I usually start with an army painter colo(u)r primer and then all brush. after the paint dries, I dip the minis in Minwax wood finish. it takes about two days for the finish to dry and then I use a matt finish to kill the shine from the varnish. If the paint is too dark after the varnish wash, I'll drybrush a shade similar to the base primer so it doesn't look really dull or dark.