I’ve had Munitorum frost on me, especially here in Texas when it’s really hot. But I’ve found that just applying a layer of Lahmian Medium afterwards totally fixes it and brings the finish back to normal like magic. Don’t despair if your varnish frosts on you, it can usually be fixed!
I screwed up a bunch of minis I really liked by spray varnishing them in humid weather, I fixed it by putting gloss on with a brush then matte on that. it seemed to bring the color back..
Another varnishing top tip is that they can make panel lining super easy. A gloss varnish creates a very smooth surface that most washes just wick right off, causing them to run right into the recesses. It gets even better if you kick it up a notch and create an oil wash. A bit more advanced of a technique, but it makes lining all the panels on a space marine downright trivial to do. A great technique if you want to get a bunch of models shaded in very little time. The smooth surface that a gloss varnish creates is also ideal for applying decals. And a matte or satin varnish will do a lovely job to seal the decal in place while protecting it from the elements.
@@user-fn2rt6lb1o A matte varnish after oil washing, applying decals, and anything else you wanna do on the gloss varnish is a good idea. It gets rid of the sheen that you may not want on the finished model and it will protect all that stuff you've spend so much time getting right.
See you mentioned accidentally using primer as a varnish, but in my experience the primer is the single best top coat for keeping the paint underneath protected. Literally top tier
The spraying technique is really helpful for me who's really nervous about using sprays in general, seeing it done rather than being told what's on the can. Won't be so nervous to undercoat future models.
My own varnish journey led me from using rattle cans, to painting by hand and finally to do it with an airbrush. Never looked back once I tried the old magic air shooting machine!
@@Bandarr9000 i use Vallejo Satin Varnish as well, I actually use it through an airbrush. Normally I thin it a little bit and havent had an issue with that varnish at all.
@@Bandarr9000 For most projects I use a 50/50 mix of satin and matte varnish from vallejo, diluted with water. Goes on quick and smooth. And moat importantly: no risk of "frosting" (from a spray can) or creating tiny air bubbles that never pop (like when painting quickly with a big brush).
@@SobotRex I mix them to get the right shine and colour saturation I'm after. I personally think Satin is a bit too shiny, but Matt leaves the colours a bit dull. A 50/50 mix is the best of both worlds in my book!
I always keep a varnish only brush for brush on varnishes and mediums, if you use a brush that has been used for paint, the varnish can reactivate it and pick up pigment even if you think your brush is clean leaving a slightly murky result.
Varnish can be a "Ctrl S" after finishing a delicate bit or a "quicksave" before doing a difficult bit as you can remove a mess up with water without removing the already varnished bit. This is especially good for eyes, hand painted decals, etc. A good example is varnishing one color of a checkerboard before doing the second color.
Generally I like a satin finish to my models but I found using gloss to go over "wet" areas on a model can make a really striking look. Putting gloss on the Great Unclean one's guts, eyes, lips, tongue and sores looked wonderfully gross! 🙂
Very helpful video, thanks Duncan. Not sure whether it's helpful for people or not but in my own experience Stormshield is a rare brush-on matt varnish which is pretty bulletproof once cured (resists fingernails), it's just quite gloopy so needs to be thinned with a tiny amount of water like a damp brush. The only problem is that it clouds a bit when dry if it is applied too thickly and you REALLY need to be aware of your water's mineral content. I was varnishing in an area with very hard water and so much limescale got in my varnish that it ended up going a bit cloudy on my minis, so best to use distilled or bottled spring water. The other thing I've found is that AK Ultra Matte is good on its own but don't try to apply it over gloss using a brush - takes hours as it doesn't cover evenly and has a real propensity to cloud in recesses. You really need an airbrush to use it properly.
Great video. Most matt varnishes are gloss varnishes with added chalk. The chalk can precipitate out of a matt varnish leaving the model looking milky. This can often be saved by adding a very thin layer of gloss varnish, as it absorbs the chalky precipitate. The resulting varnish is clear and slightly satin. Also, don't use painted varnishes over inked lettering.
And this fact is exactly why just matte over paint makes it more likely to chip rather than leaving it alone... chalky = higher co efficient of friction
Not to mention it's already been covered that there is exactly zero benefit to favoring one varnish or another except the finish.. they all provide pretty much the same protection with little difference particularly when its just concerning the basic handling of miniatures. Goobertown hobbies who's a chemist IRL did some tests and demonstrated this.. the Gloss/Matt thing in this regard is mostly a myth
@@DeusMachina71 I think it was metal minis that were pretty much the only thing it made any deal difference for IIRC. I actually don't varnish anymore - and I've not had an issue since.
@derpstick5467 I handle them moderately carefully. I don't obsess too much about baying them and do in fact travel and game with them. The only time I've had paint issues is when I drop a figure and it breaks. The internet echo chamber just keeps echoing misinformation.
Airbrush: you control the nozzle (dried old parts from previous use), you control the thickness, you control the force and there are no wind and weather to worry about
After a few bad experiences with rattle cans I switched to my airbrush for varnishing. Primarily used the AK Ultra Matte and Pledge Revive It for a gloss coat, but recently I've been using the newer Air varnishes from the Army Painter and have been liking them a lot.
