The Conservator Method: Minimal Varnish on Your Oil Painting for Maximum Preservation

David Molesky demonstrates the proper way to varnish a painting, based on knowledge he received from a conservator.
What you need:
• Gamvar (www.lawrence.co.uk/gamvar.html)
• Gamsol (www.lawrence.co.uk/125ml-bott...)
• Gamvar Varnish brush (www.lawrence.co.uk/75mm-gambl...)
• Badger hair brush (www.royalbrushstore.com/p/lw15...)
• Brown paper napkins
• Ceramic plate
• Mixing jar
▶️ Full video (39 minutes): / caveofapelles
🎵 Full audio: caveofapelles.com/podcast
In the full length video you will also learn about:
• How conservators varnish
• Gamvar - the best varnish
• How to mix retouch varnish & finish varnish
• Why Damar varnish is not good
• The glory of brown paper napkins
• Why matt varnish literally is GARBAGE
• Which brushes to use (also to emulate a matt varnish)
• Finish off with vertical strokes
• Should you not varnish on a cloudy day?
• What to do before varnishing
• How to clean your varnish brushes
• Paint so you do not need to varnish
• Rembrandt did not varnish his paintings?
SHOUTOUT to our TOP SPONSORS!
Fergus Ryan
Shaun Roberts
Matthias Proy
Eivind Josten
Børge Moe
*
Would you like to get access to the full segment and more exclusive content from The School of Apelles?
✨ Become a $10 patron:
/ ​
Subscribe to our newsletter. It is the only way to make sure that you receive content from us on a regular basis: bit.ly/2L8qCNn​
Check out our other channels:
Cave of Apelles: bit.ly/3fBGQ1I
Culture Wars: bit.ly/2PkrYdq
Visit our facebook page:
/ caveofapelles​
For inquiries - [e-mail]

[@1Skylow2]

Love you guys! Feel like I'm watching my friend stoned, camera shy doing their best to explain something that comes like second nature. Thank-you kindly.

[@timothycmasterson]

Did he just varnish with 80% Gamsol? That's the opposite of Gamblin's recommendation. They recommend to dilute the Gam-var with "10-20% Gamsol". Reversing that 80/20 to 20/80 sounds like A LOT of solvent to be brushing on top of the entire surface of the painting.

[@monte49]

Agree. Too thin. Gamsol is already a very thin resin. Also, Gamblin advertises that Gamvar may be applied as soon as the painting is dry to the touch. This is dangerously wrong. I am a paintings conservator and know that this resin can migrate into an uncured paint film that is only 'dry to the touch". This situation makes it impossible to remove the varnish without damage to the upper layers of an oil painting. I've had to contend with this recently. A scuffed painting was brought to me be an artist who merely followed Gamblin's instructions.

[@aelixa]

@@monte49 Can you please give some guidelines on how to best varnish oil and acrylic paintings as a conservator?
There’s really not enough professional advice for this online.

[@archanashah8860]

​@@aelixaHI I'm also looking for a real guidance for varnishing. Did you get any?

[@ombeth]

Do a video on how to properly remove varnish from a painting

[@SchoolofApelles]

Good idea. We will consider it 👍

[@1977ajax]

Always surprised at the 'pour masses and spread' school of varnishing - do none of them ever read the Gamvar instructions and recommendations?

[@jimqartworks]

how many weeks before varnishing using gamsol + gamvar? thanks

[@jan-ovetuv3836]

If you become a member, that question is answered in the full-length version of this video!

[@KatarzynaWojciechowska1]

For safe - minimum 6 months

[@MichaelMoesslang]

Thank you. How do you clean these brushes?

[@jensschettler1732]

Just trow them away and take a new one.😂

[@erikhamann]

To clean a brush with varnish in it I recommend cleaning it with linseed oil first. Then wash the oil out with soap.

[@SkibidySkid]

Potentially the worst varnish video ever created, insane you didn't shake/mix the varnish and absolutely wild you advocate getting your finger sweat/oils allover the painting during and after varnishing it. Bonkers you thin it so much, no one does that at all nor does any professional keep faffing around with the surface - you apply it and leave it. This has to be satire.

[@blackwolfe638]

I thought the exact same thing, just a stoner giving bad advice? Also, don't put Gamsol on your skin.

[@jimqartworks]

awesome, I love the conversation, I laugh too, informative, will use this process next time a varnish, thanks

[@jan-ovetuv3836]

We had fun doing it!

[@KatarzynaWojciechowska1]

Why your painting has visible cracks?

[@armandogavilan1815]

is texture

[@richardalonzo2879]

Oh Boy ???......

[@user-dm6dc1kn6b]

These guys spend years “studying” painting with their cult leader and don’t know the most basic technical things about painting. Now go mix mastic and linseed oil in your paints for awesome, masterful results.