All About Sealants

can you lighten parts of a body blush after its been sealed?
my beautiful boy was fully blushed very well but the scales on the arms and legs are darker then I wanted so I just need to know if there is a way to tone down the darkness ..make it lighter..it was done in a pearl color too..soooo just asking

 

You can lighten darker areas; it just takes a lot more fixative than you might want to waste. It might also not end up looking smooth, depending on what you'll use to lighten the areas you want lighter. Too many layers of fixative along with pastels, can become fragile, and chip easily due to the heavy amounts of dust and layers between layers of fixative. The thicker the layers, the more fragile the work becomes. If you own an air brush, you can avoid using multiple layers of fixative, and that'll be the quickest way to get the job done. If you don't, you can still use paints and they'll also be quicker than pastels, but if you don't know what you're doing you'll leave brush strokes behind. You can do so as well with pastels, but you'll need a lot of layers and depending on how dark the work is right now, and how much lighter you want it -- you might need a lot more layers of pigment and fixative to get the result you want, vs using paint. Hope that helps. (:

 

Thank you for the info enzyme,
he was airbrushed and pearl powder used .
I just put pearlex pearl white powder on his darker areas and it did lighten it a little but the powder is not sealed . it was just an test

 

For most intended purposes, you don't need to seal Pear-Ex powders, but I do believe people who use them on BJD seal them. If you will seal yours with MSC, or any other flat/matte finish fixative, you will lose the pearl finish. Also, most pale colors tend to lose their brightness with MSC, I don't know if that is true of other matte fixatives. I've only ever used MSC. I own a lot of Pear-Ex powders, but I have rarely used those and that was a long time ago, and when I did (a million years ago), I used them on the lips mixed with gloss -- so that I didn't have to seal them with a matte fixative, because they would lose the glittery finish. However, you could probably get away with not sealing them, and just having to touch them up whenever they rub off. Although, I have heard that they are pretty sturdy and are hard to remove just for touching them with your finger (when used for their intended methods, which involve paper and stamps/embossing, other arts and crafts stuff and not painting on dolls). Hope that helps you, Youkaimoon. (:

 

YES, YES I will just keep reapplying it as needed but I still wish it was lighter ..the original color..my boy is pure white and needed only very light color..almost no color .just enough to realize he has a tiny bit of pearl on his scales.
he is still beautiful so I guess I will just have to get used to it

 

Anyone from outside the US know where I can shop online for MSC, ZM or vallejo?

 

Define "outside of the US" a bit more?
I know Finnish store that has MSC but that probably won't help you since I don't think they don't ship outside of the country.

But generally speaking: try looking at any local miniature model stores, they very likely will have at least something usable in stock. Some craft stores might too.

 

Can someone with experience with Citadel Munitorium tell me how matte it is? I usually use MSC as my sealant, but I dislike how it lightens coloured resin and don't want to use it on the tan doll I have coming in a few months. Zoukeimura powder spray is impossible to get in the UK as far as I can tell so I figure Munitorium is my best bet, but the finish being described as "satin" makes me a bit wary!

 

I think it used to be more matte, my old cans were perfect but they changed it somehow and now it has annoying sheen, or at least did when I last used it so it was unusable for me. Using more pastels on the faceup helps some but I wasn't exactly in love with it. Been looking for a replacement since then and trying different ones:

Vallejo acrylic matt varnish stayed forever sticky, I don't know how long I should have let it dry but hours later it was still sticking to my fingers and I gave up on it.

Liquitex matt varnish feels nice and textures to touch but at least mine sprayed very unevenly and it shows against light and watercolor pencils won't stick to it so you'll have to stick with paints and pastels on it.

In other words, so far I haven't found a good replacement for it yet. *sighs* so I'm going to what people recommend and bought some MSC to test once the weather warms up bit more. Hopefully it's as good as people say, I kind of lost my interest in trying to paint my dolls because every spray I tried had some issue out of my control and I ended up spending more my time removing the sealant than painting.

 

Ughhhh. I'd rather risk frosting than have a shiny doll, so I guess I'll be sticking with MSC.

For the record, it's an excellent sealant under most circumstances! On light, peachy or white resin it looks great. I'm sure you'll like it!

 

Does anyone have experience with Pentart's Matte Varnish or Galeria Matt Varnish? Both are brush on but I'd imagine the same sponge technique used on Liquitex should work if they're safe and something worth trying out.

 

I've found a new potential budget option!
This will probably only be relevant for people living in Sweden, but I know there are a few of us here so...

Biltema Matt Klarlack Artnr. 36-586
SDS (in swedish)

Now, this is not a fancy product and I've used it for various non doll related projects over the years, but reading up on it, it seemed like it might work for face ups. It's also very affordable and since Biltema is a big chain of stores with very generous opening hours the availability is hard to beat if you live here.
So I've tested it out! I am comparing it to MSC because that is what I have the most experience with.

