Matte Finish Mess Up

[tednificent]

after spending hours painting my first set of assault marines and getting them just the way i wanted and touching them up

I sprayed the matte finish on too much and they are screwed

I'm glad I just finished 2 but I really screwed them up good

I had never used it

I guess I should have tried spraying a little on a box or something first

I feel like such an idiot

Anyone else ever done this and what should I do?

[BOBMAKENZIE]

after spending hours painting my first set of assault marines and getting them just the way i wanted and touching them up

I sprayed the matte finish on too much and they are screwed

I'm glad I just finished 2 but I really screwed them up good

I had never used it

I guess I should have tried spraying a little on a box or something first

I feel like such an idiot

Anyone else ever done this and what should I do?

 

 

Can you describe how they are screwed? Or perhaps Pictures? We might be able to help.

[TrentL]

There are whole pages on how Matt Varnish, and Purity seal has screwed up mini's... I don't even use them now too scared :(

[tednificent]

i sprayed it on too thick

they look like they have been fighting in the snow

so upset

in a fury i tried rubbing some off and some paint came with it

i may just have to get paint remover and start over =(

[BrotherMoses]

These fallen brothers shall not be forgotten. Grant them the Emperor's Peace and take from them the chapter's due.

[Redfinger]

3 words for you.......

 

 

 

TESTORS

 

MATT

 

FINISH

 

 

'nough said....

 

Ashton

[BlackSpike]

These fallen brothers shall not be forgotten. Grant them the Emperor's Peace and take from them the chapter's due.

QFT!

 

Put them at the side of your paint station, as a reminder of how not to do it, and start over on new models.

Get some AoBR 'test' models.

 

If it's just 2, it's not too bad. Yeah, you need to hunt down 2 new models, or field them as 'Warp Tainted, but still in service to the Emperor" dudes :rolleyes:

 

We all lose the occasional Brother in the name of Excellence.

Thank The Emperor you didn't spray a whole 10-man squad!

 

As to how to do it right, I have no clue! Never used varnish etc.

[TrentL]

Someone said:

 

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/215757.page

 

Can fix it...hope that helps.

[BOBMAKENZIE]

TESTORS

 

MATT

 

FINISH

 

Just make sure you get teh right kind otherwise it strips GW Paint off miniatures.

 

 

Try (as I assume the Dakka Dakka link is) using a layer of gloss varnish and then matt varnish again all brushed on.

[tednificent]

I used spray I wish I would have thought to buy stuff I could brush on

Oh well I spent a lot of time on those 2 as they were the first 2 I've ever done but better to learn the lesson now than on my DC or something

[Anarchyman99]

3 words for you.......

 

 

 

TESTORS

 

MATT

 

FINISH

 

 

'nough said....

 

Ashton

 

You mean Testors Dullcote right?

 

http://www.thewarstore.com/media/TES1260.jpg

 

Because that crap rocks!

[Volcatus]

Your models can be fixed. Use a layer of gloss cote, let it dry fully, then apply your dull cote again. It really is that easy. And Testors really is great stuff. However I've gone to using Krylon, as it it much cheaper.

 

As for applying too much, it's actually kind of hard to do. Most likely the "white snow" effect was caused by a significant temperature and/or humidity difference between where you keep your spray can and where you use it.

[Prosedragon]

Testors Dullcote may be hard to mess up, but I've done it...on 8 marines at once. I feel you, that sucks.

 

If you don't mind a gloss finish you can dip them in Future Floor Wax, then let them dry overnight, or preferably longer. That puts a shiny acrylic coat on them that should protect them. It's not glossy like gloss paint, but it definitely has a shine to it. It won't glaze over and make them look like they're fighting in the snow though...like my poor Salamanders forever will be.

[Brother Jim]

Yeah, that's happened to me as well. The GW matte varnish does not play well with red or metallic colors, in my experience. I'll never use their varnish again.

 

Now I use Krylon's crystal clear followed by a coat of Krylon matte varnish.

[grazer]

I picked up a few cans of Testors Dull Cote, but it's in a grey can with a transparent lid. Is this the same stuff? It's been years since I bought or used it, but seeing the picture above has me worried that what I bought is going to ruin my minis. I'll have to test it out.

[WarpWalker]

Don't worry too much about it. It can be reversed. I've always glossed then matted models. When the gloss starts to show it's time for another coat of matte.

 

By the way... I work with clear coats professionally. Temperature is just as important. Catalyst can deactivate causing the delay in resin drying, in temps below 70°f.

 

J

[Redfinger]

3 words for you.......

 

 

 

TESTORS

 

MATT

 

FINISH

 

 

'nough said....

 

Ashton

 

You mean Testors Dullcote right?

 

http://www.thewarstore.com/media/TES1260.jpg

 

Because that crap rocks!

