jacksarge | 27 Aug 2009 2:33 a.m. PST |
Has anyone got a recipe for a relatively inexpensive home made version of 'Army Painter Quick Shade Dip', using stuff that you can actually buy in Australia from the supermarket or hardware store? I would like to try it out for some speedy paint jobs, but am not keen to fork out for the 'Army Painter' just at the moment. thanks for your ideas. jacksarge. |
paulkit | 27 Aug 2009 4:22 a.m. PST |
I've been doing this for about 20 years. Acrylic matt varnish (the type for acrylic artist paints is best), plus acrylic black, grey or brown paint as you prefer. Thin with a little water. You do still have to paint this on (I use a large brush) as you just make up enough to use as needed. Takes a bit of trial and error to get it right but worth the effort. |
Chortle | 27 Aug 2009 4:35 a.m. PST |
I make identical stuff by adding oil paint (with a little thinner) to standard gloss varnish. Use burnt sienna / burnt umber for brown and paynes gray for gray. |
Big Jim | 27 Aug 2009 4:44 a.m. PST |
The GW washes offer a similar effect, the advantage is that they are acrylic and don't involve the trial and error of making your own "witches brew". The Devlain Mud is the nearest to the lighter brown magic dip. Down side is that they come in small pots if you are doing a large batch of figures and they are produced by GW which seems to upset some people here
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McWong73 | 27 Aug 2009 4:48 a.m. PST |
This might be what you're looking for: link The guys a kiwi, but all these products can be acquired easily in Australia. |
Dervel | 27 Aug 2009 5:35 a.m. PST |
That looks similar to the Minwax Polyshades? I use Minwax Polyshades, Bombay Mahagony and Tudor. From what I can see they give the same results as the Army Painter and does not require any special mixing. The level of tint depends on how much you stir the can before dipping or painting. Also, I find that dabbing the excess off with a paper towel helps to "adjust" the finish. |
wrgmr1 | 27 Aug 2009 8:40 a.m. PST |
Second vote for Minwax. Boxers with Minwax dip. picture |
Mal Wright | 27 Aug 2009 9:12 a.m. PST |
As Big Jim points out, Devlan Mud from GW is indeed an excellent dip and wash. I use it a lot. However it comes in tiny pots with a high price tag
.and considering the cash you have to lay out, you'd think they could fill the darned things up! It is however, very good. But today, having run out of it and not being able to go and get some more for a job I needed to do, I mixed some of the GW black ink wash, with some red ink wash from another brand (who at least give you a decent quantity) and to my delight came up with an almost exact match to Devlan Mud, at about half the cost. |
McWong73 | 27 Aug 2009 6:58 p.m. PST |
I've had nothing but a good experience making magic wash out of acrylic floor celaner + water + sepia ink. Cheap and has the same flow as devlan mud, which is a great product. Only issue is that it dries gloss, but nothing that isn't quickly fixed with some matt varnish. |
Etranger | 27 Aug 2009 8:06 p.m. PST |
Diluted acrylic floor cleaner (Pascoe's Long Life) & then some GW ink (black or flesh to taste)works for me, although acrylic paint could be substituted for the ink. The floor polish gives a glossy appearance (& really brightens up colours) so you'll need a coat of matt varnish afterwards. |
jacksarge | 28 Aug 2009 4:38 a.m. PST |
Thanks for all your ideas, very interesting & helpful. I have a biggish bottle of Jo Sonjas Satin acrylic varnish & some Derivan sepia ink, do you think that would work if I mixed some up, or would it not flow properly? I don't mind a satin finish but not gloss and can't be bothered having to revarnish to achieve a matt finish. Is Minwax a gloss or satin finish & can you get it at the local shops? Cheers. |
Dervel | 28 Aug 2009 5:08 a.m. PST |
Minwax comes in gloss or satin, but you could use either since you will want to spray it with Dullcotte. I do not know if it is available in Australia? I looked online and it appears to be avaialbe internationally. I am fairly sure there has to be an Australian brand equivalent. In the US you can find it at the big harware places like Home Depot and the smaller shops like Ace Hardware. In Australia I believe you have Cabot's? They might have a similar product. |
abdul666lw | 28 Aug 2009 5:30 a.m. PST |
To save time, and having heard that a few other wargamer were dipping their finished minis in the protective varnish rather than bothring to use a brush or airspray, I 'dipped' in 'clear oak' wood varnish, window shutter grade. But the excess had to be somehow (shaking the minis or blowing on them) eliminated at least once during the draying, otherwise it accumulated at the lower end of shields, scabbards @c.. |
Dervel | 28 Aug 2009 6:32 a.m. PST |
Abdul, you are right if you dip you will have this problem. I find that taking a little piece of paper towel to dab at the mini works well to soak up the excess blobs. I just finished a unit of Norman Cav. using this technique. I am very happy with the results, but like anything else it takes some practice. |