When you've finished painting...

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Matt
Hi all, looking for advice. When you've finished painting your figure, vehicle or bust etc. what do you do, leave the model as is or protect with a varnish of sorts? I'm fairly new so not sure what i should be doing, all help greatly appreciated.
I'm a brush man not got into airbrushing yet (although..about 25 years ago i did airbrush a white/black Star Wars stormtrooper and cant for the life of me remember what i did and what equipment i used, i had just had an operation, maybe i was off my head on drugs! :tongue-out3:)

Cheers
Matt
 
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peterairfix

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Normally I gloss varnish to seal the paint then decals and the gloss varnish to seal them and what ever finish is needed ie: Be it Matt or gloss
 
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dave

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Like Peter, I paint then gloss varnish, decals, the varnish of choice as I do mainly WWII aircraft I usually Use a satin varnish.
 
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JR

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Agree with Peter and Dave, gives that protective film.
 

Tim Marlow

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Also agree. My regime is as follows; gloss varnish, then decals, then gloss Again, then pin wash, then Matt Varnish, then weathering.....
I even use this on my wargames figures, though in that case I Gloss varnish followed by Matt varnish. I leave out the pin wash and decals....
The only time I don’t do this is on large scale busts. Varnish on them is limited to colours that dry shinier than expected (frequently blues).
 

Jakko

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I hardly ever use varnish on a display model, except if it’s shiny and I want it matt (or possibly vice versa, but that’s very rare with the kinds of models I build :smiling3:). Wargames models I normally put a layer of matt varnish over; metal gaming figures get a coat of gloss varnish and then matt, because gloss is much more durable but looks bad.
 

PaulTRose

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everything gets an appropriate coat of varnish over the top......gloss or matt
 

Strenko J

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Same for me.. a couple of coats of Matt, satin or gloss varnish
 
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Great, thanks for your insights fellas. I'll get some varnish then, cheers
 
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