Sealant?

[GavinT]

I'm slowly putting together a diorama of an abandoned E Type Jag (1/18 scale) and have been experimenting with rust effects and moss/general grime and dirt. I've finished with the rust and have almost finished with the moss and grime, painting watered down PVA in all the areas grime and moss would collect, then sprinkling dried and crumbled real moss and fine soil granules on the PVA. It's looking good and starting to take shape, but is there anything I can now put/paint/spray over this to seal it in? I've tapped off all the excess, but I'm worried that when I give it a very light colour wash with some dark greens/browns a lot of it will come off?

I'm very new to this so if I'm going wrong anywhere by the way please let me know, at least at this stage I can undo any wrong doings lol

Cheers, Gav

 

[andygh]

I'd go for a coat or 2 of acrylic varnish like this

Purity Seal Spray | Games Workshop

this is exactly the same stuff, it's just a different label on the can

Chestnut's Acrylic Satin Lacquer Spray

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I think any form of clear coating such as varnish would do the job. You need to decide on whether you want a matt finish, in which case a wash would adhere to the entire surface or a gloss finish, which would be a lot easier to remove the excess wash from where you didn't want it and so leave it only in the shadow areas.

 

[GavinT]

I think a matt or satin finish would be best. Six quid odd sounds a bit expensive initially, but then I'd get good use out of it and I pay that for spray paint anyway. I think a spray would be much easier to apply, and wouldn't ruin the way some of the dust has naturally fallen down the sides of the model, giving it a natural 'weathered' look.