Matt coats matting to much?

[Hammers]

HAve you noticed that matt coats sometimes not only takes away the sheen but also diffuses contrast? While this is not always a disadvantage it can be annoying when you are going for a transition from very deep shadows to very light hilites.

[Citizen Sade]

Yes, I find that it often wrecks my careful paint jobs and I still haven't managed to adopt my style to compensate. On the other hand, some people say this is a blessing for their style.

[Plynkes]

I loved the ultra-matt I used to get from Testors. I think it made my paintjobs look miles better. I haven't been able to get that finish for months, though. Nowadays I just get a workmanlike ordinary matt. I miss the matt-matt-matt-matty-matt-matt of old.  Maybe we should swap varnishes? 

[Thunderchicken]

I loved the ultra-matt I used to get from Testors. I think it made my paintjobs look miles better. I haven't been able to get that finish for months, though. Nowadays I just get a workmanlike ordinary matt. I miss the matt-matt-matt-matty-matt-matt of old.  Maybe we should swap varnishes? 

Plynkes, have you tried the HMG matt from the Army Painter Range? It's great stuff but you have to use it in very small doses otherwise your figures cease to reflect light and all sorts of terrible things start to happen with the fabric of the universe. (ok I might be exaggerating a bit there).

[Orctrader]

This is why, as I say in my article on varnishing,...Indeed, I don’t actually regard varnishing as something done “after painting” but as an integral part of the painting process.