Can you make a gloss paint matte?

[LindsayT]

Hello wise and experienced modelling friends,

I'm getting my ducks in a row for a (very slow) build, and that includes looking at the paints that I have on hand. One of them is Humbrol 10 Service Brown gloss.

http://www.humbrol.com/paints/all-paints/aa0117-10-service-brown-14ml-gloss-enamel-tinlet/?searchguid=2012102622042&resultspage=

It's a really nice colour, but unfortunately it only comes in gloss. My question for you, then is can you turn a gloss colour matte, either by adding some clear flat / matte cote to the paint, or by spraying afterwards with the same? Or is that just going to lead to heartache and pain?

Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Lindsay

[Des]

I use a lot of Humbrol paints, in fact they are my main paint choice simply because of their beutiful spraying qualities. When I use a gloss Humbrol paint and want it to be finished as a matt I wait at least 24 hours after spraying to make sure it is fully cured, then I spray it with either a satin or matt clear coat, this does an excellent job to 'flatten' a gloss coat, and with no headaches or pain.

Des.

[LindsayT]

Oh, well, that was easy. Thanks for the reply, Des, I'm glad it's that simple.

I'm glad you brought up the point about being fully cured. After I posted the question I went and sprayed my test palette with a Testors rattle can of matt clear.  Even though I painted it last night, the paint still wrinkled immediately. Now I'll know to give it plenty of time to fully cure.

I guess that's why you test things out first, eh?

LT

[Des]

Be careful if you are mixing paint brands, some are not compatible with others and will cause crazing, also be wary of lacquers and enamels, you can put enamel over lacquer bur not the other way around, some acrylics will react with enamels. When I spray my Humbrol Enamels I always over coat with Humbrol satin or matt cote, not a different brand. You are wise doing test pieces first, this saves you the heartache of destroying a model.

Des.

[Ian from Doncaster]

Des, how well does humbrol varnish spray?  I know you can get the gloss & matt varnish in a rattle can (I have used that) but I also have a pot of mattcote - this I have occasionally handbrushed, having thinned with humbrol branded enamel thinners, and seems to work well.  I use this over enamel and acrylic paint finishes but sealed with Klear first.

I have stayed away from airbrushing mattcote or even klear, in case I make a bad job.   To follow and expand upon Lindsay's original question, I would appreciate your (and others' of course) guidance on airbrushing varnishes. 

[Des]

Humbrol varnish sprays very well but does need thinning. I always spray with Humbrol full gloss varnish where I want to apply decals, I thin it with enamel thinners by about 50%, I spray at 26 - 30psi, apply light coats allowing a few minutes between coats, a heavy application will cause runs and sags. Once sprayed the item will need to be put in a dust free place over night. I do not usr the varnish as a final top coat, I use Humbrol gloss, satin or matt clear cote which comes in a bottle, not the little tinlets like the varnish.

I have sprayed both the Humbrol varnish and the Humbrol clear cotes over enamels and acrylics with no nasty reactions, both are excellent products and are quite easy to use. The varnish gives an excelent surface for the decals to be applied to.

Des.

[Ian from Doncaster]

Thanks Des, my concern with spraying isn't so much overspray, more the opposite to avoid a "speckly" appearance.

[Trackpad]

FWIW, I use Xtracolor gloss paints extensively. To matte them, I spray one or two thin coats of Testors Dullcote. I decant the Dullcote from its rattle-can and thin it 1:1 with lacquer thinner. Spray at about 16-18 psi, and have had no problems with it. 

[kornbeef]

Of late I've brush painted with Revell clear matt aquacolor with pretty good results over a variety of finishes.  I never thought I'd be pleased with revell paint after many disappointments over the years but I do like the satin/matt finish with this.  It brushpaints nice and smooth and thin


Keith

[pepperman42]

....and the Testors varnish rattlers are lacquer I think hence the crinkling over fresh paint. Lacquer over very very cured paint is ok but the best way around that problem is to thin your paint WITH laquer thinner no matter what the paint is (enamel,acryl etc) Talc will flatten the paint if thats what you want to do, but gloss colours can mean skipping the glossing for decaling.

[JoeDxMB]

Des, how well does humbrol varnish spray?  I know you can get the gloss & matt varnish in a rattle can (I have used that) but I also have a pot of mattcote - this I have occasionally handbrushed, having thinned with humbrol branded enamel thinners, and seems to work well.  I use this over enamel and acrylic paint finishes but sealed with Klear first.

I have stayed away from airbrushing mattcote or even klear, in case I make a bad job.   To follow and expand upon Lindsay's original question, I would appreciate your (and others' of course) guidance on airbrushing varnishes. 

I also use Humbrol's  mattcote (along with Satincote  and glosscote).
For  a base coat I use Tamiya and humbrol paint (gloss and matt) depending of course on the paricular  model  and  aplication. 

BTW, I not only buld WWWI modeles, I also love all vintage aircraft. I'm currently building  a Stearman PT-17 along with a 1911 Martin Handasyde monoplane for example.

Anyway, I have found that the best way (for me) to apply the mattcote is to brush it on, using a high quality, flat,  somewhat stiff, short bristle  brush about  10mm wide. I "wipe" most of the mattcote off of the brush before applying.
I found that this method when carefully applied gives a thin, even mattcote.

However, I should point out that  I do not have a dedicated work area and it's a bit of a hassle to set up my airbush and spray area. So, I only use my airbrush when it seems it would be more prudent to do so .   

[ALBATROS1234]

i apply testors rattlecan dullcote to all my models to give a uniform matt finish. if you spray it too heavy at first it will melt/wrinkle paint and even decals. i ruind some lozenge on a fokker dvii like this. so i have learned after the paint has dryed for 24 hours spray a very light mist coat, let it dry 10 min followed by 2 or 3 more misted coats with drying time in btw and you cant go wrong. after the initial 3-4 coats of matt have dryed 24 hours you can spray a thick coat if you want.