"To varnish or not to varnish?" Topic

As the title suggests I am looking for guidance on varnishing my miniatures. I would like them to be more durable and less prone to chipping etc but don't want them to come out shiny. This probably sounds like a silly questions but what products should I be looking at and do varnishes come in spray cans? Finally would you varnish prior to basing or after the base is complete?

Thanks for your input.

Cheers

Chris

Yes, varnish. There's tons of spray varnishes out there. I use Krylon Matte currently, but Testors Dullcoat has a big mini-painting following too.

Edit--I see you're in England, so I have no idea if you have those brands available. Any store with spraypaint should have spray varnish as well. Just make sure you really follow the instructions on the can.

1. Shake it well. Like, really well.
2. Shake it some more.
3. Empty the nozzel by spraying upside down until nothing comes out.
4. Don't spray too much at a time. A few thinner coats are better than a thick one.

I often varnish them with a "shiny" hard varnish for durability and then give then another spray of Testor's Dullcote for a matt finish. Works great.

Varnish?
Essential unless you want to keep re-painting.

Humbrol Matt varnish spray is quite good, although I like shiny figures so tend to use bog standard polyurethene myself.

…unless it fogs…..

Be sure to test the spray on something you don't care about first, before spraying your minis, e.g. a painted stick, or piece of plastic sprue

Only spray on low humidity days, and follow the directions on the back of the can to the letter.

And never, ever, leave the spray varnish can near any other cans, while you're working, without clear and obvious means of distinguishing which is which. I've read too many stories here about people spraying a primer/solid colour coat onto a finished fig, instead of the varnish coat, all because the wrong can was picked up.

Check out my tips page which includes an article or two on varnishes – link

I tried Krylon once. I didn't like it. I thought it darkened my miniatures slightly.

I spray my painted minis with a gloss coat (Model Masters). I wait 24 hours and then spray them with a dull coat. I've been told by other gamers that the gloss coat protects better. I use the dull coat to take away the shine.

If you ever notice your figures getting a little shiny, it means the dull coat is wearing off, so just hit them with the dull coat again.

Someone recently told me he began using Minwax Polyurethane. He buys the one that has stain in it and literally dips the figures into it after he has painted them, but not shaded the figure. He then shakes off the excess and after it dries, he uses a clear flat spray.

In one step he has the figure protected and shaded.

I do that with Army Painter, which does both, but from previous threads some people think Antique Walnut miniwax works just as well

I went through a coating/varnishing mania and regret it deeply. Yes, the metal doesn't show through with handling as readily. That's the ONLY benefit. You risk discoloring/fogging. And any matt finish tends to reduce all metalics and flats to the same surface appearance. When a figure does get damaged you can't repair it worth a damn.

My philosophy is: nothing lasts forever, and nothing in the world has any business trying to be or stay perfect. If you paint with handling in mind you shouldn't need to coat/varnish your minis at all: just load up the paint on the acute surfaces that will get the most wear. If a little metal shows through eventually, so what? You'll only notice it if you get really close and look for it. Usually metal only shows through at one point and doesn't get any worse.

Make sure you prime thoroughly, paint heavy for handling, and enjoy the look and the color of pure paint….

1066.us

ScottWashburn's method = good

I don't varnish, for the same reasons that Doug does. I handle my figures carefully base them with strong magnets for storage, and for the most part, their paint holds up pretty well.

I have dipped figures in the past, then sprayed them with dullcoat. I then painted a brush-on gloss varnish over the metal bits afterwards, so they would still look properly shiny, and would contrast in finish at least somewhat with the flat, colored areas.

Agree with Scott. Hard coat – gloss, followed by a matt finish.

For 6mm, I usually leave them semi-gloss, I think they look better somehow.

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Cheers

Chris

Agree with Scott. Hard coat – gloss, followed by a matt finish.

Warning, warning – wargamer's urban myth time. See bit.ly/3G9MeN for the full story.

--
Martin Stephenson
vexillia.blogspot.com
amazon.co.uk/shops/vexillia

vexillia: Warning, warning – wargamer's urban myth time …

I couldn't post a comment on that page without registering an ID so I'll just reply here.

Okay, I too have always believed gloss varnish protects better. Maybe that's not right, but really, that wasn't the point. It's about managing cost.

