Gloss varnish is the hardest-wearing finish you can put on a model, which makes it two things at once: a final coat for anything you want shining, and the toughest protective layer available for anything you don't. Cars, gloss-schemed aircraft, display pieces and anything handled regularly all want it. So, quietly, do most gaming miniatures — more on that below.

It's also the working coat that makes decals behave. Decals silver because air gets trapped under the film against a microscopically rough matt surface; laid onto gloss, they sit down flat and disappear into the paint the way they're supposed to. Same for panel-line washes and oil weathering, which need a slick surface to flow and wipe back cleanly instead of staining the paint. Being water-based acrylic — toluene-free, CFC-free — it goes over acrylic paint without attacking it, and it's mild enough in odour to use where a lacquer clear simply isn't an option. 400ml means you're not rationing it over a squad.

• The toughest, most protective varnish finish available
• Essential base under decals — prevents silvering
• Slick surface for panel-line washes and oil weathering
• Water-based acrylic: safe over acrylic paints, low odour, toluene-free
• 400ml can — plenty for batch work and large models

How to use it: Make sure the paint underneath is completely dry, not just touch-dry. Then build up in thin coats about 30 minutes apart rather than laying on one heavy pass — Vallejo's own recommendation, and the way to avoid pooling in recesses or drowning fine detail.

The trick most miniature painters use: gloss varnish protects far better than matt, but nobody wants a shiny miniature. So do both — a coat or two of gloss for genuine durability, then Vallejo's Matt Varnish (28.531) over the top to kill the shine. You get the toughness of gloss with the finish of matt, and it's the single biggest thing you can do to stop tabletop models wearing at the edges.

Which finish do I need? Gloss for cars, display models, under decals and washes, and as a protective layer. Matt (28.531) for realistic scale finishes, most miniatures, and anything that shouldn't reflect light. Many builds use both, in that order.

Specifications

Brand: Vallejo
Reference: 28.530
Type: Water-based acrylic varnish, aerosol
Finish: Gloss
Volume: 400ml
Suitable for: Painted plastic, metal and resin models
Formulation: Toluene-free, CFC-free
Use in: Well-ventilated area