Quick Tips on Shades and Varnishes

[@Ben-fk9ey]

Came for varnish tips, left with one of the best and easiest midnight blue colour schemes I've seen. Can't wait to paint up some Nigh Lords like that!

[@michaeldooley111]

4 years later and this video swayed me into buying a varnish, thank you!!

[@dunkelctankwie8019]

Every episode has been a very special episode, you my friend are just a very special person, great videos and awesome content

[@phil8821]

I will definitely try that yellow technique on my Averlanders and select Bretonnians.

[@stevesandford1437]

I LOVE how you describe the EXTREMES of WEATHER where you live!!! (Relevant, of course, in that something like high-humidity can adversely effect a varnish, for example...) However, it sometimes sounds like you live in an 'Off-World' colony a la Ridley Scott!!! *LAUGHING!!!* All joking apart, your style as a teacher and modeler/painter is probably the BEST I've seen on YT. As well as illustrating your techniques clearly and simply, your personable delivery and humour really comes across as very entertaining to your viewers. (I've found myself watching 'guides' I have no real interest in just because I like to hear you talk!) And even then, I find I OFTEN learn a tip I didn't know! Your considerable skills as a miniature modeler are matched by your skills as a Video Presenter. Well done you, and Thank You. xx SF

[@madd-mattmitchell917]

Beautiful work, sir! I've always loved using the thinned down oils as shades and highlights. Especially for horses! Oils just seem to be made for painting horses with.

[@YTAlpha01]

You have the best sound of any mini painting KZbin that I've watched!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

All straight off my phone with a little bit of boost in editing to make it clearer. Gotta love the Huawei's mics, I guess! :D

[@kevinhayes517]

Appreciate this video and the excellent guidance you are offering ref use of varnishes and shades. Thanks very much!

[@Spongemonkey26]

I use the Vallejo Matt Varnish. A bit of water, brush on, and no issues. I will never use a spray varnish again, too many models messed up with fogging.

[@sriv1965sriv]

Another fantastic video! Great tip on basecoat + Varnish + Wash. I'm going to try that technique on my new Neophyte Hybrid and Skitarii Kill Teams. Thanks again!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I've given it a shot on some Genestealer Cultists I'm working on at the moment, and I can confirm that it works pretty well on them, at least! :D Might do the same for the Skitarii, I don't see why not.

[@richardmiles3892]

Great video thanks, it's good to see some positivity around the munitorum varnish, I have a can but not used it yet.

[@justanothercaptain6566]

Another excellent tutorial video. Thank you so much! I have used both the Testors and the Citadel Varnishes. My local hobby shop has both. I like the Citadel over the Testors as it's not as mat finish as the Testors. As I am painting D&D figures, I like a little shine on them. But when I move to Napoleonic Era figures, I'll have to review that. Thanks again, and keep the videos coming. Cheers!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I'm much the same, I prefer a little bit of a sheen on sci-fi and fantasy figures, where I bust out the ultra-matt stuff for historical miniatures. Though I'd be interested to see how a little bit of a shine might look on an assembled regiment of Napoleonic figures, thinking about that!

[@justanothercaptain6566]

Sonic Sledgehammer Studio Sound like you have a new topic for “How I Paint Things”.

[@justanothercaptain6566]

😁👍

[@Osborne4Life]

This quick tips are just as helpful as your HIPT series. Keep up the great work, my man. :)

[@13Robzilla]

Just for experimentation you might want to try this method I've been using lately. Basecoat, Drybrush, Edge where needed using drybrush as a guide, Varnish, wash. Think you might like it.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Interesting! I've done something similar on some US Infantry recently, but it hadn't dawned on me to try the wash after a varnish. Definitely going to have a play with that. :D

[@ultimapanzer]

I had a can of Munitorum end up being really bad, frosted my models pretty badly. Took it to a GW store and they tested it and saw it frosted up right away, let swap for a new can even though I didn’t buy the bad one from them. The new can was fine. I was actually able to fix the frosting by just brushing a layer of Lahmian medium over the models, and they ended up looking about the same as my other models that I used the new can of Munitorum on.

[@darkowl9]

I have trouble getting Testors sprays in Melbourne but I have had good success with doing a watered down Vallejo Matte varnish followed by a coat or two of Tamiya Flat Clear spray, and then only lightly diluted Vallejo gloss for any areas I want shiny such as metallics. I find the brush and spray to give a relatively durable finish to the painting.

