Is there a permaculture friendly varnish for oil painting?

Watching this...



... I notice how much PPE and precautions used with everyday varnish for oil painting.   And he is right to be so cautious.

Not only is it solvent heavy, it's also plastic acrylic film or the more traditional exotic plant resins that can cause a pretty nasty reaction in some people. Disposal of the waste products are also problematic.  Blablabla, deep diving into the problem is as boring as it is depressing.  There's got to be a better way.

My quest: to find a varnish for oil painting that is kind to the environment and the person using it.


Why varnish an oil painting?

1. To even out the matt and gloss patches that naturally happen as oil painting dries.

This is called 'sinking in' and is annoying.  It depends on a lot of factors like the surface prep prior to oil painting, the pigments (inorganic earth colours are more likely to become matt), the way the paint is made, and is made worse if a medium or solvent is used in the painting process.  Steps can be taken to reduce this, but generally, sinking in is most easily and permanently solved with varnish.


2. To protect the paint layer from light and contamination.

Oil paint is weird.  It doesn't dry like dishes.  Oil paint cures by interacting with the environment.  Oxygen gets absorbed into the paint, creating bonds in a process called polarization and blablabla.  It's nifty stuff.

What we need to know is that this curing process...
A) takes decades.
B) causes the paint to expand and contract over time.
C) creates an almost bullet proof bond when complete.   A bond so strong, linoleum flooring was originally made with a variation of this process.

Leave the painting unprotected for too long and grime and dust can get trapped in the paint.

(As a side note, this tells us that varnish needs to let Oxygen in and be at least as flexible as oil paint)

Without varnish, light can also interact negatively with the paint.  Light's influence on colour and curing is a really fun deep dive.  Too much or too little light are both harmful to the oil painting.


3. Be removable

To clean an oil painting, the varnish is removed and with it, any dust and grime . Then new varnish is applied.  

It's very important that the varnish not bond to the paint or when it's removed, the paint might come off with it,  

It's also interesting to note that traditional, natural varnish yellow over time and uncleaned paintings have a sepia cast that we associate with all things antique.  


These are the problems varnish solves and some of the requirements it needs to meet.  

To this, I want to add my own personal requirement,  that the ingredients be as transparent as the varnish.  Aka, if I'm buying a commercial product, I want to know what's in it so I can make my own decisions for my health, my ethics on how the ingredients are sourced, and the choices on how to dispose of it (also required for proper hazmat recycling of rags or leftovers).

Anyway, I've managed to find a healthy and ecologically sound oil painting process.  Only varnish remains problematic.  I'm curious to explore some different options.  Sadly, from what I know of varnish so far, at the time of writing this, I suspect some sort of compromise is needed.  But that can also be interesting.

1. To even out the matt and gloss patches that naturally happen as oil painting dries.

There are varnish free solutions to this problem.   I have yet to find one that is permanent or viable... prevention seems to be the best path.  But for that to work, it helps to better understand what sinking in is and why it happens.



These guys focus on archiva, best practices for painting and tend to be trustworthy for this sort of thing.

Options
- a ground or primer or gesso that is less absorbent
- limit or avoid solvents
- pigments have personality.  Either avoid or adjust ones more prone to sinking in.
- allowing enough drying time between layers so the lower layers can get far enough along in the curing process to reduce binder absorption.

Stand or bodied oil is also mentioned and this is popular with many professional painters I ask.  One has to be careful with it as too much stand oil in early layers can prevent the next layer of paint from sticking.  There is also the flexible over less flexible rule (fat over lean).  Oversimplified, less oil in the early layers (right from the tube) and more oil in the top layers.  So these artists use a mix of stand and artist oil for the second to last layer and stand oil for the final layer.   Many who do this style feel they can avoid varnish as the gloss is very even.

It's also important to note that these artists, avoid earth pigments (ones most likely to sink in) in the upper layers as they are also the pigments most likely to crack.  

I've wondered if there is a relationship between cracking and sinking in.

...

A different solution I've heard about is to oil out with solvent and stand oil.  

I don't see how this would be a viable long term solution.

