October 9, 2024 - Why Varnish, and Why Does It Go Wrong? I’ve been painting in oils for over twenty years, and one of the most persistent annoyances is varnish that does not want to bind to the surface properly.  I have developed several remedies for all varieties of situations though, so look to this list as a solution guide if you’re having similar issues. Disclaimer: I’m not a scientist and certainly not a chemist.  Just a painter who has found some ways to deal with this common problem.  These are simply the practices I use, and I’ll note steps where some folks advise caution. Briefly, the reason to varnish is two-fold: to bring the vibrancy back to the pigments and to protect the painting.  Without varnish, the surface of a dried oil painting is dull and values and…