Customising Hints, Tips and FAQs

[Himmapaan]

I notice we often get repeated questions about painting and customising figures and models, whether as separate topics of their own or cropping up in the middle of other threads. So to avoid these and for easy reference, I thought we would have a thread for general points and to address related questions.

If I could start by asking the wonderful artists of our forum to kindly supply some basic customising/ painting guidelines and tips, I would be most grateful. I'm looking in the general direction of Paleoferroequine, Copper and Martin Garratt, just to name several off the top of my head.  I remember Copper's wonderful painting tutorial from V.1 which I think would be highly beneficial here.

[Dyscrasia]

I think this thread is a great idea~!

You should also post some of your own techniques since your work is very impressive.

[tyrantqueen]

Good thread idea 

Hey I have a question.
I am trying to put together a model kit (the Paleocraft Therizinosaurus) and I am wondering which is the best way to hold the parts together?
Some people say superglue, other say Epoxy Putty, and some use drilled holes and metal rods.

I'm kinda confused 'cause I thought Epoxy Putty was only for filling in the seams/cracks in models, not holding them together.

Thanks 

[copper]

I've been absent for a while but now that i'm back in business I can try to do my part of giving tips later today when i get home : )

[Himmapaan]

Hey I have a question.
I am trying to put together a model kit (the Paleocraft Therizinosaurus) and I am wondering which is the best way to hold the parts together?
Some people say superglue, other say Epoxy Putty, and some use drilled holes and metal rods.

I'm kinda confused 'cause I thought Epoxy Putty was only for filling in the seams/cracks in models, not holding them together.

Thanks 

All three, depending on the size and weight of the pieces.  Sometimes, superglue alone is sufficient for small parts, but larger and heavier pieces ought to be pinned as well as glued. In almost all cases, you would need to fill the joins and smooth out uneven parts with the epoxy. Once cured, that will of course supplement the strength of the join, too.

I think perhaps the recommendation of epoxy to actually hold pieces together might be for epoxy adhesive, rather than putty? You can use that in lieu of cyanoacrylates too.

[tyrantqueen]

Hey I have a question.
I am trying to put together a model kit (the Paleocraft Therizinosaurus) and I am wondering which is the best way to hold the parts together?
Some people say superglue, other say Epoxy Putty, and some use drilled holes and metal rods.

I'm kinda confused 'cause I thought Epoxy Putty was only for filling in the seams/cracks in models, not holding them together.

Thanks 

All three, depending on the size and weight of the pieces.  Sometimes, superglue alone is sufficient for small parts, but larger and heavier pieces ought to be pinned as well as glued. In almost all cases, you would need to fill the joins and smooth out uneven parts with the epoxy. Once cured, that will of course supplement the strength of the join, too.

I think perhaps the recommendation of epoxy to actually hold pieces together might be for epoxy adhesive, rather than putty? You can use that in lieu of cyanoacrylates too.

Thanks, that's helpful 

[DinoFan45]

Hey, does anybody know how to keep acrylic paint from going sticky? My mini's get sticky occanisily, after being dried, and I would like to find out how to improve it.

[Himmapaan]

Hey, does anybody know how to keep acrylic paint from going sticky? My mini's get sticky occanisily, after being dried, and I would like to find out how to improve it.

Hmm, acrylic paint ought never to go sticky, as it's a plastic. Unless it's subjected to extreme heat. Do you mean something you've painted or the original factory finish itself?

[DinoFan45]

Some that I have painted. I keep them in one place usually, but when they get some light on them for about a minute, they get a little sticky. I use the dinosaur figures you pick up in a party store in a bag. Do you think some varnish might help?

[Himmapaan]

How curious. Perhaps the paint disagreed with the figures' material. Did you prime your figures prior to painting, perchance?

A matte varnish as the final step of painting a figure is always strongly recommended.

[paleoferroequine]

Some that I have painted. I keep them in one place usually, but when they get some light on them for about a minute, they get a little sticky. I use the dinosaur figures you pick up in a party store in a bag. Do you think some varnish might help?

