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Varnishes & Sealers

A varnish is the last thing that touches a finished model and the only one whose job is to still be there in a year. It is not a colour and it is not judged like one: the buying question is sheen and delivery, not hue. Matt kills the plastic shine that makes a good paint job photograph badly; gloss protects hardest and is what goes under a transfer or over a gemstone; satin is the compromise most armies actually want. Brush-on gives you control on a single model, an aerosol covers a unit in one pass and cannot be posted to every country.

The Honest Verdict

Two coats of matt over everything is the default that goes wrong least - and the commonest failure is not the product but the conditions: varnish sprayed in cold or damp air goes cloudy, and no brand is immune to it. Gloss first and matt over the top is the durable combination if the model will be handled. Buy the sheen you want; the price spread across brands is small next to the cost of stripping a frosted army.

On This Shelf

24 products read and admitted so far - Army Painter, Duncan, Humbrol, Mig, Reaper, AK Interactive, Monument, Colour Forge, Liquitex and Vallejo. More are mined and waiting to be judged.

Other Tools & Accessories

Glues & AdhesivesWet PalettesPaint Mixers & ShakersCutting & Prep ToolsBasing MaterialsMagnets & Pin VicesPaint Racks & StoragePainting Handles & HoldersMagnifiers & VisorsHobby & Daylight LampsCarry Cases & Army Transport3D Printing Resin & Consumables

Brushes have their own section - every range compared and priced - and so do airbrushes and compressors.