Final varnish - matte or gloss

[Tom Edgerton]

Hello all...

Since my last post on this topic, I've experimented some more with a matte/gloss mix.

I tried a 50/50 mix of Winton (Winsor & Newton) final varnishes, and like the sheen it imparts. It's also a little less thick than the Soluvar, and spreads a little thinner and more fluidly.

I've also done some math in regard to how much I have to cut the subsequent mix with odorless mineral spirit to turn the mix into a retouch varnish, rather than a final varnish--after all, the only difference between a retouch and final varnish is the ratio of varnish to solvent: a final mix is 30% varnish, a retouch mix is 15% varnish (according to published tech letters from Old Holland).

If I'm mixing approximately 4 ounces of retouch mix, I cut the 50/50 Winton final varnish mix (straight from the bottle) with about 20% more odorless.

I've usually gone to an application of retouch varnish as soon as the paint was well dry to the touch (about a week or two) as I'm doing commissioned portraits mostly and I've got to get them out the door. I don't want to send them out with no protection, but some paintings go to live too far away for me to loop back and varnish them six months to a year later. So this is my compromise. I never liked straight retouch varnish from the bottle, as the gloss was always too high for my taste.

From researching it, I don't think that this technique is unsound, but if anyone sees a pothole I don't see, please let us know herein.

Best--TE