Games Workshop - Citadel - Purity Seal Spray, Games Workshop - Citadel - Purity Seal Satin Spray, Games Workshop - Citadel Technical - 'Ardcoat. Acylic medium is useful to use as a protective layer between layers of oil-based paints or paint effects, but it can be also used as a top layer. StrikingScorpion82: Which Spray VARNISH Should I use? Ive included a link to your work in our article: https://alkony.enerla.net/english/the-nexus/miniatures-nexus/miniature-hobby/how-to-use-miniature-varnish. To avoid this, the heated lamp method is a good solution. thanks! Buy hobby supplies from Magic Madhouse (UK) Buy hobby supplies from Goblin Gaming (UK) Buy hobby supplies from Mighty Lancer Games (UK) Buy Citadel (GW) Munitorum Varnish spray from Noble Knight Games (USA) -10%Buy Vallejo Matte Varnish from Noble Knight Games (USA) -15%Buy Andrea Color Matte Varnish from Noble Knight Games (USA) -5%Buy hobby supplies from Galactic Toys (USA) Buy matte varnish from Aliexpress (China). A plastic model painted with acrylic paint could last forever even without a finishing seal, if it's just standing on a display stand. GBI: Varnishing Metal Miniatures: Tutorial video about varnishing metal miniatures. In the end I've repainted it to look like some mutant, or someone with a horrifying battle damage to his face. Does it depend on your climate? The Alkony Workshop is not related in any way with the following organizations and groups:Alkony Fnyei - Thrillion Kincsei kln, Alkony Sofrszolglat, Alkony StdiIf you are looking for them, click on the link! Easy to use. Try to keep them away from the finished miniature. Games Workshop - Citadel Technical - Lahmian Medium. I was looking at varnishes in the store tonight. Varnish (WikiPedia): Informative article. A little dry heat goes a long way to a nice finish , Excellent tutorial! Polyurethane medium: Similar to acrylic medium, but somewhat stronger. There are some chemicals that can discolour, change the gloss or soften the miniature varnish. Just one part that seems contradictory to other advice Ive read, though: many people recommend warming up the spray varnish by putting it in a bucket of warm water for a while, whereas you suggest cooling it down. Perfect finish. It's quite matte and leaves a nice finish. When you add matte varnish over the contrast paint, it can dull this effect. Yes, you can paint over varnish. Top notch quality. Liquitex is suppose to make an Ultra Matte but I have only seen it online. Would that work for thinning out the Liquitex? The result should be a fully clear, transparent and non-reflective surface. I've created a list of miniature varnish products recommended by painters. If you can cool your aerosol spray varnish down (~12C or 53F) before spraying it, this will also help prevent the frosted effect. Acrylic varnish: There are protective elements mixed into the acrylic medium. Humidity is the variable you want to keep an eye on. Can you put matte varnish over satin? An isolation coat also seals any absorbent surfaces on the painting. I've not used the Liquitex brand, but I've had very good results with the "Golden" brand of brush on Acrylic Matte Varnish. To find out more about the cookies we use and how to disable them - please read our Cookie Policy, 16.500.05 per ml16.50 RRP: 18.750.05 per mlFrom 10.95. Press J to jump to the feed. Or, where you dont want the strong odors from an aerosol to disturb others in my immediate surroundings (like if Im working at a convention or trade show). Josh (on The Pumper Jones Tabletop Gaming Network): Dulling Spray / Matte Varnish Shootout - Painting Zombicide: Black Plague - Part 4: Comparison video to compare Testors Dullcote, Krylon Clear Matte Finish, and Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Flat Matte Clear. Let this coat of oil dry (or cure, which is the appropriate term) on the model for at least 1-2 hours. CONSIDER A PHOTO LIGHT BOX, Learning Bench 2019-10-30 Hobby Painting Brussels, https://www.liquitex.com/row/products/professional/gessoes-mediums-varnishes/matte-varnish/, https://alkony.enerla.net/english/the-nexus/miniatures-nexus/miniature-hobby/how-to-use-miniature-varnish, Spray more than 6 away from the miniature, Dont use in ambient humidity greater than 50%, Apply in super-thin layers with a synthetic brush, e.g., a wide flat-thin brush, Clean off your brushes and work surface with clear mineral spirits or turpentine (Testors has a branded