After reading Chrisk-k’s enthusiastic endorsement of the W&N acrylic matt varnish I had to check it out.
Coming from the model rr world, we like dead flat finishes. Dullcote is a staple. But with my new indoor paint station, I would like to get away from the high VOC stuff.
So I ran a simple test using Dullcote, the W&N, and some MicroMark Flat (made by Vallejo).
The Dullcote was thinned with lacquer thinner. The MicroMark with Vallejo Thinner. The Winsor & Newton with distilled water with a couple drops of flow aid.
Perhaps not so visible in the pic, but the Dullcote and MicroMark Flat were really close in appearance: Dead flat. The W&N was more of a dull satin finish.
The Dullcote and MicroMark dried much faster (could be handled sooner) than the W&N.
The MicroMark Flat and the W&N Matt Varnish had smoother finishes than the Dullcote.
I spray the Vallejo and W&N matt varnishes straight out of the bottle. Unless I want to heavily weather a model, I use the W&N. I’ve watched a ton of videos and examined photos of WWII & Vietnam AFV’s, and most of them don’t look dead flat.
I thin the Windsor and Newton varnish with Tamiya white cap thinner and it works real well. I mix it Matt and Satin together so its not quite dead flat. Best flat clears I’ve ever used.
I thought the W&N Matt was kind of satin-ey, compared to the other two. But I’ll give it a shot with the Tamiya thinner. I’m curious if that helps it dry any faster, as well.
