Brush-on varnishes/polyurethanes?

[superflytnt]

Hey mates,
I figured there's nowhere on earth better to ask this:

I started out long, long, long ago dipping GW plastics, but I've realized over the years that not only is that cheating, it's hard to control the amount of drips.

Well, I have these Reaper figures that are soft as !@#$ all and the paint will most assuredly chip, I reckon. So, I'm looking for a good material to coat these figures with that doesn't involve Minwax PolyShades polyurethane dipping. Something with no tint that will form a nice, hard shell, but remain flexible so it will protect the paint without cracking.

Also, something that will NOT react adversely to GW or Vallejo paints.

Help?!?

[Bugsda]

Winsor and Newton Gallaria or Daler Rowney Soluble matt varnishes, both acrylic.
Shake it to death before you apply though.

Ha! I drew first

[infelix]

Yea you should be able to find a good brush on in most art stores, I usually get W&N but I'm sure other brands are good as well.

[Mr. Peabody]

You can buy craft-paint brand waterbased polyurethane, without tint or pigment, intended for use as a varnish. That might do the job for you. Folk have been adding this to craft paints to strengthen them for airbrushing...

Have been making my own 'dip' from water, flow-release, matte medium and acrylic ink for a couple of years now. Works like a charm, goes on matte and is so very easy to control and customise. Got the idea from a video by Les Bursley, but the simple recipe I follow is like this:

100ml water, 20ml flow-aide, 100ml matte medium. Mix well, in the order given. Scale up the recipe as much as you like.

Add acrylic ink; anywhere from 30 to 60 drops added to roughly one fluid ounce (32ml) will work to create washes, 'inks' and 'dip'. I like 40 drops of Daler Rowney Antelope Brown + 4 or 5 drops Liquitex Carbon Black in 32ml of the base for my shading dip.

The basic mix is also a useful medium for thinning paint for regular brush work. Acrylic matte medium is terrifically useful stuff.