Matt finish blahs

Started by alexmac207, 16 February 2016, 06:25:55 PM

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alexmac207

I just finished painting my first unit of Prussian Dragoons. They looked great until I sprayed them with Matt Finish. All the colours look rather dull now. Is there a way to make the colours pop again? I just don't want them shiny... not dull

Techno

Hmmmm...... :-\

Satin varnish, over the Matt, perhaps ?

Would that work, gang ?

Cheers - Phil



Fenton

The Vallejo brush on matt varnish will give you an in between gloss and matt finish
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kev1964

You could try satin, i have done this with humbrol and it turned out ok. I have never tried sprays as i hear of quite a few problems, i'm sure most of the time they work fine but i stick with the trusted brush method, at least that way you see a problem before to much damage occurs. I think temperature is a big factor with how sprays perform.


kev
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Duke Speedy of Leighton

Never spray below 5C, if lower than 10-15, and you spray outside, leave to dry outside/in garage rather than bringing in as that's when it 'clouds'!
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Leman

Everyone here knows my attitude to spray varnish. Whatever the weather never, ever spray - use brush on acrylic varnish. Use satin or gloss followed by matt. For armour I use gloss as the final coat. The other thing no one ever seems to mention about spray varnish is that it yellows over time.
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Ithoriel

I have figures that were spray varnished over 30 years ago that aren't yellowing so must depend on the varnish used I guess.

Must be about 35 years now since I decided life was too short for brush on undercoat or varnish.
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Subedai

Quote from: Ithoriel on 16 February 2016, 08:06:46 PM
I have figures that were spray varnished over 30 years ago that aren't yellowing so must depend on the varnish used I guess.

Must be about 35 years now since I decided life was too short for brush on undercoat or varnish.

I tried spray varnish at about the same time and decided that I couldn't be ar*sed with all that shaking and turning-upside-down-to-clear- nozzle-that-didn't-work-anyway malarkey so I have remained a staunch supporter of varnish by brush method, whatever type I use.
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Leman

TBH life is too short after having spent hours painting a unit only to have it ruined by spray varnish and have to redo it. The fundamental problem is that some people have been lucky with spray varnish, but it does go wrong and it does yellow. These problems NEVER occur with hand applied acrylic varnish. But if you want to take the risk with spray go ahead. I did and have regretted it ever since.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Ithoriel

I've had hand applied varnish go yellow. As said, depends on the varnish.

Each to their own.
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

alexmac207

The Matt spray went on flawlessly. The problem isn't clouding or anything like that. The colours just seem less vibrant than before I used the varnish. I guess it's only one unit...

Leman

That's because matt does not reflect light in the same way as gloss. I have tried to compensate for this by using satin varnish, but it may just be the particular make of varnish you used. I have a friend at the club who says that he has never had any problems with the Army Painter matt spray , and he is a very prolific painter.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

toxicpixie

I've used the AP matt spray loads as well, had a couple of bad experiences but they were reocverable by letting it dry then s light respray to change the refractive index and clear up the cloudy patches. I've had the same with other sprays as well, but it's a very wise idea to shake well and spray when not humid, at a decent distance, and don't over do it! Basically just be careful...

I've not had any yellowing either, on any brand I've used over the last @15-20 years? Was that an issue for very early sprays, or some specific but prolific brand that's now changed, maybe?

Some sprays (and some brush on) is *very* matt - if it's too matt I think you might try a very light spray of a slightly satin varnish as suggested above just top perk it up a little. The GW not-quite-matt is supposedly quite good, I've heard...
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Sandinista

Quote from: toxicpixie on 17 February 2016, 09:12:49 AM
and spray when not humid

Well that's me buggered up here in Kerikeri  :(

Cheers
Ian

toxicpixie

That might be awkward, yes! You need a nice open air conditioned area ;)

TBH though as long as it's not heaving down it's normally fine, and it dries quickly enough that unless it starts heaving down as you;re spraying it's generally been good...

Test on something unimportant first ;)
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