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Heard mr. Gamblin chatting about the beading up on a podcast. Advice from website: “Some combinations of oil paint and mediums create a “closed” surface resulting in Gamvar beading up. 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 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. Dilute the varnish with 10-20% Gamsol. 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.”
Great tip on the ‘beading’ issue. I’ve had that issue quite a bit because I paint in layers and the process of trying to figure out exactly which medium caused it would be incredibly time consuming, at best. I would have to isolate each product and experiment, yet still in the end not have an accurate result or answer. Very helpful information on the varnishing process, 🙏
for the paintings that bead up, what you can try is "oiling out" or if that doesn't work, using a very high grit sandpaper (like 4000) or a brown paper bag and lightly "buff" out those areas. then try the varnish again. you could also try thinning the varnish with 10% - 20% gamsol.
I have been using Gamvar for a few years now. I have always had the oil paintings laying flat and I am probably putting on a thicker coat because of that, but never had any beading at all. I like how you use a much lighter application and I will have to try that. Beautiful paintings, I wish I would be in the area to see the show.
great video, it´s so refreshing to watch someone do what they love. You always put a smile on my face and inspired me to draw and paint more. Our world can be so beautiful. Have a nice day! Love from Germany. & I know this is a weird question but what´s your zodiac sign? Just a curious astrology fanatic here haha
GREAT tips and video!!!! I always throw my varnish brush away because I can never get it clean - this is a game changer and I'm going to try this THIS WEEK!!! I am posting a video today or tomorrow on how to care and clean your brushes and I wish I had known this info - would have been great to have included that!
very helpful and straightforward instructions. we varnished some acrylic paintings with regular varnish from Lowe's and that worked fine but was told not to use a waterbased varnish on oil paintings. this looks like just what we need. worried its a little expensive but you managed to do multiple paintings with just a small bottle so that is cool too. thanks!
Glad you like this one! It's a 24x30 and it was painted on location in Maricopa, CA in 90+ degree heat. Haha, definitely a challenge. I had an older painter once tell me to save some of my best work so I'd have a valuable collection when I got old. Unfortunately I can't afford to save them! I've got to sell the best ones to keep going.
The Satin finish GamVar has really pulled a lot of my paintings together. Tried the gloss with varying results. Almost gives the painting an ‘object’ or ‘ornamental’ feel. Love the stuff in both cases though 🤤
Yes gloss varnish doesn't go well with contemporary work in my opinion.. I love a good matte or satin varnish and for that reason I use satin gamvar and add even more of the cold wax. Work samazing.
Varnish will bead up on paintings that have allot of medium/ dryer in the paint mix. They say you can mix 10% gamsol into it. Haven’t tried that I use the rag too. I also learned that the flat and shiny areas may be due to not ensuring my painting was really dry (weeks to months vs days) some the paint absorbs some of the varnish. Have you tried mixing some of the satin into the gloss. I hear that reduces the over glossy appearance. I tried it on a few things and it seemed inconsistent
Thank you! Didn’t watch you before trying it but luckily I used on practice pieces-I see now my thicker application and smaller brush made a heavier layer. I’m going to go much lighter and use a stain brush on the better paintings. Thanks again!
I have not tried Gamvar...I will have to give it a shot. I like the idea of a satin option, as I saw mentioned in someone’s comment. Thanks for sharing 👍
And the beading is a result of polymerization of the oil - possibly even cross linked polymerization - to get the varnish to not bead you have to break the surface tension of the oil.
Thanks for the demo. Nice to know it doesn't have a strong smell. I see it can be used on acrylics as well. So I will try it. Does the gloss shine ever create a problem with gallery lighting? I like that it brings out the darks.
I'm so glad you mentioned the beading-up, it has been driving me nuts! I think it might be one of the brands of oils I use, do you use all the same oils?
Thank you for a clear and simple demonstration on glazing. I found other explanations so confusing. Oh and I just love that painting with the palm trees. Wonderful!
