The amount of orange peel (a pimpled surface appearance) in s sprayed lacquer film is accelerated by the increase of water in the liquid that wets the nitrocellulose. A double dehydration process in which the treatment of the nitrocellulose with a low- boiling alcohol, followed by a higher boiling alcohol, removes more water from the nitrocellulose and thereby reduces the orange peel in a sprayed lacquer film. Slowly evaporating solvents in combination with completely dehydrated nitrocellulose reduce the orange peel to a negligible degree in sprayed lacquer films. Various viscosities of nitrocellulose may be used to obtain lacquer films that are practically free from orange peel when the nitrocellulose is completely dehydrated and formulated with medium slowly evaporating liquids of proper solvent power. Industrial application appears to be promising. Saving of the sanding and repair costs appears to more than balance the increased cost of moisture-free nitrocellulose and more slowly evaporating solvents.