How do you sand small areas?

Yeah, I just try to absorb info from a lot of sources. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks

Here's the thing with customizing advice.... Always check the portfolio of those you're taking advice from!!!! There is an inordinate amount of people out there with no idea of how to do things correctly and they seem to be the first ones to tell others what to do. (incorrectly) I know it is sometimes hard to differentiate from photos but a good deal of the time it's glaringly obvious.

Thanks for the extra advice. I had just read places(I don't remember where, to be honest) that you were supposed to rough up the plastic so that the paint would stick better. Not so much rough to the touch,but I guess just enough to where it can take the paint is what was implied

And 4. when you articulate a joint, you can see where the paint rubs off and then you can go back and sand it.

Tedious but worth it in the long run.

Add me to the converted who praise primers. Didn't appreciate them much, but now I won't go without it.

I am not really sure where you are getting this idea that you need to rough up the figure with sandpaper but no. Here is what I do to prep my figures before I start painting. Some people say I go overboard but I have figures on my shelves that have taken numerous dives onto concrete floors with no paint damage and customers that handle and pose their figures a lot with no complaints.

Sand it down with my ultra fine sandpaper (I think it is 600 or 800 grit) to make the surface of the figure glassy smooth

Blast air with my empty airbrush to get any particles off the figure

Wash the figure with soap and water

After it has dried, use a tack cloth to pick up any particles I may have missed

Prime the figure.


Here is the thing with primer. A lot of people feel that you don't need to use it but there are so many pros to using it. One, If you handle your figures a lot, it helps both the paint to the figure to make it stronger. Two, it makes your starting point more of a blank canvas which allows you to use less paint in the long run. Three, it helps you see if there was any sculpt flaws in your work.

Thanks. I'll take a look at that. So to prep for paint, do I just rough up with the 400 grit? Do I need to add a primer after that?

Some hobby stores have really small files that work pretty well.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-14 ... 03109.html