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I recently dipped a model and the excess shine from the dip is not a look I like, and am trying to find a way to reduce or eliminate it all together. I used Testor's matte spray sealer, which had worked in the past to reduce the gloss from the GW sealer, but with three light coats it seems to have reached its limit. Any tips?

Whoa, 3 coats of testors...I use one and its fine.

I would suggest painting on your "Dip" with a tank brush and using a few ml's of White spirit to thin the mix slightly 1 :10 ratio of White Spirit to Qucikshade.

Oaka wrote:I recently dipped a model and the excess shine from the dip is not a look I like, and am trying to find a way to reduce or eliminate it all together. I used Testor's matte spray sealer, which had worked in the past to reduce the gloss from the GW sealer, but with three light coats it seems to have reached its limit. Any tips?

Quick question.

"Dip" as in Dip, or "dip" as in google told me to save money and use furniture varnish or woodstain

While viable, and moneysaving, cheap dip can be a bleedin' nightmare. Testors is expensive, so 3 coats is not only overkill, but pricey!

If you're using "dip" and in dip, then it's probably oversaturated. What brand?

Phayse wrote:

Oaka wrote:I recently dipped a model and the excess shine from the dip is not a look I like, and am trying to find a way to reduce or eliminate it all together. I used Testor's matte spray sealer, which had worked in the past to reduce the gloss from the GW sealer, but with three light coats it seems to have reached its limit. Any tips?

Quick question.

"Dip" as in Dip, or "dip" as in google told me to save money and use furniture varnish or woodstain

While viable, and moneysaving, cheap dip can be a bleedin' nightmare. Testors is expensive, so 3 coats is not only overkill, but pricey!

If you're using "dip" and in dip, then it's probably oversaturated. What brand?

THERES A DIFFERENCE O.o ?!?!?!?!?!!
no wonder why.....

I never did get why people spend so much money on the things only to dip them in woodstain, when there's perfectly good mini specific dipping product out there.

9 times out of 10, dip tutorials are made by kids who don't have access to anything else because they don't have an income, so make do. Nothing wrong there, but if you've got a few quid spare, invest in proper products.

Phayse wrote:I never did get why people spend so much money on the things only to dip them in woodstain, when there's perfectly good mini specific dipping product out there.

I dont know for sure, but if I was a betting man the "mini dip" is probably the same stuff as the wood stain, and likely much more expensive.


For the OP...is your dip thinned? I use Minwax Polyshades (mission oak) thinned about 20%. Its still pretty glossy, but not terrible. I tried it unthinned at first and it was very glossy. I may bump it up to 25% or 30% thinned, but that has nothing to do with the glossy level. I want a little less shade on the larger open areas than Im getting right now.

Also, dont physically dip the miniature in your "dip", brush it on like paint, it gives you much more control.

http://shop.thearmypainter.com/products.php?ProductGroupId=1

A gaming product. Shade without the shine. Apply your clearcoat varnish over it.

Phayse wrote:http://shop.thearmypainter.com/products.php?ProductGroupId=1

A gaming product. Shade without the shine. Apply your clearcoat varnish over it.

That stuff is also ridiculously priced. And you seem to forget, that before that stuff was ever sold, a bunch of inventive painters had to figure out other alternatives- from which that product was then derived. Many of us still prefer to buy a can of wood satin of the same size for 8$ and then thin it down so we end up with the equivalent volume of around 100$ worth of the army painter product.

Now, for the problem the OP faces. Since you havent mentioned what product you dipped them with- theres a few options. If it is a water based product, you can thin it down with an acrylic Matte Medium(art stores have it). If its a glossy product, a matte medium wont take all the shine off- but it will reduce it to more of a satin finish- so your matte spray should then be able to give it a more flat appearance.

If you're not sure about what your dip is made of. Take it with you down to an art supply store, find someone with a brain, and talk to them. Show them your dip stuff, explain what you're doing with it- and what you want to do with it. You might be surprised how helpful they can be in terms of product knowldge for the items that can help you get the results you want.

And, another option- go talk to the paint department people at a Lowes or Home Depot. They dont often work on a craft scale, but there are alot of home improvement products that work wonders for our hobby. And if you get lucky- they might be able to give you a little dash of matte additive for free from thier big custom mixing machine(however you might be uncomfortable flirting with the paint salesman to get that- so use your own discretion there!)

Last- not all Testors spray will work its dullcote wonder the same. They changed they mix of it a few years ago and the results since then have been rather underwhelming. It does help to shake the can. And shake, And shake. Even hand it to the neighbor kid with epilepsy and show him a strobe light. Then shake it a bit more. Then, spray your figs. The new particulate theyre using seem to really bind up in the can- and if its not shaken well- it just sits in the can while the carrier spray onto your minis- leaving the non-shiny stuff behind. Sorta like if you dont mix your paint it jsut doesnt work right.

Mistress of minis wrote:

Phayse wrote:http://shop.thearmypainter.com/products.php?ProductGroupId=1

A gaming product. Shade without the shine. Apply your clearcoat varnish over it.

That stuff is also ridiculously priced. And you seem to forget, that before that stuff was ever sold, a bunch of inventive painters had to figure out other alternatives- from which that product was then derived. Many of us still prefer to buy a can of wood satin of the same size for 8$ and then thin it down so we end up with the equivalent volume of around 100$ worth of the army painter product.

It's not a point I seem to forget. It's a point I discarded as irrelevant because I have more time than others to paint.