The oil would bind with the previous paint layer so it could just have the same problem again in a year.  It would also not be easy to remove. This would be fine, except, when oil is applied without pigment, it is far more likely to yellow and darken.  This starts in months, not years like varnish.  It's basically putting a layer of yellow on top of the painting.  

I'm not a fan of this idea, but I might experiment with it to see if my academic understanding is correct.  A lot of people on youtube advocate for this as a varnish replacement.

....

And a video on correcting sinking in once it's happened

A major issue for you is that Art Conservators need to be able to remove that protective varnish, as you mentioned.
This means that top layer has to be dissolvable with a 'solvent' most of which may be dangerous in confined spaces.

Removable for cleaning is something I would like for my paintings.  I'm not yet at a skill yet where it's worth while, but if I ever start selling, it's nice to do things properly.  Although there are A LOT of mainstream painters who sell their work and don't feel this is something worth caring about.

Pretending for a moment we mean heavy voc chemical solvents like turpentine or minerals spirits (including OMS) when saying solvents (the word has too many meanings).  Not all varnishes need solvents to be removed.  Some...so I have heard...are alcohol based.  And removed with 190 proof alcohol.

Not sure how the painting feels about that.

Although I haven't found one on the market yet, I hear whispers of other bases for varnish in development.   I hope in 5 or 10 years we can come back to this thread with a "scoff, life was so hard in the 2020s, we have way more options now".  

An example of sinking in



The background is still glossy but as the earthy red colour of the feathers dries, it's gone matt and looks desaturated. This is based on the pigment behaviour rather than an issue with the ground.

this might be an option by Natural Earth Paint, but they are protective of the ingredients which worries me.

Looking at reviews of the company, the main (and not that bad) criticism is they put the word natural on pigments that are made through synthetic processes.  I haven't fact checked this myself.  It could simply be they are using natural as their branding from their company name, rather than meaning mined or unchanged substance.

This worth a deep dive to learn more about their varnish, but buying stuff from the usa right now is tricky because it's 2025.  

This could be the solution I'm looking for.  Maybe.

r ranson wrote:this might be an option by Natural Earth Paint, but they are protective of the ingredients which worries me.

I thought for a second that the company that made this was Earth Pigments (similar name and market), and the Earth Pigment company is really lovely to work and talk with. I was going to suggest contacting them, and then realized that it's a varnish by Natural Earth Paint. Maybe they would respond to an email with more information?

But, this did make me do a search on Earth Pigments' site, to see if they had a natural varnish. I found this https://www.earthpigments.com/artists-dammar-varnish/https://www.earthpigments.com/artists-dammar-varnish/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">recipe for Dammar Varnish, which requires citrus solvent (or turpentine) and Dammar resin and cheese cloth. They also sell the Dammar resin

look at those cute little resin 'crystals'!

I've purchased gum arabic and pigments from them in the past, and they're lovely to work with. I haven't looked into the toxicity (or lack thereof) of Dammar resin, though.

I did a quick search, and it looks like people have burned it as insense for a long time. Doesn't look like people have died too much from that, because they're still burning it. So far, so good.

Safety Data Sheet:

It looks like the general hazards are dust and the fact that it can burn.

Some quotes from the safety data sheet:

Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure
Shall not be classified as a specific target organ toxicant (single exposure).
Specific target organ toxicity - repeated exposure
Shall not be classified as a specific target organ toxicant (repeated exposure).
Aspiration hazard
Shall not be classified as presenting an aspiration hazard.

and

Toxicity
Acc. to 1272/2008/EC: Shall not be classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment.

That all looks promising.

That is promising.

I haven't looked into damar much yet.  I have a memory from my childhood of it causing some nasty burns on someone...but that could be from some of the other ingredients or a combination.

Thinking back, it looked a lot like an allergy.

...

Citrus solvent is interesting and I see a lot of people call it "safe".  But I haven't found data about what that means.  I suspect it means safer.  These are the same people who say clove essential oils are safe.  An oil that can cause major burns on skin if not diluted and eat holes through a plastic table.

Every time I hear an art supply is safe, I translate it to mean "safer" until I can get more data.  

I suspect the way we use it makes a huge difference.  I know citrus solvents are common in house hold cleaning products.  So they are worth investigation.

