Friday, January 25, 2013

trying something new...

Here is a shot of my new discoveries. The water based Army painter worked out really good and I was pleased with the results. The quick drying time and the added control over the stuff has made me a fan. When It came to varnishing the figures I usual use AP matt spray on varnish. However, it is snowing here at the moment and I have heard lots of horror stories about painters varnishing in cold weather. The cold can effect the spray and the figures come out looking like they have walked through a snow storm themselves. So I thought I would not take the risk and go and buy some brush on matt varnish instead. I wasn't really sure what I was doing so I bought two bottles to try out. Both made by the same company. I'm very glad I did! The first bottle I tried was the one on the end in the photo. Even though it says matt, it dried very glossy. Good job I had a spare dwarf to try it on. I thought the other bottle must be the same, but no the results were exellent. Well that's my short two pennies worth of gained experience on the matter of varnishing. 1. never varnish in the cold 2. Use the bottle in the middle of this picture with the yellow label.

10 comments:

BigRedBat said...

HEy, I use that stuff! Sometimes as a varnish, sometimes as a matt medium, with a little peaty ink in it.

Karitas said...

Do I recall reading you had an airbrush you seldom use?

if so, i suggest a sterling use for the thing is as a non-aerosol varnish applicator. i always douse ,my minis in klear then vallejo matte varnish, both shot through my cheap so-the-corrosive-nature-of-the-varnishes-doesn't-matter Chinese airbrush

MarkG said...

Try Daler & Rowney Acrylic matt varnish. Very good. I've used both through an airbrush and with a brush. Though I do stir and shake the contents of the bottle for a least five minutes to make sure it is mixed.

Christopher(aka Axebreaker) said...

I use the same stuff and it works great!

Christopher

Doc Smith said...

You know one of the many reasons I love reading through blogs like this is that they are a never-ending source of great tips and tricks. Reading about your varnishing problems and the comments after gave me one of those 'Doh!' moments. The right artist's matt varnish medium through an airbrush (I own several) is something I'd never considered before. Like many I suspect I have wasted huge $$$ over the years buying increasingly expensive and harder-to-get aerosol furniture varnish. Thanks to the 'Iron Mitten' no longer - I will henceforth free myself from the tyranny of bleedin' aerosol cans (and constantly blocked nozzles etc)! Don't have the cold problem here though - extreme heat (its averaging near 30C at present) can also give your figures terminal wrinkling if you use too much too close.

Cheerz

Doc

Secundus said...

The Gloss paint on Varnish isn't working too well on the figures and it doesn't stop the paint from being chipped. I am going to go back to AP dip, as it will protect the mini's better.

Anonymous said...

Any chance of you posting a few guides of how to draw you're drawings, big fan

Tony said...

I have the Galleria Matt Varnish, I mix in some Tamiya X21 Flat Clear and shake the bottle.

Try it - you just might like it.

Tony

Tony said...

Galleria is my preferred brush-on varnish.

I usually add some Tamiya X 21 Flat Base to the bottle and shake well.

Tony

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Next time I am in Hobby Craft and the like I will make sure I pick this up :)

Thanks