"Vallejo paints coming out gloss - help!" Topic

I used to use matt humbrol enamels for all my painting but finally made the switch to Vallejo a few years back and have always got a great matt look.
However, recently I have some big problems with paint having a gloss look:
72.051 Negro Black – used it before fine but now gloss, ruined the black trim of some hussar pelisses
70.957 Flat Red – ruined a batch of British Nap infantry
70.899 Dark Prussia Blue – ruined a batch of British hussars

Just wondered if I'm doing anything wrong (I've tried shaking/stirring, but makes no difference) or anyone else has ever had this experience?

Weird.

Same happens to me – some pots just don't seem to have the right mix of medium.

Surprised that you got it with Flat Red, that is always reliable for me.

I find it a pain but not a disaster because I varnish and that evens out any shiny bits.

I've had the same thing happen with Vallejo black.

I've never had such issue with those paints. They may need good mixing? Are they kept away from sunlight?

Why are the figs ruined? Can't you just give them a coat of dullcoat to fix it?

And yes, I have never had this happen with any paint. Weird.

Good to hear I'm not the only one.

Extra Crispy – yes I was being overdramatic – they're not ruined, I can "just" paint over them all again. But I'm interested in what you say about dullcoat – do you think this will work? Even on a really glossy look?

Col Blancard – does sunlight turn them gloss? If so, I had no idea – is that common knowledge?

Extra Crispy is right – there is no repainting needed. dullcoat will take them down to flat no problem.

Dull cote should fix any sheen. Most use it over the dip techniques, which are really glossy.
You have nothing to lose, if it doesn't dull them enough, then you reprint. Seems a shame to have to waste all that effort though.

Storage temperature can do funny things to paint. Mine used to live in the garage and boiled in summer and froze in winter………not good for the drying properties.

I am assuming these are not just very old pots that in their younger days dried better

I've only had it happen with the Dark Prussian Blue. More than one bottle of it, too, so I assumed it was something with the paint.

I have many problem with their reds. Always separating and no amount of mixing recovers it.

Had same issue with a brand new pot of the black; but; as several posters have said, coat of matt varnish will sort it.

This series of blog posts may help. It describes my experience with using talc to matt paints including Vallejo.

Plus my recent Miniature Wargames article may also be of use because it summarises all my posts on talc and varnishing.

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Martin Stephenson
The Waving Flag | Twitter | eBay

My bottle of Flat Red glosses to. Good to know I'm not the only one to have a problem with that color.

I got a gloss finish when I mixed two different colors that were both flat finish when they were unmixed. It surprised me. But I fixed it by putting a clear-matte-coat on top. No problem.

FWIW, I've recently discovered that Vallejo's Matte Varnish provides the best matte surface finish I've found in a varnish. Very flat, but not so flat that it affects the color in a negative way. It's the only thing I like better than Dullcoat.

Yes I have found the Vallejo Game Colour Black has quite a shine. I use it on purpose sometimes for that effect. But any matt finish makes it disappear. I use AP Matt and Dullcote and they both work well, I prefer AP as well.

John

Dark Prussian Blue! Yes, now you mention it……the only problem I have had with Vallejo. I know matt varnish is a whole different and huge topic……but go to any artist's shop and spend a bit more for a huge bottle. Rowney's!

Deadhead-Rowneys varnish is cheap, but do not use it directly on surfaces which have had black acrylic ink lining. I did it once and it re-dissolved the ink, so I had to re paint. I now seal first with a gloss varnish, then finish with the Rowneys. It is good value for money.

Blimey! Thanks for the warning……….invaluable!

I spray my figures with an acrylic gloss, then with dullcoat.
They dull down every time.
The extra protection from the gloss really helps as I find just plain dullcoat doesn't really do it.

Thanks all! I will try dull cote etc and see what happens

Curious though if Vallejo, the company, have said anything about this tendency

Plus my recent Miniature Wargames article may also be of use because it summarises all my posts on talc and varnishing.

Thank you Martin. An interesting and informative article.

Tamiya X-21 Flat Base …… a drop of this on the end of your brush will knock the shine off anything, and you don't need much great stuff.