I've quickly learned the importance of varnishing metal models, as they tend to be the worse for wear and tear during gaming. I've also learned the dangers of spray varnish and humidity. :P A tip if you do get a bad look from a varnish is to go back over it with varnish. I've had one fog up on me, but going over it a second time with a glossier one did help fix it up.
This is a great video. I live in Virginia where it’s either a humid 92F or freezing cold so spraying varnish is a terrifying prospect. I started brushing on Liquitex varnishes from big bottles and I save quite a bit over a pricey rattle can that haze my minis. I have never tried thinning them with water or medium! Cool!
With normal sized mini's I've never really bothered with varnishing, I generally handle them by the base. Recently I painted up a few larger metal mini's where this is a lot harder, so thought I'd better varnish them. I used Halfords spray matt lacquer, and it worked great
Gloss varnish is a great way to prep before doing recess shading with washes, especially if you're using oils. Gloss varnish basically levels the surface out by filling in all the surface microtexture (matte varnishes create this kind of microtexture on purpose to diffuse light), so the wash will tend to move more towards the recesses, giving you less surface staining. For the final finish though, matte all the way IMO. I'm not a fan of gloss anything on anything non-metallic. It can make the painted on highlights and shadows harder to see, and it often kills the illusion of scale, especially at smaller scales like 28-32mm.
I have been using minwax polycrylic waterbase from Lowe's. I thin with water and a few drops of flow inmpover through the airbrush. Fantastic results and per ounce/ ml, its cheap and has been working fantastic.
I've used a generic matt varnish from a general/hardware store and it has always worked flawlessly. It really helps to let it set in warm water for a while before using it. I spray a rather generous coat at close range and while it does look quite soaked or drenched it has always dried smooth and evenly. No frosting or splotches. I've been spraying in my bathroom since the weather is usually too harsh here. The only negative is the amount of cleaning after it even with my "spray box" backdrop and a shower curtain covering a lot of the room
This is a brilliant tip ! ❤️🤘🏻 Once had to rescue about 1000 points of failed varnished Necrons just after I had completed them. A video like this would have saved me so much despair and time back then
I loved listening to you. I’m super glad what you and Peachy have done since leaving GW. No offense to GW, but the two of you have really been seeming about helping the hobby and getting people to paint, and have a love of the hobby (in addition to Louise, too!,) which is all fantastic. I’ve backed the first wave of Two Thin Coats (and wave 2,) but have yet to use it due to my schedule, but am looking forward to trying it wave 1 out within the next month (and wave 2 when it arrives.) I just want to thank you for all you you have done for the hobby!
Grabbing the right can tip👍🏻 I knew I couldn’t be the only one to blast my newly painted minis with white primer instead of varnish…🤦🏻 DOH! Double check your can! Contrast medium with AK ultra mat…Duncan you are a genius! Very nice results, I’ll mix a batch up. 👍🏻
I literally drenched one of my old minis with ak ultra Matt Varnish and still came out great. Love that stuff. I use it with Vallejo satin varnish. Ardcoat only on “wet” or really shiny surfaces.😊👍🏽
I generally use artists' matt varnish* brushed on or through the airbrush (mostly the latter these days) then use hobby varnishes brushed on if there are parts I want to be satin or gloss. *Current brand of choice - Golden, thinned down with water (about 2 parts varnish: 1 part water).
Thanks for this was going to get a matt spray varnish across the board but after watching, I've decided to get Gloss and Matt paint on varnish to apply to different areas as is suitable.
Again thank you man, your channel is so useful, If I need something I’ll always find an answer on your channel, the amount of knowledge you have and you share with us is just a goldmine and I really appreciate that.
Great video as always Duncan - my go-to choices for spray matt varnish are Testers Dullcote and Windsor & Newton professional matt varnish. Surprised it wasn't mentioned but my golden rule / top tip - never spray above 60% humidity - that's where there is an ever increasing chance of frosting occurring from matt sprays. Great tip on shaking the can for 4 minutes (I always do 5 minutes minimum). That actually is a long time - make sure you time yourself and don't be tempted to skip / cut-coners on this vital step. On colder days, you can also improve your results but GENTLY warming the can in a like warm pot of water for 5 minutes or so or use the old trusty stick it under your armpit for a few minutes :-) Also on colder days, try also keeping your models inside until the moment you want to spray, take them outside to spray and bring them back in to dry - the increased surface temperature and drying temperature really helps with the finish too.
@@andrewkennedy9134 no - funny enough I did a batch over the past couple of days. I did a spray gloss coat on one day (about 60% humidity, 15oC), waited 24 hours and did a light spray of w&n professional matt varnish at around 50% humidity / 15oC yesterday and the results were excellent. Make sure your coats are very light and you are spraying across the miniature (never directly at it) at a distance 20-30cm away (i use a marking on my spray stick to measure this). Hope that helps!
@@terminatoruk4921 Ill give it a go today thanks. Its lovely tuff usually, just lately I dont know what Ive been doing wrong. Maybe too thick a coat or some such?
