i’ve made model kits before but this is the first time i’m venturing into the more advance techniques such as panel lines, weathering and varnishes. my understanding is as follows -
paint the model kit, apply varnish to protect the underlying paint, apply decals, apply varnish again to protect the decals, apply panel lines/weathering and a final coat of varnish (if needed).
broadly speaking, is the above procedure correct?
also - i paint using enamels (modelmaster). online, i mainly see varnishes for protecting acrylic paints. can i use the same acrylic varnish for enamel paints? would it cause any issues?
if acrylic varnishes cause issues with enamels, then what varnish/protective coat should i use for my enamels, so that if i do panel lines/weathering (and clean it later using a thinner), the enamel paint coat is not effected?
noob here in these advance techniques … please help
I have had no success protecting an enamel basecoat from enamel washes,I have tried Vallejo clear coats but my enamel wash or filter would eat right thru it.I would be interested in what some use.Maybe Future would do it.
I don’t think an acrylic wash would have any effect on enamel basecoat just as an enamel wash would have no effect on an acrylic base.
When using solvent type washes over enamels you need a barrier such as Future or Aqua Gloss. If a barrier is not used then the wash will attack the enamel paint. A barrier is not needed if an acrylic wash is used but it may act as a filter and darken the top coat. I don’t like using acrylic washes cause they don’t flow as well as the solvent type.
Another type of wash that is fantastic is Flory Wash. It’s actually water/clay based and only available from the UK. It is best applied over a gloss coat, solvent or acrylic. When dry it wipes off very easily.
Testors makes two kinds of clear coats, a lacquer version and an enamel version. The former is more popular and what I and most of my modeling friends use. I find the lacquer Dullcoat and Glosscoat allow washes made with paint (enamel) thinner to work okay without ruining the enamel finish. The lacquer must be thoroughly dry, however. The fact that it feels dry to the touch in ten to fifteen minutes may mislead people. When applying a wash over it, I like to allow it to dry overnight, or even a full 24 hours.
