Flat, gloss and semi-gloss - are they really necessary?

[Dunderklumpen]

Hi, guys!

 

I'm currently building a Tamiya motorcycle, and as with a lof of other kits, the instructions call out for semi-gloss paints sometimes. Most often it's flat black, gloss black and semi-gloss black I should use. Although I understand why I should use them all, I can't comprehend how to achieve it!

 

When building a car, for instance, I always gloss coat before decaling and weathering. Don't I lose the whole point of using semi-gloss or flat then? Should i put matt and semi-gloss varnish over flat and semi-gloss paint when done decaling? That seems a bit hard to do with the hard-to-reach places, sometimes. And couldn't I just use flat paint then?

 

I really can't wrap my head around how to get it done. One way, ofcourse, is to skip the varnish, but then the pieces are more fragile to handle...

 

Happy for some thoughts and insights from my fellow modellers! Have a nice sunday!

 

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Dunderklumpen
Changed to a more relevant title

[Kev The Modeller]

Hi

 

I can only tell you I how do it, which works fine for me.  Most areas requiring decals will be the outside of the bodywork/tank/firing panels, these areas are nearly always have a finished gloss surface.  On these areas I colour coat, seal with a light gloss coat, add the decals and final gloss coat in layers.  Parts requiring matt or semi tend to be interior or separate components, wings, spoilers, exhaust cans, seats etc and can be built, painted, decaled, given a matt or semi coat and added as a separate component.  A vinyl roof, bonnet/boot lid I'd mask off the surrounding area and add colour and then matt/semi as required, this would be done after the main body/area was finished. 

 

Personally I've not had issues turning matt to semi or gloss to mat or semi or any combination,  for decals it doesn't always have to be gloss, providing the surface is smooth you can decal without any clear/varnish.  Same applies to decaling on a matt or semi finish, it's the surface finish that matters rather than the type.  That said sometimes you can get colour bleed onto say a white decal on a red colour coat, after the clear coat is added weeks later, I would always seal the area with with a clear before decaling.  The surface finish you get really depends on what clear/varnish you use, i.e. Tamiya I find there's not a lot of difference between matt and semi, same with Aqueous, where as there's a huge difference between them with Ammo Mig, or AK.  Yet Mr Hobby GX 112,113, 114 and GX100 super clear 111 gloss,  again a huge difference and these are my go to clears.  That said if I want a really matt surface I find Ammo mig is great.            

 

 

[Dunderklumpen]

Thanks a lot for your input, @Kev The Modeller! Right now I'm building a Tamiya bike kit, and those I like to build in stages. So not really a problem there. When it's time to restock the paintrack I think I'm gonna go with a few less options, actually. As you say, there's not a lot of difference in matt/semi in a lot of paints. Rather ofter I substitute semi-gloss black in kits because it's not really visible afterwards anyway. 

 

I do however like to cleargloss as a means of protecting the pieces. I used to use Vallejo a lot, but as I've now switched many of my paintjars to Aqueous it doesn't seem necessary. That paint is much more durable!

[Shin]

Hey @Dunderklumpen, I think you're on the right track - I don't see the point of having different "sheens" of the same paint colors, when their final look can be altered by various clear coats.

 

That goes into my response to your whole question - I never clear coat for protection, only to change the sheen of different materials. I don't know how much you're handling the actual models so maybe you need more protection than I do. Like you said most things can be built in subassemblies, and that may be one way to separate pieces with different sheens (fuselage may be glossy, landing gear semi-gloss, wheels flat for example) before attaching them at the end. Masking is always an option - gloss coat the whole thing, then mask off small areas that have a flatter sheen and apply a flat coat to that. Or conversely flat coat the small pieces (perhaps the hard to reach places as you mention), tape or silly putty them off, then gloss coat the rest. 

[Tim R-T-C]

For me it is useful as I don't flat coat everything - when making missiles for a plane for example these get added on right at the end, after all the clear coats are done and dusted.

 

Similarly small figures or diorama accessories that are going onto a scene and not being handled I usually won't varnish

[Dunderklumpen]

I think you both have a good point, @Shin and @Tim R-T-C: handling the finished model. Perhaps I've been overly cautious with the paintjob. I also build miniatures for tabletop games, and it's important to varnish those due to handling.

 

Regarding models I think I'll try to use the same "sheen" on the entire model and then change it when I'm done using varnish. If nothing else it'll be a good practice run 🙂