I used the GW spray varnish once, never again. Made my ad mech dragoon look really cloudy and ruined hours of work even with precautionary steps like a good 5 minute shake and leaving the can in warm water for 10 minutes. Luckily I left it under a desk lamp for a bit and the heat took the edge off it, then just repainted the main armour panels.
I had that the first time I used the GW spray varnish too. I sprayed over it with Testors and the milkiness disappeared. I learned that Testors was very tolerant to thick coats, but GW is the opposite. Now I am careful to do very thin coats with my GW varnish and love it.
@@iapetusmccool it was the Munitorum. I think I had got used to using Testors, which tolerated being put on too thick. Munitorum punishes me when I do that.
So happy about this video, I’m always being told to varnish my models (they always have chipped or worn off patches of paint) and I never do because Iv only ever used varnishes a couple of times and they have ruined my models so iv never wanted to use them again.
Thank you . Your advice to mixing the mat and gloss with a bit of water or that is amazing idea and I find it’s a great seal that does not to effect the paint job . Great video very noob friendly. Thanks again. Using the citadel stuff .
Thank you for this, Duncan. Varnishes kind of scare me (not literally but you know what I mean) but this has actually made me excited to give them another go!
Thanks for this, Duncan. I've been in the hobby a very long time and been totally afraid/unsure of how to use varnishes , this tutorial has really helped me.
Testors Dullcote for me. I've tried to intentionally ruin a test model with it but it comes out great every time. Wether I'm too close or far away, hot or cold. I don't know how they make that stuff but it's top quality for sure!
Such a great tutorial. I have decided to brush on vanishes (rather than use sprays) and so good to learn about using a varnish over a varnish. Should I stick to matt and gloss or invest in satin, too? Thank you, again. I'm new to the hobby and am grateful!
So I’m new to this hobby. Yesterday evening, I was aghast to find some of the models that I had brushed primed with Vallejo white primer, the paint would just scrape off with my fingernail very easily… This was in contrast to the ones that I had spray, canned primed, with army, paint primer. These models seem to be far more robust, and you have to really work at scraping off the paint. The spray can primer clearly is far more effective. However, there are some models that I’ve painted with the brush and primer that I’m really quite happy with the results. And now I’m slightly panicked, as to how I can in affect seal them and protect them. So now I’m on to carefully pick a varnish that is not too glossy, something more akin to a matte finish, but doesn’t completely kill the metallics...
By far the best varnish video I've seen and mirrors what I've discovered trying various varnishes myself. Especially the tips of a bit of a satin sheen makes color pop, doesn't ruin metallics or dull down or make a paint job look worse like going full matte can. Also shaking a can for a full 4 minutes. I generally shake 3-4 and makes sure the can is at normal room temp and haven't ever had testors, Ap or GW varnish frost on me yet (knock on wood). I also prefer brush on varnish (specifically Vallejo acrylic satin), but depending on the paints/inks etc... you're using that isn't always an option. Would have been nice if you'd also done tips for fixing tacky varnish and frosting though. Never tried AK Interactive though, I'll have to try your formula.
The way I seal my metal minis to protect them from chipping: I clean, prime and then basecoat and maybe highlight all the prts of the figure except for the metallic parts. Then I gloss varnish with yacht varnish, but i guess any gloss varnish would do. Then I do all the panel lining, washes, blacklining etc. then ultra Matt varnish and eventually i do all the metallic parts and the remaining highlights.
I'm honestly amazed to hear you've ever made a mistake Duncan! Thank you so much for this video though, its given me the confidence to start varnishing my models again to protect them Also your facial expressions for the demos were gold 😂
I only reallyspray varnishes through my airbrush in a reasonably temperature controlled enviroment where i can help it. Seen too many models get ruined by varnish through a can even inside the reccomended temperature range. Occasionally apply with brush to change how reflective specific parts of a mini are. Vallejo metal colour and other real metallics paints are abit of a headache ..The patina you get from from having a very real metallic shine is lovely but having to shade/varnish it so it dosent rust over time when you have complex areas is somthing i havent quite figured out yet. Possibly stippling on a very thin layer of gloss varnish might let me keep the real metallic shine in shiny areas and doing the same thing on more oxidised but with matt/satin? On scale models this is pretty simple because of the larger surface area but i havent quite figured it out with minis yet.
I actually use regular floor polish with a brush and then apply a matte spray coat over it once it's dry to remove the glossy shine. Probably overkill but I've never had problems with my paint after that. :D
I frosted minis using GW munitorum varnish mostly because i did that in a weather that was too humid. Now, i make sure the weather is dry, warm up the can in warm water for 10m, shaje the can for 5 and have had no issues. For minis that were frosted, best remedy to fix that was following the advice from tangible day using a thin coat of olive oil. I first thought it was a complete BS trick but it actually worked though it left also mini shining a bit more (eg as is you’d use a glossy varnish) but compared to a ruined dull / frosted mini it’s 💯 better.
if you apply a glaze medium on its own, such as vallejo's, and then an acrylic wash in edges you can simulate a sort of pin wash like oils do after a gloss varnish if you are not confident using oils/ worry they may ruin your paint job.