[@Kubrzesz]

darkowl9 Yeah, what a great and totally not accident-prone way. You do realise that with that all it takes is a minor screwup in a production process and it all goes to hell?

[@darkowl9]

I'm sorry, what are you on about? Accident-prone? How is brushing on a thinned varnish from a bottle and then, once dry, using a spray varnish to double-coat it (and dull the matte down a bit further) going to "all go to hell"?

[@Flamethrower1942]

I use Windsor and Newton gallaria Matt and gloss acrylic varnish good value and spray nice through airbrush thinned with tap water

[@johnkelley9877]

Great tutorial! I will try your suggestions.

[@andymorcombe6537]

Dammit man! I’d just decided to paint my Reiver Kill Team as Raptors Chapter and then I saw that Crimson Fist! Seriously, though, some great tips here - thanks for another terrific video. Like some other guys have already commented, you really are inspiring a lot of hobby progress!

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Thanks for a very interesting video. I have certainly found the AK varnish to be excellent. I'm an historical wargamer, but am sure the techniques you have shown will come in useful. Anything to speed up my productivity 😁👍

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I've been mucking about with the varnish-and-shade on a few other miniatures to see if the technique's applicable across anything else. Turns out it works fairly well if you do very bright highlights straight over a basecoat, then shade the whole lot together. Works similarly to the dip, though without the curing time!

[@squirejj224]

Those Space Marines' paint job look so good, wish I could get my minis to look that good.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Just a bit of practice! I very, very rarely do anything 'extra' on my own miniatures compared to what I do in these videos. I haven't got the time to spare on lots of little details, so if my stuff looks good, I'm showing you exactly how to get that. :D

[@thegalgar]

If you ever get a wash that comes out a bit/very glossy just give it a layer of lahmian medium and it matts the colour down, works a treat

[@torenr]

Hi! Thank you for some really nice videos. Got me started again, after a 20 year pause. But I have some questions: What is the purpose og the varnish before applying shade? What are you thinning the shades with and why? Something with "medium" Sorry If the video is answering the questions, but I dont get it. Thank you 🙂

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

The varnish before the shade changes how the shade will collect on the miniature. It's a little easier to move the shade around on a varnished surface, so you'll find it's easier to make sure that it collects predominantly in the recesses of any detail rather than pooling on flat surfaces. I'm not sure I mentioned thinning the shades, but the 'medium' I'm talking about in this is the binding liquid in the shade itself that carries the pigment and works to spread it over the surfaces we're painting it over. In the context of this particular video, the point is to demonstrate that you really need to make sure all that pigment is mixed into the medium before you get painting, otherwise it can dry glossy in some cases. If you do need to thin a shade out to dilute its effects, you can just use water!

[@torenr]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Perfect, I will try that method to see if the surfaces keep their original color better 😁

[@Kubrzesz]

Hey there, great video, but care to share the link to that forum or some instructions describing further the process you’re talking about from 7 minute? Can’t wrap my head around the specifics so I’d like to have a wee read. Thansk

[@peterkean5907]

Great vid about varnish. Since finishing the last of an old batch of Army Painter Anti-Shine which matted perfectly subsequent purchases of the same, AK Ultramatte, MIG and Vallejo all seem to leave figures looking glossy. The weather has been good and I haven't changed my method of painting, is there anything I can add to the varnish or do to make them actually matt my figures? Thanks in advance.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

That's very odd. I haven't heard of every single varnish all going shiny at once! I honestly can't guess what it might be, and short of humidity I can't really think of anything else. I'd assume it's environmental if it got all your varnishes at the same time, but don't quote me on that one. :/ Sorry I can't be much more help! Maybe try a painting group on Facebook to see if others are having the same issue?

[@peterkean5907]

Hi, thanks for your reply. It is odd and having just got the AK varnish I was really banking on it to do the job.

[@TheNotoriousBox]

If you do remember, what was the green you used on the model on the left at 4:12? I've watched your other WW2 US Army painting videos and that coat came out a brighter. Was just wondering. Thank you! and keep up the great work!

[@rwilliams6891]

I know I am late to this but, this looks amazing. I wonder if this is possible with black? Base coat with Abaddon Black then use the GW Varnish and work from there?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Might take a little longer, I suspect!

