Does varnish improve a mini?

[GreenOne]

Yep, the question at a thousand buck.

I was thinking about this lately, I am always looking forward for the moment just after the varnishing, I always like my minis better after. I am aware there is a phycological reason for that, I can finally look it as a whole instead of lokking at many different areas with the technicities that go with it.
But maybe it doe kind of blend it all together.
I use prismacolor spay varnish, It\'s thin, quick to dry, extremely matt and a joy to work with ( Tough maybe not as tough as some other.), so for me varnishing is a happy thing.

But, as far as the paintjob goes, does (Good) varnish make a mini look better ?

 

[Talion]

Wouldn\'t say it improved a mini, but a satin varnish better protects it.

And DullCote then removes all the shine from both the varnish and any inks or paints you use. You can add any shine to specific areas later then if you wish.

 

[hakoMike]

If Shine + Varnish = No Shine, then yes!

If the last glaze is still a little wet, then no!

 

[Nelson]

Dullcote is pretty awesome for my minis...it tends to smooth out some transitions, as well as visually smoothing out the paint surface. Without all that glare from the gloss of the paint, it\'s harder to see little imperfections and 3-D bumps and such. Good stuff.

 

[vincegamer]

I do think it slightly alters the figure and to a very small degree softens the blends, so I agree it can make a mini look better.

I use a high gloss on my space marines cause it makes them look like a shiny new car.

 

[Aidan K]

I dont think it improves a mini. A well done varnish should leave it exactly as it was pre-varnish, whereas you have lots of ways to ruin an acceptable paint job with a bad varnish job!

 

[Wolf Fang]

i find after spraying on the clear coat it tends to bring out the colour a bit more

 

[tomusannonymous]

i agree with aidan k , a good varnish shouldn\'t change the paint job, i dont want my painting wrecked if i spray a bit too much

 

[matty1001]

Me llamo es Spartacus!

I don\'t use varnish, as i don\'t paint for play, i don\'t find the need to varnish (with a chance of doing a bad job) a mini which i am going to put on a shelf or in a display box and never touch them.

 

[darklord]

i hate the varnish stage, always dread it ruining the piece
(especially like the time i was in a rush and didnt notice the varnish was black primer!!)
as for altering the mini i think it does tie the areas together slightly

 

[Larre]

varnish is not the best thing.. dull coat is better, matt varnish is worsé, but still ok, and gloss varnish should be removed from the earth. it\'s as simple as that.

glossy minis look like crap, they shall be matt.

// Larre

 

[Dammekkos2]

Originally posted by darklord
i hate the varnish stage, always dread it ruining the piece

Yes, I agree with this completely. I have actually stopped varnishing minis altogether, since I can\'t be arsed to find some dullcote atm. I was initially a bit worried until I read that Ritual also hates varnish and often doesn\'t bother (iirc). I have ruined a large batch of marines with dodgy varnish (not totally ruined, but they are a bit flakey, and will never make it into my gallery). It was Citadel varnish :|~

 

[Beelzebrush]

Originally posted by Larre
varnish is not the best thing.. dull coat is better, matt varnish is worsé, but still ok, and gloss varnish should be removed from the earth. it\'s as simple as that.

glossy minis look like crap, they shall be matt.

// Larre

Gloss varnish is actually really useful. I often gloss varnish my paintjobs before applying matt varnish. It really helps to bring colours out. You can also use it to pick out details like gems, slime, gore etc for additional effects

 

[matty1001]

Originally posted by Beelzebrush

Originally posted by Larre
varnish is not the best thing.. dull coat is better, matt varnish is worsé, but still ok, and gloss varnish should be removed from the earth. it\'s as simple as that.

glossy minis look like crap, they shall be matt.

// Larre

Gloss varnish is actually really useful. I often gloss varnish my paintjobs before applying matt varnish. It really helps to bring colours out. You can also use it to pick out details like gems, slime, gore etc for additional effects

And for gamers its the best protection.

 

[GreenOne]

i hate the varnish stage, always dread it ruining the piece
(especially like the time i was in a rush and didnt notice the varnish was black primer!!)
as for altering the mini i think it does tie the areas together slightly

Seriously, mistaking primer for varnish is like my biggest fear, that must be a pain in the...

 

[supervike]

I have always thought the varnish does help to pull the colors together somehow....maybe thats a mental perception too...but I like it.

Also, varnishing always makes me feel like I have finished the mini...which is a good thing.

 

[Aidan K]

I guess it does have that psychological boost of actually finishing something!

 

[darklord]

yeah you do feel good im finished plus a little less wary of dropping it and taking off 2 hours off painting