My husband uses a citrus solvent on his hot wheels, and the warnings on it are a lot less than on something like turpentine. And, it's more natural, since it comes from citrus peels.

From what I understand, it's the limonene in the peels, and it works as a solvent. That's part of the reason lemon peels work so well for cleaning things (acid is the other aspect).

I don't care much for clove oil...simply because my husband used to use it to euthanize his sick fish. He'd add it to their water and it would slow their breathing until they died. I think it also affected their nervous systems, too. It has numbing properties for humans, too. Clove oil=death in my mind. It totally ruined clove-rich pumpkin pie and apple cider for me!

But, as with many things, small does can be beneficial. Apparently, cloves can help prevent/treat cancer, help with gut health and are antibiotic.

I haven't looked into damar much yet.  I have a memory from my childhood of it causing some nasty burns on someone...but that could be from some of the other ingredients or a combination.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that maybe it was the turpentine. I have a feeling that that's probably what they used back then, rather than citrus solvents. I remember when I was in high school and learning to paint, and my dad gave me a bottle of turpentine to clean my oil paint brushes. Come to find out, soap and water is all I really needed. But, it just shows how prevalent that stuff was, and how many assumed it was the only way to do things.  

From what I've read so far...and I'm only just starting so this could be inaccurate... turpentine and citrus sovent are traditionally made the same way through distillation.   Turps comes from pine or other trees.  Citrus from fruit.


There are new ways of making both that are more chemistry heavy. But traditional turps is still available through companies like winsor and newton.   The traditional ways of making both of these seem to have lower impact on the environment than the newer ways of making solvents by these names.  

r ranson wrote:From what I've read so far...and I'm only just starting so this could be inaccurate... turpentine and citrus sovent are traditionally made the same way through distillation.   Turps comes from pine or other trees.  Citrus from fruit.


There are new ways of making both that are more chemistry heavy. But traditional turps is still available through companies like winsor and newton.   The traditional ways of making both of these seem to have lower impact on the environment than the newer ways of making solvents by these names.  

Facinating! For some reason, I always figured turpentine came from petroleum.

Doing a bit of research, it looks like there's something called mineral turpentine, which is also called White Spirit, and it is "a petroleum-derived clear liquid used as a common organic solvent in painting."

I also found out (from Wikipedia, not the best source) that apparently people used to consume turpentine to kill internal parasites, and apply it topically in things like Vics Vapor Rub. The oil of it was so flammable that it was used as lamp oil:

wikipedia wrote:n early 19th-century America, spirits of turpentine (camphine) were burned in lamps as a cheap alternative to whale oil. It produced a bright light but had a strong odour.[16] Camphine and burning fluid (a mix of alcohol and turpentine) served as the dominant lamp fuels replacing whale oil until the advent of kerosene, electric lights, and gas lighting.[17]

I'm learning so much!

And, I see that "Turpentine is composed of terpenes, primarily the monoterpenes α-pinene and β-pinene, with lesser amounts of carene, camphene, limonene, and terpinolene."  

I wonder what terpenes are found in Citris solvent? I know limonene, but are there any others?

I searched "citrus solvent terpenes," and all I'm seeing is that it has d-limonene. I wonder if some terpenes are more dangerous than others?

Nicole Alderman wrote:And, I see that "Turpentine is composed of terpenes, primarily the monoterpenes α-pinene and β-pinene, with lesser amounts of carene, camphene, limonene, and terpinolene."  

I wonder what terpenes are found in Citris solvent? I know limonene, but are there any others?

I searched "citrus solvent terpenes," and all I'm seeing is that it has d-limonene. I wonder if some terpenes are more dangerous than others?

Well, this was not the rabbit hole I was expecting to go down today. I learned a new word, "Terpenes," and then quickly learned that when I search for it, I will find lots of information about cannabis (who knew?! Good thing this thread is in the Cider Press).

This site (Safe Leaf) says:

Terpenes are naturally occurring compounds found in cannabis and other useful plants all over the world.
You’ll almost always hear about terpenes when buying cannabis-based products, such as how terpenes make the product “better, more flavorful, and more aromatic.”

What many people don’t know is that terpenes can be dangerous if they aren’t used correctly. It would be best if you always diluted your terpenes before using them.