[@rwilliams6891]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Looking around to find a good method with GW current paintline to do Black power armor with subtle highlights.

[@andysmith2235]

Just a great video buddy, many thanks. Have come across some negative comments about the Munitorium Varnish, so got some Windsor & Newton Professional Matt Varnish instead. Hopefully your tip will work with this brand too! I see that you use Lahmian Medium to dilute shades. My Black Templar Contrast has got a bit thicker as I’m getting to the end of the pot, would their Contrast Medium be the best to use to thin it? Thanks

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I'd stick to the Contrast Medium to thin the Contrast; I've thinned shades with Contrast Medium before and got some interesting effects, but it definitely changed up how they worked. I'd think the same would be true in reverse with Lahmian Medium and the Black Templar.

[@shadako2]

Almost missed the white armour part. Was thinking the first models look good but this doesn't apply to me. Then he pulls out the space marine and it's probably seems like an easier technique than what anyone else has.

[@carlmayne3519]

I totally agree on that munitorum varnish, never had it fail yet, although I also love the army painter anti-shine varnish, Love how matt that makes everything - BTW, those are some nicely painted USMC soldiers :D ----- Also, I know there's plenty of them out there, but how about doing a tutorial on using watered down oil paints over gloss varnish, I've watched quite a few tutorials but they're never really specific on what paints, varnishes and thinner types they're using :D

[@niamhshannon6153]

Will those Ogryns ever be painted?

[@konigstiger3017]

theyre for display purposes

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

When the stars align!

[@jeru_jj1161]

2854. We'll wait.

[@Anthony-tq9so]

Hello, thanks for the great videos. I,m very new to this (and over 50), so I,ve got a question or two,hope they,re not silly.One, you talk about base colours,never prime. Have you primed, everyone says you have to? Maybe I am missing something? Apropos priming, Vallejo says their paints are so well formulated, no need to prime, everyone else says " thin your paint", slightly confused. Lastly, where do I get hold of ( relatively ) cheap figures to practice on , I,m not too flush. I,m not a gamer,just want to paint some mini,s.Thanks again

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I see you got one of the questions answered already! :) The only silly question is the one that doesn't get asked. Personally, I'd always prime a miniature just to make sure the paint has something to adhere to properly - Vallejo might say their paints will work without it, but it's a minute's work to prime them and better safe than sorry, I think. As far as cheaper miniatures, it depends on what you're looking for. You can usually pick up some deals on eBay - especially with people splitting up big boxes like Kill Team into the different miniatures available.

[@WekBenHelix]

Hey Sonic! New painter here. In this video you talked about not being able to paint because of the weather outside. Should I be painting my minis outside?? I know I should glue and prime my minis outdoors because of the fumes and the aerosolized particles respectively, but what about painting w/ citadel paints and paint-on varnishes? Those seem odorless and harmless and I DON'T airbrush, so shouldn't it be fine to paint in my study?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Painting inside is fine; the weather was too cold to spray anything, so no primers or canned varnish. You'll be fine!

[@WekBenHelix]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Thanks for the fast response! Love your videos--super helpful.

[@swaaahtome]

Cant believe you put up this video! Only last week I ruined a heavy weapons squad with munitorum varnish due to extreme frosting and was searching for a replacement varnish that I could paint on with a brush. I ordered Vallejo Satin Polyurethane varnish because I thought it would most resemble the satin finish from munitorum.. do you reckon it would do? Or should I go for the matt version? Is there much difference between Polyurethane and Acrylic varnish? As always you are a gem of knowledge! Never stop making videos please.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I haven't had a chance to play around with the satin varnishes from Vallejo just yet. Honestly, I'd imagine it would come out looking fairly similar to the Munitorum Varnish, since that's not a true matt. Stink that you had yours frost, though! If you've still got those miniatures, try hitting them with a gloss varnish first, then brush over your final matt or satin to bring the shine off a little. It won't be perfect, but it'll be much improved from the frosty look.

[@swaaahtome]

Thanks man! I gave them another spray of munitorum and its looks a little bit better, I think it was really high humidity that did it.. like 90%! Lesson learned. Is there much difference between the Vallejo Polyurethane and Acrylic varnish?

[@MR-wt7wm]

Good video some very useful tips there.