Finished painting a spirit seer, then went to spray varnish only to find I had picked up a can of black spray... only ever done that once.. I learned 40 odd years ago, apply gloss first, then once dry apply a matte coat.
I used testors dull coat for a good long while, used gloss brush on for a bit of effects, and now use AK ultra matte through an airbrush for gaming pieces ( just bring up the metalics after)
Humidity has been the key for my spray varnishing. The lower the better, but I never spray if the humidity is 70% or higher. Ideally a nice warm summer day is the best varnishing weather.
Just wanna throw out a product rec I don’t see often: Mr Super Clear Matte. It’s a Japanese product that has never frosted on me, and has the ideal matte-ness. anyway awedome video Duncan, really excited to try Ultra Matte + Contrast medium to see how that looks!
I once having laboured to paint Valiant plastic British troops with Vallejo paints sprayed them with gloss varnish from a rattle can - it turned out to be white primer instead which resembled the can of varnish
I've been intimidated on using brush on varnish. Thanks for this instructional video! Also I'm greatly looking forward to getting the kickstarter paint set!
When making a diorama with epoxy resin for water would this be the correct order to do things in? XPS foam -> Mod podge -> dry -> Spray or brush priming color -> dry -> thin layer of mod podge to add flock, rocks, other terrain - > dry -> satin varnish Just want to make sure the sequence is correct. I just got into making dioramas and epoxy leaked through the floor of the river and got everywhere. Looked good when done, waited one hour before going to bed to check on it. Looked fine. Woke up and it was ruined. ALL the epoxy got through the XPS foam under it somehow. Maybe more layers of mod podge needed on XPS foam to be covered in epoxy. Also if I understand it correctly. Main purpose of varnish is to be used as a finisher to preserve the surface area of dioramas, models, etc.? But can you also use it as a sealant on top of mod podge to help prevent epoxy leaks? Sorry if these questions are dumb I'm kinda new to this as a hobby.
I’ve had Munitorum frost on me, especially here in Texas when it’s really hot. But I’ve found that just applying a layer of Lahmian Medium afterwards totally fixes it and brings the finish back to normal like magic. Don’t despair if your varnish frosts on you, it can usually be fixed!
If you're near the coast, it might be because of the humidity
Fellow Texan here, makes me feel a lot better about the first munitorum varnish I’m going to try soon :) thank you
I screwed up a bunch of minis I really liked by spray varnishing them in humid weather, I fixed it by putting gloss on with a brush then matte on that. it seemed to bring the color back..
Thanks for this comment. I was all set to get some spray varnish, but now I will skip it. I live on the Chesapeake Bay. It's never not humid.
You may have just saved some very detailed necrons. Thanks man
Another varnishing top tip is that they can make panel lining super easy. A gloss varnish creates a very smooth surface that most washes just wick right off, causing them to run right into the recesses. It gets even better if you kick it up a notch and create an oil wash. A bit more advanced of a technique, but it makes lining all the panels on a space marine downright trivial to do. A great technique if you want to get a bunch of models shaded in very little time.
The smooth surface that a gloss varnish creates is also ideal for applying decals. And a matte or satin varnish will do a lovely job to seal the decal in place while protecting it from the elements.
What a great tip! Thank you for sharing @DR. mirage809 😊
This is the 5th time ive seen the Gloss -> washes or decals -> matte or satin varnish finish this week alone learning about varnishes
Do you matte varnish it after oil washing?
@@user-fn2rt6lb1o A matte varnish after oil washing, applying decals, and anything else you wanna do on the gloss varnish is a good idea. It gets rid of the sheen that you may not want on the finished model and it will protect all that stuff you've spend so much time getting right.
@@mirage809 Are you really a doctor bud ?
See you mentioned accidentally using primer as a varnish, but in my experience the primer is the single best top coat for keeping the paint underneath protected.
Literally top tier
The spraying technique is really helpful for me who's really nervous about using sprays in general, seeing it done rather than being told what's on the can. Won't be so nervous to undercoat future models.
Duncan coming in with the top tips and the gossip 😁👌
You know it!
My own varnish journey led me from using rattle cans, to painting by hand and finally to do it with an airbrush. Never looked back once I tried the old magic air shooting machine!
What do you use in your airbrush? I'm currently using Vallejo satin varnish but an airbrush would be way easier.
@@Bandarr9000 i use Vallejo Satin Varnish as well, I actually use it through an airbrush. Normally I thin it a little bit and havent had an issue with that varnish at all.
@@Bandarr9000 For most projects I use a 50/50 mix of satin and matte varnish from vallejo, diluted with water. Goes on quick and smooth. And moat importantly: no risk of "frosting" (from a spray can) or creating tiny air bubbles that never pop (like when painting quickly with a big brush).
@@KabinMiniatures Is there any benefit to mixing them directly rather than a coat of satin then coat of matte?
@@SobotRex I mix them to get the right shine and colour saturation I'm after. I personally think Satin is a bit too shiny, but Matt leaves the colours a bit dull. A 50/50 mix is the best of both worlds in my book!
