Topic: Help request - painting recommendations

[DocOutlands]

Those of you who repaint your customs, how do you go about it and what paints do you prefer?  Do you wash your figs first?  Do you paint parts before reassembly?  Do you prime parts?  Do you prefer acrylics or enamels?  What brands work best for you?  Spray paints?  Airbrushes?

I'm used to plastic armor modeling.  Painting action figures looks to be a whole different kettle of fish...

(Clint, don't try to answer this on your phone, man!  You'll ruin your eyes!!) 

[Reconsgt]

I use mainly Testors Acryl,  its acrylic based and is compatable with most plastics, stay way from enamels if your painting figures,   I brush paint and use an airbrush, depending on the project,   I prefer the airbrush as the paint looks smoother to me but it's all a matter of preferance.  I know otehrs liek other brands so they can elaborate on those,  mainly it's trial and error, and fiding what is available locally. Fun part it, it's only paint, you can use trial and error

[masterfett]

I like Testors Acrylic as well it seems to want to bond to the figure very well without being tacky or chippy, I've tried a few others but the wear off too easy when moving the limbs for different poses, it's especially difficult now with all these ball hinged joints everywhere.

[Clonehead]

I'm back home now, Doc, thanks for thinking about me.
  My favorite paints for figures are all Testors or owned by Testors. Model master is one of their lines but I prefer Pactra, if it's still to be found or, Floquil is my favorite, by far because of their choice of colors. I used Floquil back when I was into armor modeling.
  I do have a technique for smoothing out those brush strokes that bother Wayne in that, after you get a coat on, if you see that it has some visible strokes in it, thin  a bit of the same color with water to the point where it will puddle and apply it over the first coat working that puddle to coat the surface that you just painted. The natural adhesion of water will make the puddle want to stay on top of it's matching color as long as you don't go over board. When this puddle dries, you will find a smoother surface than the brushstroke ridden surface that you started with. It usually only takes one puddle wash to clear any strokes up for me but if not, do it again.

I don't wash my figures before hand but it wouldn't be a bad idea as there is some remaining mold release on the parts to contend with just like military model parts. Its usually not too bad to deal with as long as your primary color coat is thick enough. If it is too wet, it might bead when repelled by the mold release agent.
  Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't finely sand some of the parts before painting to increase adhesion of the paint but don't normally do that either.

Depending on what you are doing, at least a thin primer coat should be suggested just to make the real paintjob go smoother. On my white clones, If I am applying on graphics, I could live with the application of said graphics directly to the body but since some touchups are usually required, and the white touch-up paint rarely matches the white of the plastic, I usually paint the whole white part of the figure white prior to implementation of the graphics.

I do have an airbrush but haven't used it in years and do see where it could help in some areas. I just haven't gotten around to using it again yet.

Alot of times, I will paint my parts prior to reassembly. It just depends if I need to paint an area of the part that I can't reach after mounting, or, if said part would be easier to paint when it is mounted.

[DocOutlands]

Awrighty, got another one.  One of our new joins posted a pic of the sealer they use.  Now, I can't remember which thread it was, but I know what type it was.  My question is this - matte or gloss???  I can't remember, but I bought some at WM today, along with some other paints.  I'm thinking gloss on my metallic droids, unless I want a grungy look.  Same on clones and stormies.  But what about other types?  Opinions?  Suggestions?

[narceron]

matte, in my opinion, gloss is too shiny,

I prime, but lately I'm experimenting with not doing it, since it typically makes joints rub(I know, I could sand them, lol).

I use GW, delta dreamcoat, and valejo paints.

To strip them, you can use good ole oxy clean(takes forever), brake fluid(this mostly works on miniature type plastic), or sometimes, sometimes acetone or peroixide, but both are too caustic for my clumsy use, lol.

I would like to try airbrushing, sounds neat.

[flaccideagle]

Hello everyone, 1st post, viewing your site for months, and really loving all the customs!!!


I have a few questions I couldn't find the answers to using the "search" feature, and figured this thread was the cleanest way to ask.

