Paint chipping...

I recently started on a custom using acrylic paints. Normally, I lay down the base colors with spray paint and then use acrylics for the details. But, I wanted to work in acrylics for this one.

At any rate, the paint chipping was so bad that I scrubbed the figure down to start over with good old spray paint.

I've tried the glue/acrylic paint mixture with mixed results. On the figure I was working on I was impressed with myself for using permanent marker on the joints- until I realized even it scraped off (still surprised by that). I guess this just leaves using dyes, but I've never had good luck with that.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

What brand are you using? I find the cheaper ones (Apple Barrell, Americana) chip a 1000% more often than the more expensive ones (Tamiya, Citadel, Model Master etc.) I sand down the joints first so the paints can "grab" the plastic better (and there's less rubbing.) And depending on how well the paint holds up by itself, I'll sometimes throw some sealer on top of the paint once it's dry (thin coats of paint followed by thin coats of sealer prevents a lot of chipping as well.)

I find that primers work well for certain paint types/colors as well -- kinda like the way you used spray paint before. A thin primer on the joints helps secure the paint, too.

I use the cheap brands. Apple Barrel, Folk Art, Americana, etc. I've amassed about 75 tubes of the stuff and I like it. Generally, it holds up well enough once I put a finishing coat down, but the joints chip. Mostly the shoulders on NS and 25A. Can't complain about ARAH too much.

How much do the more expensive brands run? Perhaps I could ease myself into the transition by picking up a few base colors...

Do they mix with the cheaper brands?

The expensive ones run $2-4 a bottle, depending on where you get them (most are only at Hobby/Gaming stores)

I used the cheap stuff for a long time - and the joints always killed me. Then I started using Model Master and liked how it looked when it dried (too watery when wet, though - lots of drips & smears early on for me.) Then I found Tamiya and Citadel at Hobbytown USA and have been hooked ever since. They go on smooth, dry with a nice finish, and I rarely have to seal my customs any more. While they don't have the thousands of colors that the Folk Art, et. al., have, the consistency of the paint and the way it covers makes up for that.

Another thing I noticed with the cheap brands - since I had to use multiple coats to get coverage, and I often found tubes dried out before their time, the extra $$$ for the "quality" brands aren't that much considering the tubes of cheap stuff I've had to throw out, or paint over and over again.

Occasionally, I still get chips on the joints with the high-end stuff, but that's a result of my "speed painting". If I take the time to sand them down, then use thin coats (like you're supposed to anyway), I almost never have a problem with chipping - and again, that's without even sealing the fancy stuff.

I've actually held off on mixing the high-end brands mostly. The cheap stuff I mixed all the time, but it's rare when I do any mixing with the expensive stuff. And when I do, I'll mix colors from the same brand. The consistency of the paint is different from the Apple Barrel, etc, so I don't know if they'd mix well or not - I kinda doubt it.

On the other hand, if you like the cheap stuff (and have amassed 75 bottles of it which is pretty much on par with my own pile) or just don't feel like hunting down the expensive stuff (and online-only option for me which adds to the cost, not to mention the joy of trying to get UPS to deliver to me) there are some solutions that work most of the time (borrowed from years of tips and experience):

1. Wash the parts in hot, soapy water (preferably dish detergent) and dry. Gets all the oils, mold release, etc. off them.

2. Always prime. There are two that I use, Krylon (which produces a good layer and is ideal for RAH's harder plastics, though it can leave a "texture") and Design Master Primer, which goes on smoother and works noticeably better on the softer newsculpt/25A plastics.

3. Disassemble the joints if you can and sand 'em a bit; I typically start with 120 grit and then smooth with 600. I've done this with non-joints too whenever I had a part that wouldn't hold the paint.

4. Get yourself a bottle of DecoArt Multipurpose Sealer. It comes in 2 oz. and larger sizes but honestly, I've been using the same 2 oz. bottle for almost four years, it goes a VERY long way. Mix one drop of it to every 1 drop of paint you use. The paint will look lighter in color when you apply it, but will return to the proper shade when it dries. The result will be a bit shiny too, so I typically go over it later with a light layer of just regular paint, or dry brush.

5. Seal the heck out of it with a good spray or brush on sealer (Testor's Model Master brush-on is good stuff.)

Or, option 6: use RIT Dye. People swear by it, but I can't use it as the fumes would not be very agreeable to my lungs (I'm sensitive to certain strong odors).

I've had pretty good luck using the above tips over the years, but again, it does seem to vary not just from figure to figure, but sometimes from part to part as well, how well paint holds despite my best efforts.

I trim sand and file parts, untill things stop rubbing. There's only so much that can be done on some of the modern build figures' joints. Initial coats of paint, are usefull for zeroing in on the worst rub spots. Once I've done all I can to minimize paint rub, I put down my last coat, then smear a a thin layer of superglue over it.

A lot of cheaper paint brands I've seen listed here aren't even meant for non porous surfaces. They'll need a good acrylic enamel primer, and clear coat. Hard coatings like superglue can help protect a softer paint with good adhesion, but no amount of clearcoating will help paint that simply won't stick.