How to do varnishing on miniatures!

[@aspermypreviousemail5907]

Nice comparison. When I paint TMM I leave the metallics for the end. That way I can matte varnish everything with my airbrush and then paint the metallics without dulling them. That means the metallics remain unvarnished (or at least it's not practical to varnish them with the airbrush), but I don't feel the need to varnish metallics since those paints are usually more durable than regular paint. Not a practical approach for models with a lot of metallic parts or for when you want to airbrush metallic paint, though.

[@KabinMiniatures]

Thank you so much! That's great advice, I think that could work on several paint schemes 👍

[@arandomlostsoul753]

Late reply, but I prefer to do a compromise of this method. I basecoat and shade TMM areas, varnish, and then add TMM highlights on top with my brightest metallic paints. This means it's nice and easy to clean up mistakes while basecoating and shading, but I also get the shiny metallic effect with only a very tiny risk of accidentally painting other areas with my TMM highlights.

[@KabinMiniatures]

Thanks, that sounds like a great order to do the steps in 👍 I want to try that!

[@McVilla1N]

Finally a video that actually explains it.

[@KabinMiniatures]

Thanks! I'm so happy it was useful to you 😊

[@bluedotdinosaur]

A varnish not a lot of people have lucked into is Vallejo's Mecha Satin varnish. The "Mecha" line paints are intended for gunpla and cure to a very hard finish - to account for movable parts rubbing against one another. The varnishes in the Mecha line form a really tough barrier, good for wargaming models which will be picked up and moved around a lot. The satin variant in Mecha has a luster which is a very good match for how Citadel paints dry, and don't dull metallics at all. Ever since finding it, it has become my go-to satin varnish.

[@KabinMiniatures]

Sounds very cool, I'll have to check that out!

[@kennethvik3823]

Great tips and tricks here, thanks! Looking forward to the next vid on the Azog´s legion project

[@KabinMiniatures]

Thank you so much! I'm currently working on painting the Orcs, so that video is on its way 👍

[@kennethvik3823]

@@KabinMiniatures Great!

[@SobotRex]

3:1 matt to satin with 2:1 varnish to thinner through an airbrush at 20 psi is my go-to. I find two thin, consistent coats gives me a nice relatively matt finish that doesn't suck out all the color vibrancy. I've used it for fantasy/scifi/historicals and been happy with the results so far.

[@KabinMiniatures]

Thanks for sharing your recipe! 👍

[@YsanneOshea]

Really useful.Thank you!

[@KabinMiniatures]

@@YsanneOshea Glad you like it

[@murrayfish6901]

Great video. I don't have an airbrush and am unlikely to get one in the near future - is there a particular spray on (i.e., rattle can) varnish you'd recommend? I gave up on Purity Seal years ago after a 'frosting' incident and tend to use Testors Dull Cote but that gives some pretty variable finishes from dead matt to semi-gloss.

[@KabinMiniatures]

Thanks! I only used Citadel rattle cans before I switched over to the airbrush, so unfortunately, I can't really recommend any other brands.

[@novaenforcer1563]

If u dilute the varnish what ratio would it be or how many drops

[@KabinMiniatures]

Yes, I dilute the varnish with water, but I don't measure it exactly... My estimate would be maybe a 1:1 mix? I put a little water in a cup and add varnish drop by drop until it has become a "milky" consistency.

[@trotgun1563]

i needed this ! i got a air gun that i blocked within a hour and im to worried about brushing them on .

[@KabinMiniatures]

Cool, I'm glad the video was useful for you, my friend! 👍maybe I can do a dedicated video on airbrushing in the future, too? 🤔

[@Agh3Design]

Great video, I just wanted to ask you if the figures when applying varnish are somewhat sticky to the touch. What could be happening?

[@KabinMiniatures]

@Agh3Design Thanks! 👍 I'm sorry to hear about the sticky results. I haven't had that happen myself, but a quick Google makes it look like a common phenomenon. People seem to point to many reasons such as humidity, spray can solvents, improper shaking, improper cleaning, the material of the minis, the wrong type of varnish (ie for oil paints), etc. Some say that a new coat can help, and they swear by different brands (such as Testors Spray Lacquer) to be "saviours" of sticky surfaces. But personally, I have no experience in solving it...

[@lehighvalleyrockhounding]

Only problem I have with varnish is my mini always sticks to the base It sits on. How do I fix this?

[@KabinMiniatures]

Do you mean you've put them on a temporary base, and after the varnishing, you can't get them off?

[@lehighvalleyrockhounding]

Yeah a temporary bass and I can get them off it's just the bottom of the feet always gets ripped apart and I have to repair it ​@@KabinMiniatures

[@KabinMiniatures]

@@lehighvalleyrockhounding I see! Have you tried pinning the model to the temporary base and raising the feet a tiny bit above the surface?

[@lehighvalleyrockhounding]

I havent because i dont have wire and wire cutters ​@@KabinMiniatures