"Magic Wash / Dip Misconceptions Cleared" Topic

Hey everyone, despite there already being numerous threads on the so called "Magic Wash" and "The Dip", I know many people are still confused and ask frequently. I am here to clear the air on some of these questions based on my own experience with it.
To begin, I can confirm for inquisitive readers that yes, both methods work. However, both methods are in no way magic or easy. Like any other painting technique they take practice to do correctly.
I'll start with "The Dip". I was first drawn to "the Dip" by reading TMP articles and thought, "Holy , it sounds so fast and easy!!!" However, it isn't as easy as you've been told. Make sure you are using Minwax Polyshades Tudor Satin or you will ruin your figure (in my experience) and despite popular belief it is not just "dip and flick" its dip 4-5 figures, shake excess, and meticulously attend to them and wash away excess or be left with swamp monsters. It takes practice to do any volume of miniatures this way quickly with good results.
Next, "Magic Wash". Magic Wash does work, but again, be ready to experiment and concoct formulas like a mad scientist to get your mix "just right" You NEED Pledge Floor Care with Future Shine, it is an acrylic product, usually 6-8 dollars in the US. I think the brits called it "Klear". Anyway, there are so many guides on how to use it I nearly lost my mind, and failed many times, so I started from scratch. For those of you having trouble, try my formula:

4 parts "pure" future
1 part acrylic paint/ink of whatever color

I do not cut with water since I never had luck with it. Again, you don't just brush it on and get a perfect wash every time, you have to attend to the figure and suck up the excess and puddles, sometimes even lighten the washed areas.
This will make your figure look dirty, which is fine for my WW2 guys, but you may not like it. Either paint 1 shade lighter, or learn to highlight to alleviate the darkening.

I hope that this has helped any prospective users of either method learn that you can expect to work at the technique to get it right, nothing is "magic" but don't give up!

I never "dip". I paint it on. It's much easier to control that way, and I don't have to clog up a needle nose pliers that way.

I dip chunks of scrap metal and they come out looking like Kevin Dalimore painted Perry Brothers sculpts. It's magic! No, they don't. They come out looking like hunks of rusty scrap metal that someone dunked in a can of Minwax.

I have tried the Dip with other shades of Minwax Polyshades and it does work, not as well as Tudor in most cases.

I always brush on, then use a thirsty brush to remove the excess. It's a messy process.

I use a 4:1 ratio water to future for my magic wash. The future cuts the surface tention so the wash stays where it should. Works great for my needs. Your milage may vary.

I've never used the Future magic wash but have had great success with Minwax Polyshades.

I prefer Antique Walnut to Tudor for most situations – initially I had difficulty finding Tudor so I tried Antique Walnut to try the process – I find the walnut has a warmer richer tone without being too red – I've also tried the Classic Black and Bombay Mahogany but don't care for either.

I too brush the stain on and keep a small container of mineral spirits (thiner – used to clean my brushes in the end) nearby & often brush on some spirits to thin the stain applied to the model – I also keep paper towels handy to soak up overly heavy pools on the mini – but I find the process quick, not difficult & very effective

I have used a "wash" for many years. After the wash has dried I then go over and highlight the straps,nose,highlights,etc,etc. It moves my painting way above my actual ability.
Regards
Russ Dunaway

I use a floor polish on a 50 50 ratio with a brown ink.

First, I put neat polish on the figures to seal them, the dip then runs of the high points and I get an extra level of protection.

I paint the Dip on, blow off the excess, then let stand about 3minutes and check for puddling. I then wait 24 hours for the material to dry before doing anything else with the miniatures.

Brush on the Minwax, then brush off excess. Pay attention to places where it tends to pool, such as under arms or between legs or above arms held against the body.

If you give the figure a coat of Future/Klear BEFORE applying the wash the smoother surface of the figure will prevent "dirtiness" by preventing the wash from adhering to the upper surfaces of the figure, if that makes sense. To get the wash to really just dive into the details I use 4:1 Klear to water, add ink/paint to taste and then dab the end of a brush into washing up liquid. This zaps any surface tension in the wash and it should lie only in the details.

I just brush army painter over them. Quick and I never mess around.

Jaz
Http://6sided.net

If you give the figure a coat of Future/Klear BEFORE applying the wash the smoother surface of the figure will prevent "dirtiness" by preventing the wash from adhering to the upper surfaces of the figure, if that makes sense.

A great point – especially since it's likely you painted the minis with matte paints. Without a gloss coat underneath the wash, you can end up with that dirt bespeckled look, or worse. I have some GZG spaceships that, if looked at VERY closely, appear to have been holed by an infinite number of micrometeorites.

Doug

I've had good results with Minwax Tudor. The only problem I experienced was when I used Testors metallics on a fig and then dipped it without first applying a clear coat; the Minwax dissolved the metallics and they started running everywhere. Since then, I'm very diligent about clearcoating before dipping.

"It moves my painting way above my actual ability."

Exactly what it does for me. First I used the dip and proceeded to a wash of 1:5 wash of Future:water with black ink added as needed.

My figures look way better than before, and in less time.

Like you, I don't use water with Future.

I'm wondering about the reason for this. According to the MSDS for Future Floor Polish, it is between 70-90% water already.

I've never used Future/Magic Wash, but I use the dip all the damn time. Antique Walnut for earth-toned, more primitive looking figures like Skaven or beastmen, and Tudor Satin for figures with a more modern look, or in armor, or featuring lots of blue and purple tones.

Reading this post has convinced me to go the Minwax stain route for some Foundry British SYW Grenadiers. At first I was hesitant thinking they might mess up the fine details, but likely the stain will acentuate the details more effortlessly – I hope

I am happy with the Army Painter shades – works nicely. Best on warm colours IMO – reds, creams, browns. Light blue is a struggle for it.

Use brown MW or dip for warm color figures (browns, tans, khaki etc) and black MW or dip for cool color figures (white, blue, gray).

I paint two coats of MW or dip. One has much more paint or ink for deep folds. A second is a much more dialuted coat that I apply over nearly the entire figure to break up the mono-tone look of each of the blocked in colors.

Pretreating the figure with a clear coat is essential in breaking the tooth of the paint in order to prevent that dirty look.

If using Dip try adding a drop of Japan drier to speed the curring process.

Ployshade Classic Black is far too concentrated to use straight. Thin it way down with clear polyurathane and cut it with some paint thinner as well to get it to flow. I add thinner to all polyshades in fact.

You can make your own dip using artist oils, clear polyurathain, thinner, and japan drier. Mix oil paint with thinner to a thickness of heavy cream and add this to the urathain. Mix only what you will use that session.

Highlighing after MW or dip is usually necessary, but I have noticed that drybrushing highlights is more difficult. The gloss of the finish inhibits the transfer of dry color unlike flat paints which absorb drybrushed color with a lovely gradation of tone. It's hard preventing the highlighting of dipped figured from looking chalky.

Something, I've always wondered about is the long-term durability and compadability of dipped figures. I wonder if the various layers of acrilic and polyurathain wont seperate over time as they must have different expantion/contracton characteristics. In 25-50 years will we find that Future or Polyshades causes colors to fade or the paint to fail?

In 25 – 50 years time ………

I think I will be failing / fading before the polyshade does :)

In 25 – 50 years time ~~~~~~~

l love your optimism :)