I've been customizing 1:6 for a few years, and back in the mid 90's I customized a few 3 3/4-inch Star Wars figures, all undocumented and sold long ago.  But recently I've been seeing the amazing work you guys do here, and have been inspired to jump back into it, and have started on my 1st custom Landspeeder (I'll share once I get it primed!)

What type of primer paint do you guys use?  I'm looking for a spraypaint rattle can I can use to prime my custom vehicles. Either flat grey, or flat white.  Preferably both!


 I know to stay away from enamels like Krylon, but I've had an impossible time trying to find a decent rattle can spraypaint.  I'm using some Speedball acrylics I've used for a few years with nice success... it can wear off joints when unsealed but three very light clean coats have been working great on metal, resin, vinyl, and plastic for the last few years.  My journeys to art and craft stores in NYC have been fruitless.   The stuff I use for canvas is enamel so no dice there.  I plan on spraying whatever I get into small cups to do brush work with it as well.


It would be great to get something that works on vinyl as well, but as long as it dries nice on Hasbro plastic, I'm happy...

*PLEASE* folks, help your new friend out.  It's been near impossible to get info on a good spray primer for custom figures and vehicles!

[Reconsgt]

I always hit up a good DuPont automotive self  etching primer,   as always always test on a junk fig first, but I get the acrylics,  There are others brands but ones that are compatible with Urethane body parts should give you a good adhesion.

[Phatty]

I use Krylon FUSION for plastics.  Usually one coat is more than enough for a prime, 2 coats for a solid color of something.  Welcome to the Shipyards!  Glad you came in to visit!

[narceron]

I read on another site yesterday(blasphemy, I know) that auto paint is the way to go because it attaches well and fills in inconsitencies in the surface.

I'm going to go buy a can of chevy fireball, or whatever its called, I'll update if it works,

[flaccideagle]

You guys are the best! 

I'm going to try both the Krylon FUSION, and DuPont automotive self  etching primer you folks speak of.
Also going to try to get a few different ones, and a few junky figures and vehicle panels- and shoot some pictures so you can see the difference.



Any other suggestions?

cheers and thanks!

[flaccideagle]

Any ideas what stores would carry these paints?  An afternoon of driving and my hands are empty! 

[Reconsgt]

Walmart carries teh Krylon Fusion as well as some autopaint products, for the Krylon fusion they are with teh rest of teh spray paint, the automotive paint is with teh auto supplies,

Hobby Lobby will have Krylon Fusion,  any NAPA, CAr Quest, Auto Zone type stores will have the automotive paints, maybe not the Dupont brand but any similar type acryclics or urathanes can be found there, ask the sales staff for their recommendations and tell them wou need it to be compatable with plastics, they will know what you needs based on many of the car body kits are plastic.

[flaccideagle]

Walmart carries teh Krylon Fusion as well as some autopaint products, for the Krylon fusion they are with teh rest of teh spray paint, the automotive paint is with teh auto supplies,

Hobby Lobby will have Krylon Fusion,  any NAPA, CAr Quest, Auto Zone type stores will have the automotive paints, maybe not the Dupont brand but any similar type acryclics or urathanes can be found there, ask the sales staff for their recommendations and tell them wou need it to be compatable with plastics, they will know what you needs based on many of the car body kits are plastic.

Thanks Reconsgt... The Krylon Fusion I found at a few places, but I found only gloss colors...

I also saw some Testors Acrylic spray sets online, one for "model cars" and other with "military" colors, anyone try those?

[spudafett]

... i hate krylon, mostly for the high price.  It supposedly "bonds" to plastic but I've had almost no luck out of the stuff.  It doesn't "bond" at all, and chips and scratches just as easilly as regular cheap dollar store brands of paint.

I usually get all purpose cheapo paints.... and for the figures and vehicles these have worked great for me so far.  of course I don't actually "play" with the figures so that will factor into the paint staying on a little better.

I've used some cheap wal-mart bought spray primer, I think it was DuCoat or whatever, and it worked fairly well. 

When painting vehicles I find that black works best as a base coat, and usually will work without a primer layer.  However if your wanting any other lighter color you'll want to use primer and several finishing layers, or else colors will blend through....