Proper Sealing Techniques

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**Doxs**

Can anyone give me some tips on sealing and protecting my models after iam done painting. Eg, what type of varnish or sealer. And how i can do this without wrecking the model, thanks.

**ArmorOfContempt**

I swear by Testors Dullcote. It's not the cheapest matte varnish, but it's always performed really well for me, it goes on evenly without fogging up the model and it's proven to be a very rugged clearcoat. The only problem is when they say matte varnish, they mean matte varnish, and it'll totally take the shine right out of your metallics, so you'll probably have to do the metals after you give it a spray. Just doing the highlights is usually enough, thank god.

**Doxs**

Is there any support for not putting a protective coat on the models?

**ArmorOfContempt**

Doxs wrote:Is there any support for not putting a protective coat on the models?

You can usually get by without varnishing the model if it's one you did for display purposes, but if it's for gaming, it'll save you lots and lots of time touching up the parts of the model that have worn down to primer from being moved around the table.

**Xca|iber**

Doxs wrote:Is there any support for not putting a protective coat on the models?

I get to use my models as often as I'd like, but even so, unprotected they've already got some wear and tear from <25 games.

As soon as I'm able, I'm getting some matte varnish to seal them up.

**rodgers37**

I haven't even ever thought about sealing.
Does whatever you use to seal the paint, not make any difference to the look of the model?

**Vandil**

You should always seal them. Even the wear from riding in a foam container in the back of your car will wear paint off an unsealed mini.

**dreadanant**

I never have, im actualy a bit scepetical myself, only because I dont want to wreck anything

**Hans Chung-Otterson**

rodgers37 wrote:I haven't even ever thought about sealing.
Does whatever you use to seal the paint, not make any difference to the look of the model?

Nope, it doesn't, in my experience. Unless you want some parts of the model to be matte, and some parts to be glossy. That'll be hard to do, as varnishes are either matte or glossy. So the varnish will either make your whole model glossy or matte, depending on what you use.

As to the last poster: It's not going to mess your models up! You may have to touch up metals to give 'em that sparkle, but that's it. It's basically a protective coat that's a REALLY good idea to do unless you never touch your models.

**Leigen_Zero**

Hope this doesn't class as a hijack

I have a can of satin varnish in the house, and have been dubious about it yet, but have just spent ages painting up Yarrick for a friend, and the paint is literally flaking off as I'm painting (maybe I was handling it a bit rough, or the primer didn't take very well), so I'm looking to give it a coat or two to protect it.

What is a satin finish like? as in shine wish and protective quality?

**Wazzdig Dagga**

If you are nervous about sprays the windsor and newton paint on matt varnish is great. It would be difficult/impossible to wreck the model. A bit time consuming if you want to seal an entire army maybe. I'll second that word about case foam wearing the paint of models. And simple handling.
@ Legin_Zero Satin looks ok, you don't get that high shine that gloss has.