Even though I go to extreme to avoid dust in both the painting and the varnish, it still finds it's way in there. The last step is to label the back of your painting. You don't even have to rinse off the deglosser first! Rule 1. Over the next few weeks the finish will continue to shrink as the remaining solvent gases out of the varnish layer. Why these oil painting rules are so important. Only a few are recommended for paintings. Some of them like Gamvar also contain UV stabilizers which help prevent yellowing and increases the life of the varnish. You have to remember, when a painting is hung correctly you will not see that glossy clear coat, you will be looking through it. Next, give your painting a final dust check. The UV stable damar I use is from Kremer Pigments. Caution should be taken in not varnishing too early if you have used very slow drying colors like titanium white. It not only improves their texture, but also adds to the magnificience of the painting. If the Colors become dull and sinks when dried, cover them with a thin layer of Retouching Varnish. If you’ve followed all the rules of oil painting: Fat over lean. If your painting is large, focus on 1 or 2 square feet starting in the corner of the painting. Then it was sanded perfectly level with a 1000 grit sand paper and buffed to a high luster using a buffing wheel and automotive compounds. This happens because one of the essential resins used in the varnish is lipophilic, or “oil loving”, which causes the varnish to quickly soften, become tacky, and eventually dissolve altogether when in contact with any of the oils used in the various paints and mediums. If you choose to use another varnish, I recommend selecting one that is clear (not yellow) and of artist quality for the best results. Before even opening the can, make sure your work zone is protected. By Carrie Lewis in Art Tutorials > Painting Tutorials I recently received the following question from a loyal EmptyEasel reader who is also an oil painter: I have been following your blog on EmptyEasel and used it to teach myself how to paint. Let it dry, then you're ready to paint! In fact, I advise against it as additional coats are more difficult to level out over the pervious layer of varnish. Remember to do the sides too. The most common hair for varnishing is bristle or hog hair. Do you have to Varnish an Oil Painting? This makes the surface feel sticky and tacky under the brush making it difficult to get an even second coat without disturbing the first. And with a simple, step-by-step approach, you can learn everything from the fundamentals of oil painting right through to advanced techniques. For over a hundred years, damar had been the standard picture varnish. An Isolation Coat. This varnish breathes and removes the need for retouch varnish. This is the time to let the varnish level out and solvents to evaporate. Some people recommend waiting for between 6-12 months before varnishing an oil painting but the time it takes to dry is dependent upon a number of factors: How thickly or thinly the oil paint is applied “Oiling out” has its benefits on a recently completed painting as well, since it not only unifies the surface quality but it reduces the absorbency of paint layers – allowing the subsequent varnish layer to remain on the top-most part of the painting structure. Before heading toward causes and cures it’s good to briefly define the problem, especially if this issue is new to you. It not only improves their texture, but also adds to the magnificience of the painting. The use of resins mixed with oil paint did not get its impetus until the latter half of the eighteenth century. This white is sluggish to dry in even linseed oil. I don't believe this is entirely necessary unless the surface is very dirty. Traditional Varnish or Artificial Oil Varnish. However, you cannot effectively sand your art so you will have to live with some bumps in the varnish from specks of dust imbedded in the paint. If your objective is texture and thicker brushstrokes, do so without crusty bits of paint or dust. These modern synthetic UV stabilized varnishes are the best option available for oil paintings. The guitar was finished with a clear varnish called lacquer. I've heard of artists taking it a step further and very gently cleaning their paintings with an OMS damp rag. Oil paint dries by oxidation, so if you put the varnish on too soon, you will cut off the oxygen that allows the paint to dry. However it still is a damar, not the easiest varnish to remove compared to the new synthetics. Once you leave an area, avoid going back to it. Paintings then needed a barrier against the suttee, smoky air. Texture of paint can be beautiful, but any large bumps or crud is distracting, especially if detail resides in that area. Paint has a habit of ending up in places we never intended. Always take care in removing dust and little bits of fuzz during the painting process so you have a cleaner surface when it comes time for varnish. It’s also advisable to find a varnish that is flexible, otherwise it could crack over time and damage the surface of the oil painting. In my frustration with the beading varnishes I desperately wanted to used,  I gave up and went back to damar. A dust free environment soft natural hair will hold more liquid than synthetic nylon because the... From curing correctly made in 2011 acetone based solvent that dries to the painting. Really depends on the dry surface paint or dust to hide these imperfects with the varnish achieve,! The air from cooking, people smoking, dust etc before it ’ s retouch.... 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