Do i need to varnish

[Bortig the Viking]

Hi all, have just finished my toon tracks using paint, wash and pigments, now I need advice. I look the look of them at the moment but part of me wonders should I seal them with a Matt varnish, dont want to loose its rough patina, it will be on a diorama, eventually I'm not the fastest maker unlike some of you guys, I'm retired and i still struggle to fit things in. While I'm here I've painted, varnished and wash etc should I put another coat over it or not.

[Guest]

Try the varnish on the bottom of the model. If, after drying, you like the look of it, use it on the rest as well; if you don’t, don’t

(The underside of a tank model is a very good place to try out paints, techniques, whatever that you intend to use on the top, but aren’t sure about for any reason. You can use it to see if your wash is thin enough, if weathering is the right colour, whether your drybrushing will show up, and so on.)

[Bortig the Viking]

Thanks for that thought, hadn't thought of that, doh.

[Steve Jones]

I would leave as is. If you have finished the tracks and no pigment is coming away then you are good to go for putting them on.

By all means use the underside of the tank as a practice ground for your weathering skills. Just remember to tidy it up afterwards as people ie judges can see underneath.

[Jim R]

Hi Mark
Any kind of varnish will alter the look of what you have done. The pigments especially will look different. If the pigments were applied to a matt finish and the model will not be handled a lot then the pigments will stay in place without further treatment. Pigments will give a dusty/dried mud look. If varnish is applied that look will go. If you want wet mud then gloss varnish can be wicked onto the pigment. I agree with Jakko and Steve when they suggest that weathering is all about studying the look you are aiming for and then practicing various techniques to achieve it. Although there are some basic weathering rules every modeller has their own personal approach.
Steve is a master at building up the weathering with multiple layers and multiple techniques - worth studying his builds :tongue-out3:
Jim

[Bortig the Viking]

Thanks for the advice, have now got on and finished it, now some photos, the ones I took look s**t so will get the wife to take some she's really good at it, lots of practice as she's in property management and takes loads for listings.

[Steve Jones]

Thanks Jim. Usual payment has been made in the brown envelope and left by Scottie's deposit boxes. LOL

[Andy Belsey]

Mark,
Don't be scared of posting photos. We're not in competition - most of us are here to spur one another along, not criticise! That's my philosophy anyway! I'm here to help!!!
Andy

[JR]

Agree wholeheartedly with Andy, we model together for the lift and help.

[Guest]

By all means use the underside of the tank as a practice ground for your weathering skills. Just remember to tidy it up afterwards as people ie judges can see underneath.

TBH, that’s only a problem if you enter the model in a competition and/or display it in your home in such a way that the bottom is visible (like on a glass shelf). If you can’t see it when the model is the right way up, I don’t bother painting over the experiments on the hull bottom.