# Help with varnish, please!



## qwytzylkak (May 28, 2017)

I covered one of my old paintings in gloss varnish, realizing the risk. The varnish really does wonders to the depth of the colors, but the shininess is simply too much. I want to get rid of the shininess, or at least to reduce it. Do I have to remove the varnish completely, or can I cover the varnish with a layer of matte varnish, in order to reduce the effect? 

The gloss varnish I used is 'Pebeo, Dammar Picture Varnish' (Reversible, solvent: turpentine)

The painting has been sitting dry for over a year.

Thank you!


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## just (Mar 3, 2015)

Varnish is used to show effects of light. Leonardo da Vinci mastered the use of it. His masterpiece of st.john the Baptist is a great example.


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## qwytzylkak (May 28, 2017)

just said:


> Varnish is used to show effects of light. Leonardo da Vinci mastered the use of it. His masterpiece of st.john the Baptist is a great example.


Have you even read my question?


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## just (Mar 3, 2015)

qwytzylkak said:


> Have you even read my question?


Yes, but perhaps my answer was not specific enough. Varnish is best used for effect on highlights not used on the whole painting. It's to be applied carefully in thin small strokes. BTW have you even looked up the example I gave you?


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## qwytzylkak (May 28, 2017)

just said:


> Yes, but perhaps my answer was not specific enough. Varnish is best used for effect on highlights not used on the whole painting. It's to be applied carefully in thin small strokes. BTW have you even looked up the example I gave you?


I have, and I am well familiar with the uses of varnish. Every artist goes about it differently. I took a risk as it was my first time and applied the gloss varnish to the entire painting. Not satisfied with the result, I want to know if I can add matte over the gloss varnish, or how to remove it entirely.


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## M Winther (May 14, 2016)

It also depends on the light conditions, if the glossiness is disturbing.

I would clean the surface and add a new layer, perhaps a mixture of glossy and matte. After all, the worst thing that can happen is that you must remove it afterwards.

If you add matte varnish, all the visual benefits of the glossy varnish will disappear. Oil paintings don't need varnish as protection, unlike in former times when indoor air was quite polluted. However, acrylic paintings do, because they absorb dirt that cannot be removed. Oil paintings need only be cleaned with a damp cloth.

Mats


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## qwytzylkak (May 28, 2017)

M Winther said:


> It also depends on the light conditions, if the glossiness is disturbing.
> 
> I would clean the surface and add a new layer, perhaps a mixture of glossy and matte. After all, the worst thing that can happen is that you must remove it afterwards.
> 
> ...


How risky is it attempting to remove it myself? And if I'm going to remove the glossy layer and then add matte, wouldn't the result be the same if I just covered the gloss with matte straightaway?


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## M Winther (May 14, 2016)

It's not risky to remove. It's just tedious work. You can probably find a YouTube video that demonstrates it. It's risky only on old, valuable paintings with cracks and so forth. Then one should leave it to a professional.

Yes, the result would be the same, more or less. I don't think there's any point in removing the earlier layer. One does that only when it has become yellow, crackled and dirty. Also, since you already have a layer, you need only apply a thin layer of matte, which is good.

Mats


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## qwytzylkak (May 28, 2017)

M Winther said:


> It's not risky to remove. It's just tedious work. You can probably find a YouTube video that demonstrates it. It's risky only on old, valuable paintings with cracks and so forth. Then one should leave it to a professional.
> 
> Yes, the result would be the same, more or less. I don't think there's any point in removing the earlier layer. One does that only when it has become yellow, crackled and dirty. Also, since you already have a layer, you need only apply a thin layer of matte, which is good.
> 
> Mats


Thanks, Mats, your answer is extremely useful. I think I will go ahead and add a thin matte layer, like you said, and see where it takes me. Hopefully it drowns the shininess.


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