Question:
I wonder please if someone could give me some advice.
I have just varnished a 9 month old oil painting with Winsor & Newton gloss varnish. Some of the varnish is thicker in places than others, which is unacceptable.
It is only one coat so far using a brush and painting horizontally, there are horizontal lines also but very faint.
I have been advised to re-varnish the places where it is thinner leaving alone the thicker places, either that or try to remove some of the thicker places which are few but in a strong light, obvious.
I can’t think of anything else to do so will undertake the former in a day or two giving the varnish a chance to dry completely.
Another thing I can think to do is to (when the above has been carried out) give a second all over coat using a satin finish varnish. Would this cut down on the ‘shine’ or would the shine just come through anyway? Would using a matt varnish make it better.
Answer:
What a shame to have things go wrong when you are almost finished, it sounds stressful. Unfortunately varnishing is a skill that takes some practice. Removing varnish is even more technically difficult and can damage the painting.
Most paintings are varnished in more than one coat. But all the coats are as thin as possible. You don’t want it to puddle. The first is usually gloss as it gives the hardest surface. Then you can add a coat that modifies the glare. Matte varnish can work on some paintings but it makes others look dried out. Satin is often a good compromise. You don’t lose the richness of the oil surface but you cut the glare. You can mix a custom level of satin by combining matte and gloss.
My most expensive brush is my varnishing brush (large and very soft) and I keep it just for varnishing. But I also thin the varnish a little bit so it wouldn’t hold brushmarks anyway. I inspect the painting in raking light (bright light from the side) to see if I have missed any areas or there are bubbles or bristles from the brush or anything. I varnish flat on the table, then tilt it an inch up for a minute to let gravity move it around to level it, then lay it flat again and put a sort of little table or tent (made of pots and clean boards or card/paper or plastic I have to hand) over the top so that dust doesn’t fall into it while it dries.
Here are 2 links you might find helpful – one is Winsor & Newton and one is an article I wrote on our blog.
http://www.winsornewton.com/main.aspx?PageID=472
http://jacksonsart.com/blog/?p=1610
You should be able to add another coat of varnish to cut down on the glare but I’m not sure it will disguise any brush marks you have. A partial removal of the varnish is possible but should be approached with caution as you can easily remove the paint underneath. Go slowly. Think cotton buds.
I hope some of this has been helpful.