cleaner/thinner, Useful for concealing wet-slide decals on models (a perfect finish), Protecting custom inkjet printed banners and standards. How to use miniature varnish - Miniature hobby guide. Give it a try and let me know how it goes? Easy to use , great quality. Used to varnish acrylic paintings (over Gloss Gel). It looks like you have cookies disabled on your browser. My friend waters it down a bit so I don't know the exact proportions, but a couple of coats even does away with the shine from "Dipping". And a Darkshroud. If you click on the image to enlarge it, it will be more apparent that the varnish created a layer of transparent plastic over every miniature, creating an even surface instead of the original, textured one. Do you have further thoughts about varnishing miniatures? Epic Duck Studios: How to fix Foggy Varnish - The Epic Hobby, Sonic Sledgehammer Studio: Quick Tips - Fixing Frosting, The Brush & Boltgun: How to Fix Matt Varnish Clouding, EonsOfBattle: Review: Vallejo Matte Varnish VS Testors Matte Varnish, Humbrol: Humbrol - How To Use - Model Cotes (Gloss, Matt and Satin), Josh (on The Pumper Jones Tabletop Gaming Network): Dulling Spray / Matte Varnish Shootout - Painting Zombicide: Black Plague - Part 4, StrikingScorpion82: Which Spray VARNISH Should I use? Cookies used for the essential operation of this site have already been set. Thank you for the share and great article. Use a matte spray varnish to create an evenly lit surface across the entire miniature. I use that @#$& on everything. Cellulose varnish: It can be nitrocellulose or cellulose ester. Plasti Dip is produced by Pro Dip. Thanks! Use on Acrylic paintings! A community for painting miniatures and models. But I use this to coat my *** figurines it gives them a super shiny protective coat which makes them look like glazed pottery which is awesome. An isolation coat (usually a gloss medium) prevents the cloudy or frosted appearance that can occur when applying a matte varnish (more about this below). Did you? But, you dont want your hours-long paint job to be ruined because of a poorly applied matte varnish that clouds over. Anyone wanting the versatility of a gloss finish with anti-yellowing will find this of great use. I currently recommend Liquitex Matte Varnish. A good depth after 3 coats, Repeat purchase for over 10 years. into a prize draw, 100% acrylic polymer varnish adds a matte sheen, protects and resists dirt retention, Dries clear to a flexible, non-tacky, hard surface, Increases brightness and colour saturation, Improves surface durability - ideal when shipping or exhibiting, Resists discolouration - yellowing and fogging - caused by humidity, heat and UV, Depending on the substrate, it allows surface moisture to pass through and breathe, Allows for easy cleaning without fear of damaging the acrylic paint film, Has excellent levelling properties - will not hold brush marks, Semi-opaque when wet, transparent when dry, Ideal for complete coverage of heavy textures and vertical applications, As this is permanent, do a patch test first, Before varnishing ensure paint surface is fully dry (72 hours-two weeks depending on thickness), Ensure your space is well ventilated and dirt and dust-free, Place the artwork flat on a surface - always varnish horizontally, Use long, even strokes, covering the surface top to bottom while moving from one side to the other - don't go over bits you have missed, but leave to dry and then re-varnish area, While applying, look for surface bubbles by inspecting it from all angles and even them out immediately, Apply 1-2 thin coats, allowing at least three hours dry time between coats, If you require more than two layers, first use Gloss Varnish as a base layer and build to your desired thickness, then apply Satin Varnish as your top coat, Do not shake or vigorously over-brush as this can result in a foggy, hazy look when dry, Don't apply with a roller or sponge brush, Don't apply in one thick coat, but several thin coats, to avoid brush marks, drips and cloudiness, Don't go back over areas you have already done, as this can cause clouding. A varnish is a kind of protective medium that contains no pigment. This is the second time I have purchased this varnish from Cass Art. Water moisture in the air may be absorbed into your acrylic paint (on your miniature), which then interacts with how the matte varnish coats your