 ochoin  | 30 Dec 2014 11:29 p.m. PST |
Like many, I mostly paint in flat colours & then, using Krylon clear matte, give them a final spray that renders all colours flat. Does anyone go back & add "gloss" to appropriate areas? eg oilskin wrapped shakos on Nap Prussians or the bodies of Zulus (who coated themselves in oils, evidently)? |
| Ivan DBA | 31 Dec 2014 12:15 a.m. PST |
I have done this in the past. I have also done the opposite: after dipping plate-armored knights in Minwax (which left a nice gloss on the armor), I went back and applied a brush-on matte varnish to the few bits if fabric, leather, etc. |
| Veteran Cosmic Rocker | 31 Dec 2014 3:26 a.m. PST |
I have done that for 28mm Naps in the past – but only for a few figures individually based for skirmish. Did I really notice the difference at that scale? Probably not I do completely gloss my 6mm Naps though – I find at that scale it helps the colours come out |
| Yesthatphil | 31 Dec 2014 4:04 a.m. PST |
I gloss 20mm and below, for pre 20th Century periods … they look better and as above, the colours come up nicely. Phil |
| Timmo uk | 31 Dec 2014 5:34 a.m. PST |
No, I reason that at the distance we'd need to be to make a real person 15/18/20mm or whatever we only see a mass of colour with the odd glint as the sun reflects off metal. |
| Sigwald | 31 Dec 2014 5:42 a.m. PST |
Yes, I get the whole figure as matt as I want with spray dullcote then brush vallejo gloss varnish on where needed |
| MajorB | 31 Dec 2014 6:07 a.m. PST |
I just use Coat d'Arms acrylic paints that are matt anyway, so I don't need any additional matt varnish. I prefer my figures matt to gloss, so don't use gloss varnish either. |
 etotheipi  | 31 Dec 2014 6:12 a.m. PST |
Yes, but not all the time. Also, don't forget satin finish and having a couple different brands of gloss (which will look different when applied). A real nice scifi effect is: paint the figure black; light dry brush white; light dry brush neon color over that; light dry brush clear gloss enamel. You end up with a dark/black figure with "glowing" edges. |
| Cardinal Ximenez | 31 Dec 2014 2:17 p.m. PST |
Yes. I use the same process. I brush clear gloss onto my SCW Civil Guard tricornios as a last step. DM |
| Ottoathome | 31 Dec 2014 4:20 p.m. PST |
I paint in gloss and leave it. Grumbacher Oils. Looks fine, wears long, stays true. I have figures I painted 40 years ago and been in hundreds of battles. No wear, no chip, no fading. I have acryllics only for painting terrain and even then I'm giving it up for gloss. |
| IronDuke596 | 01 Jan 2015 11:15 a.m. PST |
I use Army painter dip for shading (oil based) but brushed on (for a hard protective finish as well) then dull coat as I do not like glossy figures. For a some figures I then gloss coat metallic items. |
| edmuel2000 | 03 Jan 2015 8:20 p.m. PST |
Yes, I paint in flat and add a coat of flat clear-- I generally then go back and highlight metallics so that they have some "shine" (the amount and effect depending on the fig and item). |
| 138SquadronRAF | 03 Jan 2015 8:58 p.m. PST |
We used to do this in the 70's because gloss varnish was considered more durable than matt. I gave up the practice of gloss varnishing in the early 80s. |
surprises her grandmother on her 80th birthday.