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I've been working on a IG Missionary for a while now. This is the first mini that I used a Micron pen to put some text on scrolls, books or purity seals. I can overlook text missing on a purity seal, but this Missionary is all about the book.

Anyway, once I was satisfied with the results and everything was dried overnight, I began to put a coat of matte varnish over the entire mini to protect it from wear. Much to my horror, the ink from the Micron pen started to dissolve and run soon after the varnish was applied. Now it looks like the paper's been rained on... (Pics attached)

What should I do? My current thought is to repaint the paper, varnish and then apply the text again with the micron pen on top of the varnish. If I do this and I don't seal in the Micron pen's ink, I'm concerned that a bit of moisture will have the same effect. My other thought is that maybe I should switch varnishes. I was using a cheap paint-on matte varnish. Maybe a spray matte-clear coat would do better?

Help!

spray on is the way tpo go.. paint on stiuff never has worked for me.. get a good satin or flat clear coat and ur set

Personally, leave it like it is. If someone has a book open while they're trudging through a battlefield full of rain and mud, it's gonna get a bit worn out.

Personally, I think it looks good. I've also used ultra fine Sharpie markers that I've cut the tip in half, and use that on purity seals and books. I've used Model Master Dullcoat (lusterless) spray and it's just fine. I have no experience with your brand of marker however and don't know how it would react.

I agree, I like the fact that the ink has leaked a wee bit, it gets the right 40K feel of imperial inefficiency/waste.

The bottom pic looks awesome

Which varnish did you use?
Is it an alcohol based type? And how long did you apply the varnish after the pen?

Lord_Astaroth wrote:Personally, I think it looks good. I've also used ultra fine Sharpie markers that I've cut the tip in half, and use that on purity seals and books. I've used Model Master Dullcoat (lusterless) spray and it's just fine. I have no experience with your brand of marker however and don't know how it would react.

I'm going to third this comment, motion passes!
seriously, it looks like it's seen a long campaign, through rain and snow. i think it has character.

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Which varnish did you use?
Is it an alcohol based type? And how long did you apply the varnish after the pen?

The varnish was applied at least a day after the pen.

It was cheap, polyurethane matte varnish (Folkart Plaid #888), not alcohol based.

As for the motions to leave it as a "happy accident" of weathering, thanks. That takes a bit of pressure off my neurotic side. I'd still like to have a clear-coat that doesn't dissolve the ink or the paint underneath it.

According to the bumbff the ink is waterproof.
So is odd that the varnish did this assuming there is nothing untoward in the varnish to breakdown the ink.

24 hours should be plenty of time.

Next time it would be worth doing a test first. I agree with the other chaps.
The book could be hundreds of years old. A bit of campaign/damp damage is to be expected.