Dull Cote for that ugly shininess

[jus]

Have you ever noticed that sometimes paint leaves a shiny sheen to your models? So your model ends up with shiny skin, shiny leather, shiny armor and shiny clothes. I find it can be really off-putting, especially if you are painting something decidedly suited to muted dull dirty colors, like orcs/orks, or skeletons. So, does anyone know if you can get a good dull coat/cote spray or brush on? I went to creepy doll store the other day and bought a Matt varnish to try and dull down the shine, and that was the most disappointing waste of 1680 yen, I ever spent. I will try Karma home center and see if they have anything of note.

Army painter matt varnish, is apparently all the rage on the internet when it comes to getting rid of ugly shine. But what about GW purity seal? I've heard that if the optimum conditions aren't met, then spraying with it, can be disastrous. Has anyone ever used it and would recommend it?

[The Other Dave]

Although I haven't tried Army Painter's brand, it's my experience that any kind of matte spray varnish is going to have the danger of going all temperamental - I haven't yet found a brand that's immune to humidity-induced fogging, and they will also often screw with metallic paint effects to boot.

IMO, your best bet is either to settle for a "satin" finish - satin and gloss sprays tend to behave more nicely than mattes - or, better yet, use a brush-on matte varnish. I'm too lazy to do so myself, but everyone I've ever spoken with who's switched to brush-on varnishes is at or near the "raving about it" level of being pleased with the results.

[jus]

Ok, after some trial and error, I think I've cracked this one. First, lets explore some of the uses of Matt/Flat finish.



This skaven, has been dipped in wood stain. While the colors make for a very nice tabletop piece, it looks like its been distastefully rubbed over with Vaseline. Shiny might work for some models like eldar tanks and model Ferrari but, rats not so much, unless you want your skaven wearing silk and oiled all over.



After an application of matt finish, the results are thus. Much better, wouldn't you agree?

Here are some of the sprays that I've been able to find locally.

from the left:

Barniz varnish: 1680 yen.The most expensive of the 3 cans, and by and large the most useless, retarded piece of $@#"%! to ever fill an aerosol can. Whoever thought of a MATT varnish that, rather than actually Matting, leaves things MORE shiny than it was before. I mean to throw this one into the gutter.

Mr. super clear - Flat: 700 yen. Excellent - removes shine from any surface. Works like the skaven example above. I only just started using it, and so far no problem. But I would test it on a model or two first before committing to mass spray.

Top coat - flat matt : 350 odd yen ....haven't bothered to try it yet because Mr. super clear works has rocked my world.

[Primarch]

Is someone starting a Skaven army?

[Admiral-Badruck]

Mr hobby paints and other modeling stuff have been very good to me so it is no suprise that the matt varnish seems to work really well.

[me_in_japan]

I've had no end of trouble with matt varnishes. My experiences can be summarised thus:

Delta ceramcoat matt varnish (brush on) - not great. Rather satin-y.
JW etc's matt varnish (brush on) - not bad. Still quite satiny. My nurgle guys are all done with this.
JW etc's matt varnish(applied via airbrush) - not bad, but must be very very careful or you get white blooms. My eldar are done with this. (see grav tanks for white bloom )
Mr. Hobby Topcoat (as pictured in Jus's post) - big issues with white blooming. mighta been too humid, mighta been too dry. mighta been too hot, mighta been too cold. Its hard to tell...
Tamiya color Flat Clear (TS-80, spray can) - havent tried it yet, but bought some last weekend on a whim. Then found an unopened can on my shelf from where I bought some on a whim last time I was in the shop...d'oh!
MIG Pigment Fixer (brush on) - technically not a varnish, and certainly not water based. For those who dont know pigment fixer, pigments are powders, and do not adhere to surfaces particularly well. they brush off very easily (think chalk). Pigment fixer is a colourless fluid applied over the top of pigment which kinda binds it all together. It looks a lot like varnish, and it seems quite tough. It is also absolutely matt. My blight drone body was done all over with this, except the open sores, which had a lick of gloss varnish to make em ooze. This stuff is my number 1 choice for display models, but is a bit pricey for army coverage.

Justin - if youre looking to get some army painter stuff, I'd like one too, and I'll go halfers on the postage with you. You can get it at FullMetalPlanet (or you could last time I checked)

[jus]

oh, its a good thing I didn't use the Top coat then. hmm let me sleep on the army builder varnish. In the mean time, might I suggest Mr hobby - Mr super clear Flat, as shown and described in my picture post above? Might be just as good as army builder and cheaper as well.

[ashmie]

Thanks chaps this is really useful for me at the moment as I have some rather shiny Prussians who have been dipped in Army Painter. They look like real toy soldiers you might put on the Christmas tree. I'll give Mr Hobby a go as that is what I usually use.

[me_in_japan]

be really bloody careful with the Mr. Hobby stuff, as it screwed up several of my minis. At the very least do a test mini, and do a very, very light spray. Remember that youre not varnishing it for protection, you just need a molecule thick layer to de-shine it.

*edit* tahts mr. hobby topcoat Im talking about, btw. I dunno about teh varnish Jus has in the pic. If it works, lemme know. Im always on the lookout for good stuff.

[ashmie]

MIJ are you up for putting an order in for the anti shine Army Painter spray from Full Metal Planet?
It must be good.