model. !function(c,h,i,m,p){m=c.createElement(h),p=c.getElementsByTagName(h)[0],m.async=1,m.src=i,p.parentNode.insertBefore(m,p)}(document,"script","https://chimpstatic.com/mcjs-connected/js/users/bd9e1f7f277c72b0eaf05880f/7fa152b585a7a9f82a4458936.js"); Affiliate Disclosure: We are a participant in the affiliate advertising programs for Amazon Services LLC Associates, KEH Camera, Etsy, Fun.com, and Blick Art Materials. Now, you want to protect your work with a varnish. There is another adventage of applying glossy varnish,then a layer of matte varnish to remove the shine, as when you see the miniature starts to shine, it means it needs another layer of matte varnish over the worn-out one. Your link has been automatically embedded. Safari, Necrorks Completed! Youre merely adding extra layers of a transparent medium over your model. If youve ever tried to apply wet transfer decals to a model, then you know how hard it can be to hide the sticker look. You can even use a layer of varnish to protect the paintjob before you start to experiment. As some people in the hobby use glossy varnish for better protection (and then adding matte varnish if you want to avoid the glossy look), I've asked the the chemist of the Pentacolor company about the kinds of varnishes. This clumping, congealing, or aggregation of the powder-like substances in the matte varnish cause the cloudy, frost effect that obscures the paint job underneath. Awesome! I use this product for varnishing acrylic paintings on wood. Water: In polymer varnishes, 10-15 minutes in water can cause fogging, if the water is hot, it can cause sheen loss. Buy hobby supplies from Element Games (UK) ref. 40K Hobby Tutorial | HD, Terranscapes: TerranScapes - Testors Dullcote vs Army Painter Anti-Shine, VinceVellCUSTOMS: Testors Dull Cote Tips #1. But, an isolation coat with a gloss varnish can prevent frosting of a matte varnish. Advantage of non-aerosol water-based varnishes: A huge side benefit of using a non-aerosol spray varnish, such as the Liquitex varnish is the cost-effectiveness of it. code:KAD935Buy hobby supplies from Firestorm Games (UK) Buy hobby supplies from Wayland Games (UK) Buy hobby supplies from Hobbies (UK) On this website you will find the works of the Alkony Workshop - games, graphic art, and literature. What is the best varnish for miniatures? It can be relatively easy to rub-off a water-based varnish (just soak a cotton tip in water and scrub). If you use a polymer varnish with the intent of removing it in the future, you can apply a layer of acrylic medium (or any varnish that is not solved by alkaline), to act as an isolating layer. Great varnish! 2 of 2 people found this review helpful. I use it to varnish my acrylic paintings after giving them a first coat of clear varnish. Matte varnish - Removable & Water-soluble, Buy Liquitex Matt Varnish from Element Games (UK) -10%Buy hobby supplies from Firestorm Games (UK) Buy VallejoLiquid Matte Varnish from Wayland Games (UK) -20%Buy Army Painter Matt Varnish Spray from Wayland Games (UK) -10%Buy hobby supplies from Hobbies (UK) An isolation coat is usually a gloss medium and a permanent non-removable sealant that physical protects the paint surface from overlying varnishes. They are easy to use, durable, and work great to retaining the color and contrast of your paint job. You say: I currently recommend Liquitex Matte Varnish. That's "student grade" paint, which has less pigment and more filler and doesn't perform as well as their artist grade paint. Includes review of Testors Dullcote. Yes the finish is dead matte, but you must allow it to dry between coats. This means that my varnished miniatures retain their overall color saturation, while at the same time gain an even non-reflective surface. Polymer varnish: It can be solved with alkaline solvents. Landspeeder Vengeance. They can be thinned with water, which I do, and brush well. Up to 50.9% discount! I've had more luck with Lascaux going on matte. I dont mind gloss on the rim since it will be covered with a colored base anyway, so Ill give it a shot! I would assume it would be fine. You can protect your painted miniatures if you apply a layer of varnish on them. Ive noticed some paint around the rim of the base being chipped off from this base snaping/removal, even though Ive applied several coats of varnish to the rim to try and protect it. Helloween: Lord Of Skulls/ Imperial Knight Kitbash: It's NOT a Kytan damn you! Excellent quality ,i've been