Varnish

“ How a Good Varnish is Recognized.—It is hardly necessary to say that a superior varnish must be clear, transparent, and brilliant. These qualities are always associated with this kind of finish. But durability is also a necessary quality. An expert will, with his eyes shut, recognize a high-grade varnish by its peculiar odour, which is to him an agreeable one. He will at once detect inferior grades by the rank, sharp odour of resin and benzine used in their manufacture. ”

“ When it is deemed advisable to varnish over an oil painting the varnish should be mastic, with perhaps 3 or 4 drops of refined linseed oil added to insure against cracking. A heavy body of varnish used over paintings must be strictly prohibited, inasmuch as the varnish, as it grows in age, naturally darkens in color, and in so doing carries with it a decided clouding and discoloration of the delicate pigments. A thinly applied coat of mastic varnish affords the required protection from all sorts and conditions of atmospheric impurities, besides fulfilling its mission in other directions. ”

“ The application of the varnish to either paper or wood work requires some care. The painter is apt to try to get over the work too quickly by taking too much in his brush at once, and this is certain to lead to nasty running or tears. The best way is to dip a little more than the tip of the brush into the varnish, to apply it almost in the same manner as paint across the work, and then to finish by lightly stroking the surface all in the same direction with the tip of the brush, so that the varnish flows and the brush marks are obliterated. ”

“ It is the usual custom to make color-and-varnish by adding to a partly filled cup of varnish a little color, but it is considered best by some of the first-class painters to grind the dry pigment directly in varnish, and thus overcome the objection to the oil and turpentine in the color-and-varnish. ”

“ Many dissolve in water that will not in spirit of wine; and the contrary. And upon this difference many curious matters in the arts are founded. Thus, spirit-varnish is made of a solution of various gums or resins in spirits that will not dissolve in water. Therefore, when it has been laid over any surface with a brush, and is become dry, the rain or moisture of the air will not affect it. This is the case with the beautiful varnish laid upon coaches. On the other hand, the varnish left by gum-water could not be washed off by spirits. ”

“ To Varnish.—When it is wished to render any of the stains more durable and beautiful, the work should be well rubbed with Dutch or common rushes after it is colored, and then varnished with seed-lac varnish, or if a better appearance is desired, with three coats of the same, or shellac varnish.
1699. Common Work only requires frequent rubbing with linseed oil and woolen rags. ”

“ Whichever varnish is used, it should be very thin: if spirit varnish, the room must be of a moderate temperature; for if too cold, the varnishing is apt to be rough, white, and unequal; if too hot, it is liable to have air-bladders, and to crumble and spoil. Oil varnishing may be done in a room of warmer temperature. A second coat of varnish must on no account be laid on before the first coat is quite dry. If the work is to be polished, the spirit varnish must be applied from five to eight times, oil varnish three or four ”

“ It will be seen from this that in putting varnish aside it is necessary to store it in a warm place, and to take care that it does not get chilled, if it should become very cold it is well to gently heat it before using it. In piano factories, carriage shops, and in any other places where the varnished surface must be very brilliant and uniform, it is often the custom to take the most painstaking care to prevent any marring of the varnish by cold, draughts, or dust. ”

“ The quality of varnish depends upon the qualities of the gums, the proportion of oil and turpentine and the care which is exercised in the boiling process.
158. Flowing Copal Varnish. — (1) Lay on the varnish quickly in a good heavy coat. Use a good varnish brush and dip the bristles deeply into the liquid, wiping them off just enough to prevent dripping. (2) Wipe the bristles quite free of varnish; go over the surface and pick up as much of the surplus liquid as the brush will hold. Replace the varnish in the can by wiping the [161] bristles on the wire of the can. ”

“ Oil varnish is long in drying; hence in this country, except in hot weather, the process is tedious, and the old English makers usually preferred spirit varnish, which dries very quickly. The best makers in all countries have used oil varnish, the soft texture of which penetrates and solidifies the wood without hardening the tone.
When the varnishing and polishing are completed the fingerboard is glued on, and the violin is then ready for its moveable fittings. ”

“ White shellac also produces a slight change in color and for this reason many working with toys will use a good clear varnish instead.
17. Varnishing.—Two or three coats of varnish will produce a very durable finish. The first coat of varnish ought not be quite as heavy as the succeeding coats. If the varnish is of extra heavy body it should be reduced slightly for the first coat. The best varnish reducer is thin varnish. To prepare this reducer, take one part varnish (the same varnish to be reduced) , and two parts of turpentine. ”

“ The necessity of durability is obvious, and solubility is essential in order that the varnish may retain its full transparency.
Colouring matter that is not completely dissolved merely renders the varnish a mixture that has neither transparency nor beauty. ”

“ There is still another kind of inlaying which is not included in the foregoing paper. To make it, take a board of hard, wood, well seasoned, and lay on it a coat of thick varnish. Take the sawed-out pieces, which should be of the thinnest tortoise-shell, ivory or wood, and dispose them on the board. When the first varnish is dry, lay on, for a ground, varnish very much thickened with flour or color. When this is dry, repeat it; and so on, until the ground thus made is as high as the pattern. ”

“ When varnishes are quite new made, and must be sent out for use before they are of sufficient age, they must always be left thicker than if they were to be kept the proper time. Varnish made from African copal alone possesses the most elasticity and transparency. Too much driers in varnish render it opaque and unfit for delicate colours. Copperas does not combine with varnish, but only hardens it. Sugar of lead does combine with varnish. Turpentine improves by age; and varnish by being kept in a warm place. All copal or oil varnishes require age before they are used. ”

