There were two modifications described in the video for reducing gloss: First, for a slight reduction in gloss finish, it was recommended that 10-20% Gamsol can be added to Gamvar. For a greater reduction in gloss, it was recommended that Cold Wax Medium should be slightly reduced with a small amount of Gamvar, then the resulting mixture should be added to Gamvar in a proportion of about 20% to 80% varnish. The initial reduction of the Cold Wax on the palette is simply to ensure that it dissolves completely into the varnish with no lumps.

+Stella Future CEO Once the painting is dry to the touch, the paint needs more time to fully cure, or to finish drying all the way through rather than just on the surface. Gamblin states that an average cure time before applying their varnishis about three months, but the best way to make sure the painting is ready is the thumbnail test. Find the passage of your painting where the paint is the thickest, and gently press your fingernail into it. If the paint feels soft, or like your thumbnail might leave a mark, then the paint is not fully cured and you’ll need to wait before applying the varnish. If the paint is firm then you can go ahead and apply the varnish. The Canva-Paper will not be damaged by Gamvar, though in the long-term it may be a good idea to frame the painting or mount it to a rigid surface to avoid any possible risk of the paint cracking. For any additional questions, you can reach Blick Product Information at 1-800-933-2542 or info@dickblick.com. Thanks!

Adding a thinner can reduce viscosity ad give the coat more time to shed bubbles, but if you want to use the product undiluted, try a different application technique and brush back across the surface after the first stroke. It may take a little more time, but the results should be better.

+jerzeyzgirl03 Yes, you can use Gamvar on an acrylic painting. It is recommended to apply an isolation coat prior to the Gamvar. A good option for an isolation coat is a soft acrylic gel in a gloss finish. Then be sure to wait long enough for the paint film and the isolation coat to dry fully and completely gas off. This could take approximately 1 - 2 weeks. Finally, after that time you can apply one or two coats of the Gamvar Varnish. If you have additional questions, you can reach Blick Product Information at 1-800-933-2542 or info@dickblick.com. Thanks!

The challenge with the technique you're describing is the lack of a strong binder for pastel, which is powdery and friable. Gamvar may firm up the top layer, but we don't think even a heavy coat would impart enough adhesion. The pastel layer would remain delicate, and it would come off easily with the lightest contact or cleaning attempt. We think a fixative applied over the pastel, and framing under glass would be a more effective approach. Hope this helps!

Most of the time, picture varnish alone is sufficient to unify surface gloss in a dry painting, but some artists do apply a small amount of thinned stand oil or linseed oil in order to restore the wet appearance of colors, especially when some passages have a flatter sheen. We think this is a good practice, provided that the absolute bare minimum effective amount of oil is applied, with no loose oil on the surface afterward. After doing so, we recommend waiting for the newly absorbed oil to dry before applying varnish, to prevent the oil from fusing with the top coat, however we don't think it would be necessary to wait another 6 months. When the artist is confident that the paint film has dried to the touch after "oiling out", there should be no problem applying varnish at that point. Hope this helps!

@@Blick_Art Thanks for your quick response.

+viena-lara Please contact Product Information at 800-933-2542, Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5:30 pm CST. We would like to discuss this with you further, as the stickiness can be caused by a number of reasons and we need some further information. Thank you.

thank you.