Varnish is used in oil painting to protect the colors.
Varnish is a material that is used in oil painting to unify the sheen of the painting and protect the colors. There are two types of varnish: Damar varnish, which is used when the painting is finished, and retouch varnish, which is a diluted form of Damar and may be used at different stages during the painting process. Make your own varnish using Damar resin, which is obtained from Damar pines from East Asia and India.
Instructions
1. Buy Damar resin from an art store. There are two varieties available: Singapore and Batavia. Both are suitable for making varnish for oil painting, but Batavia is more expensive.
2. Damar resin comes in various sizes, but most commonly you'll find larger crystals. Wrap the crystals in tin foil and break them in smaller parts using a hammer. Smaller parts dissolve faster in turpentine.
3. Mix one part turpentine and one part Damar resin in a glass bottle or jar and seal it. Shake the mixture well. Keep the bottle at room temperature.
4. Stir the bottle a few times per day until the Damar crystals dissolve in turpentine. When there are no Damar crystals left in the mixture, the concentrated Damar vanish is ready. The crystals may need 24 to 48 hours to dissolve, depending on the thickness and size of the crystals.
5. Strain the varnish through a piece of gauze, cheesecloth or a loose-woven piece of cloth to remove all sediment and obtain clean varnish. The sediment may affect the colors in the painting.
6. Make Damar varnish by adding one part concentrated varnish and one part turpentine.
7. Make retouch varnish by adding three parts turpentine to the concentrated Damar varnish.