“ The important rôle played by the black varnish is interesting, as showing the increasing tendency to reduce the painter’s labour to a minimum, combined with a striving after novelty and the rejuvenation of the art. The practice, no doubt, arose from the discovery of the painter that it was easier to paint the figures on the black in opaque colour than to trace them out in the clay and work round them with the varnish, especially in the case of the elaborate foliage patterns which played so important a part in Apulian vases. ”

“ It is not economical for painters to make these for themselves, as they may be purchased both cheaper and in most cases better than they could make them. At the same time it is well to know how to make these important compounds, for it may so occur that the materials may be obtained where the varnish itself could not, or other circumstances may render it desirable that the varnish should be made at home, a few receipts for the purpose are, therefore, given.
Table Varnish. Take of oil of turpentine 1 pound, beeswax 2 ounces, colophony 1 drachm. ”

“ It is very wise for the painter to keep away from materials of this type; and, if a hard drying [Pg 92] varnish is desired, any good Copal Varnish will answer the purpose, although for varnishing pictures, it must be continually borne in mind that a simple varnish like Damar, Mastic or Sandarac should be used; for only those simple varnishes can be easily removed without destroying the painting itself. ”

“ There is no economy in buying a cheap varnish brush. The work done with one is very likely to be marred by the bristles coming out, and such tools only last a comparatively short time. A varnish brush when put aside for a day should be put in either raw linseed oil, or, better still, in some of the same varnish in which it has been used. ”

“ Two coats of oil varnish are sufficient.
To colour essence of turpentine dissolve in it some dragon's blood, etc.
Be very careful in the manipulation of the various ingredients when they have to be heated. Accidents will occur if proper care is not taken. Whenever possible the heating should be done out of doors. ”

“ If the bronze paint is made up with ordinary varnish it is liable to become discolored from acid which may be present in the varnish. One method proposed for obviating this is to mix the varnish with about 5 times its volume of spirit of turpentine, add to the mixture dried slaked lime in the proportion of about 40 grains to the pint, agitate well, {567} repeating the agitation several times, and finally allowing the suspended matter to settle and decanting the clear liquid. ”

“ Varnish is composed of peculiarly sensitive and susceptible ingredients responding to the slightest influences, good or ill, and the addition of siccatives only tends to make the action of the varnish uncertain. It is only for the time being that the driers unite and form a part of the varnish. During the operation of applying to the surface the varnish forsakes or separates the shop-added siccative, with the result that pitting and pin-holing, along with other burdensome deviltries, are developed. No, shop mixing of driers with varnish is not advisable. ”

“ Copal ranks next to amber in durability, and the varnish becomes lighter by exposure; the best copal varnishes are slow in drying unless mixed with animé. Mastic is a favourite spirit varnish used as a picture varnish and for delicate works of a pale colour. Damar mixed with mastic makes an appropriate varnish for maps and similar work. The qualities to be sought in varnishes for a painting are that they should resist damp, exclude air, and not injure the colour. (See also Italian varnish, Strasburg turpentine, &c.) ”

“ The old Cremonese workers, who attained the highest point of perfection in this direction, undoubtedly discovered their secret by a fortunate accident, and it is surprising that, though centuries have passed, no one has since been able to produce a varnish that will in any way compare with that of those great masters of old. ”

“ If you use varnish you will probably have to give it two coats, as the first one is likely to sink in. Use a flat brush for putting on the varnish and apply it evenly.
As I want to cater for all tastes and pockets, I will give another suggestion which will involve very little outlay, as you can deal with any suitable strong empty case you may have by you. Get some patent size at an oil-shop and melt it to boiling point by putting it in a gallipot and this in boiling water. This saves contaminating the saucepan and keeps the size from burning. ”

“ If kept in finishing varnish, the liquid should be changed frequently. So delicate a tool, of which so much is expected, makes imperative the observance of gentle, cleanly treatment. Varnish brushes ought never to be left lying around for any considerable length of time when not in use. Dust is never idle, but always moving and, like the dew of the evening, it falleth upon the just and the unjust, varnish brushes included. Have a stiff, partly-worn brush to clean the handles of varnish brushes. ”

“ They are made by grinding the selected pigment, or mixture of pigments, in a varnish medium, and their nature and properties depend on the type of varnish used. A quick-drying variety is made by using a cheap rosin varnish as the vehicle, it dries with a high gloss surface in about 2-4 hours, but owing to the brittle and non-durable nature of the varnish used it is only suitable for interior use. High-class durable enamels, suitable for both inside and outside use, are made by using mixtures of heat-treated linseed oil (stand oil) and elastic copal varnishes as the vehicle. ”

“ Others again have from a purely mercenary motive used such materials in the composition of their varnish that were not of the best quality, and which, in the course of time, have deteriorated to such an extent that at the present time varnishes are much below the standard set by the examples left us by the great masters of other days. ”

“ Simply place the varnish can in a bucket of hot water, and let it remain there until it gets warm, when you will experience no difficulty in applying it to advantage. Another hint worth taking is never to buy cheap and inferior varnish. The best is none too good. ”

“ Bronzing should never be varnished over with oil copal varnishes, as it will rapidly lose color and oxidize if so varnished, some of the commoner house-painters' oak varnishes have so little oil in them that this effect does not follow rapidly. If metals, silver, or gold be sized with a clear jelly of gelatine size, or thinly lacquered, they may be varnished with any kind of varnish, as the interleaf of size will stop the direct action of the varnish upon the metal. ”