Here’s everything you need to know about using terpenes safely.

What are Terpenes?
All plants produce terpenes, from the ugliest weed to the most delicious fruit-bearing trees or beautifully flowering plants.

These essential oils naturally produced by plants give them their unique flavor, aroma, and color [1].

There are many different types of terpenes — characterized by their size and unique chemical structure. Most terpenes are either monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, alcohols, or ketones.

I have now encountered too many big words and my brain is starting to hurt. I'm going to go felt a dragon or draw a princess for a bit.

I'll have to check my history, I remember mention of turps in Renaissance Italy.

Distillation seems to come to Europe not long before, but was around for quite a while before it gets to western europe (those poor people living before whiskey was a thing)

Later, it's used in a lot of remedies. I think it was Victorian Farm that had it as part of chilblains treatment.   I didn't know it was used internally.  That seems a bit far, but logical.  It is good at killing stuff.


It is frustrating the way names apply to more than one thing.  Especially in art.

But this is an enjoyable deep dive.  I'm discovering and challenging my personal preference while learning the history and modern uses.

Another interesting note from Wikipedia:

Nowadays, turpentine is rarely the product of distillation of pine resin, but is a byproduct of pulping. Pulping is achieved by two processes, the Kraft process and the sulfite process. The turpentines obtained from these two processes differ in their chemical compositions. The sulfite process gives a product that is rich in cymene, whereas the Kraft process gives a pinene-rich product

I wonder if cymene or pinene are worse than the other? And, what terpenes are more prevalent when the resin is distilled traditionally.

Solvent history (in Europe)

From the Artist's Handbook of materials and techniques by myers 5th edition

Pliny (ancient Rome) described, crude petroleum and balsam and oleoresins from pine, were sort of distilled by boiling in a pot covered with sheepskin wool side down.  The condensed volatile accumulating on the fleece was then squeezed out.

Further mentions of similar techniques in alchemy text.  But not much used except in medicine until the 15th century.  

15th century, we see ingredients and recipes for varnish as well as what we call oil painting in europe.  (Note - there is much debate, but according to studies on painting restoration and the book The New Oil Painting,  solvents used in with the paint was the exception.  It isn't until the 20th century we see solvents more easily available and used in regularly in the painting process.  It was however, an essential ingredient for varnish as far as I can tell).

Modern solvents mentioned include, turps, mineral spirits, gasoline, benzol, acetone.

Wow, that book I just mentioned has a very long chapter on varnish.  Maybe ideas are there?

Nicole Alderman wrote:

I haven't looked into damar much yet.  I have a memory from my childhood of it causing some nasty burns on someone...but that could be from some of the other ingredients or a combination.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that maybe it was the turpentine. I have a feeling that that's probably what they used back then, rather than citrus solvents.

From my reading overnight, I think you are right about the solvent being the more likely cause.  It was the late 1980s so it could have been either natural distilled solvent or a modern petroleum based.

But something in my memory from researching Kintsugi lead me down a rabbit hole where I discovered it's easy for people to react poorly to tree derived products like lacquer or solvents if they are already genetically prone to nut allergies.   But I don't remember the mechanism involved.  All I remember is we had a nut allergy in the house at the time, so I had to give up on traditional Kintsugi dreams.

While we are talking solvents and artists waste (like oil, varnish, old paint, etc), disposal is important.

These can damage waterways, soil, humans, animals, etc, if not disposed of properly.  It's not just solvents that are hazardous, but this includes oil (and kitchen oils too) and well most of what painting produces.

The safest is prevention.   Don't use the more toxic stuff.   Getting there.

The next best option is to take the artist waste to your local recycling facility where you dispose of other extreme toxins like spent batteries and modern lightbulbs.  Ask there and they usually have a system in place.  Mine requires labels so they can recycle most of the chemicals, but limits to 10 items per visit.

Many local fine art supply stores also have art waste drop-off as there are several companies that make new art supplies from old waste.  

Abot two thirds through she talks about varnish, yellowing, and applying.   Why gamvar is okay to apply early.  Cold wax as varnish (also contains solvent).  Gamblin point of view.  

Got some information to change my opinion and concerns about gamvar being retouch and binding to the paint layer if applied early