Chelsea Classic Oil Painting Varnish

​NATURAL RESIN & LAVENDER ESSENCE
No Carcinogenic Fumes,
No Turpentine,
No Petroleum.

CCS Lavender Damar Varnish and CCS Lavender Retouch Varnish are made with natural Damar resin which has been dissolved in spike oil essence instead of turpentine. Because they are made with lavender spike oil essence, our varnishes do not cause the chronic health effects associated with the inhalation of fumes from turpentine or mineral spirits.

There are several uses for our lavender damar varnish: it can be used as a final picture-varnish to preserve your painting, it can be mixed into mediums to make them glossier and dry faster, and it can be diluted with more solvent to make a retouch varnish. We also provide a ready-made retouch varnish for your convenience that is a diluted, thinner version of the damar varnish.

When applying a varnish to a painting, you should always make sure the painting is dry and was painted with enough oil/binder to be stable. If not, then applying a varnish to a painting can attack the surface, because of the high content of solvent in varnishes that can be abrasive to a paint surface.

“... dissolves very well in Spike Oil, and in due proportion makes an excellent varnish, which can be easily spread dries quickly, and shines splendidly..."
~Theodore de Mayerne (1573-1655) describing the methods of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) and Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641)