am i missing something? i dont customize often i just can never get around to it, but at the moment i have about 10 figures i am working on. in the past i used basic testors paint which isnt that great now im wanting to use model masters and besides the fact that i cant find very many colors at the hobby lobby by my house the biggest problem i have is i keep buying paint and getting it home and using to find out its all shiny and glossy, i will never have a need for glossy. ive looked all over the bottles and never can find anything that says flat or glossy.

_________________

I've found that most of the Model Master Acrylic bottles that I've bought are labeled in one of two ways: an F or a G in parentheses (for "flat" and "gloss," respectively), with a few semi-gloss finishes (labeled "SG," obviously), or for more basic colors, the description "flat black" or whatever. That said, I've bought dozens of bottles over the years, and their labeling isn't consistent from bottle to bottle. If the place you get the bottles has one of those display racks with a color sample below each paint, that should give you an idea of the finish. I seem to remember the color samples being labeled "flat" or "gloss," too.

Near as I can tell, military colors are flat, and everything else is gloss.

That said, I've got a bottle of hellblau, and it dries shiny. I think it might have something to do with the fact that these are intended for models, and water slide decals work better on smooth shiny surfaces. Even military models usually end up getting a coat of gloss, before the decals go on, then matte over top of that. I'd suggest getting a bottle of flat clear, and using that over top of the glossy paints.

_________________

thanks guys, there is absolutely nothing obvious i can find on the bottles like an F or G. its annoying because all the colors i am trying to find are non military, i just want a good basic blue and green and purple that arent shiny. im looking at the actual testors site and the stuff isnt even marked but there is this message (•NOTE: This paint is naturally thicker paint than other acrylics. It is intended (but not limited to) for painting figurines and a thicker paint is desired for the fine detail brush work. ) i guess the ones with this message are the non gloss. it just makes no sense to me that there isnt a simple gloss/flat marker on them or on the display rack.

_________________

Ah yes, the "figure paints" or whatever they call them. Those are pretty thick. But, they're flat.

I never actually noticed the lack of flat/glossy markings. I know white and black are marked, because they're sold both ways. Does seem a bit logic defying, that they're marked.

_________________

I guess I kinda look at the little stickers on the shelf where they show the color, some are pretty glossy and some not. I kinda think about the names in some cases, a color that sounds like a hot rod color I assume is glossy. And then I bought a bottle of the flat clear because some colors that I wanted only come in glossy. I've been thinking too that factory produced figures aren't glossy (obviously) or flat, but more semi-glossy or in between. Been wanting to mix the flat in with the glossy before painting.

Just a word of warning, it doesn't take much clear in paint to make it noticeably transparent. I use those kinds of mixes for weathering, and found out that I don't need much clear in the mix. You;ll need a lot more coats, unless you want to save the clear mix for the just the final coat or two.

_________________

Are you looking at the Model Master Acryl paints? I usually assume the color I'm looking at is flat unless it's clearly marked with a G or SG for gloss or semi-gloss. But the Acryl flat isn't the same as a true flat. It has a slight sheen to it that I really like because it is close to that plastic factory look.

_________________

yes model master acryl, in the past i had only really used some flesh tone and black and white and a brown that were all fine. but i needed some blue and purple and green and red and got them home and they are all gloss. there are no markings to indicate that they are gloss so i assumed they were all flat.

_________________

so what would you guys suggest as a clear coat to sort of give it that slight shine the figures come with but not a full on glossy shine?

_________________

I use a light coat of Krylon matte clear. This evens everything out and gives the piece a nice sheen not a shine & not flat chalky look. Testors Dull-Kote seems to popular too but I, personally, have never used it.

_________________

Agreed about. Even if the paint is glossy when applied, the clear coat will dull the paint (as long as its not gloss clear coat )

thanks guys thats what i was wondering about. i actually bought a can of krylon acrylic clear coat a few years ago but never actually got around to using it. now that im getting around to actually doing some painting i started looking at the can and getting the feeling it was meant for paintings on canvases or something and wasnt sure it would work on plastic figures so i was afraid to use it.

_________________

I work mainly with RAH, and the acrylic clear foes work. I have had lots of problems with speay clear coat of any kind on the soft 15th parts. They end up sticky

well the ones im working on are all modern figures 25th-30th as well as some slayerdesign/angelforge parts. i definately dont want them to end up sticky.

_________________