Inventive is definitely the right word, but going to all that trouble to figure out an alternative to shading is excessive. It would have been far quicker to just focus on skill building! Pricing is ridiculous, but that's largely irrelevant. OP wanted a way to reduce shine, and I offered a relevant product aimed specifically at his market. OP would have to have an awful lot of money to spend though! It comes in 3 types for different colour schemes. Maybe a faux pas on my part, but I'm not a dipper, so I share the product knowledge I have without recommendation. If you have the time, I'd always suggest brushing up on painting chops.

I doubt anyone's ever going to agree on dipping. It's a bit of a marmite subject.

Thanks for all the responses so far. I use Minwax Polyshades antique walnut and have been brushing it on. I have not been thinning it, though, that may be something to try. I've also noticed that the miniature I dipped was glossy only on the areas I painted dark, primarily the dark brown skin. The areas where the paint is lighter than the shade of dip don't appear to be as glossy.

Guys please use the article system, this is the third time in as many days I have referenced my own article on this as helpful guidance to save you money and time.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Using_Quickshade_on_Space_Marines
(I should have named the article A GUIDE TO DIPPING)

Why do I pay more for Quickshade, because it works. I could buy a 1 litre tin of Polyshade or whatever but It might not work in the same manner, then I am left £10 out of pocket for 1 Litre tin of stained Varnish I don't want or need. Equally I am not sure how Testors will react, to the other product where as TESTORS + QUICKSHADE Works well.

TESTORS changed the chemical composition so it could be sold in the UK & EU (Believe the chemical Toulene is banded tho i maybe wrong on that one).

If you don't want to take risk, buy quickshade and testors. If you are happy taking risks with your mini's use whatever and accept the fact it may go wrong...take it or leave it.

I see no reason whatsoever to spend more on Quickshade.

I personally have done a whole Guard army and 3 Bloodbowl teams using Minwax Polyshade antique Walnut and Krylon Matt Spray varnish.

No excessive shine

No reactions

Just good results for little $.

Always amusing how people that dont offer an actual solution to the posters actual query still have something to say.

He wanted a way to reduce the shine on a model that he had already dipped- not get criticized for using what some believe to be an inferior product despite the fact they admit they have never used it. Or just to be told to buy an overpriced product because the cost seems to be irrelevant? (if price really is irrelevant anyone can feel free to buy me some overpriced product so I'll agree....)

Oaka-have you tried any brush-on matte varnish? It can be useful for spot application when a spray wont cooperate.


@Deadshane- see- not only you do it wrong for using Polyshade- but you really screwed up using Krylon Matte at 3$ a can instead of using what must be an obviously superior can of Armypainter Anti Shine Matte Varnish thats a mere 11$! :p Why would anyone use other stuff when they can pay 4 times as much for a fancy label?

Oaka wrote: I used Testor's matte spray sealer, which had worked in the past to reduce the gloss from the GW sealer, but with three light coats it seems to have reached its limit. Any tips?

I think you may be using the wrong product to remove shine.
Are you using a Matte Sealer or Testors Dullcote? If you've got excessive shine, then a light dusting with Ducote is what you want to get rid of it. Matte sealers are nice, but when applied over a glossy surface they sometimes leave you with a satin, rather than flat. I use matte sprays because they're cheap and I like the satin finsih, but if you're already dipping then all you need is some dulcote for a flat finsih.

Also, when using any matte or flat spray the application should be extremely light. The more you apply, the shinier it will get as it builds up a thicker layer for reflection.

Phayse wrote:I never did get why people spend so much money on the things only to dip them in woodstain, when there's perfectly good mini specific dipping product out there.

9 times out of 10, dip tutorials are made by kids who don't have access to anything else because they don't have an income, so make do. Nothing wrong there, but if you've got a few quid spare, invest in proper products.

I disagree with you. Dipping in polyshades is a time tested approach by historical wargamers and there are plenty of dip tutorials by those who effectively use it not merely because it's cheap, but because it works.

Mad4Minis wrote:

Also, dont physically dip the miniature in your "dip", brush it on like paint, it gives you much more control.

Agreed, this is the method I use.

Phayse wrote:http://shop.thearmypainter.com/products.php?ProductGroupId=1

A gaming product. Shade without the shine. Apply your clearcoat varnish over it.

Not True! Army painter has shine. That's why they sell... Wait for it... Anti shine varnish!
http://shop.thearmypainter.com/products.php?ProductGroupId=2 scroll down 4 products to see it.

mwnciboo wrote:Why do I pay more for Quickshade, because it works. I could buy a 1 litre tin of Polyshade or whatever but It might not work in the same manner, then I am left £10 out of pocket for 1 Litre tin of stained Varnish I don't want or need.it.

Not arguing that Quickshade works, but you can buy the exact same size 1/2 pint tin (no need to buy a liter) of Polyshade for 4-6 dollars rather than a can of quickshade for 30 bucks. Polyshade works, and has worked for gamers for 20 years.

the only problem ive had with minwax is that it takes /forever/ to dry sometimes (though it is cold in my apt) like on the order of 8 hours -> 2 days

I am actually looking for the "drenched in molassas" look for my admech guys, since it looks like they are sprayed with machine oil. but matte finish does the job AS LONG AS THEY ARE COMPLETELY DRIED.

I also don't "dip" them, I paint it on with a brush
I think "dipping" is pretty overly lazy, a giant brush you can paint up a guy in about 20 seconds, alot faster than dipping and shaking the guy dry.

That's true, minwax does take 2 days to fully dry, and if you spray before they're dry then you can get flaking or hazing of the matte coat.