Custom Advice and Assistance

[Ninjinister]

Hey all! Don't recall if there was a thread like this before (I did a couple of searches and found nothing - but then again I am basically half asleep now so who knows). I figured that all of us need help sometimes and all of us have wisdom to impart, so I figure keeping it all in one central location makes oodles of sense here.

Anyway, I've got a problem with painting over joints. I've never had a problem before because my previous customs are made to be looked at and not played with, and so they are basically stuck in one position. However I'm making my brother a custom fig of his personal comic character for Christmas, and it needs to be flexible and articulate. Every time I move a joint, the paint rubs off.

I've tried multiple coats, gloss, and even super-gluing the non-hinging area (all tips given to me). Nada.

Any advice?

[VaughnMichael]

The best paint I've used to stop paint from coming off of figure joints is Liquitex paints.
They come in both clossy and soft/non-glossy paints.
They cost a bit more than say your typical acrylic paint but they are very much worth it, it's what I use on all of my customs.

[Ninjinister]

I don't think I've ever seen that brand for sale 'round these parts. I'll have to look into it.

Any alternative suggestions that others may have are also welcome.

[VaughnMichael]

I don't think I've ever seen that brand for sale 'round these parts. I'll have to look into it.

Any alternative suggestions that others may have are also welcome.
I buy it at Michaels, And honestly no nothing else has worked as well.

[Patraw]

A coat of super glue over the paint where it gets rubbed off is the most common solution I've ever heard, but as you indicated in your first post, you've already tried super glue. Maybe some other type of sealer/varnish?

[tipet]

Have you tried with Vallejo paints Vaughn?? People who use this brand is very happy with the results, but I don't know what happens when you play with the figure.

[Ninjinister]

I buy it at Michaels, And honestly no nothing else has worked as well.

Honestly I never returned to the local Michael's after dealing with their homophobe douchebag of a manager who, from what I've heard is still working there.

Maybe some other type of sealer/varnish?
Might be worth a look. I'm collecting ideas on how to approach this before I make a decision, so keep 'em comin'.

Also: if anybody else has any questions/problems with their customs, feel free to ask!

[Wes]

Step 1: Disassemble your figure as best you can.
Step 2: Sand appropriate areas to reduce friction between parts.
Step 3: Paint figure!
Step 4: Reassemble.

You can swap steps 3 and 4 if you like, and there are parts you can sand without disassembling a figure, but in general sanding a figure down is the ONLY way to eliminate paint rub -- if the pieces don't touch, there's nothing to scrape paint off. If the pieces fit tightly, it doesn't matter whether you use cheap paints or expensive ones; eventually you'll experience the dreaded paint rub.

This issue is pretty much the reason I don't spend more time customizing. :)

[Ninjinister]

Step 1: Disassemble your figure as best you can.
Step 2: Sand appropriate areas to reduce friction between parts.
Step 3: Paint figure!
Step 4: Reassemble.

You can swap steps 3 and 4 if you like, and there are parts you can sand without disassembling a figure, but in general sanding a figure down is the ONLY way to eliminate paint rub -- if the pieces don't touch, there's nothing to scrape paint off. If the pieces fit tightly, it doesn't matter whether you use cheap paints or expensive ones; eventually you'll experience the dreaded paint rub.

This issue is pretty much the reason I don't spend more time customizing. :)

Motherf----!

This would be a huge setback. You sure it's inevitable?

[Wes]

The laws of physics say yes!

The most annoying part is when you've done all of that, painted/reassembled the figure, and gone about your business... only to find that you STILL have paint rub because you didn't sand enough. Or because even then it's inevitable, because it pretty much is -- you're just delaying it by reducing, but not completely eliminating, the friction between parts. It IS possible to create a custom that experiences no paint rub whatsoever, but that figure will probably be a floppy mess because articulated toys rely on friction to keep them standing.

However, if you get a toy that's cast in the appropriate color plastic, you're pretty much good to go. That's really your best (read: easiest) bet for avoiding paint rub. :)

[Topsu]

However, if you get a toy that's cast in the appropriate color plastic, you're pretty much good to go. That's really your best (read: easiest) bet for avoiding paint rub. :)
Easiest way, definitely. Quality paints help a lot, but Wes is right, sanding is about the only option that really eliminates the problem completely.

[psychoandy]

Yeah, man. Wes is right on with everything he said.

The other main option is to switch to a style of figure where it isn't an issue; For example, the REVOLTECH toys by Kaiyodo. These figures have removable joints that allow for super-easy customization by mixing and matching body parts. The setback is that they're imports from Japan and produced in limited quantities, so you'd better have a fat wallet before you go buying a whole bunch of figures to use for parts.

Otherwise, sanding down the joints to eliminate paint rub is your best option. Or, as you've been doing in the past, just leave them in one pose, un-played with.

Since this is a gift for your brother, maybe you'd want to make him two? One really nice one that stays on the shelf as a display piece, and a second one that he can play with and it won't matter so much if he messes up the custom paint job?

[Discogod]

Depends what kind of base you're using - I work mainly with Marvel Legends, so generally I'll totally disassemble the figure and sand every part where there's going to be any friction.

A couple of things I do to reduce paint rub is to either use parts that are cast in the appropriate colour, and to use a Sharpie to colour in the joint (obviously works better on light-coloured plastic - you can't go over blue with yellow, for example).

I've also started using vinyl dye, which bonds to the plastic on a molecular level, and is great for preventing rub.