 

 

 

Yup that's the stuff, been using it for years, everything from my models to professional work I have done, works wonders

[Koyote]

A can of matte varnish can go bad at any time.

 

I have a few "guinea pig" models that I keep around for this very purpose. Before I spray a completed model I test my varnish on one of these models. If it dries clear, then I use the varnish on my models.

[Atrix]

I have had som success in rescuing frosted models. Basically by painting on thinned down varnish.

 

First things first though. I read somewhere (on a forum page about rescuing frosted models) that you could try putting the models in the oven on low heat to get rid of the frosting. I would NOT recommend that you try this! Even if the temp is so low that it wont melt your figure, it might still deform. Basically this is because the plastic becomes softer, and then the tensions in the material will deform it.

 

 

Now there are two possibilities to consider here. First: you have applied a normal thin layer of varnish that has frosted, the surface will look dim or opaque, but is still rather smooth. Second: The varnish layer is to thick; this tend to give a rough or wavy surface, like when you apply to much paint and allow it to dry.

 

This method is assuming the first case. The way (I think) frosting works is that the varnish layer (for various reason, humidity is likely involved) becomes porous, or uneven at a microscopic layer. This diffracts the light and makes it appear white. If you brush some water on the frosted surface and it appears to become clear, than this is likely the case--the water fills in the gaps in the material and the light doesn't scatter. What you need to do is simply fill up the pores with some more varnish. This can be done by applying gloss varnish, as already suggested (I wouldn't try the offending varnish again for this), but I would recommend brush on varnish. You might want to thinn down the varnish som to help it flow into the cavities of the first layer.

[Rybnick]

Can anyone recommend a brush on varnish? I have a spray varnish from army painter that works decently but I've had slight "frosting" with it and would like to try a brush on application out.

[ellis_esquire]

Ive learnt - dont varnish - the risk outweighs the few small touch ups that may be required in battles to come. I almost ruined my master of ravenwing with the dreaded snow, and yes after gloss then with a matt - there is no hard and fast rule and all seem to dull down at least one colour on the mini!

[Redfinger]

Ive learnt - dont varnish - the risk outweighs the few small touch ups that may be required in battles to come. I almost ruined my master of ravenwing with the dreaded snow, and yes after gloss then with a matt - there is no hard and fast rule and all seem to dull down at least one colour on the mini!

 

 

Nothing personal Ellis--but a statement like that kind of gets my blood boiling. Matte or glass varnish in and of itself is not bad, now using a bad product is one thing, but group all types of a product in to a "don't do it" category is not the right thinking either. For my experience it is not that varnish's are bad, it is that people do not know how to use them properly.

 

For example, take a look at this picture;

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dxs6E...feat=directlink

 

Here the painting process is midway, you can see decal line, colors look stark and contrasting, and everything looks clean and new. Now look at this one almost from the same angle;

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fwd5Y...feat=directlink

 

Here the decals lines have vanished, their is a "grittyness" present that wasn't there before, it has a very matte, military-esque feel to it. This is conveyed through using matte coats in a correct manner.

 

It is true that a varnish will diminish the highlights, or rather dull the color, so you simply over highlight to correct for this, take a look at any of the work on that site and you will see real differences between models with dull coats and those with out.

 

It all boils down to how the product is used, and I feel that in the mini-world, varnish is a must, to protect your models and to help achieve a feel that you are looking for.

 

Ashton

[Atrix]

Can anyone recommend a brush on varnish? I have a spray varnish from army painter that works decently but I've had slight "frosting" with it and would like to try a brush on application out.

 

Only ones I tried are Valleyos. They work fine, but like I said, I haven't tried any others, so there might be better choices.

[I am Legion]

I'm sorry that it happened to you, there is nothing worse then restarting a model you poured so much time into. I just hope you can salvage it.

 

I had a Salamander Tactical Marine that took me two weeks to paint on and off. I had the NMM down right, and then the GW matt finish frosted the entire model. I didn't over use the spray, I used as much as I usually do. That particular time I used it during a windy, chilly, but not cold day. I had a thread on here, and I tried a few suggestion, but in the end I just dunked it in Simple Green and restarted the model. The NMM wasn't the same (just means I need more practice), but I grudgingly repainted it.

 

Now this only really happened once. The GW stuff is actually not that bad. I've been using it for years, and I only had one BAD experience. I always shake for the recommended two minutes by the way, that seems to help a bit keeping it smooth.

 

On average though, and I can't seem to control it, I get a slight snowy matt finish but it's not that bad. I'd like to know how to get it consistently like this. Last time i sprayed my three terminators outside on a nice summer day away from 95% wind. It looks good but if I do it in the garage, will I get the same effect or will it come out shiny. I ask because that matt finish seems to do that as well sometimes, and I can't stand shiny models.