Painting Over Varnish Question

Started by Heedless Horseman, 01 February 2020, 02:59:39 AM

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Heedless Horseman

I am not doing much actual work on pieces at the moment but, having bought several 20mm tanks from Butlers Printed Models, I am wondering how to get a smoother finish to some of the areas with 'print lines'? The really heavily ridged places...if not practicably hidden by stowage or camo might be smoothed by careful sanding or filling with...in MY case! ...PVA. Just thinking that a  coat of varnish might smooth other areas such a turret sides, etc  pre-base-coating?

However, having little experience in the 'durability' of models in gaming, I am wondering if painting over varnish might have drawbacks? Paint adheres to the surface...so, might an overpainted varnished surface tend to 'lose' paint with use?

Might there be a difference if the varnish was gloss or matt?

Thinking spray can acrylics due to size of models for 'smoother', base coat and later finish coat of varnish.

I suppose I should just spray with a primer...though primers tend to be 'thin' to show detail.


I am NOT looking for 'competition' class models! As a young'un, Airfix polythene Panthers were ok by me...and everything had thick coats of emamel paint...and repaint! lol!  ;D  For me, 1/76 is going a bit 'retro', anyway, so might end up just spray painting them...whenever that may be!!!  ;D ;D

The Butlers stuff I have in 1/144 will just be base coated (and highlighted rather than 'washed') as areas are so much smaller...and probably based which will reduce wear, anyway.

(40 Yrs ago. I should have been an Angry Young Man... but wasn't.
Now... I am an Old B******! )  ;)

Norm

Acrylic paint on a varnish will wear unless it is also varnished, though more importantly I doubt a base coat of varnish will provide the levelling that you want anyway.

Some spray primers (those used for cars) have fillers added to smooth out scratches, though fine spraying, which you need for models will still likely see your print lines showing, mainly because the lines themselves will be getting a layer of paint.

An acrylic filler sanded back or just a lot of work on the original seem the only solutions - no short cuts that I know of.

The lines would annoy me too much to be interested in this technology at this point, my painting is bad enough without me starting with an unhelpful surface :-)

Lord Kermit of Birkenhead

You try a car primer, halfords do grey and black for certain.
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Lord Kermit of Birkenhead
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John Cook

Varnish will not remove imperfections, anymore than paint will.  It may even enhance them.  As Norm says, the only solution is to remove them.

steve_holmes_11

Quote from: John Cook on 03 February 2020, 10:33:21 AM
Varnish will not remove imperfections, anymore than paint will.  It may even enhance them.  As Norm says, the only solution is to remove them.

File em off or grout em up.