Varnishing Disaster! Help Urgently Needed Please? (Pic Heavy)

[Dags]

I've been using the HMG (who make the Minibits) Deluxe Matt exclusively for years without any issues.  The only thing I've found with it is that the rattle cans need A LOT morre shaking than other brands.

[2010sunburst]

Most of us have had something like this happen from time to time, so we identify with a fellow sufferer.  We do invest significant amounts of time in our hobby, so set backs like this can assume greater significance.  Don’t let it get to you feller.  As you say, a change of focus will minimise the adverse impact and then allow you to restart the project.  Don’t give up something you obviously enjoy.  The only loser would be yourself.  We are all rooting for you 

[WuZhuiQiu]

No Martin mate. I'm always extremely careful. Always short sprays., leave to dry go back and repeat.

In order to mitigate the disheartening effect of the disaster I'm going to put the project away and paint something else.

Otherwise I'm in serious danger of just giving up the hobby. That was two weeks painting those 12 cavalry models and having to live with the effects of hyper anxiety too.

It's best I put it away and start on something afresh. I'm sure I'll be able to return to the project some day.....

Thanks for your help everyone. It's good to know that people give a hoot

Sorry to read about the varnishing mishap!

While reading all of the good advice, an idea occurred to me. Rather than risk your paint job directly, why not try to reproduce the mishap on a few neutral, non-porous objects, perhaps spare plastic bases or similar?

You might follow the same varnishing steps as before, but on the test pieces, and over a one-colour coat of paint, perhaps using a suitably dark colour better to reveal any varnish issues.

You could next try the suggested techniques for remedying the peeling varnish on them.

If one technique seems more effective and less damaging to your test pieces, you might then consider using it on your painted figure(s).

[Atheling]

I've been using the HMG (who make the Minibits) Deluxe Matt exclusively for years without any issues.  The only thing I've found with it is that the rattle cans need A LOT morre shaking than other brands.

Yeah, I did just that. Shook for four to five minutes between sprays/layers and let then dry before the next layer. I used to use HMG Matt with no ill effect at all for years before I moved over to my old Art School favourite Winsor & Newton Pro Matt.

The problem is, the current batch of Minibits Deluxe Matt is anything but matt- It looks like the old HMG Satin. Maybe an EU directive for some of the chemical components being banned as they were with the old Dullcote formula? Or maybe someone along the chain just doesn't give a hoot and has supplied the wrong varnish.

From an email, to and fro between me and Leon at Pendraken:

Me:
"Before I do, I just need to check that the  Delux Matt varnish spray is the slow drying stuff with the very flat matt finish and not the fast drying stuff which is basically satin?"[/i]

Leon from Pendraken
"The Deluxe Matt is the one you're looking for, it's a dead matt finish."

This was  not te case at all. Satin at best veering towards gloss.

[Blackwolf]

That’s terrible Atheling.
After a few mishaps like this,wait for it, he speaks heresy; I stopped varnishing my miniatures (except for oils/enamels on acrylic which are for painted effects),and made sure I washed and primed properly. So far so good,I’ve been doing this for years.
Perhaps not what you want to hear,but there it is.

[tin shed gamer]

I had the same issue minibits( normally use it on vehicles, ). That's why I thought I'd try the colour Forge stuff. The fluff I was fed on the trade stand was the same manufacturer as the Workshop can's. Which was a win. As I quite like the Hard coat for figures. But not vehicles.  Hence trying the matt . Knowing how sensitive to humidity GW varnish is .(It'll milk and frost at the first hint of rain or damp.) I took that into account before using.
The reason I added a picture was to show that the Colour Forge. Doe's have the potential to contract as it dries and pulls on acrylic paints which will felx and tear with the varnish. Also to show it's not a reaction to your previous layer of varnish. As I didn't have any other layer of varnish under the Colour Forge varnish. We're both extremely experienced painters. So very unlikely we both made similar mistakes in application. Which led both of us to experience shrinkage/contraction with the same product. The only common factor in both our approaches has been the use of this product. If we're experiencing similar issues at the same stage then it can only be the one thing common to both our experiences the application of the same product at the same stage.Not our methodology prior to application.
In short knowing you've had a similar issue means Colour Forge in the bin. Followed by not recommending it as a varnish .It really doesn't fair well on low detailed surfaces.