loooking for a good varnish for my acrylic paintings and this is incredible! Blatant Advertising - eBay auctions, Friday Night Internet Fight: 6th ed up the Wazoo, Modeling Tutorial: Cheap Plastic Zoanthrope Kitbash. We use cookies to improve our website and your experience when using it. Army Painter - Anti Shine: It's transparent even when liquid, so it won't dry opaque even when it pools. Some reviews say that it looks better on metallic colours than acrylic varnish. But, if you go in this route your best method for applying this varnish is to use an airbrush. Some models in my gallery have a water-based varnish coating, but I eventually cover these with a stronger enamel-based varnish for longer term storage and display. Remember that Liquitex products are intended for use on canvas. If it is too humid, the varnish wont work well. The best two matte varnishes for protecting miniatures include: QUICK TIPS FOR HOW TO USE TESTORS DULLCOTE SPRAY VARNISH, QUICK TIPS FOR HOW TO USE BRUSH-ON TESTORS DULLCOTE VARNISH, The #1 Reason You Want to Use a Gloss Varnish. EonsOfBattle: Review: Vallejo Matte Varnish VS Testors Matte Varnish: Comparison video to compare Vallejo Polyurethane Matt Varnish and Testors Spray Laquer Dullcote. Company Reg No. savagemodels: Testors Dullcote: Review video about using Testors Dullcote with an airbrush. Buy Citadel (GW) Lahmian Medium from Element Games (UK) -17%Buy hobby supplies from Firestorm Games (UK) Buy Com-Art Mediums from Wayland Games (UK) -10%Buy FP3: Mixing Medium from Wayland Games (UK) -20%Buy Vallejo Matt Medium from Wayland Games (UK) -20%Buy hobby supplies from Hobbies (UK) Very nice article, though I did get more of my prefered matte spray, I will be taking some of the ideas from this post into consideration in my work. Maybe I used too much or should have thinned it, but the result was that on cracks and gaps it pooled some and left whitish coating instead of a smooth and perfectly clear coat. Ive covered at least a hundred 28mm scale miniatures with a single can. Terrains4Games is a great source of nice and affordable terrain, I recommend you to visit them. You cannot paste images directly. GOLDEN - MSA Varnish (Matte): Mineral Spirit based. This is the best spray-on enamel varnish you can buy for our painting hobby. In general a good matte finish creates a clean look to miniatures. It's probably this glossy because it's too much on the miniatures. Well keep you up to date on our exclusive offers, news and products, as well as advice and inspirational how-to guides from our expert staff and other leading artists. / Do I need to varnish my miniatures? It is flexible yet durable. Frosting: How to prevent or fix frosting when you varnish miniatures, Stickiness: How to fix miniatures if the varnish remains sticky. After I got my airbrush, I started spraying them though it with no issues. There is a need to varnish your miniatures and models. Disadvantage of water-based varnishes: The disadvantage of water-based varnishes is that they are essentially acrylic mediums (with suspended dry particulates). A Blog for Miniature Painters and Hobbyists. / Which miniature varnish is the best? It can happen that the varnish remains sticky even after a long curing time. Is this just a matter of me and Liquitex operating with different definitions of matte? Should I try airbrushing? If you cover your models with tissue paper when carrying them around, the paper can stick into the varnish. Overall, Id use a non-aerosol based varnish on models where you dont want to create a hazardous environment for people (or pets) around me. Liquitex is a pretty decent brand of paint. Did you just ruin your miniature with a frosted matte varnish? Leave a comment below! When a surface is coated evenly before the solvent evaporates, the dry particulates act as a non-reflective and transparent surface. Heres a quick answer. Aeldari Rise, but Diversity Continues! The Plasti Dip creates a layer of flexible and removable rubber on your miniatures. We use cookies to improve our website and your experience when using it. If that is not enough, you can probably give it up. Just don't get the "Basics" line. (Note: An alternative to Testors Dullcote, if it is unavailable, is Tamiya Clear Flat Spray. Tel: 01204 690114 If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Even the best varnish for miniatures can become frosted in unsuitable circumstances. Buy hobby supplies