Damar is a hard natural resin that comes from a family of deciduous trees that grow in the East Indies. Damar crystals are yellow and irregularly shaped with a dusty appearance.
Damar can be used in oil paint mediums to speed drying and add gloss. While traditionally used as a final picture varnish, it will yellow over time and become brittle and difficult to remove, so is less favored by conservators for these reasons. Damar varnish is also available in a solution ready to dilute.