Not knowing the brand of acrylics makes it harder but Himmapaan is right that they don't normally react to plastic figures. You could try a spay clear on top. I use Testor's brand of DullCote #1260. It seems to work to stop stickiness with some enamels. The only acrylic I've ever had even a small amount of trouble with was Tamiya, my favorite.  Sometimes I prime with a flat spray enamel  and very rarely the Tamiya was slightly tacky. DullCote took care of it. 
Himmapaan, this thread is a good idea although I will contribute more to the conversions and sculpting, epoxy putty work since my painting is only fair to middling

[Himmapaan]

'Fair to middling', he says.  Belied by the direct evidence in all your beautiful models -- both in paintwork and conversions. 

We look forward eagerly to your contributions. Thank you so much! 

[DinoFan45]

No, no priming before painting.

[tyrantqueen]

Hey, does anybody know how to keep acrylic paint from going sticky? My mini's get sticky occanisily, after being dried, and I would like to find out how to improve it

You're not using gloss acrylics are you? I've used those in the past and they were extremely sticky.

[DinoFan45]

I dunno, I'll have to check

[Wildheart]

I am a real newbie in using acrylics.
So... how do you paint plastic figurines correctly?
Do you use a little water to dillute the paint?If so, how do you prevent the paint from destroying all your work on the model? I always get a sticky result in the end. :<
I am using Daler Rowney acrylics, same as Harriet's.

[copper]

i have my old 'tutorial' and a can give you the link, but i think i should update it... my working habits have changed a bit since making that tutorial. might have to make a new one soon.. i dunno :')
tutorial

i don't prime the figure, i don't need it because i give the figure a solid one color base before starting to really paint anything else.

i personally don't use water to dilute the paint when painting the overall areas of the figure. but when giving a dark wash, the dark paint is diluted with water. and some nice shades can be given with diluting the paint a bit.

i highly recommend giving a finished painted figure a protective coating with acrylic varnish. even if the paint itself is sticky, as some of you say, the varnish takes care of that.
i've noticed something about different brand matt varnishes, even if some claim to be matt, the result can be totally different, glossy. here's an example: talens has a acrylic matt varsnish, but it leaves a glossy finish. on their website the description of the item says the matt varnish produces high gloss finish.
nowdays i only use winsor & newton galeria acrylic matt varnish, because it is 100% matt and will stay that way and it doesn't get sticky in a long run. the brushes can be cleaned with water because it's water based. so no need for turpentine for cleaning the equipment.

when customising with sculpting, i use aves apoxie sculpt (aves apoxie clay is equally good i would think but haven't used it). i use it to fill cracks or seams too.

[darylj]

hey, im a newbie, looking at repainting some of my new models (the carnegie carnotaurus and the papo allosaurus)
do people suggest removing the existing paint? if so would you use nail varnish remover? or another method?
with regards to painting - i have a lot of games workshop citadel paints... are these good to use or should i head to a craft shop tomorrow and get something else?

[tyrantqueen]

hey, im a newbie, looking at repainting some of my new models (the carnegie carnotaurus and the papo allosaurus)
do people suggest removing the existing paint? if so would you use nail varnish remover? or another method?
with regards to painting - i have a lot of games workshop citadel paints... are these good to use or should i head to a craft shop tomorrow and get something else?

I think you could possibly use nail varnish remover, but it could be a slow and ardous process. There are many methods of removing acrylic paint, but I don't know if they'd work for the factory paint job. However, there is no reason to remove the paint on factory painted toys- I prefer to just paint over it.

If you're a beginner, I recommend Copper's tutorial http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/9186/tutorialcopper3copy.jpg it's very very very good 

Avoid craft acrylics like the plague, they're not very good. The pigmentation of the paint is usually poor. I recommend artist acrylic. For a beginner a set like this is good enough http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reeves-Acrylic-Colour-Set-Tubes/dp/B000UCEEFU/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1337449420&sr=8-13 or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pebeo-Studio-Acrylic-Sets-Brush/dp/B003WGPF7M/ref=sr_1_22?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1337449476&sr=1-22
I personally use a Liquitex Basics 36 set 

I hope this helps

[darylj]

thank you for the fast response - that first link takes me to a photo of a trike?