Damar Varnish is very versatile, both used as varnish in its own right,
And as a popular additive to many other glazes and mediums.
Damar (also spelt as Dammar) Resin is derived from the Damonar Fir and is soluble in Oil of Turpentine. It is sold in lumps of varying sizes and varies from an off-white colour to pale yellow. The less coloured the lumps of crystal are, the better. Buying ready-made varnish can become quite expensive, but thankfully the procedure for making large quantities of your own is relatively straightforward, and by comparison far cheaper. After making your varnish, should you feel that the consistency is too thick, all you need to do is add more Turpentine.
To make the varnish, you will need:
- A large glass jar (one that holds at least 1 ¼ pints or 700ml) with a screw top. I used an old large jar that held pickled cucumbers.
- Fine mesh cloth – muslin or old stocking or tights are ideal.
- Pure gum turpentine.
- Screw top container – metal jars are ideal, or brown glass jars with a screw top.
- Damar crystals.
- String.
Making Your Varnish
Wrap the damar crystals in the cloth. An exact quantity is hard to determine, as it very much depends on the size of your jar, but as a rough guide use about 5oz of crystals to ½ pint or 300ml of Turpentine. Generally, you want to aim to have sufficient wrapped in the cloth or stocking material so that when put in the jar and held there, there is a gap of at least 1” or 5 cm between it and the bottom of the jar.
Tie the top of the material together tightly with the string, and hold this over the edge of the jar top.
Pour in the Turpentine, enough to completely cover the crystals in the jar.
With the string still out of the jar, and also ensuring that the bag of resin is suspended, screw the top on the jar tightly. This is to prevent any evaporation of the Turpentine.
All that is required now is to leave it for a few days until the resin is fully dissolved in the Turpentine. To aid the process, you need to agitate the jar several times each day.
When fully dissolved, any impurities should be left in the bottom of the bag, which can then be thrown away. The remaining solution should have a slightly viscous, cloudy consistency.
Should any impurities remain, the solution can be further refined by filtering again into another jar.
Your newly made Damar Varnish should be stored in a brown glass jar or metal jar with a screw top. If you do not have these, store it away from the light in a dark place or cupboard as otherwise, it will thicken over time. Stored correctly, the mixture should last some considerable time.
Where to get your supplies?
Damar Crystals are readily available from art suppliers such as Cornelissens, Atlantis, Pegasus Arts or AP Fitzpatrick. Gum Turpentine is also available from these retailers – as well as places like Jackson Art.