I sometimes use gloss varnish to pick out shiny parts such as canopies, gems etc.
Really makes a difference when the rest of the model is flat matte.
Yep I do this too, a combinAtion of varnishes is worth trying out
I always keep a varnish only brush for brush on varnishes and mediums, if you use a brush that has been used for paint, the varnish can reactivate it and pick up pigment even if you think your brush is clean leaving a slightly murky result.
That must’ve been what happened to me when using a varnish. Does the size of the brush matter when applying a varnish?
Omg thank you Duncan! This is THE video all of us gamers need
Varnish can be a "Ctrl S" after finishing a delicate bit or a "quicksave" before doing a difficult bit as you can remove a mess up with water without removing the already varnished bit. This is especially good for eyes, hand painted decals, etc.
A good example is varnishing one color of a checkerboard before doing the second color.
Generally I like a satin finish to my models but I found using gloss to go over "wet" areas on a model can make a really striking look. Putting gloss on the Great Unclean one's guts, eyes, lips, tongue and sores looked wonderfully gross! 🙂
Very helpful video, thanks Duncan. Not sure whether it's helpful for people or not but in my own experience Stormshield is a rare brush-on matt varnish which is pretty bulletproof once cured (resists fingernails), it's just quite gloopy so needs to be thinned with a tiny amount of water like a damp brush. The only problem is that it clouds a bit when dry if it is applied too thickly and you REALLY need to be aware of your water's mineral content. I was varnishing in an area with very hard water and so much limescale got in my varnish that it ended up going a bit cloudy on my minis, so best to use distilled or bottled spring water.
The other thing I've found is that AK Ultra Matte is good on its own but don't try to apply it over gloss using a brush - takes hours as it doesn't cover evenly and has a real propensity to cloud in recesses. You really need an airbrush to use it properly.
You make everything look so simple!!
Everybody gangster until spraying finished model with leadbelcher. Great video, motivates me to use it for my board game minis.
Great video. Most matt varnishes are gloss varnishes with added chalk. The chalk can precipitate out of a matt varnish leaving the model looking milky. This can often be saved by adding a very thin layer of gloss varnish, as it absorbs the chalky precipitate. The resulting varnish is clear and slightly satin. Also, don't use painted varnishes over inked lettering.
And this fact is exactly why just matte over paint makes it more likely to chip rather than leaving it alone... chalky = higher co efficient of friction
Not to mention it's already been covered that there is exactly zero benefit to favoring one varnish or another except the finish.. they all provide pretty much the same protection with little difference particularly when its just concerning the basic handling of miniatures. Goobertown hobbies who's a chemist IRL did some tests and demonstrated this.. the Gloss/Matt thing in this regard is mostly a myth
@@DeusMachina71 I think it was metal minis that were pretty much the only thing it made any deal difference for IIRC. I actually don't varnish anymore - and I've not had an issue since.
@@marcbowling6451I guess you don’t handle your minis too roughly to worry about taking the paint off? Or do you not play with your figures?
@derpstick5467 I handle them moderately carefully. I don't obsess too much about baying them and do in fact travel and game with them. The only time I've had paint issues is when I drop a figure and it breaks.
The internet echo chamber just keeps echoing misinformation.
Always warm up your spray cans. Putting them in some warm water or on the radiator for a couple of minutes helps a bunch.
Been varnishing minis for years, never did this and never had a problem.
Airbrush: you control the nozzle (dried old parts from previous use), you control the thickness, you control the force and there are no wind and weather to worry about
After a few bad experiences with rattle cans I switched to my airbrush for varnishing. Primarily used the AK Ultra Matte and Pledge Revive It for a gloss coat, but recently I've been using the newer Air varnishes from the Army Painter and have been liking them a lot.
Quite literally was shaking a can of desert spray as you went over the tip of make sure its the right can. Thanks for saving the model 😂
I've quickly learned the importance of varnishing metal models, as they tend to be the worse for wear and tear during gaming. I've also learned the dangers of spray varnish and humidity. :P
A tip if you do get a bad look from a varnish is to go back over it with varnish. I've had one fog up on me, but going over it a second time with a glossier one did help fix it up.
This is a great video. I live in Virginia where it’s either a humid 92F or freezing cold so spraying varnish is a terrifying prospect. I started brushing on Liquitex varnishes from big bottles and I save quite a bit over a pricey rattle can that haze my minis.
I have never tried thinning them with water or medium! Cool!
With normal sized mini's I've never really bothered with varnishing, I generally handle them by the base. Recently I painted up a few larger metal mini's where this is a lot harder, so thought I'd better varnish them. I used Halfords spray matt lacquer, and it worked great
Gloss varnish is a great way to prep before doing recess shading with washes, especially if you're using oils. Gloss varnish basically levels the surface out by filling in all the surface microtexture (matte varnishes create this kind of microtexture on purpose to diffuse light), so the wash will tend to move more towards the recesses, giving you less surface staining.
For the final finish though, matte all the way IMO. I'm not a fan of gloss anything on anything non-metallic. It can make the painted on highlights and shadows harder to see, and it often kills the illusion of scale, especially at smaller scales like 28-32mm.
