I've normally done LBC custom figures and a few vehicles but have been thinking of doing a paint job on a figure, something I've had little sucess with before, but have been gathering info to solve some of the problems I've had.

So I'm ready for another try, but I have two questions, has anyone here prime'd a figure first before painting them? If so any tips on that process.

And has anyone used spray clear coat on a finished figure? Again if so any tips?

Essentially what I'm doing is I have a few Corps figures I'm converting into a version of the Red Shadows troopers, so I'm gonna completely make these bad boys red with some accented black colors.

But I've had some sucess using clear on the vehicles I've done, so I was wondering how it worked on figures.

Thanks!

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It seems to really depend on the plastic they're made of. Hard plastic, like ARAH Joes, doesn't seem to react to the sprays. Softer plastics, like the 25ths, react with primers and clear coats and may end up perpetually sticky even after plenty of curing time. I think kiddo has some Corps figs of both varieties. I think the general consensus is to wash the figure really well with soap and water before painting. It also wouldn't hurt to clean it with alcohol. I've seen a post or two that said Testor's finishing spray works well...I don't know if it's acrylic or not...that seems to make a difference. Acrylics are more plastic friendly than enamels. I've used Krylon Fusion on a vehicle (hard plastic) and a Sigma (soft plastic) and got good results. It's made for plastics and doesn't require a primer. For my Transformers chess pieces I wanted a primer, so I used Krylon Camouflage, which is ultra-flat and made with Fusion. The pieces are fairly soft...similar to the hands on 25ths and I got a mixed bag. Some were fine, some were sticky. Ater cleaning the paint off, I washed them again and then wiped them with rubbing alcohol. When I resprayed them it worked like a charm. The Krylon Camouflage gave me a good flat base to work with and grabbed the paint nicely. Use it sparingly and evenly and make sure you're not right on top of the figure when you spray.

Some people don't seem to have any problem at all, whatever they use...trial and error.

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MacGyver's tips are spot on. Another thing that I do to make sure the spray paint works the best is make sure to shake the paint for at least 2 minutes prior to using. I also like to run hot water over the can for 30 secs or so to make sure that the paint isn't too cold. Couple these with a good cleaning of the parts, and you should be good to go.

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Lately I've been using brush-applied acrylic varnish on my figures. The advantage is that it allows me to leave some areas (mostly flesh) flat. Before embracing this technique, I sprayed all of my finished figures with hairspray.

Yes, hairspray. It dries evenly and sharply. It works well with acrylic paint as well as spray paint on both hard plastics (ARAH figures) and softer plastic (NS, 25A).

Much cheaper than "real" clear coat sprays, too.

I've always used the generic gray primer that I get at Wal Mart and use two or three very light coats.

What brand of hairspray do you use past?

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i use mr. hobby spray, i think the primer is called mr. surface plastic & metal primer & it will dry on ANY plastic!
once you've got a good coat with this you can even use enamel spray & that gives an awesome smooth finish.
once ive finished, i use mr. clear coat, you can get gloss, semi gloss or flatt. i always use flatt.

I've long used Americana Acrylic Sealer/Finisher spray; it's the only one so far that's actually sealed consistently for me on all types of plastic. For primer, I've been using Design Master, which is actually meant for plastics (results seem to vary, it bonds well with some plastics and not at all to others).

One trick I like to do is paint up my figures, then hit them with a heavy coat or two of the sealer. I then go back and paint over that. This serves two purposes:

1. Provides a sealed "undercoat" should the top layer chip;
2. Gives the top layer a "flat" look better than if it had sealer on it.

It's not a perfect method, but it has saved me a lot of headaches in the past. Of course my figures are rarely handled after I put them on display, so this may or may not work for you.


Another thing I like to use is Model Master's Acrylic Brush-On Sealer from Testor's. Only tip I have for that is--wait at least 24 hours after you paint something to add the primer. I seem to get the best results that way (that is, it doesn't end up washing the paint off as it's applied.)

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do you mean wait 24hrs before you add the sealer? im confused as to why you would add primer after paint......

for drastic repaints like the corps figures you really should give enamels a go! i know it seems crazy, i thought it was myself a week ago but it really works! take the figure apart then use primer 1st (mr. hobby metal & plastic is the best ive found) then spray the whole figure minus head if bare skin with enamel red (2 or 3 coats, dont go to heavy) then paint the detail over that. you have to leave it to dry for a few hours (over night is ideal) but if you are working on a few figures @ the same time this is ok.
it drys really hard, this is a arctic red shadow im half way through & no paint rub!

like i said, seemed crazy to me but i found it works really well!

Oops... Yes, 24hrs before you add the sealer, sorry. Long day, tired brain.

It seems the paint "bonds" better after that long and isn't as likely to brush off. Mind you I use pretty much exclusively acrylic craft paints, so it might take less time for higher-grade paints like Tamiya or Model Masters.

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i know what you mean, it's almost like it "melts" the acrylic paint if you put it on too soon!

check out this post: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=16312
you might not be interested but im just putting it out there......

Doc, where do you buy your stuff at?

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The Testor's sealer I bought online; actually theunknown sent me one bottle, I bought the other from Testor's directly (here's a tip: DON'T. Find an online retailer for it, as Testor's takes forever to ship, like a month or more.)

The Americana spray sealer I picked up at Michaels; AC Moore here usually had the smaller cans of it, and Wal-mart might carry it in the craft section (I think I've seen it there). It comes in the usual, matte and clear, and is slightly cheaper than some other brands (less than Krylon) and you can get it in small or large size cans.

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