Gamvar may be brush applied when the painting is dry to the touch and firm in its thickest areas. A thinly brushed oil painting with few layers may be ready to varnish with Gamvar in as little as 2-3 weeks. Painting with thicker texture may require 1-2 months, depending on the level of thickness. 

You do not need to wait 6 months. Waiting 6+ months for an oil painting to dry is critical when using a natural resin varnish dissolved in turpentine (dammar). Painters can safely varnish sooner with Gamvar because the mild solvent used in our varnish, Gamsol, is not strong enough to dissolve a dry paint film. Gamvar’s unique resin will not chemically crosslink with a freshly dried oil painting- a possible and undesirable outcome when prematurely applying a natural resin varnish.     

To check if it’s dry, gently press your nail into the thickest part of your painting.

Gamvar does not protect against UV light exposure and does not contain Ultraviolet Light Filters and Stabilizers (UVLS) for protection against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

If one paints with lightfast colors, UV light should be of no concern.

Colors with an ASTM Lightfastness rating of I or II do not require further protection from UV light. A highly lightfast color does not fade with age, even when exposed to constant sunlight.

Only one Gamblin color, Alizarin Crimson, has a Lightfastness III rating (Fair) which has potential to fade. We offer a lightfast alternative, Alizarin Permanent (rated I, Excellent).

Below are the approximate coverage estimates for Gamvar. A little goes a long way! 

• 4.2 fl oz:  80 square feet
• 8.5 fl oz: 160 square feet
• 16.9 fl oz: 320 square feet

Gamvar is an excellent varnish for both oil and acrylic paintings.

Gamvar can also be applied to paintings made with water miscible oil color.

Gamvar can be used on paintings that have gold or metal leaf incorporated into the artwork. Gamvar Gloss is the best choice in this scenario, as both Gamvar Satin and Gamvar Matte contain matting agents that will detract from the reflective quality of the metal leaf.

Gamvar is not a suitable choice for watercolor or gouache paintings. Due to the absorbency of these types of paints, Gamvar Satin/Matte may dry to an uneven or chalky appearance.

A single thin coat of Gamvar provides excellent protection to a painting.

If you prefer a higher gloss, a second equally thin coat of Gamvar Gloss may be applied after the first coat is tack-free.

When using Gamvar Satin or Gamvar Matte, it is best to apply a single thin layer and not to apply multiple applications. Multiple coats of either Satin or Matte can dry to a patchy finish or tacky feel, as the 2nd application will reconstitute the matting agents in the first coat.

Whenever applying the varnish, brush on Gamvar very thinly. Gamvar dries purely by solvent evaporation. Thin coats easily throw off solvent and typically dry tack-free within 24 hours. The thicker the coating, the more solvent is trapped and the longer it stays tacky. (Varnish applied too thickly may retain a slightly tacky feel even after it has completely dried.)

When applying Gamvar to a heavily textured, impasto style painting, pay extra attention to areas where the varnish “pools”. We recommend using a dry brush to wick out excess varnish. Use a stack of paper towels to remove varnish from the brush throughout this process.

Do Gamvar Satin and Gamvar Matte require special application techniques?

Application of Gamvar Satin and Gamvar Matte requires mostly the same technique as shown in the Gamblin Picture Varnishes video demonstration with the following additional recommendations:

 Applying satin or matte varnish to a painting

1. Shake the bottle well before use to ensure that matting agents are well dispersed. (Matting agents are expected to settle to the bottom of the bottle when not in use.)
2. Apply a thin coat of varnish by using a vigorous scrubbing action with the brush. Try to cover as much of the painting with as little varnish as possible.
3. After the scrubbing motion, feathering-out the surface of the varnish. If there is excess varnish, remove it by feathering and wiping the brush on paper towels.

Be sure to use the right brush for the job! Check out our Gamvar Varnish Brush.

We recommend varnishing paintings in a horizontal position to avoid drips in the varnish. If the varnish drips or pools, it will dry unevenly. 

That said, we understand that with large scale artwork the only practical way to varnish will be in an upright position when managing a large surface. We have a few suggestions that should help achieve favorable results.

Varnish Application to an Upright Painting

• Apply Gamvar in a top-down fashion.

• Pour a small amount of varnish into a shallow bowl that accommodates the size of your varnish brush.
• Dip into the varnish bowl just enough to wet the tip of the brush. Avoid over-loading the brush with too much varnish.  Application can be broken down into three steps.

