Finishes How much, how often....(Guru Hmmm? Thread)

[sounguru]

Worktroll asked about finishing mechs but I want to take this a step further and find out how far out in left field I am.... ;D

So my process is to lay a layer of Matte finish down multiple times though out painting the mech. This expands quite a bit when I am using chalk.

I will say I do this for multiple reasons..
#1 To lock layers in like washes, highlights, chalk, etc.
#2 Since I am a mini holder it prevents me rubbing off layers while holding it.
#3 It gives me a better idea of how things are gonna look when finished. Highlights if glaze is used can be shiny and not give you a real good idea of what it will look matte. I find even just standard paints when hit with matte can darker or lighten making highlights look off.

So as an example my method would be ....

Prime
Wash or basecoat
Seal
Wash or Block in base coat
Seal
Start highlights
Seal as I go (say a leg done seal to evaluate)
Repeat....
Seal

and so on until final base coat usually 2 layers there. When I work with chalk there can be several extra seal times to lock in the chalk and see how it looks. I have a CAV mini that is totally base coated and shaded using only chalk and I am up to 28 layers of sealer and I am just starting details...  ;D ;D

So do you seal more than just at the end or not and why? What is your thoughts on why you do it the way you do?..

[Joel47]

I do a number of sealer layers as well, but I usually use gloss. The idea is to let washes and inks flow into crevices better, as well as to act as a "save point" -- if I slip, or wash runs where I don't want it, I can wipe it off with a finger and/or clean wet brush. The problem with gloss is that it can make it more difficult to see highlights -- as sounguru said, you have to sort out what's a reflection of your lighting and what's actually a highlight by moving the mini around more as you paint. However, I use an LED arc so I don't have point sources, making this less of an issue.
I don't do as many layers as sounguru, though -- I hot-glue my minis to jar lids so I have a handle (I still end up touching them, but at least I'm not grabbing them). Prime, base coat, gloss. Then if there are any other airbrushed colors I gloss after each of those, especially if I'm using tape or Silly Putty as masking for camo. After that, the only seal er I do is during the decal stage, and at the end (where I do gloss then matte, so that I can tell if the coating is being worn away).

[sounguru]

I do a number of sealer layers as well, but I usually use gloss. The idea is to let washes and inks flow into crevices better, as well as to act as a "save point" -- if I slip, or wash runs where I don't want it, I can wipe it off with a finger and/or clean wet brush. The problem with gloss is that it can make it more difficult to see highlights -- as sounguru said, you have to sort out what's a reflection of your lighting and what's actually a highlight by moving the mini around more as you paint. However, I use an LED arc so I don't have point sources, making this less of an issue.
I don't do as many layers as sounguru, though -- I hot-glue my minis to jar lids so I have a handle (I still end up touching them, but at least I'm not grabbing them). Prime, base coat, gloss. Then if there are any other airbrushed colors I gloss after each of those, especially if I'm using tape or Silly Putty as masking for camo. After that, the only seal er I do is during the decal stage, and at the end (where I do gloss then matte, so that I can tell if the coating is being worn away).

I tried the gloss technique and found it didn't really make a difference but that could be because I make a lot of my own washes.

[Joel47]

That could be -- I have found that my homemade pin wash (black acrylic ink and flow improver) will run into cracks no matter the substrate.
Most of it is really the "wipe-off" nature of a gloss finish, but also once I'm done airbrushing I'm done sealing. After the first broad highlight most of the shiny is gone -- I'm not trying to do your chalk highlights on top of something shiny. When I use watercolor pencils, similar in some ways to your chalk, I make sure I have a matte surface.

[sounguru]

That could be -- I have found that my homemade pin wash (black acrylic ink and flow improver) will run into cracks no matter the substrate.
Most of it is really the "wipe-off" nature of a gloss finish, but also once I'm done airbrushing I'm done sealing. After the first broad highlight most of the shiny is gone -- I'm not trying to do your chalk highlights on top of something shiny. When I use watercolor pencils, similar in some ways to your chalk, I make sure I have a matte surface.

So I was mixing up my washes tonight and hosed the recipe all over the place and didn't realize it until too late. Holy snot it works like a champ with less ink and less on the panels than my previous itineration's. Gonna have to run through a few test but this was in a straight primed mini in white and it hardly tinted the panels and settled in the lines nice and dark. So on a matte finish since that is what my primer was it blew by anything else. So even on a matte finish base I should get excellent results.. Now to test...  ;D ;D ;D

Funny how a thread on finishing leads to a new discovery. :thumbsup:

[RazorclawXLS]

So I was mixing up my washes tonight and hosed the recipe all over the place and didn't realize it until too late. Holy snot it works like a champ with less ink and less on the panels than my previous itineration's. Gonna have to run through a few test but this was in a straight primed mini in white and it hardly tinted the panels and settled in the lines nice and dark. So on a matte finish since that is what my primer was it blew by anything else. So even on a matte finish base I should get excellent results.. Now to test...  ;D ;D ;D

Funny how a thread on finishing leads to a new discovery. :thumbsup:

If it's not a problem can you share the recipe for that wash? Over PM perhaps?

[sounguru]

If it's not a problem can you share the recipe for that wash? Over PM perhaps?

I will let me test it out a little more make sure it isn't a freak thing.

[RazorclawXLS]

I will let me test it out a little more make sure it isn't a freak thing.

Thank mate. Much appreciated.