The finish most real things actually have. Dead matt is a modelling convention, not a fact — look at a car, a rifle stock, a leather boot, an aircraft in service, and almost nothing is truly flat or truly glossy. Satin sits where reality does, and on a lot of subjects it's not the compromise between gloss and matt, it's the correct answer.

It also protects your painting in a way matt doesn't. A dead flat coat scatters all the light, which quietly flattens the blends, highlights and shading you spent hours on — miniatures with careful transitions or non-metallic metal often lose their depth entirely under full matt. Satin holds just enough sheen to keep contours reading, so shape and volume survive the varnish. Being water-based acrylic — toluene-free, CFC-free — it goes over acrylic paint without attacking it, and being lighter on matting agents than a full matt coat, it's noticeably less prone to frosting. 400ml gives you plenty to work with.

• Realistic sheen for vehicles, aircraft, figures, wood and leather
• Preserves blends, highlights and contour that dead matt flattens
• Less prone to frosting than a full matt varnish
• Water-based acrylic: safe over acrylic paints, low odour, toluene-free
• 400ml can

How to use it: Let the paint dry completely first — properly dry, not touch-dry. Then build fine coats about 30 minutes apart rather than one heavy pass. Warming the can in hand-hot water first gives a finer spray and a more even sheen.

Tip: If you're not sure which finish a model wants, satin is the safe bet. It's also the better choice if you photograph your work — a dead matt coat swallows light and detail under a camera flash, while satin keeps the form readable. And you can always knock it back later with a matt coat if you decide it's too lively; going the other way is harder.

Which finish do I need? Satin for realistic in-service finishes, figures, display pieces, and whenever you're undecided. Matt (28.531) for military subjects, tabletop miniatures and anything that must not reflect. Gloss (28.530) for cars, show finishes, and as the working coat under decals and panel-line washes.

Specifications

Brand: Vallejo
Reference: 28.532
Type: Water-based acrylic varnish, aerosol
Finish: Satin
Volume: 400ml
Suitable for: Painted plastic, metal and resin models
Formulation: Toluene-free, CFC-free
Use in: Well-ventilated area