Devon Rodriguez on How to Varnish an Oil Painting

American painter Devon Rodriguez grew up in the South Bronx in New York City and first became interested in art as a child. Now known for his portraits of everyday people—particularly NYC subway commuters—Devon is one of the most popular visual artists on TikTok. Devon’s self-marketing efforts on social media have won more than 27 million TikTok followers and landed him on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list for social media.

Varnish is a clear coating that painters apply to an oil painting after the paint dries fully, which usually takes two to three weeks. Varnishing the canvas is a crucial step for the following reasons:

• Adds a protective barrier: Varnish, also known as picture varnish, is a protective top layer that can keep a painting scratch and dust-free. “Once dust gets into the painting, it's really hard to get out,” Devon says. “With the varnish, it's sort of like a protective barrier.” Many varnishes contain ultraviolet light stabilizers, which prevent color changes from UV damage.
• Keeps the color vibrant: After the drying process, particularly for oil paintings, the colors and pigments become dull and matte. A gloss varnish brings colors back to life. It gives the dry paint a glossy, vibrant finish. A matte varnish protects paintings from the elements, but a matting agent will give the painting a matte finish with less intense colors.
• Protects paintings from aging: Varnish also protects an oil painting from the effects of aging. Conservators remove varnish with mineral spirits and turpentine, then retouch varnish to prolong the life of a painting. “Years down the road, if you ever become a famous artist, a conservator could remove that varnish, all the paint is gonna be pristine as if you just painted it,” Devon says. “And then they could reapply varnish.” When varnishing acrylic paintings, removable varnish products generally require an isolation coat to separate the paint from the varnish.

You can choose from different types of varnishes, including spray varnish for easy application or a quick-drying loss varnish that you can use two to three weeks after your painting is dry. You should apply most traditional varnishes six months after you finish a painting, and it is completely dry. Paintings with impasto, or thick paint layers, can take longer. Here’s Devon’s step-by-step tutorial on how to varnish an oil painting using varnish and a foam brush:

1. 1. Apply the varnish indoors. Apply varnish to your paintings indoors, in a well-ventilated area that is dust-free and lint-free. “Once you get dust in it, it's super hard to get out, it gets trapped in the varnish,” Devon says. “And then make sure there's no hairs in your varnish.”
2. 2. Lay the painting flat. To prevent drips, lay the painting flat. “If you varnish it while it's upright, then all the varnish is gonna drip,” he adds. “It's not gonna be even and consistent.”
3. 3. Pour the varnish on. Grab the bottle of varnish and “pour a little bit out” onto the surface of the painting, Devon says.
4. 4. Cover the painting with the varnish. Using a clean soft brush, such as a foam brush, move the varnish around, glazing the painting so a thin coat of varnish covers the entire painting. When using a varnishing brush, make sure you use the same brush strokes throughout. “It doesn't matter which direction you go, but if you do go up and down, make sure the whole thing is up and down,” he says. “And if you go side to side, make sure the whole thing is uniform.” You only need one layer of varnish; you do not need a second coat.
5. 5. Ensure you cover the painting. Cover the entire painting in a thin layer of varnish; it should look wet. Devon advises you “look at it from different angles to make sure the whole thing is shiny.” You do not need to apply the varnish perfectly for it to be effective. “As long as the whole thing is covered and you did it in a consistent fashion, then that's good enough,” he adds. “And when it settles, it's all gonna dry very consistently.” You may also notice bubbles on the painting from the varnish that will go away as the varnish dries. The bristles in the brush strokes will also disappear with time.

Let the varnish dry before you handle the painting again. The drying time is typically twenty-four hours, depending on the room's temperature. The warmer it is, the faster it will dry.

There are several types of varnishes and finishes that work for various painting mediums. You can find these varnishes in art supplies stores:

1. 1. Oil-based varnishes: Oil-based varnishes, which typically include a base of linseed oil and resin, work well on oil paintings, water-mixable oil paintings, acrylic paintings, and alkyd paintings. Some oil varnishes yellow with time, and solvents such as turpentine or mineral spirits can remove the varnish. Oil-based varnishes include Dammar Varnish (also spelled Damar Varnish).
2. 2. Water-based varnishes: Water-based varnishes come in liquid varnish and spray varnish products and work best for acrylic paintings. These varnishes include polymer varnish and mineral spirit acrylic (MSA) varnish.

Finishes for varnishes generally include a matte finish, satin finish, gloss finish, and high gloss finish. You mainly use varnishes for canvas paintings, particularly acrylic and oil paintings. Varnishing gouache, watercolor paintings, pastel drawings, or any works done on paper can lead to absorption and discoloration.

If you want to learn to capture portraits on paper and canvas, start by building a toolkit of materials. Discover TikTok sensation Devon Rodriguez’s approach to drawing and painting realistic portraits, marketing yourself as an artist, varnishing an oil painting, and more when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.