How do people apply varnish to 6mm Figures?

[eques]

Following a couple of clouding disasters I'm reluctant to spray anything any more, but brushing seems a little heavy handed for 6mm figures and below.

[Mick Hession]

10mm is as small as I've done in recent years, but I've found Vallejo varnishes quite good for that scale, applied by brush.

Cheers
Mick     

[Mark G]

I use Windsor and newton artist spray varnish.

Scale is no issue.

[eques]

I use Windsor and newton artist spray varnish.

Scale is no issue.

Yes, but I now have a horror of using spray varnish on anything after a couple of clouding incidents.

[Prufrock]

I use Windsor and newton artist spray varnish.

Scale is no issue.

Yes, but I now have a horror of using spray varnish on anything after a couple of clouding incidents.

What type of spray did you use? When matte coats clouded for me I let them dry and sprayed again with a gloss coat and it came right. That's been when using Mr Hobby Topcoat sprays though, and 15mm figures.

[Imperial Dave]

I really dont bother for 6mm....come to think of it, I dont bother for 15mm either. I really dont like the varnish effect and if heavy handed.....

[kodiakblair]

Years back I mixed a bottle of Johnson's Klear floor polish with dark brown ink. I just brush it on, more a dip/varnish combo than true varnish. For a matt effect you could use finishing spray for photographs etc but cheap cans of hairspray do the same job.

[Mark G]

As I said, artists quality spray applied by a sentient being, no issues with clouding.  Ever.

[Imperial Dave]

As I said, artists quality spray applied by a sentient being, no issues with clouding.  Ever.

thats me out then....

although in all seriousness I might have a try if it gives good results

[Mark G]

I recommend it.

Artist quality is worth the money.

Then you just have to not be stupid with the spraying, and pick days with moderate weather, and a decent distance from nozzle to figure.

Also recommend Ikea for a cake turning thing to assist with turning the tray of figures.

[eques]

Then you just have to not be stupid with the spraying, and pick days with moderate weather, and a decent distance from nozzle to figure.

Well that's the same for any spray!  Don't want to risk another disaster, though, whether through "human error", lack of knowledge, lack of sentience or anything else.

I'll try some light touch brushing but if that gets too laborious, I'll go with Holly's original suggestion.

Hopefully some of you will see the results at Battle Day '18! (or Joy of Six if you're going)

[Andreas Johansson]

days with moderate weather

In the UK, that'd be when it rains just a litte?

I gave up on spray on primers and varnishes because if you follow  the instructions on the bottles, large parts of the year are simply out here.

[Imperial Dave]

as an interesting aside, do people varnish figures to protect them or to get them a certain visual effect/finish? As said earlier I gave up on varnishes as they are tricky to get the right effect (for cack handed me that is). I also dont see much in the way of paint chips or flaking on my figures so am not bothered (apart from when my wife upends a few hundred phalangites that is...)

obviously varnish does protect figures from chips and wear but for those that dont varnish...how much of a problem is it?

when I got into wargaming it was one of the first rules handed down by my peers.....here's a copy of WRG 5th, always carry lots of dice, always have pen and paper and always varnish your figures

[Jim Webster]

as an interesting aside, do people varnish figures to protect them or to get them a certain visual effect/finish? As said earlier I gave up on varnishes as they are tricky to get the right effect (for cack handed me that is). I also dont see much in the way of paint chips or flaking on my figures so am not bothered (apart from when my wife upends a few hundred phalangites that is...)

obviously varnish does protect figures from chips and wear but for those that dont varnish...how much of a problem is it?

when I got into wargaming it was one of the first rules handed down by my peers.....here's a copy of WRG 5th, always carry lots of dice, always have pen and paper and always varnish your figures

with water based paints it's more that they seem to rub off when handled a lot. Mind you I suspect my armies aren't handled as much as they used to be 

[Mark G]

They do wear off without varnish through handling.

Although I have a friend who recons using true artists paints, like liquetex, will be fine without.  But you need to be astoundingly good at colour mixing for that.

Even 6mm will wear to metal with handling if not varnished, in fact more so, because you are more likely to be touching lots of figure at once.

Figure painting is like cooking or mixing drinks.  Use the best ingredients you can afford.  It pays off long term.

Good brushes keep their points longer, good colours hold better (pick a range that gets a yellow you like, that seems to be the most reliable single colour to test quality with), and good varnish protects and enhances without clouding.

And always undercoat after you finish gluing. Otherwise you are just sticking paint to paint.