So this is what i did and the resaults:
1. Sprayed several doll parts and other polyurethane bits over a few days with different weather conditions.
The spray goes on fairly smoothly. It does have a wider spray pattern than MSC and it a bit more sensitive to spray tecnique, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing. It means that it's possible to somewhat control the amount of tooth. The tooth is less than MSC flat, however you spray it and it's not quite as absolutely flat, but it does still look good. It dries pretty quickly.
It doesn't seem to very sensitive to humidity. It can be sprayed in a good range on temperatures, as long as the can itself is not too warm or cold, so storing the can indoors between spray layers is a good idea.
2. Pastels goes on well, but the layers fill up a bit more quickly than on MSC. Not a problem when using heavily pigmented pastels or when doing subtle shading, but it does require a slight adjustment in workflow.
3. Acrylic paints goes on smoothly. I tested both Galleria and Citadel, intentionally chosing vibrant colours, reasoning that if anything was goin to stain, they would.
4. Water colours and water colour pencils, both wet and dry, goes on as expected. Watercolours will bead up if too much water is used and pencils will go on grainy on parts with a lot of tooth just as they will on other sealants, but with that taken into account they go on fine and show up well.
5. Derwent Inktense, both wet and dry. There have been worries about these pencils staining expressed many times over the years, but not much evidence, so I included them in the test while I was at it. Again, choosing the most vibrant colours I had, along with some lighter brown to check both for staining and for looks and the went on well.
6. I sprayed aditional layers between the pastels and the paints and tested different layering efects as I went and it all behaved normally.
7. I left the parts for a few days. Both to make sure the spray was fully cured before testing removal, but also to give any potential staning or other reactions time to happen.
8. I did some scratch and rub tests and it seems to be quite a bit more durable than MSC. Now, I will add the chaveat that none of the test pieces had more than a total of three layers of spray, so it may behave differently with more layers, but I couldn't cause any chipping even when I tried. Like anything it will eventually wear through if rubbed for long enough, especially with an abrasive like a melamine sponge, but it took some real work.
9. Removal was tested with isopropanol and acetone. The isopropanol did work, but it took a lot of work and the spray went very though and gummy during the process, making it hard to wash off. The acetone on the other hand worked instantly. It took no more than a minute or two to wipe an entire head. So between those two, the acetone is clearly the winner. Even if it's potentially harder on the polyurethane, the much shorter worktime compensates for that by minimizing the time of exposure and the potential damage from scrubbing.
10. After removal, none of the parts tested showed any signs of damage.

What I didn't test:
11. Ageing. This can only be tested over actual time and by the time the resaults are in, the maker may have changed the formula. I have no way of knowing how much this spray will yellow with time or if there is any other changes to be aware of when used on dolls. I have used this poduct on other things and they have held up very well over the years, but that is all on other materials and usually only a single layer. I've also never tried removal on anything that has had the sealant on for very long, it's fully possible that it will be tougher to remove with time, but again, there isn't really any way to test that.
12. Sunlight exposure. This also takes time and can't be hurried in any eficient way. What i can say is that I had a skull sealed with this stuff sitting in a window for years and there is no visible difference between the side facing the window compared to the one facing the room. Take it for what it's worth.
13. Spraying on dark polyurethane. I had no good pices to test on hand, but if there is an interest I can try to set some leftover bits aisde next time I do colourtests for casting. Based on how it behaved on top of the vibrant paints I think it has potential to go on a bit less visibly than MSC for darker dolls, but that's just a hunch. I would have to do proper tests to say anything for sure.

Conclusion:
While I don't think this product will ever replace the more commonly used alternatives, under certain conditions this a very nice option to have. I could see myself choosing it for full body blushing, especcially on larger dolls, due to the low cost and the durability. And it does seem to handle different weather conditions very well, even if the tests on that were quite limited.

 

I also noticed watercolour pencils not sticking very well to liquitex matte varnish... until I painted a dollmore head onto which they stuck perfectly. It might just be a coincidence, but Korean resin tends to be toothier from the start and that seemed to help with it?

 

It's hell to get off from Korean resin though. The color on it came off fine from the heads I used it on but the varnish itself took considerable amount of stubborn scrubbing.

 

Edited quote shorter.

Is this the same one? Spraymaling, matt, klarlakk

Found on Norwegian Biltema.

 

It does appear to be the same. The can looks identical except for the language on the label and the product number matches.

 

Looks like Finnish Biltema has it too nice nice, maybe I'll have to give that a try later too...

 

Wonderful! I'd love to hear about your experience with it if you try it out. More data is always welcome, there is only so much one can learn from a single persons tests, after all.

