How to use Krylon® Gallery Series Quick Dry for Oil Paintings

Spray varnishes, fixatives and other art coatings are very easy to apply to your artwork, but before you point and spray, don’t forget to read the directions. 

Fine art spray coatings can vary a great deal in how they are applied because they can vary dramatically in how they are made and what they do.

Reading the directions first will ensure you are happy with the results.

Krylon® Quick Dry helps speed the oxidation process of oil paints so that a painting will dry faster.  It allows oil paint to continue drying through the film.

Quick Dry can be used at any stage of the painting process, so the directions call out several methods for using the product.

First of all, since you will be using the product during the creative process, you want to ventilate your studio. Ideally, it’s best to spray outside.  However, you fortunately do not need to spray much of this product for it to work, so it can be used indoors with ventilation. 

When spraying inside, open windows and doors, use a fan, or use other means to ensure fresh air entry when you are spraying.  Don’t confuse Quick Dry with spray paint or spray varnishes a small amount of misty spray is all that is needed so you won’t need to ventilate for long.

If you are still concerned, wearing respiratory protection is also helpful and most hardware stores sell a variety of painting masks.

About 10″ to 12″ away

Your painting should be sprayed in an upright position, and you can leave your painting on your easel while you are spraying.  If there are areas on the painting that you don’t want to spray, hold a piece of paper near those areas to block the spray.  Hold your can parallel to the surface of the painting about 10″ to 12″ away.

For small areas, use very short light bursts of spray mist.  Again, not much product is needed to make the paint dry more quickly.  For larger areas, spray very lightly across the surface, from left to right, overlapping each pass slightly so no spots are missed.

You can use Quick Dry like a medium in your paint.  Just spray a small amount directly into the oil paint on your palette and mix it in with a brush.  Lightly tap your finger onto the spray button and quickly release it.  You may need to do this more than once depending on the amount of paint on your palette. Using Quick Dry in this way improves both paint flow and dry time.

To prevent blending of colors and to add highlights on your painting, allow wet oil paint to sit for one hour at room temperature before lightly spraying with Quick Dry. 

Wait 24 to 72 hours for the oil paint to oxidize before adding your next layer of oil paint.  The time depends on the thickness of the paint layers.

When your painting is completed, you can also spray one light misty coat of Quick Dry to ensure the painting will cure faster.  This will help you transport your painting and sell it faster. 

Quick Dry is compatible with Krylon Conservation Retouch Varnish, so you can apply a coat of retouch varnish at this point as well to unify the look of your painting if desired.  Additionally, when fully dry, your painting can be safely varnished.

Using Krylon Quick Dry will make you more productive by saving you time and allowing you to either sell or enjoy your paintings that much faster. 

For professionals, that means you can work on fewer pieces of art at the same time because you’ll have more time for creativity.

Alternative Options We Recommend for Artists

Protect your art from the beginning, you can ensure its longevity and enjoy its beauty for years to come. For optimal results, we recommend choosing a reliable retouch varnish like InstaVar™ Gloss Picture Varnish.

More Resources

• How To Varnish Your Oil Paintings
• The Best Oil Paints
• Water Mixable Oil Paint vs. Traditional Oil Paint
• Retouch Varnish Demystified: Essential Tips and Techniques
• Synthetic vs. Natural Brushes for Oil Painting