Hi everybody,

I have been painting and exhibiting for over 25 years. These last days I feel confused by varnishing techniques I read in magazines. Until lately I was varnishing my oil pictures with final brilliant warnishes after putting the warnish bottle in a "bain-marie" to warm it in order to make it more fluid. I was able to brush it easily and more thinly on the picture. But I read somewhere that you can thin it with turpentine. Do we really have to dilute the varnish with turpintine? I always had good results with just warming it before appliying.
Thanks in advance for your replies.

Well hello again,
I have decided to reply my own question.
I know this forum is new and there is not enough members yet.
After visiting other internet art forum sites I decided what I was doing was the best: before varnishing the oil picture I warm a can of water, take it away of the oven, and put the bottle of varnish with the cap open into it for 5-10 minutes. Do the varnishing in a warm room, warm varnish, warm brush...Horizontally and vertically. When the varnish does not stick to your fingers, say 7-8 minutes later, take the picture and put it straight, leaning to a wall, with the painted face looking to the wall. That way it will not take dust.
Your experiences are still welcome.

Thanks for posting your answer--I'll try that technique. Much appreciated.

Hi Lale,

I am a self-taught artist and enjoy all the mediums though find oil the most challenging. To make it less of a mess I've immediately adapted to water-based oils...great stuff! How to varnish properly has been one of my major concerns, however, and I will certainly try your method. The only question that remains is, Is it necessary to varnish? Thanks for any reply.

Hi Lucia
Sorry, I haven't been looking to this site for a long time. I just read your message: I do not use water based oils so I can't suggest anything. What is the differencies or the analogies between oil paints and the water based oil paints as you experienced it lately?
(I am a self taugtht artist also. I read a lot of art technique books, but the more important is that I "observe" thoroughly everything around me. I am a perfectionnist. I try to make the best I can.)
The reason I warnish is because the technique I use, that of the masters (I try!!!) requires many layers. I need something to unify the painting at the end of it. And when you spend months and months to paint a single work, you want to protect it. And also, the colors become more vivid...

Hi Lale,

Thanks for your reply! I've been painting for 10 years now. Water-based oil paints are thinned with water, and cleaning the brushes is done with water and a mild soap (dishwashing liquid works great!). On my first quest for oil paints I came across these and have never even tried traditional oil paints.....the result looks the same (to me). Like you, I observe. Just this week I traveled to Wash. DC (I live in NY) to visit the National Gallery of Art, amongst other museums, just so that I can enjoy the masters, but also study their brushstrokes and use of color. Most of what I know has also been learned from studying by observing. I still struggle with color-mixing sometimes but somehow I arrive at the colors I want anyway so I'm not too concerned. I admire the expressionists but I can not yet paint like that, I automatically tend to perfect things and that changes every attempt into realism. I also do abstracts.

I have not yet had any shows but I have done some special requests for free. Painting at this point is still a hobby but I hope to be spending much more time on it some day and though I take my work seriously, I do not yet feel the need to display them to the public yet....I am still learning from my own work as well.
Thanks again for the advise, I have a few paintings that I will varnish (as soon as I've convinced myself they are really finished <s>. Hope to keep contact with you.
regards,
Lucia