Thank you so much, literally the only useful video for finishing miniatures
I have been using minwax polycrylic waterbase from Lowe's. I thin with water and a few drops of flow inmpover through the airbrush. Fantastic results and per ounce/ ml, its cheap and has been working fantastic.
I've used a generic matt varnish from a general/hardware store and it has always worked flawlessly. It really helps to let it set in warm water for a while before using it. I spray a rather generous coat at close range and while it does look quite soaked or drenched it has always dried smooth and evenly. No frosting or splotches. I've been spraying in my bathroom since the weather is usually too harsh here. The only negative is the amount of cleaning after it even with my "spray box" backdrop and a shower curtain covering a lot of the room
This is a brilliant tip ! ❤️🤘🏻 Once had to rescue about 1000 points of failed varnished Necrons just after I had completed them.
A video like this would have saved me so much despair and time back then
I loved listening to you. I’m super glad what you and Peachy have done since leaving GW. No offense to GW, but the two of you have really been seeming about helping the hobby and getting people to paint, and have a love of the hobby (in addition to Louise, too!,) which is all fantastic.
I’ve backed the first wave of Two Thin Coats (and wave 2,) but have yet to use it due to my schedule, but am looking forward to trying it wave 1 out within the next month (and wave 2 when it arrives.)
I just want to thank you for all you you have done for the hobby!
Grabbing the right can tip👍🏻 I knew I couldn’t be the only one to blast my newly painted minis with white primer instead of varnish…🤦🏻 DOH! Double check your can!
Contrast medium with AK ultra mat…Duncan you are a genius! Very nice results, I’ll mix a batch up. 👍🏻
I literally ordered some Varnish 20 minutes before you posted this video. Thanks.
I literally drenched one of my old minis with ak ultra Matt Varnish and still came out great. Love that stuff. I use it with Vallejo satin varnish. Ardcoat only on “wet” or really shiny surfaces.😊👍🏽
I generally use artists' matt varnish* brushed on or through the airbrush (mostly the latter these days) then use hobby varnishes brushed on if there are parts I want to be satin or gloss.
*Current brand of choice - Golden, thinned down with water (about 2 parts varnish: 1 part water).
That AK and Contrast medium mix is exactly what I’ve been looking for! Looks fantastic
I swear I use ak for all my priming and protective varnish it's been absolutely phenomenal.
Yes!! Ever since I saw someone asking for a varnish tutorial on one of your videos, I was really hoping we'd get it. Thank you so much.
Thanks for this was going to get a matt spray varnish across the board but after watching, I've decided to get Gloss and Matt paint on varnish to apply to different areas as is suitable.
I didn't know about turning the can upside down. Thanks for the knowledge!
Amazing video lads. This has to be the most definitive and accessible video in the topic
Again thank you man, your channel is so useful, If I need something I’ll always find an answer on your channel, the amount of knowledge you have and you share with us is just a goldmine and I really appreciate that.
Great video as always Duncan - my go-to choices for spray matt varnish are Testers Dullcote and Windsor & Newton professional matt varnish.
Surprised it wasn't mentioned but my golden rule / top tip - never spray above 60% humidity - that's where there is an ever increasing chance of frosting occurring from matt sprays.
Great tip on shaking the can for 4 minutes (I always do 5 minutes minimum). That actually is a long time - make sure you time yourself and don't be tempted to skip / cut-coners on this vital step.
On colder days, you can also improve your results but GENTLY warming the can in a like warm pot of water for 5 minutes or so or use the old trusty stick it under your armpit for a few minutes :-)
Also on colder days, try also keeping your models inside until the moment you want to spray, take them outside to spray and bring them back in to dry - the increased surface temperature and drying temperature really helps with the finish too.
Have you ever had w&n spray dry grainy, or like orange peel...not frosting, but almost like a crackle paint?
@@andrewkennedy9134 no - funny enough I did a batch over the past couple of days. I did a spray gloss coat on one day (about 60% humidity, 15oC), waited 24 hours and did a light spray of w&n professional matt varnish at around 50% humidity / 15oC yesterday and the results were excellent. Make sure your coats are very light and you are spraying across the miniature (never directly at it) at a distance 20-30cm away (i use a marking on my spray stick to measure this). Hope that helps!
@@terminatoruk4921 Ill give it a go today thanks. Its lovely tuff usually, just lately I dont know what Ive been doing wrong. Maybe too thick a coat or some such?
Oh Duncan! that story about the can of primer :D absolutely tragic. I'd have probably shed tears over the lost hours haha.
Vallejo premium satin varnish applied with the air brush is god tier varnish 👌🏻
I used the GW spray varnish once, never again. Made my ad mech dragoon look really cloudy and ruined hours of work even with precautionary steps like a good 5 minute shake and leaving the can in warm water for 10 minutes.
Luckily I left it under a desk lamp for a bit and the heat took the edge off it, then just repainted the main armour panels.
I had that the first time I used the GW spray varnish too. I sprayed over it with Testors and the milkiness disappeared.
