Use damar varnish as a glazing medium for oil paints.
Damar varnish is a glazing medium used with oil paints during the painting process and on completed paintings. While the varnish is sold in most art supply stores, it usually comes in small bottles and tends to be expensive. You can make large quantities of Damar varnish inexpensively with Damar crystals and turpentine, however. Purchase clear Damar crystals online or from art supply stores and use real turpentine rather than mineral spirits or any other solvents.
Instructions
1. Sort the clear Damar crystals and remove any dark specks. Tiny dark specks are fine, but larger ones will affect the clarity of the varnish.
2. Test your turpentine. Suitable turpentine should have a sweet, natural scent and be completely clear. The label must say "pure gum spirits of turpentine."
3. Wrap 2 cups of crystals in cheesecloth and tie the cloth closed with a piece of string.
4. Dunk the cloth into a 1qt. jar of turpentine. The turpentine should completely cover the crystals.
5. Stir the jar several times a day. The turpentine will dissolve the crystals creating a thick gel-like substance in the process.
6. Remove the cheesecloth after one or two days. The crystals should be completely dissolved at this point.
7. Dilute the mixture with 1 qt. of turpentine. You can do this immediately or during the painting process.
