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At the moment I'm ordering some of my first paints in preperation for building my first army after re-entering the hobby. I'd never even realised before (though I was more into the gaming side when I was a preteen ) that people used varnish to protect their miniatures.
I've read lots and it seems like the best way to do a varnish is a coat of gloss and a coat of matt. My question here is: which should I go for? Is brush on decent? I ask this because it's probably easiest - able to apply inside the house, no frosting etc. but I'm not sure.

So, what are your thoughts guys?

EDIT: Also, what is satin like?
I'll also note that I'm looking at AK interactive varnishes as they are available where I will be ordering from (if I go brush on).

I use brush at the moment for models but spray for bases.

I gloss varnish, then add the decals and then matt varnish. Thats with a brush.

You kind of have to spray bases and so on because brushing the flock makes it look terrible.

Personally like my varnishs out of an air brush.

No issues with doing it indoors and keeps the consistancy you get from airbrushing (no streaks)

If these are super beat em up gaming models then the gloss + varnish is probably the way to go.

Otherwise a single coat of your final varnish is all thats really needed.

Im preferences is satin varnish. its not as flat matt as matt varnish. so its will be slightly shiny but not i got out of the shower wet glossy like gloss varnish.

Brushing is certainly less risky. I've had trouble with spray, especially on black paint. but others have used it endlessly and had no issue.
Go with what feels comfortable, at the end of the day.

Swastakowey wrote:I use brush at the moment for models but spray for bases.

I gloss varnish, then add the decals and then matt varnish. Thats with a brush.

You kind of have to spray bases and so on because brushing the flock makes it look terrible.

That's a good point cheers. That said, I don't think (at least for the moment) I'll be using much grass flock at all: my theme is going to be snow + rocks, basically this without the eldar fin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTCiW7dzYj8

Desubot wrote:Personally like my varnishs out of an air brush.

No issues with doing it indoors and keeps the consistancy you get from airbrushing (no streaks)

If these are super beat em up gaming models then the gloss + varnish is probably the way to go.

Otherwise a single coat of your final varnish is all thats really needed.

Im preferences is satin varnish. its not as flat matt as matt varnish. so its will be slightly shiny but not i got out of the shower wet glossy like gloss varnish.

Sadly an airbrush is out of the question at the moment. Maybe in the future!
These are definitely for gaming. I wouldn't say 'super beat em up' but I'm planning to put a fair chunk of effort into painting these and want to keep them safe.

Buttery Commissar wrote:Brushing is certainly less risky. I've had trouble with spray, especially on black paint. but others have used it endlessly and had no issue.
Go with what feels comfortable, at the end of the day.

That's what I'm thinking. At least for starters. As long as I can get a nice coverage that isn't too thick with the brush on method then I'm happy.

If an airbrush is not in the works, go for Testors Dullcote.

On the other hand, a cheap airbrush is REALLY cheap (you can even look second-hand), and almost any airbrush will do varnish the same as any other airbrush. And if you have a lot of models, airbrush varnish will even end up cheaper than rattle cans!

 Talys wrote:
If an airbrush is not in the works, go for Testors Dullcote.

On the other hand, a cheap airbrush is REALLY cheap (you can even look second-hand), and almost any airbrush will do varnish the same as any other airbrush. And if you have a lot of models, airbrush varnish will even end up cheaper than rattle cans!

Dunno about Australia but you can get a set up for about 100USD off amazon with a cheapo duel action and a compressor without a tank.

Its useful for base coating and varnishing

You probably wont be painting a vango with it but it will get 90% of the basic job done.

Brush, always brush!

Yeah, 100us is too much for the moment. But maybe soon!

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
Brushing is certainly less risky. I've had trouble with spray, especially on black paint. but others have used it endlessly and had no issue.

I'm one of those 'others.' The only issues with frosting I've ever had came from a brush-on product. Had the same issue, whether applied by airbrush or the old hairy sticks.

Regardless of application method, know that matte varnishes are invariably more finicky than gloss. If you find a matte or satin that you like (Testors Dullcote gets my vote for matte, if going the aerosol route), use it as a final layer to control the sheen and use gloss to do the heavy lifting, in terms of protection. 2-3 layers of a good gloss will be about as bulletproof as a topcoat is liable to be, short of encasing the model in a block of clear resin. Also helps mitigate the hit to your wallet, as nearly any old hardware store gloss will fit the bill. That final coat of good matte/satin will give you the look you want and restricting it to the final coat stretches the comparatively expensive can quite a bit further.

 oadie wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
Brushing is certainly less risky. I've had trouble with spray, especially on black paint. but others have used it endlessly and had no issue.

I'm one of those 'others.' The only issues with frosting I've ever had came from a brush-on product. Had the same issue, whether applied by airbrush or the old hairy sticks.

