Hello you guys! Thanks for noticing this post. I bought some second hand Micronauts miniatures from the SDCC 2016 Revolution Box Set that had all the Hasbro brands. I want to repaint some of them to look like other characters from the IDW line. I have already started learning about painting but a lot of the tutorials I have seen apply to action figures like Marvel Legends, Wrestling toys and DC action figures. I also discovered that the miniatures they use in Table Top RPGs seem similar to the Micronauts but they don't use the same type of paints on them. My big question is what type of paint should i use? I have access to Tamiya paints where I am but I can't seem to find any other brand for the time being. If it's not going to work, what other brand should I try to get? Another question is what would be the best agent to use to remove the factory paint on them? In relation to the Table Top Miniatures, people have said to stay away from nail polish remover and resort to other chemicals. If this type of figure requires the alternative, what would that be? I've included a picture of some Micronauts in the hopes someone can identify the type of paints they are compatible with if it is not Tamiya. Hope you guys can really help me out. Thank you.
You could probably base coat them with some krylon spray paint (the kind that adheres to plastic.) I don't think you would need to strip them first. If the Tamiya is acrylic, you should be fine
Oh really? I understand base coating requires flat white for bright colours and black for darker colours. Ok. So I'll try it out.
This is a little silly... I have another question. Which type of Krylon spray should i get as a primer? They have gloss and matte. Does it matter?
If the plastic is the softer kind, do NOT use sprays. The paint will stay tacky pretty much forever. Instead, thin down an acrylic primer and brush it on in thin coats as to not ruin mould detailing. This will give the paint something to adhere to. I see a few customizers skip the primer process, and it quite often shows. If it's solid plastic, I would suggest either a flat black or flat white base coat. Doesn't really need to be a primer, but that would be advisable. Spray it on in light passes, again to not blur detailing. For the painting step, there are a plethora of tutorials online for miniature work, so typing it all out would be redundant. After painting minis for well over 20-years, I will say that patience is your friend. You WILL make mistakes, but nothing you do outside of melting the figure is irreparable. Take your time, thin your paints, see the result in your head before you start. If you have a finish line to reach, getting there is much more fun. For paints, I will always recommend Vallejo Model Master or Reaper Pro series. Citadel is good, but kind of clunky. The pigments are deeper and require less coverage, but aren't as easy to blend or fine tune. They're also expensive. For primers, I prefer Krylon or Armory. Sealant is either Hodge Podge Matte from Walmart, or Testers Dullcoat. For brushes, if you have access to a Hobby Lobby, they have an awesome line of brushes made for miniature painting. Plus, they're cheap. These are my go-to brushes, and have been for many years.
For this, just get started. Your early work will probably not be as good as you want, but if you're using acrylic paint you can always remove it fairly easy later on down the road if you really want (or you may come to appreciate it for seeing how far you've come along). I always do an enormous amount of research (TOO MUCH) before I start new endeavors and really, have begun to just start trying stuff out. Fortunately painting isn't something that can typically damage an item, so it's pretty friendly as far as not being good at the start
Oh ok. That gives me some confidence. I'm going to begin this project this month. So I'm going to try it out on an extra, and observe the outcome. Will report my findings with pics fairly soon.
Remember the golden rule: Always thin your paints and always apply layers of thin coats instead of one sloppy coat.
I haven't bought my paints yet. I plan on that later this month. I'm aiming for Tamiya Paints so hopefully it will work out with this technique you suggested. Hope I get this right. I haven't had a chance to research it much. I may try it on a junker first or something...
Everyone had the same anxiety first time. You guys have youtube though now XD. Watch some videos and you will be set.
I see a lot of people using Tamiya paints, but honestly, I've tried them and found them to be severely lacking. What's the draw?
The draw is that I can't find any of the other quality paints near me. I haven't bought the Tamiya yet because on and off I am still looking for those other quality paints. I live in China at the moment but I can't seem to find the other types...
Oh, didn't realize the other paints weren't available in your country. My bad. I just never liked the consistency of Tamiya paints. They seem too 'oily' in that they don't cover well. No idea about the paints you posted a pic of. They look decent, so maybe give a pot of Tamiya and a pot of these a try and see what you prefer. Really, it comes down to preference. You may find that you like the Tamiya stuff, and that's all that matters.
They are not exactly newby friendly, but all is in the finish and how well they hold on the models. The most user friendly paints are probably GWs ones, but quality wise they are for the dumpster. Application wise you guys need to practice layering the colours and you will be set, except if you use really useless paints What brand are you using?
Wait, are you calling me a newbie? Tamiya has a consistency I dislike in comparison to Vallejo or Reaper. The pigments seem oily rather than smooth. Yes, layering and buildup are essential to quality jobs, but adding denatured water to both Vallejo and Reaper (and even the GW 'dumpster' paints) works better since the artist is the one that controls the consistency from the get-go.
I said are not newbie friendly. How does it exactly qualify to calling you newbie? EDIT: Oh I see my 'you guys' words. No in fact it was flow of speech.
