Varnish drying time.

[Claudemir Bonfim]

Welcome Lani, hope to see some of your work soon.

And Carlos, why do you use specifically Damar to varnish?

[Carlos Ygoa]

Lani,
Sorry, I have no experience with Gamblin Gamvar, so I wouldn't know if it has the same properties as damar.
Claudemir,
I use the damar because I find it brushes on easily because it is relatively non-viscous, and I read somewhere that it is the best of the soft resins to use as a varnish. I prepare my own (huge savings) and I also use a little of it mixed with my medium at times to quicken drying time of the oils. As a varnish it can discolour if the resin is not too pure, though, but some might like the aged look it gives.

Carlos

[Michael Georges]

I use Gamvar for all my paintings. It dries within an hour and you can frame the next day if you need to. I might recommend waiting a couple of days for it to completely harden if you can though.

[Lani Powell]

Thanks Michael (Mr. Georges?),

I had read other posts by you on the subject of varnish and I noted that you had found Damar to yellow and that you had recommended Gamvar. Went today to the local art supply house and they don't carry it. They recommended, and I purchased, Winsor & Newton Artists' Gloss Varnish as I like a glossy finish. Do you know if that is the Winsor & Newton equivalent to Gamvar, and if so, do you think it will dry as quickly, and can therefore be framed as quickly???

If I'd gotten an MFA, would I know this stuff??

[Michael Georges]

Hey Lani:

I don't know this for absolute sure, but I believe the W&N varnish is also a synthetic, like the Gamvar. The benefit that the synthetics give you is that they are easier to remove down the road, and are supposed to not yellow as much over time. Time will tell on that claim as they are not yet old enough to prove the claim in anything other than lab testing.

I find that I don't like the high gloss that they impart, so I cut mine with beeswax to knock it down a bit. As you like the gloss, it should work nicely for you.

On your last question, it would depend on where you got your MFA....

Michael

[Claudemir Bonfim]

Originally Posted by Carlos Ygoa

Lani,
Sorry, I have no experience with Gamblin Gamvar, so I wouldn't know if it has the same properties as damar.
Claudemir,
I use the damar because I find it brushes on easily because it is relatively non-viscous, and I read somewhere that it is the best of the soft resins to use as a varnish. I prepare my own (huge savings) and I also use a little of it mixed with my medium at times to quicken drying time of the oils. As a varnish it can discolour if the resin is not too pure, though, but some might like the aged look it gives.

Carlos

Thanks for that Carlos. I had never payed atention to the composition of my varnish before.