Poll: Varnish

[Gitzdee]

Do you use varnish?

I have been wondering about this. I have never used it but i am thinking about it.

I also want to ask the people that use varnish what brand they use and why. Also what type of varnish (matt or another type) and why.

I recently learned that gw paints have a satin finish and that paint with a matt finish have a different look to them. Never really put much thought behind this to be honest. Does using a matt varnish over satin paint give it a different look? 

[Big Kim Woof-Woof]

I use Vallejo's matt varnish on everything I paint. One coat for plastic or resin, two coats for metal. Seems to do the trick.

[Tonhel]

AK Interactive Ultra Matt. Best varnish I have used.

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

I use Vallejo matt varnish, but only to even out unwanted glossy finishes. I have never had paint chipping problems on plastic miniatures, so I don't see the need to varnish for that reason.

I also use matt and gloss medium to mix up paints if I want to change the finish. Since acrylic varnish is just medium, I feel that is worth mentioning.

[Vasshpit]

I use varnish of all different sheens. 

For cloth I'll use matte. For most skins I use satin or a 50/50 of satin and matte. 

For mouths and gross bits I use gloss or a 50/50 glass and satin. 

This all adds a bit of realism.

I also use Vallejo through an airbrush at 50/50 water. 

Edited February 22 by Vasshpit

[Gitzdee]

33 minutes ago, Neil Arthur Hotep said:

I use Vallejo matt varnish, but only to even out unwanted glossy finishes. I have never had paint chipping problems on plastic miniatures, so I don't see the need to varnish for that reason.

I also use matt and gloss medium to mix up paints if I want to change the finish. Since acrylic varnish is just medium, I feel that is worth mentioning.

I do own some matt medium, does it do the same trick as a matt varnish or do i really have to mix it with paint? I am asking because i dont like the glossy parts when using washes.

Edited February 22 by Gitzdee

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

24 minutes ago, Gitzdee said:

I do own some matt medium, does it do the same trick as a matt varnish or do i really have to mix it with paint? I am asking because i dont like the glossy parts when using washes.

You can think of acrylic as transparent, colourless acrylic paint. You can use it in every way you could use any other kind of paint. It will make a glossy surface less glossy, but might not get you back to a matt finish in one coat.

[Flippy]

I use varnish, and for many different purposes. In my head, varnish application is a rite which confirms that the model is done.

In the material world it does actually protect the model; I use a lot of contrast paints and these rub off very easily on the edges when unprotected.

It can also significantly alter the final look. I used to apply predominantly satin varnishes (brush or can) and once I switched to matte the difference is very noticeable- though hard to describe without the pictures, so… the first picture is all-satin varnish from AP (I would rather classify it as gloss). The second one is matte (Tamiya TS-80 flat clear, extremely good), with gloss varnish (Vallejo brush-on) applied to eyes, jewels and metals.

 

[Sception]

Yes I use varnish - usually matt through an airbrush, then pick out bits I want to be shiny/wet with a paint on gloss varnish (snow, gore, gems, shiny clean gold & silver, etc.  If the overall model wants to look more shiny or wet then I'd go with satin followed again by paint on gloss where appropriate.

[woolf]

Typically matt varnish imo is preferable (e.g. vallejo has worked well for me) as otherwise you can get a pretty glossy finish (ofc preference but still). Things like jewels or if you want something to look wet you should use a glossy one. A few things to note at least in my opinion that its good to have an airbrush to apply varnish with (I have used a cheap one as dont want the stuff to clog up my normal airbrush with), also the varnish can scr-ew a bit with true metallics, in particular highlights if you e.g. used silver to do edge highlight on a steel color. Metallic paint is typically quite durable though so you dont really need to varnish them I think, best to avoid, or perhaps plan to touch up the metallics after you applied. 

Edit: seems @Sception beat my post with some very similar takes while I was typing 😅

Edited February 22 by woolf

[MitGas]

I usually use varnish in between steps; like after using oils and the like. Bright metallic highlights I usually paint after varnishing, if the models are supposed to be reflective I don’t varnish them at all in the later stages for metals (it really dulls em down) or varnish clothes etc. by hand. It’s a slow process that way.
 

Plastic minis are pretty forgiving even without varnish as the final layer in my experience, at least my current way has worked for me so far. I don’t think I’ve got chipped paint anywhere yet. Personally I haven‘t had any bad experience with an airbrush varnish, I certainly won‘t go back to rattle cans though after a bad experience. I use a lot more (and thicker!) varnish on scenery than on my army in general. 
 

 

[EccentricCircle]

I never needed it for plastic or most metal, but I've painted more metal historical minis lately, and they seem to chip more readily so i probably need to start. What's everyone 's recommendation for good brush on varnish in gloss, matt and satin? Most of my models go for a gloss finish, but it might be useful to make some areas like skin satin and dry cloth matt instead.

[Greyshadow]

AK interactive ultra matt. Incredible stuff. Want some satin? Mix contrast medium and AK interactive ultra Matt. More Satin? Stormshield ultra Matt mix. GW ‘ard coat can be a very thick gloss. You can thin it with contrast medium too.

I tend to only varnish miniatures that will be handled a lot. Also vanish any terrain that will have miniatures placed on top.

[JackStreicher]

I always satin varnish to make the color more resistant to friction.

 

Edit: Yet the red of my Chaos Warrior‘s cloak tips rubs off all the time x_X

Edited February 23 by JackStreicher

[Gitzdee]

I have only ever had problems with paint chipping off in my metal nasty skulkers. Never had any paint chip on any of my plastic models so far.

[Big Kim Woof-Woof]

I should have added that after I've done the matt varnish, I use GW'S 'ardcoat on anything I want to glisten (Fiend and Steed tongues, gemstones, bits that I've painted up to look like black latex fetish gear, etc).