You have to use a thinner layer with Gamvar than other varnishes. Otherwise the surface will become sticky. This makes me think and will the Gamvar cover the whole painting or will there be part missing (like really small in somewhere)? Anyway the shining will reduce in couple of days which is good i think.
Thanks for the info on varnishing oil paintings. I don't paint much in oils. I've never varnished over an oil painting. Hope Gamblin will see this. ( wink-wink 😉 )
I tend not to varnish my paintings but suppose I'm not exhibiting as much these day's just developing as a painter. But it does bring the colors out good though 🎨👍
Beading up is because oiling out has not been done before varnish. A crude trick to stop beading up - cut raw potato in half, and lightly rub on the area that is beading up.
@@chamberlainpaintings the potatoes trick was from the famous Michael Harding himself in a video where he was promoting his expensive artist Oil colours. To a question by an artist as to what to do when a paint causes top layer to bead up, he mentioned two solutions, but he then said that easier and simple one of the two is to cut raw potato in half and rub lightly on paint area that is causing beading up when paint or varnish is tried to be applied on top, and the beading problem will immediately stop. He also mentioned one trick to greatly improve Oil painting experience - after Acrylic gesso has dried for 1-2 days, take fast drying artist linseed oil, rub it on entire Canvas and let the oil remain for 2-3 hours, and then wipe clean the canvas. Let canvas dry (oxidize) for 2-3 days. After this start the oil painting. He said that the oil painting will be much more vibrant and pleasing with no dull areas.
@@e.g.1218 Will try to find it. Over the years have seen hundreds (thousands maybe) of painting and material videos (few of Michael Harding too). But what I have mentioned in earlier comments about Michael Harding is correct, since I have seen that video few years ago and remember correctly.
This was very informative. I’ve used gamvar a lot but not recently. Honestly, I cannot remember why I stopped using it and went to toxic spray varnish. I’m going to use it on a painting now and that brought me to your video. Actually, I think I had been using way too much on the brush and it was sticky and attracted dust. I’m going to use it the way you just did. I think I made the mistake of lying the painting flat so maybe that’s why it attracted dust. Would you give a second coat or no?
After removing Gamvar varnish, can it be re-varnished with another brand of varnish? If the answer is yes, how long do I have to wait between one process and another?, Thanks!.
Loving the color scheme(s) and what looks like a nice body of work ready for display! Your brush: sometimes, bristle(s) fall off onto surface work - overall a super versatile brush, available in various sizes.
I've tried so many different things to stop the "river" of beading on certain sections on two of my paintings. Removed the varnish and reapplied. Light application, fast and random brushing nothing seems to work. It's truly annoying. You mentioned that you take a rag after to you apply the varnish but didn't show it in the video? Do you apply and then just lightly rub the varnish into the painting? Thanks :)
Nice video. Do you find for protection reasons using the Gamvar vanish if better as opposed to a permanent fixit spray? Also, can the painting dry okay standing up as opposed to lying it down or is lying it down best for even dry time.? Thank you.
Hi love your channel! Question? I’ve used Winsor Newton Retouch varnish on a large painting and did it outside because of the stink 😉 The lighting didn’t do me any favours though because I now see I have a very noticeable ridge of dry varnish 😖 am I able to sand just the ridge down and then re apply varnish to that area before I go over the whole painting with the final varnish? I’m a very new painter and it was my first large canvas 40x60 inch. And second question 😂 What is the easiest varnish to use? Do I just use Gamvar? Thanks in advance, I’m very nervous to get this done right 😂
When I use this over my acrylic paintings on canvas, the gamvar soaks through and disappears under the paint. When it dries, it looks like I didn’t varnish it. Any advice?
After varnishing 8 paintings with Gamvar, ( acrylic and oil) all of them became uneven with dull and shiny patches. Had to remove the varnish with Gamsol spirit. Unfortunately, that changed some paintings. Varnished again. Same horrible result. So disappointed!
