I paint things. Sometimes I post them. || I'm ckao_03 on Twitter/X, and instagram || || They/Them, currently infected by the ROTTMNT brainrot (don't send help)
Repainting your ROTTMNT action figure -Master Post
I don't normally use tumblr, let me know if any of this is wrong/not working, lol
Will be updated as I go, most these are also posted on my X/Twitter under ckao_03
If anyone has any questions, let me know!
Part 1 - Cleaning
Part 2A - Hard Plastic Prep
Part 2B - Soft Plastic Prep
Part 3 - Priming (For keeping the default skin color)
or
Part 3 - Priming (For covering the skin color (ie, for an oc))
--------
Donnie Color Guide: Part 1 | Part 2
I had recently found you (like 2 minutes ago) and omg, WHAT HAVE I BEEN MISSING????!!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤩🤩🤩😆🥳🎉
Your recreational artistry is spot-on!!! 👏
I do have to know... What type of paint do you use??? 👀 🖌️🎨
I've tried to repaint a Hallmark Sonic Figurine with acrylics once and only made it worse 😭
The coating was textured thanks to the drying paint and brush strokes, and the layers only made it all the more unappealing.
What should I use for the right amount of time to apply colors, but not watered down too much, where it won't stick?
Please lmk, I aim to get back to doing more sculpture and painting said pieces...
But First! ☝️
I must obtain your knowledge of skill and resources!!! 🙏
Hello!!! 👋 Aaaah, and thank you so much!! 🥹🥹
Sorry for how long this took for me to reply, I got your message at the beginning of an extra hard work week! I also haven't handpainted in a suuuper long time, so I went and painted a little first, as a refresher for myself.
Alright, so almost all of my action figures are actually spray painted with an airbrush, to get those super smooth layers and nice color gradients (I can't actually use a brush or even a pen for very long, thanks to an old injury D: ). BUT I do still have some tips!
The paints I use are lacquers, enamel and acrylics, in order from most to least used (that's also the order I apply them in, if I'm using all three). I actually have a little write up on these you can find here, where I mention the pros and cons, etc : https://www.tumblr.com/ckao03/732539670237478912/okay-i-could-talk-about-each-of-these-topics-in?source=share
As for the tips...
- If your acrylics aren't sticking, whether water downed or not, the most likely culprit is your primer, or potentially lackthereof. Paint needs a surface to stick to, or else it'll run or flake off, and if you're applying it to the surface of a figure right out of the box, leftover mold release from the factory can be too slippery for paints. For acrylics, I use Citadel Color spray (available in White Bone, Grey Seer, Chaos Black. I stick with white or gray by default.). I've also used Krylon back in the day, which you can typically find in a hardware store. For lacquer and enamels, I use Mr Base White (or Mr Super Clear, if I want to keep the color underneath). Even though lacquer and enamel stick very well, you still need a primer.
That being said, I did my first model ever with enamels and hand painted it, and she still had some brushstrokes, lol, so the self-leveling can only help so much.
-It takes a little practice to know how much to thin your paints to where they really work for you, but the overall goal is you don't want the paint too runny to control, but it should also glide easy from your brush with little effort to move it. Start with a couple drops of thinner, test it out and adjust from there, and see if you can find that magic consistency that works.
Waterbased acrylics dry CRAZY FAST, so you'll want to add a drop or two of water to rethin every couple of minutes. Enamels and lacquers can self-level to a smoother surface, but the downside is they take up to 24 hours to fully cure.
-Multiple thin coats will always look better than one thick coat. Apply your first layer, wait until it's dry, then repeat until you get the desired coverage. Don't worry if you can still see your model through the paint for the first few layers.
This was Mr Base Coat, Two layers of Vallejo for the first layer of color.
-You can buy a product called acrylic paint retarder, which will slow down the drying process and make it workable for longer. I've never used this personally, so I can't attest to how well it works.
-Alternate your brushstrokes. Paint your first layer by applying it in one direction, like up and down. When you paint your second layer, go side to side and continue alternating for each layer. This will help smooth out any brushstrokes as you go.
