Ok, now, we all have our preferences and issues with matt varnishes - especially when spraying it, but does anyone know of a truly matt matt varnish? Reason I ask is, having settled on Mig's Matt varnish for armour etc, I have found it wanting, when used on 1/35 figures. As far as I'm concerned, cloth - i.e. uniforms - need to be totally matt. There is no surface sheen whatsoever on Battledress at any scale, so having painted the figures for my PAK 36 diorama, I'm stumped. I even dug out my old bottle of airbrush clogger (A.K.A. Vallejo Matt Varnish), stirred and shook it for hours, and it still has a slight sheen! Grrrr. My only idea is now to repaint all the uniforms with Tamiya paint, as that is, at least, genuinely matt. But I'm open to other ideas...
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I guess it depends on what paint you're trying to make look matt John. From my admittedly limited experience with acrylics, even the "matt" colours have a slight sheen to them.
Humbrol enamels, on the other hand, are as matt as I could wish for.
The reason that this interests me greatly (other than that I'm an obsessive idiot!) is that as far as I know, all paints begin as gloss & then additives are added to make them look matt.
So, bearing in mind modern modelling techniques, why haven't more paint manufacturers released their entire range as gloss? That would save on the often tricky & time-consuming process of adding a gloss coat for washing.
nb I know some paint firms do have an extensive gloss range, such as Xtracolor. -
I always found Testors Dull Coat well mixed and just lightly dusted on works fine. Too wet and it will have a slight sheen. Yes, it is a lacquer based product but it works.Comment
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John
Have you tried flattening the finish of the varnish with a fine finishing paper ?Comment
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I used Vallejo matt varnish on my Mig-21 and it looks okay to me. Have you tried any of the Railmatch varnishes? They do them in acrylic and enamel.On the bench: Airfix 1/48 Sea King HC4, Revell 1/24 Trabant.
Coming soon: Airfix 1/72 Phantom FGR2.
Just finished: Airfix 1/48 Stuka & Airfix 1/72 Sea King HC4.Comment
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John, the flattest matt I have found is the AK Interactive Ultra Matt Varnish. I have used it a lot but it really is a bit too 'flat', if anything, for aircraft. Two coats of this will do the job. I spray it neat at about 25psi with a 0.4 needle. Thin it a little for a smaller needle.
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Well, all pigments are matt, by the very nature of them being ground up minerals, its the binder and mediums that add gloss, this is why Pigment weathering looks so amazing, no pesky stuff to alter its natural state! And I apreciate that acrylic matt varnish is almost a contradition in terms...!Comment
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I got mine from this company, they do spray can or bottle, I bought the bottle as I prefer the airbrush control. Admittedly I got mine at a sow but it's in their listing. By the way, I have dealt with these before by post as well as at a few shows so I found them to be reliable.
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Humbrol Matt clear varnish used to be very flat when dry. The problem is that if you do not stir it 150% and then stir it some more, it is a great gloss coat as well!
Ask me how I know.
I use Vallejo matt with good success. But again it has to have the sheik shaken out of it.Comment
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