The best matte varnish going is Testors Dullcote but it comes in little small cans. So instead of 3 layers Dullcote to protect, I do 2 layers inexpensive gloss varnish (i.e., hardware store variety rather than hobby store), then 1 layer Dullcote on top. Makes my Dullcote last longer.

Sure, I guess I could use inexpensive matte varnish for the first 2 layers. Never thought of that … but wait, I can rationalize the way I do it: You see, if you have a shiny surface before the matte varnish, you can be sure when the Dullcote is working!

Okay, I too have always believed gloss varnish protects better. Maybe that's not right, but really, that wasn't the point. It's about managing cost.

:-)

The best matte varnish going is Testors Dullcote but it comes in little small cans. So instead of 3 layers Dullcote to protect, I do 2 layers inexpensive gloss varnish (i.e., hardware store variety rather than hobby store), then 1 layer Dullcote on top. Makes my Dullcote last longer.

Some further points:

[1] Cheap gloss varnish will yellow quickly. That's why it's cheap.
[2] You must have missed my money saving tip at the end of the article: I only ever need apply one coat of varnish. This has to be cheaper than the three coats you suggest.
[3] I pay about £3.50 GBP ($5.00?) for a bottle of Humbrol Matt Cote and it lasts me ages. Aerosols have got to be more expensive than that.
[4] Priming is as important as varnishing as it's the bonding layer between the metal/plastic and the undercoat. No amount of varnish will compensate for a poor primer.

--
Martin Stephenson
vexillia.blogspot.com
amazon.co.uk/shops/vexillia

I have used both Testor's Dullcote and Krylon Matte Finish, and looking at minis painted between five and ten years ago I see no appreciable difference between them; I literally cannot tell which is which -- they all look just fine. Granted, I have middle aged eyes, but I now just use the cheaper Krylon (two light coats) and it does the job even on glossy "dipped" minis. For that matter, I prime with both Krylon Ultraflat Camo paint and with artists' gesso, and don't notice any appreciable difference in wear, even in minis that have been played with for years (although the gesso does leave a lovely painting surface).

Cheers! -- Hans

vexillia: Cheap gloss varnish will yellow quickly.

Count me in the group that has never seen this happen, and I've been using varnish of one kind or another since the 70s. I don't store my miniatures where sunlight can strike them, so that's probably the reason.

I only ever need apply one coat of varnish.

Bully for you! Seriously. Most hobbyists recommend building up layers of multiple thin coats versus one thick coat, and I do the same with varnish. A second coat is also a way to be sure you don't miss a spot.

… bottle of Humbrol Matt Cote … Aerosols have got to be more expensive.

Yes, and my orange juice doesn't taste like your apple sauce. So?

No amount of varnish will compensate for a poor primer.

I agree with that and didn't say otherwise.

HansPeterB: I have used both Testor's Dullcote and Krylon Matte Finish, and … I see no appreciable difference between them.

Thanks for mentioning that, I will check the Krylon out.

Im a belt and braces man

I use gloss or semi matt varnish on the paint then I have a second coat of matt varnish.

this gives a double coat protection and gives wonderful subdued colours very useful to represent figures who have "enjoyed" a long campaign.

I actually use DIY varnish (acrylic) for the first coat and humbrol matt for the second – the figures dont chip unless they are dropped, kicked, mangled, boiled in oil and sworn at fiercely. That only happens when I lose……

I do several coats of Testors Matte and often hit weapons and armor with Minwax Satin. Gives painted metal parts more realistic look and protects those "sticking out" parts that everybody grab minis by.

The Testor's Dullcote spray is, indeed, expensive. But it also comes in a brush-on bottle which in most cases will give as good a result as the spray and one bottle will last as long as about 50 cans of spray. Not easy to find in hobby stores, tho'

I'm UK based myself.

The Krylon and Testors are either unavailable or in very intermittent supply in the UK.

In my experience, spray matte varnish is unreliable and tends to come out satiny. I prefer satin for vehicles but for cloth and skin, etc, full mate is best.

My method is to spray gloss varnish for a real hard first coat, then paint with Liquitex Matte Acrylic varnish. If you stir it up properly, it gives a nice matte finish. You can also mix it with their Satin varnish to vary the amount of satin sheen.

As mentioned above, it's quite nice to pick out certain details with satin or gloss as a final stage (jewels, glass, weapons, eyes, etc.)