Iwould like to know how to protect my oil paintings from fading and cracking. I heard somewhere that you have to add a coat of varnish after a year or two. Is this right?

Ray Campbell Smith replies: It is good practice to protect your oil paintings with picture varnish once the oil paint has completely dried. The drying process depends upon the thickness of the applied paint, with heavy impasto work obviously taking longer. I allow at least a year, sometimes two. If you want to lift dull passages earlier, retouching varnish can be used safely once the paint surface is thoroughly dry.