Regardless of application method, know that matte varnishes are invariably more finicky than gloss. If you find a matte or satin that you like (Testors Dullcote gets my vote for matte, if going the aerosol route), use it as a final layer to control the sheen and use gloss to do the heavy lifting, in terms of protection. 2-3 layers of a good gloss will be about as bulletproof as a topcoat is liable to be, short of encasing the model in a block of clear resin. Also helps mitigate the hit to your wallet, as nearly any old hardware store gloss will fit the bill. That final coat of good matte/satin will give you the look you want and restricting it to the final coat stretches the comparatively expensive can quite a bit further.

I definitely want to move for spray when I get around to it, but I've got some brush on gloss and matte on the way now just to start with. That gloss then matte method sounds really good.

dalloskid wrote:
Yeah, 100us is too much for the moment. But maybe soon!

What? You don't have the spare wheel from a military vehicle?

I've never had problems brushing on satin and matte. Gloss I find it difficult to avoid having visible brush strokes.

 oadie wrote:
Regardless of application method, know that matte varnishes are invariably more finicky than gloss.

I know people always say this.... but I fething hate painting gloss varnish. Paint it by hairy brush and it gives brush streaks, paint it by airbrush or by spray and I end up with either orange peel or grain. Because it's shiny, every flaw in the application stands out so much worse.

Often I'll paint matte or satin varnish (either by hairy or by air brush) and think I butchered it but when it dries it looks fine. Gloss is the opposite, even when I think I applied it fine if I look again after it's dried I see all the flaws :(

I've been meaning to try future floor polish or humbrol clear instead of regular acrylic gloss varnish and seeing how that goes, apparently it has better self levelling properties. So far I've tried Krylong spray gloss, Vallejo's gloss and GW's ardcoat, I like GW's ardcoat the best but I hate all of them

Personally my very first painted model I used an Army Painter Spray can Matte Varnish, and it ruined the model with frosting so I have steered away from can varnish.

Recently I have used Liquitex "Satin" Brush on Varnish and it worked just fine for my mini, and as others have said, it's somewhere between a Matte and a Gloss.

If you use any kind of spray, make 100% sure the mini is completely dry before hand any previous layers.

Otherwise, you will be surface problems and other imperfections - this is often called "frosting" and is quite common.

I have recently tired brush on for the first time and I can say it works great. Now I think I shall still spray if I have a whole squad to do and the humidity is not too high, but for one guy or if the humidity is really high, I will use the brush on from now on.

Off-topic (sort of):

I've mostly been using spray varnish (usually GW's purity seal because my store run out of the others fairly often) but since trying to step up my painting game I've had some problems. After trying to do some weathering effects with pigments (from Forge World and Vallejo) I sort of messed up when applying the varnish. The weathering pretty much disappeared. Not sure if its because of using actual spray, or because it got wet? So a hypothetical question: If i apply some soot pigments on a model, then brush on varnish... will the soot still be there? Will it work by airbrushing on varnish?
And on the note of airbrushing, do I need to thin the varnish down? I have Vallejo's varnishes (Matt and Gloss). If I need to thin them down, do I just use paint thinner?

Jeffrachov wrote:
Off-topic (sort of):

I've mostly been using spray varnish (usually GW's purity seal because my store run out of the others fairly often) but since trying to step up my painting game I've had some problems. After trying to do some weathering effects with pigments (from Forge World and Vallejo) I sort of messed up when applying the varnish. The weathering pretty much disappeared. Not sure if its because of using actual spray, or because it got wet? So a hypothetical question: If i apply some soot pigments on a model, then brush on varnish... will the soot still be there? Will it work by airbrushing on varnish?
And on the note of airbrushing, do I need to thin the varnish down? I have Vallejo's varnishes (Matt and Gloss). If I need to thin them down, do I just use paint thinner?

Pigment powder will be brushed off if you try to brush on varnish.

Just be ginger with your spray near pigments. dont over spray to the point that the pigments get saturated with varnish.

If its just blowing away try fixing it with alcohol and let it dry 100%

Jeffrachov wrote:
Off-topic (sort of):

I've mostly been using spray varnish (usually GW's purity seal because my store run out of the others fairly often) but since trying to step up my painting game I've had some problems. After trying to do some weathering effects with pigments (from Forge World and Vallejo) I sort of messed up when applying the varnish. The weathering pretty much disappeared. Not sure if its because of using actual spray, or because it got wet? So a hypothetical question: If i apply some soot pigments on a model, then brush on varnish... will the soot still be there? Will it work by airbrushing on varnish?
And on the note of airbrushing, do I need to thin the varnish down? I have Vallejo's varnishes (Matt and Gloss). If I need to thin them down, do I just use paint thinner?

I use Vallejo varnishes though a 0.35 airbrush. Diluting it 50/50 with their thinners works fine.

Just use your cheap, Chinese brush - it's a bit of a sod to clean out properly.