[@Gabbiano88]

Now I know why my shades are shiny... I shake but didn't realize I need to that much... haven't done a varnish yet probably should to protect my models

[@unleashedagain555]

What is the benefit of varnishing over the base coat before shading or highlighting? I love the yellow you achieved.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

In this case, it's a slightly different surface for the shade to adhere to. It'll stay wet for slightly longer, so if you find you've put too much on you can draw it away from any flat areas with your brush much easier, and on top of that it'll run more readily into recesses rather than pooling. That yellow's literally a varnish over a flat undercoat, then a shade and a drybrush. No tidying up!

[@valar12]

It breaks up the surface tension on product and allows it to flow more towards the recess of the model.

[@thomasfitzsimmons2267]

Awesome video

[@PyromancerRift]

There is an even better way to do the recess shading. After you use the gloss varnish, instead of using a thinned wash, use tamiya panel line. It is an enamel black wash. The lid of the pot is used as a very tiny brush, so it's very convenient and the product is so good you just need to touch the recesses with the brush for the product to flow inside is. You don't need to clean up the mess after you use it, it's fantastic. And using black lining on everything increase the contrast. Contrast is what turn a good miniature into a really nice miniature.

[@Danhattan]

Question: When you washed over the varnished basecoat did you just slop it on or did you pin wash? Did you do any cleanup? I thought the results looked great.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

In all three cases - the Imperial Fist, the Crimson Fist and the as-yet-unfinished white Marine - they're all just straight over the basecoat and varnish, then highlighted like I normally would. The thinned-out shade only really settles on the deepest recesses and the varnish helps it flow away from flat panels, meaning there's zero cleanup unless you want to be really picky!

[@variable5566]

For the Crimson Fist, was the varnish after just the Kantor Blue, all the base colors or the drybrush? I have some experimenting to do with varnish now, those look great!

[@jamesbarrass3968]

How much varnish should I apply. Do I need to soak the miniatures in it or just a light coat? also does it matter if I apply the varnish straight after painting or can i apply it any time like months later and have same effect. Any help appreciated

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Varnishing is similar to painting on a layer of ordinary paint. You don't need to go crazy with it, and if you're using varnish from a brush it helps to add just a little water to it like you would with acrylic paint to get it to flow smoothly. You can apply it years after the paint, but since the point is largely to protect the paint job underneath it's really ideal to do it sooner rather than later.

[@jamesbarrass3968]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio cheers thanks for the reply much appreciated

[@martynives305]

Some great tips and tricks! Think that I just might tackle some Marines in the near future. Do you think the varnish thing would work on a dark green and null oil? Dark Angels to be precise.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I'm pretty sure that'd work fairly similarly. On something so dark, though, I might try using straight Nuln Oil rather than thinning it out - if it doesn't work quite how you'd like, it's nothing to just slap a thin Caliban Green over the top and start over.

[@martynives305]

Sonic Sledgehammer Studio thanks. I’ll give it a try.

[@271browny]

forgive me if I have missed this in the video but does anyone know how long you need to let the varnish dry before hitting the model with the wash?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

About half an hour will usually do the job!

[@trousersnakes8855]

I never varnished my models before. I alreadu have my models based with grass, can i still spray it or should i brush it

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

It depends a little on how much grass there is. Honestly, you shouldn't ordinarily have a huge problem with spraying them - try on one guy first and see how it turns out.

[@kevingallagher2366]

hi there great videos painting do you base then wash then base again the same colour or high light what order do you in

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

With these guys, most of the time when I shade over a varnish, I don't use the base colour again since it doesn't alter the overall tone very much. If you find it's a bit too dark, though, you can make that choice and see how you like the look of it!

[@scottywan82]

Any chance you can do some more Nighthaunts? I would love to see a video on the Myrmourn Banshees or the Nilakh Oxide look for the ghosts.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

When I'm good and Saint Nick brings me some Banshees, sure. ;D I've got them on my list, though, not to worry. I'm going to go through more Lahmian Medium this way...!

[@scottywan82]

Woot! Can't wait to see. My sons and I are loving your videos.

