Tools of the Trade: Paints

I always get questions about what kind of paints I use. So today I am going to share some information about the paints that I use to make customs. Now I need you to understand that this is what I use. This does not mean it is what everyone should use. To each their own. When I started out my paints were the cheep acrylic ones from Wal-Mart. They have their place in customizing and I will walk you through all of that. But it really comes down to what you can get your hands on and what you can afford. Here we go.

We will start with paint. Like I said, when I first started making figures, the only paints I had access to was the ones you find at Wal-Mart or a craft store. These paints are cheep and you can get them in any color. That is the great thing about them. The bad part is if you use only these they do not hold up well. Cheep paints are made out of cheep material. The binders are week and there for will not adhere to the plastic well. