How to Remove Varnish from a smooth painting 

Jools McKenzie thank you so much! I hope you enjoy my videos! Still figuring it all out, I thought I worked hard before but having a baby has set the bar a lot higher 😂😂

Same here, I cried myself to sleep last night thinking I ruined my painting. Hope this helps salvage the painting

Kev Quaid glad you enjoyed the video! And thank you for your kind words 😊

Yay!!!! 😆😆😆😆💪🏻

Aiman Wally aw thank you so much!! I hope you enjoy the content 😊 I hope each video gets better and better as i improve 😊

So glad to hear ❤️

So sorry! 😣

Thank you so much!! I am so excited, but yes also very nervous. I had to remove the varnish because the layer that was there got damaged. An easy fix :)

Oh no! I hope it helps!. If the varnish is removable then the solvent will be able to remove it.

I’m so sorry I don’t know USA products

It depends on the instruction for the retouch varnish. If it suggests that you are able to paint with your oils directly over the varnish then there is no need to remove it

Check the instructions for your varnish - if it is removable. The solvent I’ve used here is artists white spirits. You could also use house hold mineral turpentine which you can get from any home depo or super market. Please test this out on a seperate surface before using it on your painting

Oh no!! Yes this is applicable for acrylic painting. But please test it out on a seperate piece before doing it to your true painting.

Yes you can but please test a little bit on a corner first, retouch varnish doesn't need as much soaking time.

I would avoid using acrylic over oils 😩 usually because acrylic is water based

@@carlagraceart Yes I know…but what should I best do now to get rid of it? I’ve heard acrylic varnish isn’t removable. Is that true?

@@victoria71818 I’m not sure sorry, never used it. You will have to look up what the brand suggests

Noooo….. sanding will sand your painting too! 😳

What varnish did you use? How dry is the paint underneath?

@@carlagraceart hi Carla thanks for the reply. I used the camel brand varnish. But the underneath paints were absolute dry. I think I should use a different and renowned brand varnish. What do you suggest.

@@archanashah8860 I haven’t heard of that brand sorry… the better known ones will have more help and support around its uses I guess

Usually allowing the solvent to evaporate is enough 😊

@@carlagraceart thank you!

You don’t have to remove the temp varnish before applying the permanent varnish. I think this only really works for smooth surfaces

@@carlagraceart thank you so much for your reply!!! 💗🙏🏻

I wait until all residue from the spirits has evaporated

Not sure sorry. Always create a test piece and try it first before doing it on your main artwork

Lis van der Geer check with the information on the retouch varnish. It may or may not be removable... if your painting is not totally dry I would be worried to use solvent on top to remove the varnish. However, as the varnish is solvent based, you should be able to paint over it and then varnish again when it is all dry. Anyone else have some tips here?

I’m not sure sorry. If it is a removable varnish gel there should be instructions online that will explain it hopefully 🤞🏻

@@carlagraceart thank you for your kind answer! 😊 🙏❤️

Im sue yu have found it, but for others: Windsor and Newton seem to have their own acrylic varnish remover.

Just any lint free cloth 😊

This was an acrylic painting, I used a solvent based varnish 😊

Thank you for your response. Your video has given me the confidence to try this. Really appreaciate the demo!!

Possibly buy it depends on the varnish you used, if it is removable and what the company recommends you do to remove it. I always suggest doing a test first

I used artist white spirits by langridge 😊

Is this available in USA?​@@carlagraceart

I’m not sure sorry... I dont have any experience with that 😔

Carla Grace That’s okay. Thank you anyway.

The varnish was damaged when the frame was removed. So removing the varnish and applying a new coat restored it back to good as new :)

Why did you use gel medium as a varnish? Did you use it on an oil painting?

When the painting is totally dry and you are finished with it just use a varnish over the top, if you want it all matte then use a matte varnish

@@carlagraceart ohh thank you so much .. i will try it Thank you again

Not sure sorry, you will need to google the brand and what they recommend for removal

Yep you can 😊

Not sure if helps, but I've been using Krylon Triple Thick as an isolation coat over my acrylic on wood landscapes. I use 3 coats of Liquitex Soluvar Matte Varnish (spray) over that. On my latest painting, the 2nd coat of varnish formed bulbs and poc marks. I needed to start over. I went to the hardware store looking for either non odorless mineral spirits or turpentine - per Liquitex. All they had was turpentine. The painting is 11x14. I covered it with a saturated link free cloth and checked back every couple minutes. It took about 15 minutes for the varnish to liquify. I peeled off the cloth and gently wiped across the bottom. The Triple Thick failed and I wiped off some of my foreground. Horrifying! Anyhow, it sounds like Krylon Triple Thick isn't as permanent as is touted and, is not resistant to turpentine. I couldn't find anything or anyone online who'd reported something similar, and am baffled........Anyhow, I'd be so very careful if I were you. If it's Krylon Triple Thick you're using, you can paint over it. I just apply a coat of Golden Matte Medium, as a primer and to add some tooth. Good luck. I hope this helped.

Not sure sorry.! Ive never used that before, I recommend always doing a test piece

Sandeep Pai if the varnish you used is removable, please google instructions on how to remove that specific varnish. Follow those instructions carefully.

No idea sorry…

I don’t think so with wood varnish sorry. That you need a specific varnish stripper, it’s much more aggressive than this method

But using a varnish stripper will remove the painting too… using wood varnish is a terrible idea for a painting as it yellows over time too and is inflexible so can crack very easily 😭

@@carlagraceart i read the can it says synthetic varnish clear, RANGE OF PRODUCTS: Decorative Paints Powder Coating Texture Finishes Water Proofing Industrial Paints Marine Paints Protective Coatings Epoxy Flooring Automotive Paints Road Marking Tennis Court Paints Swimming Pool Coating Multi Color Paints Anti-Corrosive Coatings Fluorescent Paint Furniture Finishes Thinners Polyurethane

@@V4V6 decorative paints is not the same thing as a fine art painting… it’s not an archival varnish 😞 I’m sorry

I’m not sure sorry, I only have experience with smooth paintings. I recommend testing it out on a surface similar to your painting before trying it on your artwork

Victoria Tataryn use a solvent to get the varnish off and then a good quality brush cleaner to get the solvent off the brush 😊

Thank u, will try that. But here is another one, if I cleaned my brush from varnish in a solvent, can the solvent be reused after again? I mean to clean brush from oil painting, or varnish?

Victoria Tataryn yes you can reuse that solvent, I usually keep the solvent I use to clean my varnish brushes in a jar and label it clearly. I would keep it for the same use rather then mixing it up.

Carla Grace thank you for your time to answer. Appreciate.

I have only ever used it for smooth paintings sorry.

I’m so sorry it didnt work for you. This method is only used for removable varnish that is solvent based… specifically MSA varnish by golden which is all listed in the video. I recommend looking up the brand of varnish that you used to see if it is removable and how they recommend removing it. If it is not removable, I’m afraid there may not be anything you can do 😩

@@carlagraceart i did it with the other product, it's worked/

Normal sheet is fine. I recommend looking up online what the specific varnish requires for its removal.

@@carlagraceart Do u mean a bed sheet just it is jacksons removable gloss varnish so il try this method with normal mineral spirits and wear a mask

@@philipadams3445 if the bed sheet is even and smooth, no fluff or lint it should be fine. I have no experience with that varnish, so I don’t know how this method will react with that varnish. I recommend testing it on a small portion of the corner of the painting before doing it over the whole thing

@@carlagraceart ok thanks i dont understand the lint bit il ask my girlfriend cheers il try a small corner first

I will use a brand new sheet does it matter if it cotton 🤔 this the last question I need to know thanks for your help

Victoria Tataryn I haven’t tried removing that varnish myself... have you googled if it is removable, and if so, how the brand recommends removing it?

Carla Grace I did not explore about it, will try to google now, thank u

Hi Jaqueline, there could possibly have been a typo somewhere along the line, please try carla@carlagraceart.com or pop on to my website and fill out a contact form with your questions 😊 I’ll try my best to help

I’m an artist but I have a keen interest in conservation too 😊