Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

This is my first time using paint on varnish (I have used spray in the past), and while the directions say to water it down, they do not specify how much. I have done 2 coats of maybe 60/40 with more water than varnish (using Golden Polymer Satin Varnish) and I am just not sure if that is enough. Any advice would be really helpful. Thanks!

Well, you can always add another coat. As thin as the layers you're putting on are, you should have plenty of warning before the buildup gets thick enough to affect the look. If anything, I think your mix might be a bit thin, requiring layer after layer to actually build up some decent protection.

I treat brush-on varnish just like paint - if the goal is protection, I want smooth, heavy coverage, like when basecoating. For that, I thin as little as necessary to achieve good flow off the brush and an even finish. If I'm just after the luster (e.g. glossing select areas after an overall matte spray), I'll thin it quite heavily, as I would when glazing. One must be careful to avoid the same hazards, though - overly thin mixes will try to pool and run into crevices if you overload your brush, etc.

Hard to suggest a ratio, as consistency varies from varnish to varnish, just like it does with paints. My Vallejo gloss takes very little thinning to start flowing well, while my Liquitex matte is much thicker out of the bottle - I'd need to add two or even three parts water to get the Liquitex to behave like a 1:1 mix of Vallejo.

I cant speak for the one you are using, but with the GW paint on varnish, I tend to only add enough water to break the brushmarks, if its too thin it's not really going to do anything.