Acrylics What do you chaps use to protect your figures?

[montythefirst]

Hi guys

In the past I have used Army Painter's Anti Shine Matt Varnish spray to protect my figures after painting.
However, the can is nearly out and it is quite a large outlay for a replacement.

I was wondering What do you chaps use to protect your figures?

I mainly paint in Vallejo acrylics i do have an airbrush so any ideas?


cheers
Simon

 

[housecarl]

I don't bother Simon.
Carl.

 

[montythefirst]

I've tended to find in the past that not varnishing has resulted in damage from dust etc

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Well me and many other figurepainters have plenty of excersize and a healthy diet!

I guess if you are gaming with them you are handling them in a different way than most of us do.
I place my figures in cabinets and the only thing I do is avoid having them in Sunlight.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[montythefirst]

There not for gaming they do stay in the display cabinet but living in Cornwall it can get quite damp which effects the paint

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Maybe one of these balls that dry it out when theres dampness in a car for example?

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[Einion]

Technically nothing, but they are kept in a display cabinet so that dust doesn't settle on them (too much).

I'm not a fan of overcoats/varnish if they're avoidable, since it's one less thing to go wrong.

...living in Cornwall it can get quite damp which effects the paint

What effects are you seeing?

Einion

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Having f*cked up several finished models with bad varnish, I also don't use them any more. I find dust settling is more of an issue with oils. I too use a glass cabinet. Another advantage of no overcoat is that you can use different paint finishes for different materials and don't lose the subtle finishes at completion.

Colin

 

[Gaudin]

Varnish also tends to kill more subtle forms of weathering like pastel dusts (sorry , COlin already said that)

Acrylic domes is the way to go

 

[Mark S]

Gaudin, I have several of those cloches or domes and they are excellent dust protectors but if Simon's problem is too much moisture I wouldn't recommend them.
I've found that in humid or moist conditions they can be worse than if you allow more air movement around the figure.
For dust they're great if you want to display a figure somewhere outside your cabinet but for moisture problem I'd be dealing with the moisture along the lines of what Janne suggested rather than putting a figure into a closed moist environment.

 

[MCPWilk]

I either put the figures in a cabinet or on a base with a case or dome (as shown above). There are great deals to be found on eBay if you hunt around.

Good luck,

Mike

 

[ChaosCossack]

I also use 90% Vallejo acrylics. I go with the glass cabinet as well. There is still dust, but not tons... Maybe once a month or so, use your airbrush (or as I do, an air can like those for dusting computer gear) to give the a LIGHT dusting.
For humidity, dessicants mentioned above will help. If it's REALLY bad, installing one or two small "pancake" fan in the cabinet would do very well. These kinds of fans are used in all kinds of electronic applications (computers, stereos etc). They range from 2" to 6" round or square and usually an inch or less thick. Thet are also nearly silent. Two of them in an average china cabinet type enclosure would move a good deal of air around. They are pretty cheap, last a long time and are available at any electronics supplier. I pay about $10 each for 6" fans here in Canada.

Hope this might help

Colin

 

[FigureLover]

On the Varnish side of things, I use Model Master varnishes in the bottles. I thin it quite a bit with low odour Turpentine as they are enamels and shoot it through my airbrush sparingly!!!! Spraying a thick coat will cause problems. I paint in oils and acrylics and haven't had a problem as long as the paints are fully dry.
My kits are also kept in a glass cabinet for some dust protection
Ben