Paints

Well, "better" is a vague term so I don't know what to tell ya. I use whatever is available that works.

I found out... it's "Game Color" paints by a company called Vallejo. Anyone else familiar with em?

Testor's enamel (until I can afford to buy the nicer non enamel Vellium or whatever it's called stuff. I know it starts with a V. My local gameshop told me it's even better than Citadel).

Yellow...hate yellow xP Yar, you could spray the primer on top of what you've already done, what paint-brand are you using?

Yeesh, these yellows just don't seem to be very opaque at all... no matter how many coats I paint on. Should I get a different paint and start completely over? Like paint some white primer on top of the yellow areas or should I actually remove the paint with thinner?

Lol, grey is fine too, just mix a little white or black into your paint to make the color a little brighter/darker (assuming you paint by hand on the primer, otherwise, yeah, get the white primer ).

Ah, -white- primer? Oops, I have gray primer.

Thank you all for the help, btw.

Well, stencils is one way, but you probably won't be using stencils :P (yar, tape is good for getting straight lines)

The spray-paint is for base-coats, then you have to go back and do all the detail by hand with dry-brushing, washes, etc.

Example: You want to make Superman.
-Spray the entire figure with a coat of blue
-Paint the red parts (yeah, right over the blue, just let the blue dry completely first so you don't get purple)
-Paint the skin

Done!

And you might already know this, but spray the figure with white primer FIRST, then spray it with the blue for a brighter blue, use black/grey instead of white for a darker blue.

(I'll make a tutorial on making straight lines with spray-paint someday...)

I see, so almost a variation on stenciling?

You can mask areas off with masking tape

Ahhhh ok I see what you mean about the joints. I just know some of y'all actually take yer figs apart, paint the parts and then put em back together, that's why I asked.

Question about spray... I've just been spraying into a pallet and then using a brush as if it were regular paint. How on Earth outside of airbrushing does one spray paint a fig with any detail?

You can also use Krylon Fusion paints, they're like 2- 3 dollars for a standard spray-can and are specifically designed to bond to plastic! Lots of colors!

And by joints I mean the visible parts of the joint (like if you bend a knee, some of the joint is exposed, mainly the hinges)

Because a can of spray enamel is the only yellow I could find in those brands you recommended.



I don't bother painting inside the joints... just the parts I can see.

That's why I'm Dr Nightmare, and not Dr Zhivago :P

Not cool Doc...not cool

And I should probably mention, some people can paint masterpieces with a cracked feather from a diseased pidgeon and some boiled rat's blood, paint is important, but having talent is more important.

No, because the enamel touching the plastic. If you prime the fig I would recommend a plastics primer. Rustoleum makes a good one. Also If you use enamel, don't try to paint it all in one coat, lay several thin coats down, it will help reduce that horrible build up that happens with enamel.

I'll tell ya now, I've started using Apple Barrel Paints on my stuff, I haven't had problem with paint getting clumpy or anything like that.

...why do you want to use enamel? xD If you primer the figure, it'll probably be okay, but primer is thick, it'll crack in the joints and the enamel paint won't dry in the joints either, making them sticky and collecting dust particles. I have a fuzzy Green Lantern because he was sticky

Does enamel still damage the fig if you coat the fig in primer first?

Enamel is good for model airplanes and stuff like that because they're made of hard plastic, it doesn't affect the model at all.

The best way to find out about anyhting is to see it yourself, buy an enamel paint and an acrylic and see what the differences are when you paint a figure.

enamel eats the soft plastic figures are made of. It disolves it

Why not enamel acrylic?

not my mall, just the game kits, no paint. That's wack yo

No no no, don't buy the cheap craft paints like Apple Barrel, that paint is mainly for posters and painting foam (like for kids' crafts in elementary school). You're going to have to get good stuff from the major companies, Testors, Tamiya, and Citadel. It's like 2.50 - 3.00 for a little pot of paint, but it really lasts, especially the Citadel stuff (found in Games Worshop stores found at many malls).

There's some tutorials that explain this stuff in our tutorial section (Custom Showcase> Tutorials - located top left corner)

ahh, how much are the paints you bought? Walmart or my Walmart has a set of testors paint for $7 and a smaller set for $3. The paints at my Walmart ar located in the toy aisles but it varies from the store

Erm, I have Apple Barrel and Delta Ceramcoat. It was on sale at Wal Mart, and all I could afford.

I use game work shop's brand of paint.

It's really nice to work with

well acrylic works for customs enamel doesn't. what brand of paint are you using? I use Testors. Others use different ones, but Testors is the one I always use