How to Varnish Miniatures

To varnish miniatures, wait until the paint is completely dry, then seal the model with thin coats of a varnish in the finish you want: matte to take the shine off, gloss for a polished look. A coat of Vallejo Matt Polyurethane Varnish or AK 3G Matt Varnish goes on last and turns a pile of painted details into one finished surface.

Why should you varnish miniatures?

Painted gaming pieces get picked up, moved and packed away again and again, and bare paint takes that wear. A varnish settles into a layer of its own over the color, so handling touches the varnish rather than the paint underneath. Vallejo describes its water based varnish as protecting painted models from dust and scratches, dirt and humidity, the everyday wear that handling and display put on a finished piece.

Varnish also sets the look. Paints, washes and decals each dry with a different sheen, and a final coat evens them out so the whole model reads as one surface.

Matte or gloss: which finish should you pick?

Matte is the usual choice for the whole model. A matte coat takes away any shine left by paints, washes or decals and leaves a flat, even finish. AK Interactive makes its Ultra Matt as the flattest choice, for a completely flat finish, and its regular Matte Varnish for a dead flat finish on any surface.

Gloss does the opposite on purpose: it leaves a smooth, shiny, reflective surface. Gloss is how painters pick out the parts that should read as polished, wet or glossy. The Army Painter sells its Warpaints Fanatic Effects Gloss Varnish for exactly that, as a way to add a textural element to chosen areas. Its Matt Varnish is the dull coat for the rest of the model, and can go over the whole figure or take the shine off one area.

Brush on or spray on?

Both work, and the choice is mostly about how many models you have.

• Brush. Work thin coats over the painted surface. It gives control for a single hero model or one detail. AK says its 3G varnishes brush on directly.
• Airbrush. AK says to dilute its 3G varnishes with AK11500 Acrylic Thinner first so the varnish flows through the airbrush and sprays as a light coat. Vallejo's polyurethane varnishes can go through an airbrush with a 0.4 mm needle without dilution.
• Aerosol. Spray varnish is the quick way to seal a finished paint job, because a whole model can be covered without a brush. Vallejo makes its Acrylic Matt Spray Varnish in a 400ml can for exactly that, and states that it does not contain CFC.

How do you apply varnish without ruining the paint?

1. Let the paint dry completely. Vallejo advises not to apply varnish until the paint has dried completely.
2. Shake the bottle. AK says to shake its varnishes before each use.
3. Go thin. Build the finish in fine coats rather than one heavy one. For the aerosol, Vallejo recommends approximately 30 minutes between coats.
4. Give it time. Vallejo's polyurethane varnishes are dry to the touch in one hour, and Vallejo recommends 24 hours between two coats. AK's matte varnishes dry completely in 12 hours, so leave the model undisturbed until then.
5. Clean up. Brushes and tools used with Vallejo's polyurethane varnish clean up with soap and water.

Which varnish should you buy first?

For a first bottle, pick matte. Vallejo's 18ml polyurethane Matt Varnish is the small, inexpensive way in and goes on by brush. If you have a whole army to seal, the 400ml Vallejo aerosol or a 100ml bottle of AK 3G Matt Varnish for the airbrush covers more models per session. Add a gloss for selective details once you want a wet or polished look somewhere on the model.

Varnish is the last step of a long line. If you are still getting set up, how to prime miniatures covers the first coat, how to thin acrylic paint covers the middle, and our first miniature paint kit guide lists what to put on the bench. Everything for the finish lives in our paint and hobby supplies.