The Energon Pub

Does anybody know what brand/type of paint is the best for repainting Transformers action figures?

I'm looking for one that does not chip or rub off when a particular repainted part of moves against an unpainted part of a figure and/or when you transform a repainted figure and that works well with a sealer.

I believe Krylon for Plastics is good. Don't know if it's the best though.

It really comes down to what you want to spend. Testors is what i use for a majority of my repaints. I occasinally use model master as well but the paints are a tad bit more exspensive. I recently started using Games workshop paints and they are IMO superior. They dry fast and are very sturdy when it comes to chipping and cracking.. I always spray my newly repainted figures down with a clear glosscoat so the paint is protected..

You can find the GW paints at most comic nbook stores and some hobby stores..It's a Uk based company and they do great busniess when shipping overseas..

Thanks for the information. I would really like to get into all of this as well. I have a question too.

How do most (good) kitbashers and repaiters physically paint the toy? Is it best to take it apart and paint pieces individually, or do most people leave the figure together. Sounds like dumb questions, but I really don't know how most people do it. Are airbrushes actually just that precise?

What are the best ways to start doing this stuff without spending a ton of money and then realizing I suck at it and wasted a bunch of cash?

Everyone knows what the best is, but what one person knows is different from what another person knows! To clarify: it's a matter of taste.

ACRYLIC
-Pros: hard wearing, doesn't need varnish. Good metallic finishes.
-Cons: difficult to wash off brush. Tend to dry out once pot is opened. Needs lots of shaking and stirring before and during use. Needs a thinner to water it down (for washes etc) and a lot of shaking and stirring.

WATER BASED
-Pros: easy to work with and wash off brushes. Easy to water down or mix (just use water and a -quick shake! Takes a few seconds.) Reeves paints are very cheap and come in large tubes and are as thick as toothpaste. Put in a pot with however much water you want, quick shake and you're good to go.
Cons: needs to be varnished to protect it. The only good metallic silvers I've found are Games Workshop. I can't find any water based metallic gold/copper etc that are any good but that's my taste and not necessarily yours.

If parts rub then any paint will wear off over time. You'll need to trim or sand them down.

Prime Riblet wrote:Thanks for the information. I would really like to get into all of this as well. I have a question too.

How do most (good) kitbashers and repaiters physically paint the toy? Is it best to take it apart and paint pieces individually, or do most people leave the figure together. Sounds like dumb questions, but I really don't know how most people do it. Are airbrushes actually just that precise?

What are the best ways to start doing this stuff without spending a ton of money and then realizing I suck at it and wasted a bunch of cash?

I always take them apart. It makes it easier to paint, especially in areas otherwise hard to reach. Also, you're less likely get moving parts painted stuck.

Get yourself a third hand or some hemostats to hold the parts while you paint. Clothes pins will work in a pinch too.

Honestly, I've never used a airbrush. I've found you can do excellent work with just a few different styles of brushes, with rattle cans for area coverage.

Awesome. If I get something together worth showing, I will have to post. First, I need to do some practicing. Thank you for the great information.

For anyone suggesting Gamesworkshop paints, I can also suggest using Reaper Miniatures Paints which are of almost identical quality in a different colour set. Also note - they do pre-mixed coloured metallics.

Amelie wrote:<span>For anyone suggesting Gamesworkshop paints, I can also suggest using [url=<a href="http://www.reapermini]Reaper" class="smarterwiki-linkify">http://www.reapermini.com/]Reaper</a> Miniatures Paints[/url] which are of almost identical quality in a different colour set. Also note - they do pre-mixed coloured metallics.</span>

Your link didn't work so I've corrected it in the quote. Does anyone know if these can be purchased in the UK? I'm interested in the pre-mixed metallics.

I haven't been able to find anything so far. The do ship internationally through their site, but you're going to pay a lot in taxes.

Well, I have been custom painting T-Formers for some time now (you can check out my website if you wish: http://www.shadowcmndr.blogspot.com). I only use Acrylic paints. They dry very fast (within minutes) and they are water-based and so after painting, spray some windex in a small cup, put your brushes in it for about 1 minute, then rinse with warm water. Cleans them all right up and works like a charm.

Enamel paint on the other hand is rather difficult to clean and takes for ever to dry (24 hours sometimes). Plus you have to use paint thinner to clean up afterward.

If you don't want rubbing or chipping...thee ONLY way you're going to prevent rubs and chips is PREPARATION. You must prepare your transformer before you paint it. So, here's what you need to do.

1) Clean the figure. Use soap and water, wash it up, then let it air dry for a day.
2) Sand it down. Use 600 grit sandpaper to rough up the plastic surfaces (ALL of the surfaces). You may take it apart first, then sand. Taking it apart will result in the best sanding and painting.
3) After you sand it, prime it with black or grey primer. Use Krylon flat black or Krylon grey primer for this. Do light sprays (too much paint will cause rubs). Keep in mind, you already sanded it first so you really don't need to add too much primer.
4) After priming and after it is dried, transform the figure at least 2-3 times. You will start to see rubs appear and paint chipping on the primer. This is good. It is good because now you know where to focus your sanding on. So, start sanding again. When done sanding again, prime just those spots that rubbed with a little bit of primer (not too much).
5) Now that you repaired the rub spots, you can start painting. If you use a brush (remember thin coats) and if you spray paint (also do thin coats). The ideal tool to use is an airbrush (you can get a good set up for about $125 (brush and air tank). Having an airbrush is a MASSIVE difference between spray painting out of a can. It's really worth buying an airbrush.
6) If you don't have an airbrush, just remember thin coats.
7) Once the paint applications are done, let the figure dry for about 3-5 days. THEN, carefully transform it (avoid fast transformation and forcing parts - it will rub (even if prepared properly) if you force parts together). Once you transformed it, transform it back. You will see that either your sanding paid off and no rubs!! OR you will have to do some more light sanding and touching up.
When done, spray it with a sealer of some sort if you wish. I don't seal mine anymore because if you prepare it right, you won't have to seal it.
9) Once you have completely finished painting your figure, let it fully dry for 2 weeks before regular use or posing. Acrylics fully cure after several days and the difference of cured acrylics vs lightly cured acrylics is quite big.
10) I use Tamiya or Model Master. Games Workshop is good too. * Acrylics all the way!

Mykltron wrote:I'm interested in the pre-mixed metallics.

It seems like you'll have to use the US website, but I personally plan on ordering some models and paints from them myself soon - when I'm ready (which may be a couple of months), I can send you a PM to ask which colours you'd like and include them in my order and charge you the costs only, if you like - to save on shipping and poss VAT screwings.

I'd like to repaint KnockOut's wheels gold. Anyone have any advice on how to properly do this? (I've never painted a transformer before)

Hello from 4 years into the future!

This is a great topic. Off to buy some more acrylic paints for BotCon 2016 Ratchet.