Oil Painting Varnishing Tips

I've been asked about what kind of varnish I use on my paintings. If you're a painter, especially if you're working in layers, you may notice that some areas just dry flatter than others. I think a painting looks much nicer when the surface retains about the same amount of shine or matte look all the way through.

On paintings that are dry to the touch but aren't ready for a final varnish, I use Sphinx Retouch Varnish. It gives the whole piece a medium shine and evens everything out and will protect it until a final varnish is applied. It's what I do on paintings I'm sending to customers if they look like they need a little more gloss. But if you have an oil painting that's ready for a final varnish (usually after 6-12 months), Winsor and Newton offers a spray varnish in matte, satin, and gloss. I usually go with the satin but wouldn't mind trying the gloss out. And if for whatever reason you don't like the spray version, they also have them in bottles as an option.