Darren Molnar Violin Studio Varnish


	If you put two violin makers in a room, it takes about ten seconds for the subject of varnish to come up. Among makers, this subject, a driving passion, is probably the most talked about of all topics violin, and, moreover, it is also our most guarded secret. Even in this new era of building when makers freely exchange knowledge about all aspects of the craft, nevertheless, we keep some of our own methods close to our chests. Even in our post-enlightenment age that has explained many notions that were once esoteric, there is still something numinous surrounding the subject violin varnish. But as with all subjects related to violin making, I believe that the true secret lies not in some magic ingredient, but, in fact, in the methodology of its application. Indeed, analysis of the Cremonese violin varnish reveals some very simple ingredients; varnishes are simply oil and resin combined together with a colorant either added to or inherent in the varnish itself. Yet, it is how the ingredients are used that matters. To use an analogy, it is like a talented chef who can take eggs, milk, butter, the simplest of ingredients, and out of them create omelettes, chocolate cake, crepes, whatever. The same goes for the legend of "Golden Ground" which is present as a layer just beneath the varnish and just above-and also in-the bare wood. Again, our research points simply to a type of mineral layer suspended in a medium, which sounds simple enough, but there are tomes dedicated to the ingredients that create the mineral composition. However, research shows that these ingredients and these layers are not exclusive to violin making of that era, but are shared by other great arts such as the painters of that day and also wood workers since the beginning of recorded time. As we learn more about the procedures for preparing grounds that are used in all arts, we are given new insight into the possible methods of the Cremonese violin makers. In this way, even though the mystery remains surrounding Cremonese varnish and grounds among other facets of the craft-and always will remain-makers now at least have a productive vantage of the problem, having insight into historic methods of preparing wood and varnish, and are able to creatively generate a solution while adhering to historic practices.

If you put two violin makers in a room, it takes about ten seconds for the subject of varnish to come up. Among makers, this subject, a driving passion, is probably the most talked about of all topics violin, and, moreover, it is also our most guarded secret. Even in this new era of building when makers freely exchange knowledge about all aspects of the craft, nevertheless, we keep some of our own methods close to our chests. Even in our post-enlightenment age that has explained many notions that were once esoteric, there is still something numinous surrounding the subject violin varnish.
But as with all subjects related to violin making, I believe that the true secret lies not in some magic ingredient, but, in fact, in the methodology of its application. Indeed, analysis of the Cremonese violin varnish reveals some very simple ingredients; varnishes are simply oil and resin combined together with a colorant either added to or inherent in the varnish itself. Yet, it is how the ingredients are used that matters. To use an analogy, it is like a talented chef who can take eggs, milk, butter, the simplest of ingredients, and out of them create omelettes, chocolate cake, crepes, whatever.
The same goes for the legend of "Golden Ground" which is present as a layer just beneath the varnish and just above-and also in-the bare wood. Again, our research points simply to a type of mineral layer suspended in a medium, which sounds simple enough, but there are tomes dedicated to the ingredients that create the mineral composition. However, research shows that these ingredients and these layers are not exclusive to violin making of that era, but are shared by other great arts such as the painters of that day and also wood workers since the beginning of recorded time. As we learn more about the procedures for preparing grounds that are used in all arts, we are given new insight into the possible methods of the Cremonese violin makers.
In this way, even though the mystery remains surrounding Cremonese varnish and grounds among other facets of the craft-and always will remain-makers now at least have a productive vantage of the problem, having insight into historic methods of preparing wood and varnish, and are able to creatively generate a solution while adhering to historic practices.