Advice on What Kind of Paint to Use

[bcreach]

I'm a rookie and I have a custom project I am beginning. What kind of paint should I use on a pair of Odin forearm gauntlets and a dark knight utility belt? And what (if anything) should I apply after I'm finished painting?

 

[lieutenant dan]

Hi bcreach, my suggestion would be to use acrylic paint. Great for painting plastic or resin and when used on p-leather type materials, they retain flexibility. As for what to apply after painting, either nothing, if its not going to get handled much, or for a bit of protection, spray the bits with dullcote or some other hobby varnish, depending on the finish you want e.g. matt/satin/gloss.

 

[bcreach]

Thanks. much appreciated.

 

[JTFazz]

I, too, use acrylics. They dry quickly, look nice, are very forgiving and it is an easy clean up with just soap and water.

 

[DarthMyers]

Use tamiya for airbrushing, it's not so good for brush painting, use model master, vallejo, and andrea acrylics for handpainting

 

[red4]

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[scottyb]

I like liquidtex soft body. Really thin easy to mix and work with! When i paint a head i use like 10-30 thin washes for the skin tone and this works perfect!

 

[red4]

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[Cheungkinmen]

Interesting. I had hoped to find that at Hobby Lobby, since I live a few blocks from one. I haven't checked the store in person yet, but the online store doesn't show any Soft Body. They only have Heavy Body. What is the main difference between them? Do you think I could dilute, or do something, to Heavy Body to get similar results as yours? Also, how well does it bond to plastic?

Soft body comes in little pots like regular acrylic paint:

While the heavy body comes in tubes and the paint is pretty much like oil paint consistency :

 

[DarthMyers]

Model Masters acrylics are not flexible. It's important to know this. You need to know which acrylics are and aren't flexible.

Doesn't matter if you use primer

 

[red4]

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[Grosby]

While we're all talking about suitable paints here, can anyone tell me if watercolor is ever used on any kind of figure (whether a 1/6 head or a model kit, whatever). I thought I read before of people using watercolor at times and yet in my Google searching just now I'm seeing no mention of it.

 

[Cheungkinmen]

While we're all talking about suitable paints here, can anyone tell me if watercolor is ever used on any kind of figure (whether a 1/6 head or a model kit, whatever). I thought I read before of people using watercolor at times and yet in my Google searching just now I'm seeing no mention of it.

I've never personally used watercolor to paint, but I do water down acrylic paints to near watercolor consistency to weather 1/6 clothing and accessories and do washes on the sculpt's hair. I've seen people do washes on skin to bring out the details a little more.

I did also weather terrain and vehicles on military dioramas with this thinned acrylic back in my scenery making days.

I guess watercolor is used also for this type of weathering. Some people even use coffee to stain 1/6 clothing and diorama terrain.

 

[robbiethepainter]

My concern with water color would be the binder. Water color uses a material called gum arabic which allows painters to come back in after it has dried and reactivate it with water. Same thing for gouche. I would be nervous about the longevity of it on a figure. Especially if you handle it a lot. Im curious how it would react to spray sealer too. Like Cheungkinmen said, I too use extremely water down acrylics for painting and even though the integrity of the binder is compromised with so much water, it at least has some to help it adhere to the surface. It also wont reactivate when wet.

 

[RavenEye]

I use Reaper paints, some use Citadel. Reaper has a better bondage and does good on leather-like material. Though a set of 55 costs $128. LOL

 

[RavenEye]

My concern with water color would be the binder. Water color uses a material called gum arabic which allows painters to come back in after it has dried and reactivate it with water. Same thing for gouche. I would be nervous about the longevity of it on a figure. Especially if you handle it a lot. Im curious how it would react to spray sealer too. Like Cheungkinmen said, I too use extremely water down acrylics for painting and even though the integrity of the binder is compromised with so much water, it at least has some to help it adhere to the surface. It also wont reactivate when wet.

Being that I'm a 1/18 customizer too, most of the pros use acrylics and a krylon sealer. Works pretty good. Course I might add since this is 1/6 were talking about, do the sealer on skin first and then paint eyes so gloss isn't effected.

 

[Grosby]

Thanks all for the answers, it's been very helpful.

 

[Godfather1408]

Which paint is good for flesh tone for an evil dead ash ? Thanks

 

[Groovy34]

Interesting. I had hoped to find that at Hobby Lobby, since I live a few blocks from one. I haven't checked the store in person yet, but the online store doesn't show any Soft Body. They only have Heavy Body. What is the main difference between them? Do you think I could dilute, or do something, to Heavy Body to get similar results as yours? Also, how well does it bond to plastic?

Go to blicks online they have soft body I buy alot of different supplies at blicks art store in chicago and online.
Liquitex even sells flex sealer and guesso is good to act as a primer.

 

[Groovy34]

My concern with water color would be the binder. Water color uses a material called gum arabic which allows painters to come back in after it has dried and reactivate it with water. Same thing for gouche. I would be nervous about the longevity of it on a figure. Especially if you handle it a lot. Im curious how it would react to spray sealer too. Like Cheungkinmen said, I too use extremely water down acrylics for painting and even though the integrity of the binder is compromised with so much water, it at least has some to help it adhere to the surface. It also wont reactivate when wet.

you can use a product called matt medium it will add a binder to paint but does lighten color just an fyi