I highly suggest Tamiya (TS-80) rattle can Matte Clear. That is what you see in my sample photos.
Many will recommend using any ole cheap matte spray from Home Depot but with these cans the paint comes out at high pressure, in a large droplet size designed to cover a rusty old grill or fence post in one coat. This can be death to the finish painting a small model.
(No doubt someone will now post “oh I use XYZ flat spray from Home Depot and it works just fine - you just have to know what you are doing.”)
Well you are just getting started and I am telling you that you don’t use a 3 wood driver on that last final putt in hopes of winning the match! (Wrong tool for the job!)
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With some brands you can actually see the particles in the medium. Be sure to stir it thoroughly. (not shake, especially if brushing on) You can get a nice dead flat very easily with your brush.
I like to avoid aerosols at any rate - wasteful and not the best for the planet.
This is my favorite, but I’m sure Vallejo is good.
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A recent work in progress: M36 Jackson.
Paint is Model Masters #1911 Olive Drab base color. Then Tamiya TS-80 Matte Clear (sprayed on very dry to give a bit of a rough surface.) Decals set using Future Floor Wax (get over it - because it works like a charm - FIVE STARS) Finally a light sanding of the decals and then final weathering using dry oil based pigments. (Soft oil pastel Artist’s colors.)
A little trick on that engine deck star. A touch of pigment (dirt/dust/ash) will create a dirty look that will hide the tonal differences between the white paint on the radiator cap and the white decal star.
Also a thinned black stain carefully applied to those engine grills can really make them pop. (Keep the model level while applying so the stain/wash does not run outside of the grills themselves.) Using a thin stain/wash will guarantee that the black flows into the spaces between the grill bars. Too thick a coating will leave the black sitting on top of the grill bars, which you do not want. (I used Citadel’s black shader - called Nuln Oil for this job.)
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