edmuel2000 | 02 Jan 2016 9:30 p.m. PST |
Do enamells really need to be protectedmel with a coat of clear coat? As an old dog who has been using Humbrols and Testors enamels since back in the day, I'm wondering if the current advice to varnish figures doesn't stem from the assumption that they have been done with acrylics. Anyone know any good technical reasons, one way or the other? What do other enamel painters do? I'd be interested to hear. Best, Ed M |
Heisler | 02 Jan 2016 10:41 p.m. PST |
Even enamels gain protection from a coat of varnish. The paint still wears off from handling. I always varnished my enamel paint jobs. |
Timmo uk | 02 Jan 2016 11:59 p.m. PST |
The cause of paint wearing off figures leaving bare metal showing is that the primer hasn't bonded to the metal properly. However, within the hobby there are a thousand different approaches and as many painters who all swear that their methods don't give them any problems. Some don't prime but just undercoat (with paint) then paint with acrylics, don't varnish and have no problems but others who do the same say it doesn't work etc etc. The critical elements that have made a difference for me and they way I paint have been: • degreasing the castings using cellulose thinners (after clean-up) • using a light dusting of an acid etch primer specifically designed for use on 'difficult' metals before then undercoating. Since retouching worn paint work is tedious in the extreme you may as well varnish them however you prep and paint them. |
MajorB | 03 Jan 2016 5:53 a.m. PST |
Do enamels really need to be protectedmel with a coat of clear coat? No. It's a myth. I have never used varnish on either enamels or acrylics and none of my figures have suffered as a result over many years. |
LeonAdler | 03 Jan 2016 6:49 a.m. PST |
The main reason to varnish, apart from the obvious wear resist is that acrylics have a 'sandpaper' finish so if your using washes over a lot of acrylics ( and its mostly airbrushed acrylics I have experience with) a coat of varnish makes the washes flow much better. Otherwise I still use enamels mostly and give a coat of gloss varnish ( before basing) to bring out the colours followed by matt ( after basing) to give the figures some protection. L |
LesCM19 | 03 Jan 2016 7:32 a.m. PST |
Certain Humbrol tins no matter how much stirring and shaking seem to give different finishes from satin to just short of gloss and like the OP I am not going to change now. Mattcote levels the playing field and probably helps the rubbing off of sharp corners but I think it dissolves decals. |
haywire | 03 Jan 2016 1:11 p.m. PST |
Do you wax your car? Does the wax on your car protect the finish? |
edmuel2000 | 03 Jan 2016 2:29 p.m. PST |
Haywire, I don!t drive my figures through rain, snow, and sleet, but I do always operate them with safety belts fastened. |
LeonAdler | 03 Jan 2016 2:31 p.m. PST |
On that basis the waxing I do of me baldie ead is worth it………. L |
MajorB | 03 Jan 2016 3:38 p.m. PST |
Do you wax your car? Does the wax on your car protect the finish? Contrary to popular belief, wax and varnish are not the same thing. |
ordinarybass | 05 Jan 2016 11:12 a.m. PST |
As long as the figures are properly primed, I don't think that varnish is entirely necessary on enamel/oil painted miniatures. Still, every layer adds a bit more protection from scratches, falls, etc, so there's nothing wrong with a bit more protection. |