STEP 1:  Unload the brush across a short end of the painting, then push out the varnish as far as it will go with a gentle side to side scrubbing action. Try to cover as much of the painting with as little varnish as possible. Dip the brush again and unload it where you left off.  Scrub out the varnish as before.  Repeat this process until the painting is completely covered in varnish.

STEP 2:  With a clean paint rag in one hand and the brush in the other, walk around the painting looking at it in glancing light. Wipe excess varnish from the brush. Wherever the varnish appears too heavily applied, use a light sweeping motion with the brush to lift away excess from the surface. Wipe varnish from the brush.  Repeat the sweeping/wiping process until the painting is uniformly and lightly coated in varnish.

STEP 3:  Wipe off the brush one more time and finish by lightly feathering over the entire surface of the painting. This final brushing will help to reduce streaking and ensure that the varnish dries to a uniform finish. 

The goal is to coax the thinnest amount of Gamvar across the greatest surface area. Gamvar cannot be applied too thinly, especially when the painting surface is vertical.

The ideal varnish brush is the Gamvar Varnish Brush.

How do I clean my brush after varnishing?

We recommend dedicating a brush for varnishing with Gamvar. When you are done varnishing, wipe as much Gamvar from the brush on paper towels, then wash thoroughly with soap and water. The best soap we’ve found for the job is Dr. Bronner’s or Dawn.

Alternatively, you can clean your brush with Gamsol.

If residual resin is left in the bristles, the brush will dry stiff and somewhat tacky. If the varnish brush stiffens up between uses, simply allow it to soak for 5-10 minutes in Gamsol or Gamvar the next time you varnish. The Gamsol content in Gamvar will dissolve any dried varnish. Wipe the brush dry and proceed with varnishing.

Gamvar dries purely by solvent evaporation. A single thin coat of Gamvar generally dries tack-free within 18-24 hours.

In warm dry weather with good air circulation, it is not unheard of for Gamvar to dry in as little as 4-6 hours.

Cold temperatures and, especially, high humidity will increase dry time by several hours. Climates with higher humidity experience a situation where Gamvar has the impression of being tacky, even after all solvent has evaporated away. This happens when humidity levels reach or exceed 75%-85%. Once humidity levels drop, the surface will feel less tacky. 

Gamvar is formulated with Gamsol odorless mineral spirits, therefore it can be safely removed with Gamsol. Keep in mind that varnishes from other manufacturers may require harsher solvents.

Removing Gamvar

Gamvar is formulated with Gamsol odorless mineral spirits, therefore it can be safely removed with Gamsol.

Gamsol is such a mild solvent with a low dissolving strength that using it to remove Gamvar will not harm oil or acrylic paintings.

Gamvar Removal Directions:

1. Take a small washcloth size cotton cloth and saturate it with Gamsol. This is your dissolving rag.
2. Using a gentle circular rubbing motion, dissolve several square inches of the varnish at a time (Gamvar will dissolve within seconds).
3. Immediately wipe away the dissolved Gamvar with another dry cotton cloth.
4. Unfold and refold the wiping cloth as needed to make sure it remains absorbent. Usually, there is enough of a difference in surface sheen to tell where Gamvar has been removed. When it is difficult to tell where the varnish is being removed, work systematically, section by section, to keep track of where the varnish has been removed.
5. A final wipe down with a fresh cloth and Gamsol will help to remove any residual varnish.

Some combinations of oil paint and mediums create a “closed” or slick surface resulting in Gamvar beading up. This is often a surface tension problem, where the slick closed surface does not accept the low viscosity varnish. You could compare this occurrence to when rainwater beads up on a waxed car. Also, beading up may indicate that too much varnish is being applied at once. Try to cover as much of the painting with as little varnish as possible. A vigorous scrubbing motion when applying Gamvar will help prevent it from beading up.

 What to do when varnish beads up

1. Reduce the amount of Gamvar that is being applied to the painting. Blotting extra varnish off the brush onto a paper towel before applying is an excellent way to achieve this.
2. Dilute the varnish with 10-20% Gamsol.
3. Brush the varnish vigorously as it dries. Gamvar will begin to tack up in about 15 minutes. Continuing to brush after it begins to tack up may help it to adhere, but it will also reduce its level of gloss the longer you continue to brush it.

If the varnished surface still feels tacky after several days, the varnish may have been applied too thickly. You may notice this tacky quality in areas where Gamvar pools more heavily- like the edges of the canvas. The other determining factor has to do with the relative absorbency of the paint surface. An oil painting that appears matte will be more absorbent resulting in a varnish coat that has a lower tack feel.