I learned that Testors was very tolerant to thick coats, but GW is the opposite. Now I am careful to do very thin coats with my GW varnish and love it.
Which varnish was that? The old "Purity Seal" was terrible for that, but I haven't had a problem with the new "Munitorium Varnish".
@@iapetusmccool it was the Munitorum. I think I had got used to using Testors, which tolerated being put on too thick. Munitorum punishes me when I do that.
So happy about this video, I’m always being told to varnish my models (they always have chipped or worn off patches of paint) and I never do because Iv only ever used varnishes a couple of times and they have ruined my models so iv never wanted to use them again.
Thank you . Your advice to mixing the mat and gloss with a bit of water or that is amazing idea and I find it’s a great seal that does not to effect the paint job . Great video very noob friendly. Thanks again. Using the citadel stuff .
Thank you for this, Duncan. Varnishes kind of scare me (not literally but you know what I mean) but this has actually made me excited to give them another go!
Thanks for this, Duncan. I've been in the hobby a very long time and been totally afraid/unsure of how to use varnishes , this tutorial has really helped me.
Coming in just as im finishing my first csm squad. I want to use them but a month of painting is something I want to protect.
Testors Dullcote for me. I've tried to intentionally ruin a test model with it but it comes out great every time. Wether I'm too close or far away, hot or cold. I don't know how they make that stuff but it's top quality for sure!
I had an accident only one time with testors. It fogged up on me one night and it was windy.
I used testors dullcoat brush on… and it wiped away my paint job 😢
Such a great tutorial. I have decided to brush on vanishes (rather than use sprays) and so good to learn about using a varnish over a varnish.
Should I stick to matt and gloss or invest in satin, too?
Thank you, again. I'm new to the hobby and am grateful!
Thank you for covering this topic. I've had some success and some fails. I end up not varnishing at all nowadays.
Awesome video Duncan thankyou!! A topic that is pretty grey in the community and now we know it all!! Il be using your mix for sure!
So I’m new to this hobby.
Yesterday evening, I was aghast to find some of the models that I had brushed primed with Vallejo white primer, the paint would just scrape off with my fingernail very easily…
This was in contrast to the ones that I had spray, canned primed, with army, paint primer. These models seem to be far more robust, and you have to really work at scraping off the paint. The spray can primer clearly is far more effective.
However, there are some models that I’ve painted with the brush and primer that I’m really quite happy with the results. And now I’m slightly panicked, as to how I can in affect seal them and protect them.
So now I’m on to carefully pick a varnish that is not too glossy, something more akin to a matte finish, but doesn’t completely kill the metallics...
By far the best varnish video I've seen and mirrors what I've discovered trying various varnishes myself. Especially the tips of a bit of a satin sheen makes color pop, doesn't ruin metallics or dull down or make a paint job look worse like going full matte can.
Also shaking a can for a full 4 minutes. I generally shake 3-4 and makes sure the can is at normal room temp and haven't ever had testors, Ap or GW varnish frost on me yet (knock on wood). I also prefer brush on varnish (specifically Vallejo acrylic satin), but depending on the paints/inks etc... you're using that isn't always an option.
Would have been nice if you'd also done tips for fixing tacky varnish and frosting though.
Never tried AK Interactive though, I'll have to try your formula.
The way I seal my metal minis to protect them from chipping: I clean, prime and then basecoat and maybe highlight all the prts of the figure except for the metallic parts. Then I gloss varnish with yacht varnish, but i guess any gloss varnish would do. Then I do all the panel lining, washes, blacklining etc. then ultra Matt varnish and eventually i do all the metallic parts and the remaining highlights.
omg, gonna mix my AK ultra matte and contrast medium now. Thank you Duncan!
Fantastic video! Thanks for this guys. Can’t wait to try these tricks on my iron warriors!
I am a huge fan of Ultra Matt varnishes. Most of my minis have a matt finish.
Thanks for yhis video Duncan and team. I've had a lot of my questions answered in this video.
Once again many thanks
Remember asking you on Facebook to do this video on almost day 1 of the academy. Thank you very much for doing it!
No worries!
I like to add a drop of gloss varnish onto jewelery, it adds a nice realistic effect
Nice preview of an upcoming video with that spartan tank.
Already done and on the website (duncanrhodes.com)😊 but more HH on the way...
I jus finished painting my first miniature which was a space marine primaris inflitrator. Last step vanishing so this vid really helped me out thanks
Awesome! Did you enjoy painting your first mini?
@@DuncanRhodesDRPA I loved it looking forward to painting more & improving my skils thanks
My magic recipe for most if not all my miniatures is one drop of satin varnish to three drops of ultra matt.
7:06 having tray/box with label of primer/varnish is going help categorize can that will be used in the future
I'm honestly amazed to hear you've ever made a mistake Duncan! Thank you so much for this video though, its given me the confidence to start varnishing my models again to protect them
Also your facial expressions for the demos were gold 😂
I make mistakes all the time lol. But once you know how to fix them....
I always apply by hand. I am ussing Galleria Matte Varnished and I used it on about 3 armies so far.
