What is picture varnish?

The characteristics of picture varnish

Picture varnish is a transparent protective coating that is usually used to fix paintings. Painting varnish is often used to protect the surface, especially with oil paintings.

• Picture varnish should not be confused with the so-called varnish from the field of wood preservatives. The latter is nothing more than linseed oil varnish, which serves a completely different purpose as a paint and binding agent.
• In the case of picture varnish, a distinction must also be made between an intermediate varnish and a final varnish. While it is the job of the latter to protect and seal the surface of the picture, the former is used for pictures with multiple layers of paint to protect and seal Colours better to bring out.
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• Beeswax or the natural resin dammar is usually used as a painting varnish. These two materials have different properties and should therefore be used accordingly.

What should be considered when applying the protective coating?

• Paint varnish made from beeswax is ideal as a natural preservative, which brings out the colors better and also gives the picture a satin gloss.


Painting with wax - the basic encaustic technique works like this

Fantastic structures and bright colors - you can achieve that with the encaustic. …

• That I wax For certain reasons, however, it is not suitable as a base for applying further colors, beeswax should not be used as an intermediate varnish when painting.
• Dammar, on the other hand, is suitable both as an intermediate varnish and as a final varnish. It also differs from beeswax in that it provides a high-gloss image surface.

Beeswax and dammar can also be mixed to influence the gloss. If you want to change or renew the picture varnish, you can also easily remove the old protective layer with turpentine.