Varnishing/sealing - what's your preference?

[worktroll]

So, I'm a flat matte addict by nature. These are war machines, my brain says. But I had a recent happy accident. My regular Humbrol Matt Acrylic can died a third of a way through a unit. So I pulled out an old reserve can of craft shop matt, warmed it up, shook it for 5 minutes, and sprayed. And it worked, but was definitely in the semi-gloss category. Which for this unit (which I'll be posting this week) it worked. But I just did buy some more matt varnish.

So what's your preference? Please vote and tell us!

Also things to discuss, if you feel:

- Do you do one, two, or more coats? I'm a recent convert to the one gloss and one matt coat, for durability. Other opinions?

- Acrylic vs enamel varnishes? I prefer acrylic for speed, but enamels work just as well in the long run.

Discuss!

[dirty harry]

Due to my local restrictions i am unable to spray varnish, so brush-on only.

Primarily i use Vallejo matte varnish, but i lately tested a bottle of Army Painter matte varnish. Result is almost identical, the Army Painter varnish might dry a little faster.
Clear varnish is usually used in defined spaces like cockpit windows or laser lenses.
If i varnish in semigloss it is usually to let the paint pop out a little more, e.g. metallic colors (like 2nd Big MAC).

If i have to protect paint from scratches thanks to (potentially) rotating parts (magnetized turrets and so on), it is not varnish, it is a thin layer of acrylic glue (let it dry carefully before reattaching anything!). The acrylic glue generates a far harder surface than any varnish ... but it is also very shiny, so maybe a thin layer of matte varnish afterwards, although a few rotations later you have those scratchmarks in the varnish (at least not in the paint job...).

[Cat]

I've always done gloss for hardness and then matte on top after it's dried thoroughly.

[NeonKnight]

Put me firmly in the HARD SATIN/SEMI GLOSS what have for a first heavy coat, then a light coat of matt to take the sheen off.

[Weirdo]

Definitely matte at the end for me, though I do a coat of gloss before, to provide a smooth surface for decals.

[Sapphirus]

Definitely matte at the end for me, though I do a coat of gloss before, to provide a smooth surface for decals.

Same here!

[Sartris]

gloss then matt so i can do touchups when shiny spots appear

[MarauderD]

I do Krylon Fusion Gloss in two thin coats for hardness.  Next day I do a Krylon Fusion Clear Matte Sealer in two thin coats.  So I definitely go Matte in the end.

I'm starting to realize that Northern California is an unusual place because I can use spray cans 9 months out of the year easily, and even in the summer before it gets too hot. 

[Bedwyr]

Matte fanboi for regaining a sense of scale against the base artwork for sure. I was turned on to using Deluxe "Looks Like Glass" on cockpits and laser apertures. It looks really really good.

[Hellraiser]

Definitely matte at the end for me, though I do a coat of gloss before, to provide a smooth surface for decals.

Same here!

Ditto

I was turned on to using Deluxe "Looks Like Glass" on cockpits and laser apertures. It looks really really good.

I read about an old version of "Future" or some other mopping product that is really good for that but the formula changed & it seems a lot harder to find the old stuff now or a suitable replacement.

[Elmoth]

I only use matte from AK Interactive. Dries fast and strong. However, it is only available for brush use (that i know of) so application is a little bit slow for my taste. I prefer can sprays as I am not a very patient painter (and it shows)

[Cat]

Actually, I've wound up doing a more multi-layered finishing due to Fighting Piranha Decals being ink-jet printed and therefor needing an acrylic sealant.
 
After painting, I spray Testor's Glosscote lacquer.  Then apply decals.  Then spray with Krylon Matte Clear acrylic.  But that is in fact quite Satiny, so after that dries, then a spray of Testor's Dullcote for actual matteness.
 
As always, I leave weapon tips and canopies in a base white until all the sealant is done, and then do them with gloss paints for sparkle.

[sounguru]

Matte but I do something a little different in that I seal as I go I have mechs that have over 20 layers of matte on them though the painting process. I am not a real fan of the semi gloss then matte circle I tried it and it and I could still see the thickness of the semi gloss layer under the matte so I stopped doing it.

I will gloss cockpits and laser ports ... which reminds me I need to go get some brush on gloss thanks for that.. 

[Xan]

I do a coat of Testors dull coat then brush on gloss for any cockpits/weapons.  I have recently started to use brush on gloss as a barrier if I am trying something I might want to wipe off, and keep the paint underneath intact.

[worktroll]

I keep meaning to gloss varnish a white base coat, then try black ink wash, before drybrushing white. But then I discovered Citadel's Contrast White, and then I discovered the even better Soulblight Grey shade.  But maybe one day ...

[Kibutsu]

I use acrylic gloss prior to oil wash and decals, then acrylic matte as a final coat. I airbrush everything, and currently I'm using Vallejo Mecha and find they work very well, but they would work just as well using a brush. VMS is also very good but I only have tried the matte so far.