Reddit reviews Liquitex 5208 Matte Varnish 8 Oz. Bottle, 8oz, Multicolor

I can't speak on behalf of Reaper's sealer, but I know that sealing your minis is vital if they're going to be anything besides a show piece.

Matte, gloss, and satin varnishes form a protective coat over the paint. This means that you can handle your mini without worrying too much about rubbing the paint of the surface, or having the oils in your hands interacting with the paints in an undesired way.

Also, the different types of varnishes can be used to create interesting finishes on your mini. For instance, gloss varnishes can give the mini a "wet" or "shiny" look, which is nice for muddy ground or very shiny armor.

I don't want to toot my own horn, but if you want an example of how varnishes look on a finished mini, I've painted up a manticore that uses matte and gloss varnish on different parts to give it an interesting look between the fur and the carapace.

If you're looking to start using varnishes to protect your minis, I would suggest getting started with Liquitex. They make affordable varnishes of pretty much every finish and size, and they're probably cheaper than Reaper's stuff if you're just getting started.

Been painting a few years and lurking here forever, here's my advice:

> Mixing Brush: I am told that you should not mix paint with your primary brushes. Where can I buy a cheap brush for mixing, and anything special I need?

If I'm already using a "larger" brush (1 or higher) I'll mix with my good brushes and just be mindful of how far up the ferrule I am or use the back of the brush. If I'm using a detail brush I'll use a super cheap synthetic 2 or 3. Look on amazon or at a local art chain (Michaels) for cheap student grade packs of round brushes. You'll end up using these for terrain, PVA glue, and all sorts of other things.

> More Brushes: My kit came with a 2 flat and 0 round. What other brushes will I need, and what in your opinion is a good brand to buy? Any set that covers all the basics? Although I am new to painting, I'd like something that will last me and be quality. They sell SoHo brushes in my local store, which look like they are great quality. Any users here?

This topic can get pretty involved. Brushes have a lifespan so if you're new to the hobby I wouldn't recommend dropping money on higher end Kolinsky brushes like W&N Series 7 or daVinci Maestro. For a new painter I recommend Winsor & Newton's University series and Army Painter's Wargamer brushes. The W&N University brushes are higher than average student quality acrylic brushes that can be abused. They're great for basecoating with thicker mixes. The Wargamer brushes are a cheap intro into real sable hair so you can get started at layering with thinned paints.

> Primers: This is a big ? for me --- Spray primers, basic black white and grey? Which ones, what brand, etc... Really unsure what is recommended here, as in a store there are so many, but hoping /r/minipainting can help as we are all painting the same stuff. Would love some specific product recommendations here.

For the most part, you have three options: spray cans, brush-on, and airbrush. I can't really recommend spray primers - they require ventilation, have trouble with humidity, and can only be sprayed at one consistency. Many of the hobby spray cans advertised for basing your minis aren't actual primers. Brush-on primers are the most economical but run the risk of losing detail on the mini if applied heavily. Airbrushing is my preferred method using either Mr. Hobby's Mr. Surfacer 1500 thinned with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner for highly detailed minis, or Vallejo Primer for tabletop quality minis. Vallejo Primer's are acrylic and polyurethane so they're more protective but can sometimes take away detail.

> Finish: I saw a few videos where they spray some 'protective' finish on a product, I believe there are matte finishes as well as gloss finishes? Can I get any 'matte/gloss finish' product, or are there certain ones for miniatures?

Same three options as priming. If your minis are going to be handled often, I recommend a glossy coat then a matte coat. Glossy varnishes are stronger than matte varnishes, so this combo will give you the most protection. You are more likely to lose some detail this way. If your minis are for display only you can skip the varnish and just be careful. Dried acrylics are basically thin plastic so they have some durability on their own. Brand-wise I airbrush using Liquitex Professional gloss and matte varnishes, thinned with Vallejo airbrush thinner and a drop or two of Vallejo flow-improver. Vallejo varnishes are also good but Liquitex offers the best bang for your buck.

> Mini Holders: I found this product which looks amazing, but is not available until late 2017 since the Kickstarter has ended. Are there any similar products that someone could recommend, or should I just go with something very simple? Would love to hear some ideas.

I use an old Citadel paint pot and white poster tack to stick to the bottom of the base. If you want to paint individual parts, heat the tip of a needle/pin with a lighter, press it gently into the glue joint of the mini (the hole will be hidden later), then press the other side of the needle into a wine cork or similar.

> Brush Care: I got a "masters" paste from a store that I was told to rinse and swirl my brushes in after painting. Any other tips or is this okay?

Master's is the best option, just make sure you follow the directions and use warm water for best results. You can also get a small bottle of W&N Brusher Cleaner and Restorer to have on reserve if you accidentally let paint dry on one of your better brushes. If it's a cheap or synthetic brush you can clean it with original Windex (WITHOUT Ammonia-D) or Vallejo airbrush cleaner, followed by a wash with Master's.

> Carving/Scraping tools: I know some minis need to be cut from a sheet and some have mold lines that need to be cleaned. How is this done and what tools are needed?