Brushing gloss varnish over gems & lenses (on an otherwise matte / satin model) is also a good way to make them pop even more, I've found
I've not personally painted any, but I've seen it used to great effect on organs/viscera on an otherwise matte finished model.
I only reallyspray varnishes through my airbrush in a reasonably temperature controlled enviroment where i can help it. Seen too many models get ruined by varnish through a can even inside the reccomended temperature range. Occasionally apply with brush to change how reflective specific parts of a mini are. Vallejo metal colour and other real metallics paints are abit of a headache ..The patina you get from from having a very real metallic shine is lovely but having to shade/varnish it so it dosent rust over time when you have complex areas is somthing i havent quite figured out yet. Possibly stippling on a very thin layer of gloss varnish might let me keep the real metallic shine in shiny areas and doing the same thing on more oxidised but with matt/satin? On scale models this is pretty simple because of the larger surface area but i havent quite figured it out with minis yet.
I varnish with an airbrush… Love it !
Thanks for this been looking to vanish my minis and this video was reeally helpfull!
Many thxs, I’m just a beginner so this was extremely helpful, thankyou❤️
You’re welcome 😊
Thank you very much for this. Really invaluable information, you answered every question I had and more. Brilliant!!
You're very welcome!
I actually use regular floor polish with a brush and then apply a matte spray coat over it once it's dry to remove the glossy shine. Probably overkill but I've never had problems with my paint after that. :D
Vallejo metal varnish is great for metallics too, worth trying
I frosted minis using GW munitorum varnish mostly because i did that in a weather that was too humid. Now, i make sure the weather is dry, warm up the can in warm water for 10m, shaje the can for 5 and have had no issues.
For minis that were frosted, best remedy to fix that was following the advice from tangible day using a thin coat of olive oil. I first thought it was a complete BS trick but it actually worked though it left also mini shining a bit more (eg as is you’d use a glossy varnish) but compared to a ruined dull / frosted mini it’s 💯 better.
This video was very helpful, thank you! 🙏
Great video and full of so many useful tips,thanks!!
if you apply a glaze medium on its own, such as vallejo's, and then an acrylic wash in edges you can simulate a sort of pin wash like oils do after a gloss varnish if you are not confident using oils/ worry they may ruin your paint job.
Finished painting a spirit seer, then went to spray varnish only to find I had picked up a can of black spray... only ever done that once.. I learned 40 odd years ago, apply gloss first, then once dry apply a matte coat.
I used testors dull coat for a good long while, used gloss brush on for a bit of effects, and now use AK ultra matte through an airbrush for gaming pieces ( just bring up the metalics after)
The gloss varnish at 1:40 makes the legionnaire look like he's wearing latex and all oiled up. He's the kinky legionnaire!
Very helpful, thanks for sharing 👍👍
Thanks for watching...
Thanks team, great tutorial!
Thank You. Grat advices!
Good instructional and even better stories:)
Great video with plenty of usefull tips. Though, I wish you had touched on frosting/clouding effect that sometimes happens and how to avoid it.
Humidity has been the key for my spray varnishing. The lower the better, but I never spray if the humidity is 70% or higher. Ideally a nice warm summer day is the best varnishing weather.
Just wanna throw out a product rec I don’t see often: Mr Super Clear Matte. It’s a Japanese product that has never frosted on me, and has the ideal matte-ness.
anyway awedome video Duncan, really excited to try Ultra Matte + Contrast medium to see how that looks!
I once having laboured to paint Valiant plastic British troops with Vallejo paints sprayed them with gloss varnish from a rattle can - it turned out to be white primer instead which resembled the can of varnish
Great video! Love the secret recipe at the end.
I've been intimidated on using brush on varnish.
Thanks for this instructional video!
Also I'm greatly looking forward to getting the kickstarter paint set!
When making a diorama with epoxy resin for water would this be the correct order to do things in?
XPS foam -> Mod podge -> dry -> Spray or brush priming color -> dry -> thin layer of mod podge to add flock, rocks, other terrain - > dry -> satin varnish
Just want to make sure the sequence is correct. I just got into making dioramas and epoxy leaked through the floor of the river and got everywhere. Looked good when done, waited one hour before going to bed to check on it. Looked fine. Woke up and it was ruined. ALL the epoxy got through the XPS foam under it somehow.
Maybe more layers of mod podge needed on XPS foam to be covered in epoxy.
Also if I understand it correctly. Main purpose of varnish is to be used as a finisher to preserve the surface area of dioramas, models, etc.? But can you also use it as a sealant on top of mod podge to help prevent epoxy leaks?
Sorry if these questions are dumb I'm kinda new to this as a hobby.
Dead Matt? Feeling attacked right now.
🤣🤣🤣 that made us chuckle
Great video and nice examples!
this was a fantastic video. thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
I really liked the side by side at the start, maybe it'd be good to show before/after side by side too
I usually brush mine on but am slowly building up the courage to run it through my airbrush. I’ve heard stories of varnish ruining airbrushes though….
very informative, thank you sir
I usually just find either matt or gloss. Now i am looking around for satin varnish!
Use Vallejo Mecha Gloss and AK Ultra matte here, brilliant products.