What finish should I use on my model: matt, satin or gloss?

Paint not only comes in different types (acrylic or enamel) but will also produce different finishes. These different finishes are described as gloss, matt or satin. Regardless off paint type gloss paints will give your model a nice shiny finish, matt paints will appear dull (or flat as it is often referred to) and satin will give an effect somewhere in between.

Deciding what finish to apply to your model when painting it can often give you a little bit of pondering to do. After all, get it wrong and hours of hard work are down the drain. However, did you know that you can change the finish of your model once the painting has been completed?

It is always better, of course, to get it right the first time because the more layers of paint you apply to a model the more detail gets lost. With this in mind the best advice is as always to study the prototype before going into battle with a paintbrush. Look very carefully at pictures, or even better, the real thing and consider what it looked like in ex-works condition, then again when the prototype was a few years old or mid-life and then again when it was old, battered and ready for the scrapheap. You will most likely find that newer equals shinier but this rule is not set in stone hence the need for the research.

A lot of modellers will seal their model's paintwork with a coat of clear varnish to help protect it from knocks, scrapes and scratches. Just like paint, the varnish they use also comes in matt, satin or gloss. This is great news if you are not completely satisfied with the finish of your paintwork because a quick lick of varnish later, and hey-presto, your model's finish has changed. This could also be helpful if changing a model's portrayed status from brand-new to getting on a bit, or if you decide to weather the model. A lot of modellers will even apply gloss paint to a model purely to make it easier to apply decals then finish the model off with a coat of matt varnish for the desired effect.

Eventually, it all comes down to your requirements and what makes you happy. There is no right or wrong way to finish for your model other than whether it satisfies your expectations, what is right for one modeller will be different for another. So do your research and have some fun!