Get a decent pair of sprue cutters - I recommend these. You should be able to find these for $10 at a local hobby store. For plastic minis you should be fine with just an X-acto or similar knife for getting rid of mold lines - just run the blade mostly perpendicular to the line and "shave" it gently.

> Storage Box: For all the little things that come along with painting, what do you use/recommend to store everything in?

A coffee mug works fine as a brush holder. You can try a hardware store for all sorts of containers if you're traveling with paints. Otherwise desk space and some imagination (spice racks) or money (official paint stand) are all you need.

> Paint Agitators: I was told to get some steel balls and put them in every paint bottle I have. It's okay to leave them in there. Would these work, or any concerns?

Please do not use steel ball bearings. You can attempt to buy "marine grade" ball bearings but unless it's reputable and expensive they are still likely going to rust and ruin your paint. I use hematite beads for necklaces for my paints. 4mm for dropper bottles and 6mm for pots. You can get them cheaper at Michaels w/ a coupon and they're inert so they won't stain your paints.

> Flow Improver: Thoughts? I was told to mix this into my washes. How much should I add, one drop? Is this product okay, or is this only for airbrushing?

Flow improver is generally used for airbrushing to extend the drying time and prevent clogs. Fluid retarder in the form of actual art supply from W&N or Liquitex, Vallejo's Glaze Medium, or Games Workshop's Lahmian Medium are what you're looking for. These can all be used to turn a normal paint into a wash (heavy dilution), or can be used to extend drying time for wet blending (light dilution). I can't give you exact ratios as each paint company, each color, and the age of your paints will dictate that. Trial and error is the only method here.


One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is a wet palette. It will save you a lot of headache when learning to wet blend and will let you save mixed paints for many days. You can get one for cheap and use either the papers that come with it or kitchen parchment paper. Both will yield different results so play around with both. Be sure to use distilled water or you're likely to get some funk from mold after a couple days.

Reaper has good paints too. Miniaturemarket carries them.

I'm a novice painter, been painting off and on for a few years. Some lessons learned -

• Stock up on small brushes (e.g. 0, 3/0, 5/0, 10/0) and don't expect them to last forever. There are sellers on Amazon who sell sets of just small brushes (example).
  
• Thin your paints with a little bit of water, it makes it much easier to paint precisely and preserves details better.
  
• Washes (e.g. inks thinned with water or Citadel Shades) let gravity do what you could never do by hand
  
• I've never had good luck with spray-on primers or sealants, I use brush on primer (reaper) and a brush-on matte varnish (the varnish has a slight sheen to it, but it looks fine). Primer really is different from paint, it's designed to stick to surfaces better and allow paint to stick to it better.
  
  I need to learn to finish painting projects (and the paint on the table cover is from when my daughter woke up in the middle of the night to try out daddy's special paints)

I would use (and do) use Liquitex matte varnish. I put mine through an airbrush, but if you thin it with water, it can be applied to problem areas with a paint brush.

https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Varnish-8-oz/dp/B000KNPLTM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480536084&sr=8-1&keywords=liquitex+matte+varnish

Using a clear Matte Varnish helps and doesn't take away much from the finished look.

Something like this after all of your painting is done and dry: https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Varnish-8-oz/dp/B000KNPLTM

ANOTHER CRUCIAL COMPONENT Remember to seal the model with a Varnish. I prefer Liquitex Matte Varnish.

This does 2 great things:
1.) Helps protect your paint job from the acidity of your hands if you play a lot
2.) Gives it a clean-looking muted look.

Don't panic when you apply it, it's white but drys clear! Also, shake it very well

Not super cheap but this will do the trick. You can also use poster tack (YMV with different brands). Maybe spray a coat of matte varnish on before applying tape/putty just to be safe.

Masking fluid could work too, but it has some caveats. You need to paint it on pretty thick, and don't let it sit for too long or it will be hard to get it all off. Its better for paint chips and small things, I don't recommend it for hoards of tyranids.

Masking is one of the drawbacks of airbrushing. You might be better off using a brush for the red, then carefully airbrushing highlights with just some quick masking. Then go back and touch up the blue with a brush if needed.

As a newbie who wants to be sure, this is the varnish you are talking about right:

https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Varnish-8-oz/dp/B000KNPLTM

since there is another which has same name but only for paintings.

And also I found Vallejo Surface Primer 74602 Black. Which works the same as your 73.602 right? Are there any differences? Ok. It is just the size of bottles.

By the way, do you use different brushes for these? My assumptions are: Primers are also acrylic paints and does not harm the brushes, so I can use my main brush also for priming. But varnish can stuck on brush, so i should use separate and cheap brush.

Am I correct?

Ok, I found what I was referring to. It's not a paint, it's a Matte Varnish.

[Liquitex Professional Matte Varnish] (http://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Varnish-8-oz/dp/B000KNPLTM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409160442&sr=8-1&keywords=matte+varnish) and yes I use this [airbush thinner] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoKJUrISnTo) and put them into 2oz bottles with 50/50 thinner and Vallejo paint, it thins the paints for easy use with an airbrush and doubles my paint supply

Thank you; I'll check this one out as well :)


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Varnish-237/dp/B000KNPLTM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484131023&sr=8-1&keywords=liquitex+varnish+matte

Is this the one?