If Gamvar remains tacky after several days, you may want to remove the varnish with Gamsol and reapply. See removal instructions.

To encourage a thinner application, add 10-20% Gamsol to the varnish before applying. We recommend applying Gamvar with a flat natural-bristle brush. Soft synthetic or thick natural hair brushes deposit too much varnish making it difficult to achieve an appropriately thin coat.

Climates with higher humidity experience this with more frequency. Enviornments with high humidity can temporarily give Gamvar the impression of being tacky, even after all solvent has evaporated away. This happens when humidity levels reach or exceed 75%-85%. Once humidity levels drop, the surface will feel less tacky. 

A streaky or cloudy finish after varnishing a painting with Gamvar Satin or Gamvar Matte is often the result of applying the varnish too thickly. The choice of brush may have contributed to the white you are seeing.

A 4oz bottle of Gamvar is intended to cover over 80 square feet of artwork. 

The solution will be to remove the varnish and re-apply with the correct brush in a thin application.

Please see our resources on this in the Gamvar Removal section above and our recommended suggestions for your varnish brush. 

Uneven varnish coatings are generally due to varying rates of absorbency in the paint layers. The varnish lies on top of less absorbent areas and sinks down into more absorbent areas. We recommend a process called “oiling out” prior to using Gamvar. Oiling-out reduces the absorbency of dull paint layers, unifies the painting’s appearance and allows Gamvar to cover more evenly. If your painting already has varnish on it, remove the varnish layer prior to “oiling out.”

How to oil out an oil painting

1. Apply a liberal coating of a 50/50 mixture of Galkyd/Gamsol
2. Allow the medium to be absorbed into the painting for 1-2 minutes
3. Wipe off the excess painting medium thoroughly with an absorbent, lint-free cloth
4. Allow the oil-out to dry completely (2-3 days) before varnishing

For more information on surface quality including a video demonstration on oiling out, please visit Controlling Surface Quality: A Holistic Approach

Gamvar Gloss, Gamvar Satin and Gamvar Matte can be mixed together. Even so, each was carefully formulated in regards to resin content, viscosity and amount of matting agents (Satin and Matte) to achieve a desirable finish. You will have to experiment on your own to achieve a surface quality somewhere in between our three premixed formulas. Test out custom mixtures on small areas of your painting first and allow the test areas to dry completely before evaluating the results. When you arrive at your ideal mixture, remove the test areas with Gamsol and varnish the entire painting at once.

Multiple layers of Gamvar are fine. However, we have found that it is difficult to control the surface quality when different types of Gamvar are applied on the same painting, one on top of another.  (e.g. 1^st layer Gamvar Gloss, 2^nd layer Gamvar Satin) It may be best to remove the first coat and re-varnish with the preferred Gamvar formula or a custom mixture of Gamvar formulas.

Gamvar should be removed before adding fresh paint.

A key feature of a true picture varnish is that it may be removed later to clean or restore a painting. Were you to add paint layers over Gamvar, the added paint runs the risk of removal with future cleaning or re-varnishing of the painting.

Gamvar can be safely and easily removed with Gamsol or other odorless mineral spirits. Take a clean lint-free cloth and wet a portion of it with Gamsol. Using circular motions, dissolve a small area of the varnish and immediately remove the dissolved varnish with another dry cloth. Repeat until the varnish is removed from the desired areas.

Once the additional painting is complete, allow it to dry to the touch before reapplying Gamvar (several days to 2 weeks will usually suffice unless the fresh paint is especially thick). Thinly brush Gamvar onto the newly painted areas, then blot the brush on paper towels and use it to “feather” new varnish into existing varnish.

Blending from new to old varnish is important to avoid creating a glossy “halo” when varnish layers overlap too thickly. Because of this, it is worth considering removing the varnish off the entire artwork prior to re-application with a single thin coat.

You are best to choose a bottle size of Gamvar that will be used up within a year after removing the factory seal.

To determine the best size for your needs, consider that 4 fluid ounces of Gamvar will cover approximately 80 square feet.

VARNISH CLUMPING – What to do?

Exposure to cold temperatures in transport or storage can cause the matting agents in Gamvar Satin or Gamvar Matte to clump together.

To disperse the clumps, warm the varnish by placing the bottle (cap on) into a pan of hot tap water for about 10 minutes.  You may need to change out the hot water a couple of times as it begins to cool. Once the varnish has warmed up, shake it vigorously and the matting agents will disperse evenly throughout the varnish.