from Magic Madhouse (UK) Buy hobby supplies from Goblin Gaming (UK) Buy hobby supplies from Mighty Lancer Games (UK) Buy Citadel (GW) Lahmian Medium from Noble Knight Games (USA) -10%Buy Warpaints Mixing Medium from Noble Knight Games (USA) -7%Buy hobby supplies from Galactic Toys (USA) Buy acrylic medium from Aliexpress (China). If the solvent and the matting agent gets separated, the matting agent particles will remain visible. Because of the similarities of these varnish formulations, the methods for restoring frosted models should also work for other solvent based spray laquer/shellac-type matte varnishes. It comes in a small can, but lasts a long time. It's very effective in protecting the paint on your soft plastic miniatures, as the rigid paint could chip off from the flexible material during use. Hi, some of my miniatures have a sticky touch after varnishing. I use liquitex varnish on my acrylic paintings and on my canvases when making handbags. I have not yet used this varnish but having used other liquitex products, they are of excellent quality so I would assume it would be of equal quality. Cass Art is the trading name of Art-Line Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with a company number 1799472Cass Art, Cass Art London and the Cass Art logo are trade marks and trade names of Art-Line Limited. If youre sharing images of your models, present them in the best light possible. Did you? Apply a thin coat of virgin olive oil over the entire miniature. You can use any colour of Plasti Dip as a primer, and transparent Plasti Dip as an overcoat. I might give Vallejo a try. A matte varnish is a varnish that gives a matte finish. Satin is similar to a matte varnish with some subtle differences. Everything from tabletop wargames to board games, display pieces or just for fun! So, the varnish wont be as durable or long-lasting as an enamel-based spray varnish like Testors Dullcote. For further information, see: How to apply waterslide decals on miniatures - Miniature hobby guide. What works best.any particular one to get? not a problem. Just enter your email below. Sometimes it's the material of the model that affects the paint, and thus the stickiness. Good question. I've gathered information about miniature varnish, and varnishing miniatures. In this article, I provide the core information you need to know for properly varnishing your models for gaming, display, or photography. Display as a link instead, The liquid varnish will encapsulate the solid material that gives the frosty look, and hopefully it will dry without frosting. How to enable cookies on Restore formatting, A glossy varnish is a varnish that gives a glossy finish. He said that while there should be no significant difference in most high quality, professional varnishes, there is still more acrylic medium in the same amount of fluid in a glossy varnish, and this is what gives protection. S.C. Johnson - Future Floor Finish / Pledge Floor Care Finish: The same product with different names. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. This doesnt mean that satin varnishes will have a glossy finish, but your models will have a light reflective quality to it. We have temporarily paused orders to Northern Ireland & International destinations whilst we upgrade our systems to meet the new export rules. Thanks for the feedback. What are your experiences with the mentioned methods and products? Copyright Reaper Miniatures For more details about the steps we are taking during the COVID-19 pandemic, please clickhere, Currently unavailable for Northern Ireland, To return items, please follow the instructions on our return page. However, pooling can also cause the loss of transparency. If youre using an enamel varnish, the other option is to use a floor varnish first like Miniwax (https://amzn.to/3ENdAPH), but these dry glossy. So it's okay to ignore the "do not thin with water", or do you thin it with something else? Thinning with water is necessary for using the matte varnish with an airbrush (liquitex does not specify how to do this). I used Liquitex Gloss followed by Liquitex Matte sprayed through my airbrush on my purple worm. However, if the solvent dries poorly (e.g., absorbed into the paint underneath or mixes with ambient moisture) the dry particulates previously in solution clump-up. Liquitex Professional Varnish provides a layer of protection for acrylic paintings and intensifies acrylic