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Question on varnishing, which type of varnish is best to use on your models after painting it? Has anyone on here used a paint on varnish instead of spraying and what was the turn out because I live in a a apartment so I can't use a spray varnish because it is winter so I am looking at using a paint on varnish.

I use Vallejo brush on and its great.

Rickyp wrote:
Question on varnishing, which type of varnish is best to use on your models after painting it? Has anyone on here used a paint on varnish instead of spraying and what was the turn out because I live in a a apartment so I can't use a spray varnish because it is winter so I am looking at using a paint on varnish.

You generally have three options when varnishing your models: gloss, satin, & matte. A lot of people gloss varnish "for protection" and then follow that up with a coat of matte varnish (I personally don't believe that the gloss varnish offers any more protection than any other kind of varnish). Satin varnish is nice, it is a kind of mix between gloss and matte and allows you to keep a more "natural" finish on the model. Testors Dullcoat (ultra-matte) is a lot of people's favorite matte varnish, and it does a great job but it kills any luster on metallics though.
You can still use spray varnish outside during the winter. Store the can and models inside, take them outside, spray them quickly, and immediately bring them back inside to dry.

It also depends on how you painted the models. Some metallic paints or inks will dissolve if you use an enamel type varnish. But acrylics will be fine.

I used to brush varnish my metals with gloss acrylic, then spray the whole figure with gloss polyurethane for strength, then matt polyurethane, then touch up glossy bits by brush.

If you use QuickShade you can spray it matt afterward if you leave it a day to get really dry, otherwise it may craquelure.

I like to use satin finish for vehicles. I have often used gloss finish for a "toy solder" effect. It is a matter of aesthetic choice.

I use Vallejo "airbrush" Varnish on pretty much everything I paint, both terrain and models.
First a gloss coat (also helps when using decals) and then a matt coat.

Brush-on varnishes work just fine, generally, although relatively few people rely on them for anything other than altering the sheen on specific parts, after a more general application. Most prefer sprays for the speed, first and foremost, and will simply find a way to spray before resorting to doing everything by hand. As mentioned, spraying in cold temperatures isn't really an issue - it's spraying with a cold can that causes problems. I've sprayed AND left models to dry in sub-freezing temperatures before without ill effect, because I prepped then can properly - a few minutes alternating between shaking and bathing in warm water.

Like ScootyPuff, I think the "gloss for strength" thing is bunk - for our purposes, at least, they're equivalent, and the thickness of the application matters far more than the type. I gloss first, but that's because I want to apply multiple coats (for greater protection) and insist on using Dullcoat as the final layer. I love the finish it leaves (yes, even on metals), but it's rather pricey, as far as varnishes go, so I let cheaper gloss coats (any old gloss spray will work, but matte is more finicky, in my experience) do the heavy lifting.

If you still want to do it all by brush, I'd recommend the Vallejo varnishes, which you can get in 17ml or 60ml bottles, depending on the scope of your projects.