"Best non-aerosol flat & gloss?" Topic

Looking for recommendations on good airbrushable or brushable flat and gloss coats. Looking to get away from aerosols for a number of reasons.

Thanks

this as my gloss coat

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followed by this as my matte

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both applied with a brush
you could probably use an airbrush , but i might swap the Pledge for Liquitex's Gloss Varnish . or use a cheap airbrush until you're sure it can be cleaned completely .


NOTE: stirred not shaken , shaking leaves tiny bubbles in varnish that show up on the finished model

For gloss I use Pledge Multi Surface Wax (aka "Klear"); for matt I use Golden's acrylic matt varnish (any artists acrylic matt would do just as well). I use both as brush-on or through the airbrush.

Thanks! Tamsin, do you thin the varnish for airbrushing? What with?

You can airbrush Pledge/Future straight or thinned with wet water. I use Testors Dullcote brush-on lacquer for flat. For spray I'm still using up a box of Dullcote aerosal, but when that's done I'll switch to Liquitex Varnish (Matte or Gloss) through the airbrush. Will thin with Liquitex Airbrush Medium if needed.

Pledge/Klear – I airbrush neat, but it can be thinned with water.

Golden matt varnish I do thin with water before using either brushed on or airbrushed, about 3:1 varnish:water.

Another vote for Klear (often with peat brown W&N artists acrylic ink to add an element of shade) as gloss, I always brush on. Used to thin it down but now just use it out of the bottle. I have a precious bottle of the original Klear in my cupboard. For matt, I use W&N Galeria matt varnish as the easiest to get from local art suppliers and dries as a good flat matt finish