you might not get without the extra layer of oil, but keeping it thin would help.
I like the foam brush idea, no stray hairs. Also, cleaning a brush takes time and materials.
Thanks for watching! Yes, the foam brush for varnishing is very convenient. Cleaning varnish out of a brush is much harder than cleaning paint, so it just doesn't make sense to waste time with it. :)
Thanks Jason, as always - helpful tips
Had to come back to this video, going to varnish some paintings... and i was like wait which way reduces shine? But upppp and down. . Thank you again man
Thanks for watching and glad my video helped!
Hi thanks for your amazing videos. Do you have one explaining oiling out !!.. I have watched a few , but find the way you explain and different methods fantastic. Keep posting 😃
Thanks for watching! I plan to make a video on oiling out, but don't have one yet. I've had to take a break from uploading for awhile, but hope to get back to it soon. :)
Are you supposed to varnish when painting with the wet on wet technique?
Great tips on warming the varnish and using the sponge brushes (or could use throw away cheap brushes?) I have recently tried the synthetic varnishes, like Gamvar, and they are way more problematic to apply plus the finished look is not as good as Damar. One question though, how long is pre mixed Damar picture varnish good for? I have some that has been laying around for years and still seems fine.
Great question! I have found that traditional Damar varnish has a super long shelf life. If it is still liquid and not yellowed it is probably fine to use. I have tried Gamvar and it's OK, but it can sometimes bead up which is a pain. I would not recommend cheap bristle brushes because they are very likely to lose hairs and you'll be picking them out of the varnish. The foam ones work really well. Thanks for watching! :)
@@walcottfineart5088 thank you ❤
So why do you heat the varnish up? Is it so it's easier to work with? For example it doesn't dry and get sticky as quick? Or is it because it makes it easier to spread? Also does heating the dammar varnish make the varnish look better?
Great question! Yes, warming it makes it easier to spread and work with. It should be warmed not hot. The hot water from your tap is sufficient to warm the glass jar the varnish is in. Thanks for watching!
Hi, I read around that it’s better to wait 6 to 12 months before varnishing. What do you think? thanks
Thanks for watching! Technically yes you are supposed to wait that long, but it's not always possible to do that. Especially for artists who sell their work. A workaround is to use Retouch Varnish, which is a thinned down version of Dammar. It will bring the color back and still allow the painting to dry properly.
Excellent tips. I love your videos. Just signed up for your newsletter.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the videos. :)
Hello. I am a french painter. I used liquin original for a great surface painting for thé first Time with thin layers and i think it’s dry when i touch after 15 days.
It’s a work for a church.
Can you say me please when i can varnish ? 3 months afters ? + or - thank you for all answers and your videos
Yes, in the case of what you described, three months should be fine, but I would give it that. Liquin dries must faster than plain linseed oil and if your layers are thin that helps too. Thanks for watching! :)
@@walcottfineart5088 Thank u very much
I've always wondered about this.I never varnish because, well, I didn't know how. I haven't been asked to either. But I think now I'll give it a try. Would you still recommend that varnish for my oil paintings? I only use a palette knife so I have a lot of raised bits in my painting. Would the varnish not get stuck and eat at my work?
Thanks for watching! Yes, I would recommend varnishing for any oil painting. You can stick to one thin coat if you are worried about the varnish getting too thick. It will help protect your painting and enrich the colors.
Hi. thanks for the videocould you explain about the new types of varnishes that are used few days after finishig an oil painting ?
Thanks for watching! An oil painting needs to be throughly dry before you do final varnish...it sounds like you are talking about Retouch Varnish which can be used during the painting process. Retouch varnish is a very thinned down version of damar. It acts as a temporary varnish while the painting dries enough for true final varnish and can be applied once the work is touch dry.
Hot tip: denatured alcohol is "hot enough" a solvent to dissolve Damar Varnish, and works great to clean out your brush, if you desire using a soft brush for application! I keep a jar of denatured alcohol just for cleaning, so as to reuse the alcohol a few times before throwing it away, and replenish the jar. After a rinse in the alcohol, use soap, then rinse with water. Good as new.
Yes it will remove old dammar but please be very very careful with denatured alcohol if it is methanol. That stuff is really toxic. Thanks for watching!
@@walcottfineart5088 As with any solvent, always use ventilation. Denatured alcohol is sold as is, and can be used as a fuel for stoves, no, it contains no methanol. I dare say that it's a far cry from using spirits or thinners, turpentine, or lacquer thinners.
Great video Jason! What are your thoughts on the different spray varnishes?
Thanks for watching! I would avoid the spray varnishes. It's really hard to get an even coat and I've heard from artists who have tried it and said it just didn't work very well.