[@Sgt40K]

Can you do a video actually showing how you painted the white marine?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

This might help! kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5OQZWWjjtiHo5I

[@eeddyy123able]

Hi. Can some one please point me in the right direction for some paint for 40k salamanders I would prefer a full set if possible. I’m a noob at this. So any pointer and tips, I would be very great full

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

You might find this one helpful! :D kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5XVgGCoaryohZI

[@bellportbattlebunker4682]

Great video. Do you have any tutorials for that Crimson Fist? Thanks for sharing.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I hadn't planned on it, but I'll get to him at some point. If it helps, it's the same basics as I used in painting Salamanders, just using the colours I mentioned in this video.

[@bellportbattlebunker4682]

Thanks.

[@vladimirpolaris9383]

Matt varnish spray or pincel????????

[@mochachi8578]

question can i use paintbrush with matt acrylic vanish Vallejo ? Do i have to thin it down ?

[@jirkakostal2874]

And the answer would be from my point of view yes. I do thin it down by water in the ration 3 drops of varnish to 1 drop of water. Vallejo also starts making something like a milki cream on the model when aplying so dont start panic. When it dries its perfectly clear and not visible if there is not plenty of it on a certains spot (in this case take it off by your brush :) )

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Good answer! :D It's right that you can use it with a brush quite happily - I've never bothered to put it through an airbrush. It does go on a little bit milky, sometimes slightly blue around the edges, but once it dries you'll never see that.

[@mochachi8578]

thx both of u

[@leddyxwarcraft3411]

Munitorum Varnish its ok or not pls ? i m not english ty

[@IvanisIvan]

Do you know any good varnishes that are satin? I am from Australia so American brands may be harder for me to find :D

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Not sure what'd be available around your area, I'm afraid. The Munitorum Varnish spray is bound to be available, but the ANZAC tax on GW products can be pretty brutal... Bunnings might have something handy, though!

[@TeaIngyer]

Thaaaaaaaats why my shade dries shiny? I've been using satin varnish over everything I shade with Agrax Earthshade @~@ Thank you

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

It's not always the only reason, but in almost all the cases I've seen it pop up it's the prime culprit. It's harder to shake new pots, too, on account of them having fairly little air in the container to rattle the stuff off the bottom of the container, but just flip it upside down and give a new pot a couple of minutes in your hand.

[@IDICBeer]

Nice share buddy

[@SantiagoHorsFraile]

That's magic!!

[@MrSphinchee]

Maybe you consider LED lights. They produce less heat

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Definitely going to look into it once I've got some cash spare. A couple people have suggested them now and it seems they'd be the easiest option.

[@mortenolsen2814]

Look awesome :> gj!

[@Anthony-tq9so]

Ignore the first question, you have undercoated , I see now. I was fixed on the word prime. Warhammer basic tutorial explained it, process also known as ground or undercoating. Yes, I,m a plonker.

[@Lord_Wedge]

Reminds me of how Jack_of_Clubs_Painting does his washes.

[@Jason-gq8fo]

I think I’ve been applying way too much ultra matte with my brush this whole time, silly me

[@borjamanzano1056]

Sorry mate, but I disagree with your oppinion about GW munitorum varnish. Just used it last week and obtained a frosty and cloudy finish over a full squad of 10 ork nobs... Having said that, I must add that I live in Spain and the weather here these days is like hell, maybe that is the reason. I also use AK interactive matt varnish and never had any problem with it, great product.

[@jirkakostal2874]

Same goes for me with the munotorum and the army painter anti shine. Destroyed my first army by that - well it learns me to test it on one model first :D Anyway vallejo rocks in producing varnishes. Not using anything else than that right now.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Oh no! I've not had a problem with it, but Army Painter's Anti-Shine is a big culprit of frosting around my place. I've never managed to get a miniature right with it. If it helps at all, water down a little gloss varnish and put that over a frosted miniature, then you can hit it with a matt or satin you like and it'll at least help get rid of some of the frosting. It'll not be perfect, but it'll look better than chunky white grit!

[@Gumlass1]

36 degrees ... Aussie?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Kiwi! But this was in Germany, so... 😂

[@slenkhar]

White spirit doesn't interact with acrylic paints

[@MentoliptusBanko]

Is that Porn or Dorn on the Imperial fists shoulder pad? ;)

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Wow! I'm a good boy, thank you. ;)

[@MentoliptusBanko]

It would be very funny if the primarch was called Rogal Porn :D

[@bivibuddydan]

Talking, not showing.