Experiments with Magic Wash

[Leman]

Have now finished the 35th Prussian Infantry Regiment, Fusiliers, complete with magic wash, highlight of coat blue and helmet front plate silver, then given coat of Vallejo satin varnish. There are four bases in total making 32 figures in two ranks.



Not as clear as I had hoped, but you get the idea. Second rank has come out clearer so I was probably too close.

[Techno]

Second rank look damn good, DP.
Think you're right.....Probably a teeny tad too close for the shot. 
Cheers - Phil.

[Subedai]

Looks like another convert.

[Leman]

Here's a better effort.

[paulr]

 

Very nice basing and subtle variation in posing as well 

[Fenton]

They look good

Have you tried using an even flatter varnish spray on them to kill a bit more of the sheen? ( although it might be the flash or light on the figures that seem to be causing that)

[fred.]

They look rather good (especially now we can see them properly in the second shot).

[Leman]

Actually I never use spray now after too many frostings over the years, despite following instructions to the letter. I have also moved from using matt to satin because I prefer the finish as it tends to lift the colours. Unfortunately most of the venues where I use my figures suffer from relatively poor lighting and matt varnish just makes them look flat and dull.

[Fenton]

Actually I never use spray now after too many frostings over the years, despite following instructions to the letter. I have also moved from using matt to satin because I prefer the finish as it tends to lift the colours. Unfortunately most of the venues where I use my figures suffer from relatively poor lighting and matt varnish just makes them look flat and dull.

I think I must be lucky I  have only ever had one slight frosting incident in all the years I have been spraying

[Ithoriel]

Every frosting problem I've had has been solved by applying a second coat of the same varnish.

No idea why it works and first time round it was done by accident while trying to clean the nozzle of the spray can!

[Techno]

That's lots better !
Cheers - Phil.

[Subedai]

That second pic is a much better shot. Nice depth to the shading even though it just washes on.


The closest I ever came to spray varnishing was back in the early 80's when I tried hairspray. It works up to a point but I wouldn't recommend it any more. Otherwise it's always been brush on for me.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Superb work!

[Ace of Spades]

Very nice indeed!
To lift the colors after the matt-varnish I sometimes pick out certain colors again and especially the metals; it's a bit more effort but it gives me the result I want so I guess it's worthwhile.
Frosting with spraycans... don't even mention it! On the other hand; it was always my own fault; to hasty to wait for better weather, too hasty to wait till the first layer had dried; too hasty to wait till the paint had dried or even just sprayed too close so it got on too thick, and so I paid the price 
One time it was really bad and I stopped as soon as I saw it; only to find out that I had the wrong can; white primer instead of matt varnish... the primer was matt too though

Cheers,
Rob

[Hertsblue]

Actually I never use spray now after too many frostings over the years, despite following instructions to the letter.

I agree completely. Brushing the varnish on tales not much longer than spraying and I tend to miss less on the first pass.

[Leman]

Thanks for the comments folks. It looks like magic wash is going to become my default shader. However I am also going to make up a jar using brown ink as an alternative. It will be interesting to see how that pans out. With regard to the satin varnish, it actually doesn't shine that much and its finish suits my purpose. Meanwhile, rooting around in some of the stuff I haven't used in a long time it looks like I have enough for about 90% of a 6mm WWI Belgian army.

[Fenton]

The magic wash works really well on 6mm , what are you using as your base ink/colour?

[Leman]

Looks like my old 1860s Sardinians are in for one hell of a surprise. Also 6mm 1914 Austro-Hungarians have some useful figures plus the staff car, Austrian, Sardinian and French officers, railway stuff, a 1914 French aeroplane and several horse-drawn wagons. Once up and running will start a new thread on non-Pendraken stuff.

[Leman]

I used Winsor and Newton's Black as my base ink. The box had a Harlequin figure on it.