 

I've been looking everywhere in Finland for MSC! Do you mind sharing which store it is?

 

Mallisto.fi, right here! Seems to be out of stock right this moment but they get it regularly. They also have Tamiya flat clear, I think that was another popular one to use? I'd imagine other miniature model shops might carry it too so if there's local one definitely check their store out first to avoid postal fees.

 

Thank you so much!
I'll be sure to check some of the local shops too. I know puolenkuunpelit has the Army Painter Matte Varnish, which I've seen recommended!

 

Hi! I’m new to this so I’m not sure but has anyone tried using the deco art Americana matte varnish?
I use it when I’m painting my ceramics but I’m not sure about resin

 

Hi
I am going to try my airbrush to make a faceup.
I am thinking about doing it like Andreja from Nicole’s Dreams but am worried if the Liquitex matte varnish and Liquitex matte medium can be removed again if I somehow have to do so.
Anyone tried to remove it?

Up till now I have been using citadel Monitorum varnish and it can be removed but toxic when applied

 

Liquitex Matte varnish that comes in liquid form removes well. The version in the spray can has problems coming off with certain resins but since you plan on using the matte varnish with an airbrush it should not be a problem. Any sealant that is sprayed, both from an aerosol can or airbrushed on will be toxic to breathe in, though.

 

Thank you for your help. This is good news. My hope is to be able to paint without waiting for best weather for faceup
I am going to use my mask and ventilated spray booth.

 

Does this adhere to glass? I am planning on putting my 1/4 bjd in a glass dome for display. The dome will be coated with a uv protection spray, so I can display my dolls without ruining their resin. Will that work?

 

It will adhere, but any matte sealant will make the glass foggy and a glossy spray will distort the view, as well. With most spray sealants, the "UV protection" stands for the sealant itself not yellowing, not protecting anything under it from it.

I think you'll have better luck looking for an UV cut glass or UV cut film that can be used on glass (or simply displaying away from heat and sunlight)

 

What's the best way to remove MSC?

 

There is a list with options and links in this sticky (although Windsor and Newton has changed their formula to something that doesn't really work very well any more and that acetone can damage resin if left on it for too long). And a more in-depth thread here. Isopropyl alcohol and acetone free nail polish remover (without any colouring in it) are popular choices that are easy to get and remove sealants gently but effectively enough

 

@cobaltconduct omg thank you so much for the information and links!

 

There is so much great info in this thread! I just skimmed the whole thing.
Right now, I'm leaning toward the Citadel Munitorum Varnish. Has anyone else been working with that one?
It's pretty expensive, but seems like it may be a good option from what I've read (I'm hoping to avoid MSC because of the toxicity, but I'm still going to wear full protective gear of course).

 

@StoryTeller42 I've used munitorum for years. I tended to prefer it, though last time I bought a can (about a year ago) the formula was different again and it was very semi-gloss finish. Very dewy to say it the nicest. It really bummed me out because it simply didn't feel as versatile for me as the previous version. However, it's been another year so who knows what's going on. The good thing about msc is that it seems to have been consistent year after year, but citadel has changed formula many times. I would still recommend either of those two over anything else I know.
I would treat all these aerosol sealants like they are toxic. Paints and solvents and such just tend to be bad for you and if you are an artist I feel like there is almost no way to get around that completely. Just take all the precautions to protect your health: gloves, half face respirator mask, and safety glasses (also because I once got wind drift sealant on my prescription glasses and it was a nightmare to get off lmao).
Have fun customizing your doll!

 

@AlisonVonderland Thank you for the feedback! And for the note re: safety glasses--it hadn't occurred to me that getting sealant on my prescription glasses would be a pain in the butt, not to mention bad for my eyes.

 

The Tamiya sealant is extremely hard to remove. It’s doable but takes a lot. Anyone who used it and knows which product removes it quickly? Thankfully I managed to remove it from one of my heads, but I have another in tan that needs her faceup cleaned.

Edir: It was during the pandemic and I couldn’t find MSC. I will only use MSC from now on though.

 

Hi! Does anyone have information on sealants that work with ABS that are not MSC or Zoukeimura? I'm looking to hybrid a Tinyfox head in a resin body, but I live in South America and I can't find these two sealants. From the information I collected, Vallejo Matt sprayed with a nano atomizer seems to be the most feasible plan. I've also heard of Citadel Munitorium, but can't find that here either.

 

I personally use liquitex and have never had an issue ~

 

The only trouble I have with liquitex so far, is that for some reason when I use waterpaint, the ratio I have been using [with just water] can eat the sealant. But, that might be because I make mistakes and decide to rinse the paint off with water. I'm still a novice.
When trying to rinse acrylic off, it all stays put, like it's supposed to. So, I have to remove the face up to get rid of mistakes.