Vallejo paint experts help please

[TNT]

I was curious if you can add vallejo top coats to paint before spraying or is it strictly to be used as a top coat? Thanks for any info.

[Dave G.]

I'm assuming you mean the varnishes. If you add it to the paints, you can extend the volume a bit. Too much starts to make the paints more transparent, that could be good or bad depending on your purpose. In most acrylic lines that have gloss or for that matter matt mediums and varnishes 5-20% added to paint can extend them and sometimes/often/usually improve leveling. Paints like Createx have clear intercoats, which also converts the acrylic paint to poly-acrylic. This makes the surface much harder and more scratch resistant,

There are modelers who mix certain amounts of Vallejo clear into the colors but I'm not one. In acrylic paints, I tend to use the Createx 4030 up to 25%. Best I can say for now. I also have added Liquitex clear varnish into various acrylic colors. Also US ART supply acrylic thinner has acrylic medium in it, add enough and it improves gloss, which is great as long as you didn't want flat, lol !

Others will probably offer their take on your question, my way isn't the only way.

[TNT]

8 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I'm assuming you mean the varnishes. If you add it to the paints, you can extend the volume a bit. Too much starts to make the paints more transparent, that could be good or bad depending on your purpose. In most acrylic lines that have gloss or for that matter matt mediums and varnishes 5-20% added to paint can extend them and sometimes/often/usually improve leveling. Paints like Createx have clear intercoats, which also converts the acrylic paint to poly-acrylic. This makes the surface much harder and more scratch resistant,

There are modelers who mix certain amounts of Vallejo clear into the colors but I'm not one. In acrylic paints, I tend to use the Createx 4030 up to 25%. Best I can say for now. I also have added Liquitex clear varnish into various acrylic colors. Also US ART supply acrylic thinner has acrylic medium in it, add enough and it improves gloss, which is great as long as you didn't want flat, lol !

Others will probably offer their take on your question, my way isn't the only way.

Thanks. I like createx paints because you can add almost any of their products with out issue. I have some of their candy colors that i have not got fugured out yet.

[Ulf]

Beware that Vallejo has two different kinds of clear coat, I realized it the other day. One like the colors and one like the primer, for example Vallejo 72651 Polyurethane Matt Varnish.
 So Polyurethane just like aircraft and armor builders favorite clear coat from Microscale.
I will dive deep down into these clearcoats and primers after the summer.
 Polyurethane requires a little more work to clean the airbrush than the regular Vallejo paints.

[TNT]

8 hours ago, Ulf said:

Beware that Vallejo has two different kinds of clear coat, I realized it the other day. One like the colors and one like the primer, for example Vallejo 72651 Polyurethane Matt Varnish.
 So Polyurethane just like aircraft and armor builders favorite clear coat from Microscale.
I will dive deep down into these clearcoats and primers after the summer.
 Polyurethane requires a little more work to clean the airbrush than the regular Vallejo paints.

Thanks. I will check to see what i have.