Matt varnish for wargames miniatures

[fred]

I use Vallejo brush in Matt varnish.

But when I do spray (either varnish or undercoat) my typical setup is a cardboard box on top of the wheelie bin!

[Atheling]

I use Vallejo brush in Matt varnish.

But when I do spray (either varnish or undercoat) my typical setup is a cardboard box on top of the wheelie bin!

Which is as good as any idea really. 

[Silent Invader]

I was a great fan for a long time of the Galleria varnish, but found the finish was becoming inconsistent. Too often I was getting a satin finish.

I agree the Winsor & Newton spray varnish is excellent and gives a truly matt finish. However, my go to varnish these days is Winsor & Newton Artist Matt varnish. It is for oil painting and you have to clean your brush in white spirit, but is is by far the best varnish I have used. Easily matches the spray varnish for Matt finish and has the added bonus of smoothing out the paint job to give an almost blended effect.

I just slap it on, is touch dry in about an hour, but is best left 24 hours to cure. If you don’t like dealing with white sprits there is a water based version. Not quite as good, but very close.

Available from most decent art suppliers, but I buy mine from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005XZBT98/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pat

That’s interesting Pat. I’m also plagued with the Galleria inconsistency. A batch of 20 minis painted at the same time.... the green jackets are flat matt the blue jackets have a satin sheen. Weird. And frustrating.

I think I’ll give your suggestion a go.

[vexillia]

That’s interesting Pat. I’m also plagued with the Galleria inconsistency. A batch of 20 minis painted at the same time.... the green jackets are flat matt the blue jackets have a satin sheen. Weird. And frustrating.

There is an explanation for this.  I have experienced this with many varnishes and on reds and red browns as well.  As I understands it the reason is:

• Not all paints (colours) are the same.  They have different acrylic polymers, pigments and fillers.  This gives them different surface properties specifically surface roughness & porosity.
• If a surface is relatively smooth it will look glossy.  If it is rougher it will look matt.
• Matt varnishes work but depositing a clear layer of silica on the surface that "roughens" the surface giving a matt finish by the random reflection of light from the model.
• If the paint layer is also porous a brush on varnish will penetrate the surface and not form a surface layer.  Hence it will dry satin or gloss.
• Therefore a matt varnish will matt some colours but not others; namely reds, blues and greens.

There is a solution:

• Add talc to the paint.   The talc platelets form a barrier within the paint as it dries preventing the varnish penetrating the paint layer as well as roughening the surface.
• This is why muted and saturated colours are much less affected as they contain less of the troublesome pigments.
• It's also why craft paints tend to be more matt as they contain lots of talc, or similar, as filler.

Obviously, spraying on a varnish will help as it reduces the chance of penetration as the varnish will be almost dry on contact with the model.  Over spraying will result in the same problem.

More:

• https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2014/05/painting-tips-5c-matting-acrylics-with.html
• https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2019/09/painters-miscellany-1.html
• https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2009/02/painting-tips-4-gloss-vs-matt-varnishes.html

Hope this helps?

[theoldschool]

Interesting, I agree some colours take a varnish better than others, black is notoriously difficult to matt properly. However, in this case I simply put it down to a change in the varnish. Worked fine for years, then it didn't.

As for the varnish I now use, just give it a good shake and slap it on. In fact the thicker (within reason) it goes on the better it seems to work.

[Silent Invader]

Interesting explanation Martin. 

Though I’m not sure I’m brave enough to add talc and
 I’ve already ordered a bottle of the spirit based version to try that. 

[SteveBurt]

W&n Mattt is good, as is Humbrol Matt Cote

[Jack Jones]

@ vexillia

Interesting. Thank you.

This reads a bit like the reasons behind applying a gloss varnish before applying a waterslide transfer, matt varnishing over the whole.

So … can an application of gloss varnish prior to matt varnishing address these inconsistencies in the same way?

[vexillia]

So … can an application of gloss varnish prior to matt varnishing address these inconsistencies in the same way?

If, and only if, one coat of gloss provides a sealed surface.  Not every varnish will do that; spray's especially.  Think about it: if the matt version penetrates the paint so will the gloss coat.

[Atheling]

If, and only if, one coat of gloss provides a sealed surface.  Not every varnish will do that; spray's especially.  Think about it: if the matt version penetrates the paint so will the gloss coat.

Which is why I use Humbrol brush on Enamel. I've been using it for years and had relatively little by way of problems.

Basically, I come from the angle that I play with my miniatures (not a pun  ) and the paint jobs would be exposed to much more damage if I didn't varnish them.

[Jack Jones]

Hi All

An update on my experience with W&N Galeria matt varnish … well, matt it ain’t. I tried storing it upside down, stirring endlessly … still left a soft sheen.

An internet search surfaced discussions around the use of Tamiya’s X-21 Flat Base … so I bought some.

I am using 1 part X-21 to 4 parts W&N.

It’s slightly chalky, and if pooled dries cloudy … but so far so flat.

Cheers
JJ

[2010sunburst]

X-21 is designed to be added to paint.  It’s not a varnish additive, hence the chalky finish.  Gloss varnish, currently Johnson’s Klear , followed by matt varnish, currently W&N has been my go to for years.  I find it very reliable and put most of that down to the even surface created by the Klear coat.  Humbrols clearcote is very reliable when used this way as well. 

[2010sunburst]

I mean Mattcote, not clearcote….sorry!

[Atheling]

There's a big old article on my blog of how you can turn this:


Into this:


With 30 years experience and outside influences it's quite in-depth and substantive.

You can read the article on my Just Add Water Blog here:
http://justaddwater-bedford.blogspot.com/2020/11/varnishing-dark-age-period-miniatures.html

End results:

[modelwarrior]

There's a big old article on my blog of how you can turn this:


Into this:


With 30 years experience and outside influences it's quite in-depth and substantive.


You can read the article on my Just Add Water Blog here:
http://justaddwater-bedford.blogspot.com/2020/11/varnishing-dark-age-period-miniatures.html

End results:

Very interesting read. Never realised varnish was as important as the paint underneath. Going to give this a go shortly.