colour. Follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. If anything, adding that extra layer of gloss varnish may reduce the amount of detail and color that shows through the final coating. As the oil cures, the varnished surface smooths out which helps restore the transparent effect. We use cookies to improve our website and your experience when using it. Hope that helps. *thumbs up*. Oh yes I should clarify. The bottle says not to thin with water, so should I conclude that this is just not a good varnish for brushing on? Epic Duck Studios: How to fix Foggy Varnish - The Epic Hobby: Tutorial video about fixing frosting in varnish. If you appy matte varnish over glossy varnish, wait for the glossy varnish to dry before you apply the matte one, because mixing the two can make the top look somewhat shiny. You can carefully wipe off the oil from the model with a dampened paper towel with soap and water (do not soak the miniature). In general, a spray-on varnish is the best way to achieve an even coat of varnish. We are working hard to keep this break as short as possible so we can be back up and running as soon as possible. As with all Liquitex products, good quality throughout, 100% acrylic polymer varnish adds a gloss sheen, protects and resists dirt retention, Dries clear to a flexible, non-tacky, hard surface, Increases brightness and color saturation, Improves surface durability - ideal when shipping or exhibiting, Resists discoloration - yellowing and fogging - caused by humidity, heat and UV, Depending on the substrate it allows surface moisture to pass through and breathe, Allows for easy cleaning without fear of damaging the acrylic paint film, Has excellent levelling properties - will not hold brush marks, Semi-opaque when wet, transparent when dry, As this is permanent, do a patch test first, Before varnishing ensure paint surface is fully dry (72 hours-two weeks depending on thickness), Ensure your space is well ventilated and dirt and dust-free, Place the artwork flat on a surface - always varnish horizontally, Use long, even strokes, covering the surface top to bottom while moving from one side to the other - don't go over bits you have missed but leave to dry and then re-varnish area, While applying, look for surface bubbles and even them out immediately, Apply up to three thin coats, allowing at least three hours dry time between coats, Do not shake or vigorously over-brush as this can result in surface bubbles and a foggy, hazy look when dry, Don't apply with a roller or sponge brush, Don't apply in one thick coat, but several thin coats, to avoid brush marks, drips and cloudiness, Don't go back over areas you have already done, as this can cause clouding. Thin the varnish with water (approximately 1:1 ratio) and airbrush it onto your model.. It evens out all the reflections. Additionally, Testors Dullcote spray varnish is vulnerable to adverse frosting behavior if not applied under optimal conditions (low humidity <50%). Would recommend to anyone whow works with ***. The Games Nexus is a collection of reviews, information, websites and articles related to SF&F literature, art and gaming (board games, role-playing games and miniature games). I use their matte varnish. Plast Craft Games Post Apocalypse Trailer Gas station, Eldar Wraithknight Hex Mesh Airbrush Stencil Tutorial, Tabletop Gaming has a White Male Terrorism Problem. I have had great experience using Vallejo's range of varnishes. Sticky varnish can make your models stick together. Since then I've mainly stuck to Reaper brush on sealer. Thats what Ive been doing for the very few minis I have painted, and so far it seems okay. Good quality. RELAUNCH of the Grav StuG Kickstarter. Will this stuff hurt Bones? In a non-scientific survey of several website forums and social media outlets (i.e., reddit, Facebook, Cool Mini or Not CMON painting forums, etc), I found that almost all miniature painters agreed that varnishing was important for their gaming miniatures and board game models. Pingback: Learning Bench 2019-10-30 Hobby Painting Brussels. Is varnish necessary? Clear editor. By using a gloss medium first (no particulates), you reduce the risk of the matte varnish appearing as a cloudy surface. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A few people suggested that varnishes arent necessary, especially when models were destined for display purposes only. I've used Liquitex varnish.