Do you have a good opinion about these?( Winsor newton Damar, or Winsor Newton spray retouch varnish ( the one with blue label) ) i have available small variety of varnishes for paintng here, i use the blue one, retouch varnish spray after the painting is finished and dried to touch and i used/ still have a bottle of damar from WN. maybe i get some proffesional opinions about the quality of it, i used it for a few years now, didn t had time to experiment or buy others since it was handy and available to buy at local store:) but slowly i would like to change to better quality, i am a bit frustrated because of the glare , and photographing the artwork:) Have you tried Gamvar ? the satin one is fine or it changes the painting a lot? THESE ones i used a really good when you spray on sunk in areas, but the glare is too disturbing, the matte one is too white, any other good products ? i was thinking to buy the Satin from Gamblin Gamvar
Is spray retouch varnish good if i want to do a finished painting after touch dry? or can i also use damar from bottle? or damar is used just when the painting is dried after 6 months 1 year?
Thanks for watching! I typically don't recommend the spray varnishes as they are hard to apply evenly...if you've had good luck with them though, there's no reason to change. I have never used Gamvar... You could try the satin varnish on an unimportant test painting and see if you like the finish. Personally I like the gloss of traditional damar, but I know some people don't. The Winsor & Newton varnish is fine quality... but if you wanted to try a better brand go with Rublev or Michael Harding.
Walcott Fine Art thanks!can.I apply after 1week dry touch?usually artists put some varnish before final varnish ,is damar good for varnishing when it is touch dry?without waiting 6months?
You are really supposed to wait about six months before varnishing a painting with a final varnish. In the meantime you can use Retouch Varnish which is basically like a thinned down version of Damar. It will restore the colors and still allow the painting to dry properly. That can be applied when it's touch dry.
Great vids! One question.. hope it isn't a dumb one. When varnishing a canvas, what do you do with the sides?
Thanks for watching! I mostly use the traditional 3/4" canvases which means the sides are left blank and will be covered by the frame. If you are using the thick 1.5" gallery wrap canvases, then if there is artwork on the sides varnish it as you would the face. A lot of artists also paint the sides a flat black or frame in a floater frame.
Walcott Fine Art thank you very much! With that new information.. do you think you could do a video on framing artwork? If you have my already. Thank you so much. I've been watching your videos constantly and have been learning a lot!
Good idea! I can do a video showing where I source my frames and the best way to attach them to the painting. I will add the to the list!
Walcott Fine Art Yes! Thanks!
Awesome thank you for the great tips. 🙂
Thanks for watching! I'm so glad you found it helpful. :)
How to put atmosphere & depth in a landscape painting.
any tips on removing w&n gloss varnish....
Thanks for watching! I have never used that varnish specifically, but most varnishes can be removed with a soft cotton cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Be very gentle so you don't damage the painting underneath.
Can.you recommend a a good retouch varnish that is not spray?:)
Sure! Winsor & Newton makes one and so does Old Holland. I'd probably go with the W&N. Hope that helps! bit.ly/2NCgPyl
Thanks:)! i used so far Winsor Newton retouch Varnish spray the blue label one, but the paintings get very sticky after i apply and they are stick long time after:) the one you shown me in th link is also sticky? i always wait for the painting to touch dry, about 1 week or 2, and also i used sometimes alkyd white, so mostly they are dry:)
Actually it's normal for there to be some tackiness to freshly applied varnish...I don't know if there is much you can do about it. It will usually go away in a week or two. Yes, alkyd paints dry faster than oils so as long as everything is touch dry you're OK. Two weeks is a good time to wait.
thanks, good tips
Thanks for watching!
Walcott Fine Art Hi there, Do you have any tutorials on palette knife painting for oils? Thank you So much, Jean
You said befor you are use ( terrpantin+ oil + verinsh) by equlaizer
Are you after done your painting ''''do use vernish againe
Yes, the final varnish is pure varnish (no oil or turps added) which is different from my medium. The final varnish protects the surface of the painting and makes it look wet again so the colors are deep and rich. Thanks for watching!
Walcott Fine Art thank you very much i alwayes continu all your iob''''''and its so good as usual
مررررة مفيدة فيديوهاتك
oh, I didn't know you get Maimeri products in the U.S.!
Thanks for watching! Yes, we get a lot of their products here! :)
Do you also get Ferrario products? They're from Italy as well and better quality than Maimeri
No, I have not heard of Ferrario. They must be local to Italy.
Maimeri is from Milan, Ferrario from Bologna, very nice products www.ferrariospa.com/categorie/colori-ad-olio/
If I'm using Winsor and Newton Gloss Varnish do I still let it dry upright or leave it flat?
Thanks for watching! I think I would let sit flat a bit until it sets and then let it dry upright. The idea is to prevent dust from settling on it and getting stuck in the varnish.
Walcott Fine Art Thank you!
I never varnish
Thanks for watching! Yes, some artists choose not to varnish, but it does help protect your paintings. :)
Walcott Fine Art I read if you have thick impasto sticking off the canvas vanishing is a bad idea.
Thought s?
@@nickfanzo OK I understand! Yes, if you have very thick impasto you can still varnish, but you must wait a long, long time before you do... You want to make sure the paint is completely cured before applying the varnish. Standard painting varnish time is two to six months or so. If you have really super thick impasto (like 1" or more off the surface) then it might be even two years. Again, you don't have to varnish, and many artists do not. It just means if your painting would ever need to be cleaned, not having it varnished would make it more difficult.