The Energon Pub

[Jin Saotome]

Just a quick disclaimer, this painting guide isn't meant to step on any toes or rewrite the ways of painting TF figures. There's no right or wrong way to paint and this is just a step-by-step guide because people have been requesting I make one. I've recieved well over 200 emails asking for this guide and numerous posts on the different TF boards. So here you go, a basic guide that shows how I paint step-by-step. The guide is split up into two parts for easy viewing. It also features my new custom Swinwave too, heh. I'll have to post a thread about him later but he's up on my site.

ENTER THE TRANSFORMERS PAINTING GUIDE

[Briggs]

THank you.

[Mulla]

Just a quick disclaimer, this painting guide isn't meant to step on any toes or rewrite the ways of painting TF figures. There's no right or wrong way to paint and this is just a step-by-step guide because people have been requesting I make one. I've recieved well over 200 emails asking for this guide and numerous posts on the different TF boards. So here you go, a basic guide that shows how I paint step-by-step. The guide is split up into two parts for easy viewing. It also features my new custom Swinwave too, heh. I'll have to post a thread about him later but he's up on my site.

ENTER THE TRANSFORMERS PAINTING GUIDE

Now what's the good of me learning to paint when I can just as easily break into your place and steal all your awesome customs?

[Sherade]

I wish.
Really helpful, considering I have vry little skill. Thanks a heck of a lot.

[skankin_pickle80]

repainting is something i've wanted to try for a while now, and now i know where to start. Cheers!

[Pariah]

Very cool

[Sonray]

Man..i wish you had posted this up a month or two ago, would have saved me alot of time teaching myself all these techniques by trial and error!

Oh well, lets hope a new generation of model painters can use this instead as its a good guide.

Where do you get your decals from?

[Jin Saotome]

You're welcome, I hope this guide helps you all out in your customs.

Swipe mah stuffs?! You'd have to get past my AllSpark-created front-door-bot first, heh. Looks like a front door, eats burglers like a feral robot.

I swipe decals from model kits or the extra ones that hobby shops sell per-sheet.

[SnipeShade]

wow! really cool. I haven't started trying any re-paints myself, but atleast i'm learning while i bide my time with my toys. hehe.

I have a small question. I wasn't sure from reading your guide (it may be common knowledge to you all, but...) when you took apart some of the peices to paint over, did you do that completely to the whole toy? I only saw the head and the doors (?) off. The limbs and stuff were still on.

Personally, it's the whole disassembling part of the re-paint that scares the hell out of me. I took apart a camera once...and it was never the same again. XD

[Jin Saotome]

wow! really cool. I haven't started trying any re-paints myself, but atleast i'm learning while i bide my time with my toys. hehe.

I have a small question. I wasn't sure from reading your guide (it may be common knowledge to you all, but...) when you took apart some of the peices to paint over, did you do that completely to the whole toy? I only saw the head and the doors (?) off. The limbs and stuff were still on.

Personally, it's the whole disassembling part of the re-paint that scares the hell out of me. I took apart a camera once...and it was never the same again. XD

I mentioned that in the intro to the guide, nope, I don't take them apart. Just pieces on ocassion like you saw but never the whole thing.

[VonSchlitzy]

Jin you are a scholar and a gentleman for so graciously sharing your secrets with us! 1 quick question for you. i just read your transformers painting guide and was wondering what you used to protect the windshield and windows on Swinwave when spraying on the sealer. do you use the tinfoil method you mentioned earlier in your guide? thank you again for helping all us future customizers!

[Autobot032]

I wish.
Really helpful, considering I have vry little skill. Thanks a heck of a lot.

Wow. Could you be more rude? It's not his fault (or anyone else's) if you happen to lack a skill.

In the offchance that was sarcastic, I apologize, but still find the statement rude.

He offered a service for us, which he didn't have to do. The least we could do (all of us, including you) is be genuinely thankful.

[Burn]

I wish.
Really helpful, considering I have vry little skill. Thanks a heck of a lot.