-Clean your brush frequently. Because paints can dry so quickly, it's important to clean your brush periodically (with water if water based, or the appropriate solvent), to stop clumps from forming.
-Brand of paint can matter, too. I successfully used FolkArt acrylics for about ten years with no issue, and you can find it cheap in department store craft sections. It has good pigments! Vallejo game color and Citadel can be found in hobby shops, and are great as well. These are the ones I used this week, and I have minimal brushstroke issues and they coated the model really well. Only needed two coats for a decent layer. Green Stuff World is hit-and-miss for me, but they have some cool products.
My small collection of acrylics:
-And a little trick from when I used to use acrylics: If you want really soft shading without using an airbrush, look into chalk pastels. They're little chalk bricks of pigment that flake into a dust when you scrape them with the flat edge of a blade. Then you can use a flat edged brush to apply it onto your model, kind of like applying makeup. It can rub off, so you'll want to use a matte or gloss sealant spray to lock it into place. These stick best to acrylics.
This Miku was done with airbrushed acrylics, but the shading in the cracks of her twin tails were chalk pastels. (OMG, this was 2011-2012 already... Time flies!)
Tamiya also makes 'Weathering Masters', which basically ARE little makeup kits for this purpose, but there aren't many colors available.
(And if you ever decide to try out an airbrush, I've found that the $15-$30 'Air-Goo' ones on Amazon are pretty decent to start with.They're cheap, but I still get good results, and I use it interchangeably with my pricier Iwata HP-C Eclipse. Just make sure you get a gravity feed airbrush. The compressor you would need to use it are around $100-300 though...)
I recommend checking around for YouTube guides on how to paint miniatures; even though figures are a different scale, a lot of the techniques they use for minis work great or the same for larger items, and there's a ton of resources, since mini are so popular. I've seen some of Paintman Journeying's videos, I've liked them so far.
Most of the tips and tricks I've learned are from garage kit forums back in the day that aren't around anymore, but I do also follow 製作代行 Aslan (旧MASKED MODELER), かりんとう Karinto painting, and Sideshow Collectibles will sometimes post behind the scenes paint tips and recipes.
Thats all I can think of so far!! If anything needs clarification, or if you have more questions, let me know! 😄
I have some pics I never posted of the Giant Rise turtles I repainted several months ago! Here's one of my favorite Donnies, complete with Shelldon accessory!
For the next few months, I'll only be taking projects and c0mms I've previously discussed/agreed to (unless we're mutuals, then shoot me a message and we can chat!).
I've had some health issues the last few weeks, and discovered I REALLY like the ability to breathe and eat food, lolol
Part 3 - Priming (For covering the skin color (ie, for an oc))
If you want to change the skin color (such as for an OC turtle), you need to start with a blank slate by covering the original color.
[Please note that no matter how you prepare and protect the figure, the joints in the arms and legs will always scrape away your paint and reveal the original plastic sooner or later in those areas.]
If you still want to continue...
You'll need: A can of white spray primer (Mr Hobby's Mr Base White 1500 or Citadel's White Scar work well. Citadel products are found in most model/hobby shops)
Arrange your figure in a t-pose, lay it on newspaper or paper towel and, IN A WELL VENTILATED OR OUTSIDE AREA, spray the figure in light sweeps from side to side, from about 10-12 inches away. You do not want to coat the entire figure all at once; you want to let it dry, and apply thin coats until the figure is eventually covered. Spraying too much too fast will cause the primer to run down and 'flood' the details.
If you flood your model, it can be a difficult and lengthy process to remove the primer. Solvents used to dissolve and wipe away the paint can sometimes melt or disfigure your toy...
If you want to practice first, try it on a cheap toy or figure from the dollar store (You could always paint that, too!). Use extra patience with this step.
Also, always read the safety instructions on the can before using any sort of spray and use breathing protection, like a chemical rated respirator when recommended.