Your actually in a better position to remedy the issue. As you've a layer of varnish underneath
So with a little effort lift away the blisters with a solvent. Then re varnish ,and be back at a near normal look.

[Atheling]

That’s terrible Atheling.
After a few mishaps like this,wait for it, he speaks heresy; I stopped varnishing my miniatures (except for oils/enamels on acrylic which are for painted effects),and made sure I washed and primed properly. So far so good,I’ve been doing this for years.
Perhaps not what you want to hear,but there it is.

I've always cleaned up with files, washed the miniatures, undercoated with a metal primer, primed with suitable matt black, painted, left for a week, glossed (Gloss tried and tested for over two decades, left for a week, matted down with very thin light coats. Everything done according to the book. Three decades of experience coming up in March, much of that painting professionally at the high end of the market and this happens. It was entirely unpredictable and TBH, if the actual matt varnish really was a flat matt as the vendor assured me, this disaster would not have come to pass.

[Atheling]

I had the same issue minibits( normally use it on vehicles, ). That's why I thought I'd try the colour Forge stuff. The fluff I was fed on the trade stand was the same manufacturer as the Workshop can's. Which was a win. As I quite like the Hard coat for figures. But not vehicles.  Hence trying the matt . Knowing how sensitive to humidity GW varnish is .(It'll milk and frost at the first hint of rain or damp.) I took that into account before using.
The reason I added a picture was to show that the Colour Forge. Doe's have the potential to contract as it dries and pulls on acrylic paints which will felx and tear with the varnish. Also to show it's not a reaction to your previous layer of varnish. As I didn't have any other layer of varnish under the Colour Forge varnish. We're both extremely experienced painters. So very unlikely we both made similar mistakes in application. Which led both of us to experience shrinkage/contraction with the same product. The only common factor in both our approaches has been the use of this product. If we're experiencing similar issues at the same stage then it can only be the one thing common to both our experiences the application of the same product at the same stage.Not our methodology prior to application.
In short knowing you've had a similar issue means Colour Forge in the bin. Followed by not recommending it as a varnish .It really doesn't fair well on low detailed surfaces.

Your actually in a better position to remedy the issue. As you've a layer of varnish underneath
So with a little effort lift away the blisters with a solvent. Then re varnish ,and be back at a near normal look.

It's not worth the effort. The miniatures will be going to the recycling plant.

[Blackwolf]

You have to be realistic.

[Atheling]

You have to be realistic.

Stripping them back is the only real solution as I simply would not put sub standard stuff on the table top. Not anything I wasn't happy with anyway.

[David H]

Sorry to hear of your varnishing disaster. Absolutely gutting when something like that happens 

[Atheling]

Sorry to hear of your varnishing disaster. Absolutely gutting when something like that happens 

Thanks David. The project has been sidelined for the foreseeable. I'll return to it later in the year if I get the time.

I just can't bare to have it out in front of me. Weeks of work down the drain.

[Duncan McDane]

This sucks big time. I have no solution for this. Frosting might be polished away - I seem to remember it had something to do with olive oil - but cracking, no way. Probably a faulty batch, not that it matters now...
Wish I could give some sound and helpfull advise, though 
 

[SteveBurt]

My only advice would be to avoid spray varnish. The brush on stuff is easier to control and much less subject to these disasters.

[Atheling]

My only advice would be to avoid spray varnish. The brush on stuff is easier to control and much less subject to these disasters.

Project abandoned for the foreseeable and moved onto more Italian Wars stuff for the Analogue Hobbies painting Challenge. It's a shame really as I spent £374 with Footsore and £173 with Gripping Beast just to have a varnish, which I was promised by the vendor was very flat matt, applied in the correct conditions and using the correct tried and tested methods practiced for decades, devastate the first unit.

It's now boxed and out of sight and out of mind.