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I've seen many folks mention varnish/sealer being applied with an airbrush. What kind is used for that? I'd prefer acrylic if possible, and of course a finish that isn't glossy. They do sell vallejo model color at a local hobby store, but not model air, and they have several bottles of clear varnishes, but I don't know if they can be thinned for airbrushing, or what to thin them with. At present I use testors gloss/dullcote from a shaker can.

Liquitex sells matte varnish which you can use in an airbrush.

Honestly the testors stuff is the best in comparison.

My only consideration for using sealers via airbrush are when weather conditions are a factor.

Valljeo matte varnish for me. perfect matte every time I use it

I like windsor & newton galleria satin. Thinned with vallejo thinner it's lovely, not too glossy but doesn't overly flatten metals.

 wikkedj wrote:
I've seen many folks mention varnish/sealer being applied with an airbrush. What kind is used for that? I'd prefer acrylic if possible, and of course a finish that isn't glossy. They do sell vallejo model color at a local hobby store, but not model air, and they have several bottles of clear varnishes, but I don't know if they can be thinned for airbrushing, or what to thin them with. At present I use testors gloss/dullcote from a shaker can.

Yes, that Vallejo varnish will work perfectly fine in your airbrush and chances are you won't need to thin it (I typically spray varnish at ≈30 psi and have never needed to thin it).

You can also head to Michaels or A.C. Moore and buy the large bottles of Liquitex varnish. I thin the gloss varnish a bit when I use it but do not thin the matte or satin, so YMMV.

I use any of the vallejo varnishes but I wouldn't thin them with anything other than Liquitex airbrush medium. I find that the vallejo thinning medium causes tip dry. I do use their thinning medium for painting with a brush though.

You don't have to thin it however you can just not to much. Just make sure you clean it right after.

If you're looking for gloss try Future/ Klear Pledge floor care.

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/04/65/00/00/0004650000182_500X500.jpg

Cheap and works really good.

My preferred gloss is liquitex high gloss, at about 30 psi.

My preferred matte, is testors acryl flat clear - its amazing.

I thin it slightly with a small amount of alcohol

Thanks all for the information. I'll check some of the vallejo stuff out this weekend and if I can find the liquitex stuff locally, that as well!

Vallejo for me, too. Thinned with 50% water.

Get the 60ml bottle for massive savings.

Same as Blackfang, Vallejo thinned with water, both Matte and Gloss, which I mix depending on the glossiness desired. I do find their matte to be ultramatte, so will usually add some gloss in.

I have Minitaire, but even the matte is very glossy.

Lord Blackfang,

I wish I read this post earlier. Halfway through matting a batch of minis my matte varnish ran out. I opened the new bottle and used it.

I ruined the last two minis and a made a rhino look dull as hell.

I normally use a 30%windex/70% varnish, but this new bottle was STRONG! The minis are simply dusty looking.

I hope I can fix them with some washes. :(

50%/50% mix from now on and test new varnish on test models.