Wow. Could you be more rude? It's not his fault (or anyone else's) if you happen to lack a skill.

In the offchance that was sarcastic, I apologize, but still find the statement rude.

He offered a service for us, which he didn't have to do. The least we could do (all of us, including you) is be genuinely thankful.

I think you'll find Sherade was being genuinely thankful, at least that's how I read it.

Oh and Sonray, trial and error is still fun. Like Jin said, there's no right or wrong way (well actually there's a few wrong ways really ) about painting, we all find what's best for ourselves.

[Wheeljack-S70]

Jin,
this is what it's all about man. fans for fans. Thanks for showing us your techniques and tricks. You didn't have to, but you did. and that's cool. and that makes you alright.

cheers.

[Autobot032]

I wish.
Really helpful, considering I have vry little skill. Thanks a heck of a lot.

Wow. Could you be more rude? It's not his fault (or anyone else's) if you happen to lack a skill.

In the offchance that was sarcastic, I apologize, but still find the statement rude.

He offered a service for us, which he didn't have to do. The least we could do (all of us, including you) is be genuinely thankful.

I think you'll find Sherade was being genuinely thankful, at least that's how I read it.

....well, it's official. I'm an idiot. My comprehension abilities went right out the window during that post. Wow, was that stupid of me.

I owe you my sincerest apologies, I'm sorry Sherade.

...I think I need some mental smelling salts or something. O_o....

[Asepticon]

I can't believe such a talented artist is such an awesome guy. Thanks, man. You ROCK!

[Sonray]

I can't believe such a talented artist is such an awesome guy. Thanks, man. You ROCK!

We're not all assholes.

[DerGrundel]

Quick question: Using the Testors Fantasy/Acrylics paints, how much should one dilute the paint with water in order to be approximately the right consitency? One part paint to one part water? Or more paint? Thanks a lot! Your tutorial has given me confidence that a noob like me can actually accomplish something that looks good!

[decepticonjon]

i love you jin.. you rule.
thanks for teaching the world.

[Jin Saotome]

Jin you are a scholar and a gentleman for so graciously sharing your secrets with us! 1 quick question for you. i just read your transformers painting guide and was wondering what you used to protect the windshield and windows on Swinwave when spraying on the sealer. do you use the tinfoil method you mentioned earlier in your guide? thank you again for helping all us future customizers!

Actually I sealed the windows too because I put clear yellow on them. Good ol' fashioned painters blue tape works, silly putty, but tinfoil is hard to stick to flat surfaces where you can't wrap it around anything.

Jin,
this is what it's all about man. fans for fans. Thanks for showing us your techniques and tricks. You didn't have to, but you did. and that's cool. and that makes you alright.
cheers.

Welcome, anytime. It's what I do, it's who I am, anything I can do to help.

Quick question: Using the Testors Fantasy/Acrylics paints, how much should one dilute the paint with water in order to be approximately the right consitency? One part paint to one part water? Or more paint? Thanks a lot! Your tutorial has given me confidence that a noob like me can actually accomplish something that looks good!

It's not really diluting it, that's a wash. You just need to thin it down till it's not glopy or thick. 6 drops of water in a jar usually? You'll have to experiment with that. You want the paint to cover, but not all in one solid coat. But you don't want it to look like a watery wash.

[SnipeShade]

wow! really cool. I haven't started trying any re-paints myself, but atleast i'm learning while i bide my time with my toys. hehe.

I have a small question. I wasn't sure from reading your guide (it may be common knowledge to you all, but...) when you took apart some of the peices to paint over, did you do that completely to the whole toy? I only saw the head and the doors (?) off. The limbs and stuff were still on.

Personally, it's the whole disassembling part of the re-paint that scares the hell out of me. I took apart a camera once...and it was never the same again. XD

I mentioned that in the intro to the guide, nope, I don't take them apart. Just pieces on ocassion like you saw but never the whole thing.

Ah.. cool. Sorry for missing that. x3 Thank you for all that you've done. : ) Keep up the good work! Inspiration to us all, dood.

[DerGrundel]

Thanks!