As painters, you might know that other painters do it. As
collectors, you might know that some of your artists do it. So…what is varnishing and why is it
important?
Picture varnishes serve two important
functions – first, a varnish layer protects oil paintings from
environmental dirt and dust. The second
reason is based on aesthetics – artists varnish because they like the
way varnishes increase the sense of depth in oil paintings, or to achieve a
uniform surface quality on their finished works. This article briefly discusses
both of these concerns, for the artist and the collector.
Protecting Our Paintings
It is generally recommend that finished paintings
are varnished, unless the artist truly dislikes the look. Unvarnished paintings are vulnerable to aging
in ways that varnished paintings are not. As an artist myself, I know that once
a painting leaves my studio, I give up control over how and where the painting
is hung and how it is cared for. Very few, if any, private collectors keep
their homes at the uncontaminated levels and controlled climates that museums
do.
There are two important criteria that a
quality picture varnish must have – first, the varnish must be water-clear to
not change or alter the color scheme of the painting below. Second, the varnish
must be easily removable in the future.
The top-most layer of any painting will ultimately take on a layer of
dust and dirt. Varnishes provide a non-porous
layer which will prevent the dust and dirt from being imbedded in the more
porous paint layers below (see diagram below).
If and when the painting needs to be
cleaned, the varnish layer can be easily taken off of the painting, along with
the dust and dirt that has accumulated on top. In this way, a varnish should be
thought of as a discrete, “sacrificial” layer to the rest of the painting
below.
Enhancing the Painted Image
It is not uncommon for paint layers to dry
to different surface qualities. Some pigments used in oil colors require more
oil and dry with more gloss, other pigments require less oil and dry matte.
Varnishing is an excellent way of unifying the surface quality of paint
layers. But what type of surface is
right for the painting? High gloss? Dead matte?
Something in between? Finding the
appropriate surface quality is a very personal choice. Gloss surfaces beautifully saturate dry paint
layers and increase the sense of depth in paintings. Matte surfaces give paint
layers a very direct appearance, but can lighten the darkest values of a
painting. Historically, representational
painters preferred a gloss surface because of the increased sense of depth.
Abstract painters adopted matte surfaces to enhance the physicality of paint
layers. This, of course, is an over-generalization. What’s most important is
that painters find the right surface quality for their work.
The other aspect of this is how the
environment affects the viewing of the work once the painting is installed.
Paintings that have a gloss surface can be difficult to see if they are not lit
properly. This can take away from the
painted image to the point of being distracting. Fortunately, the surface
quality of the final varnish layer can be easily modified to accommodate both
the painter’s aesthetics and the painting’s environment.
Contemporary Varnishes
Traditional dammar varnish and other
natural resins make a durable top layer but they do yellow and darken over time
becoming increasingly difficult for conservators to remove when they clean
paintings. In the mid-20th century, acrylic resin varnishes were
adopted because of their stability of color. However, these varnishes changed
the look of paintings, so many conservators went back to the use of dammar,
along with its tendency to yellow with age.
In the early 1990’s, Robert Gamblin
collaborated with Rene de la Rie at the National Gallery in Washington, DC, to
bring a contemporary varnish to the studio painter. The research that came out
of the National Gallery identified one of the most stable resins to be used as
a picture varnish. This resin not only beautifully saturates dry paint layers,
but is also formulated into a varnish with a very mild solvent. Equally as
important, this varnish can be removed with a mild solvent. Gamvar Picture Varnish has now been
available to painters for two decades.
To Varnish, or Not to Varnish
Similar to finding the appropriate
frame for a painting, applying a varnish is an excellent way of putting a
finishing touch on a work of original art. Not only does a final varnish coat
unify and saturate color, but it plays an invaluable role in protecting your
deeply-valued painting, whether you are the creator or collector.
In short, Varnish!
Scott Gellatly
Artist
Product Manager, Gamblin Artists
Colors
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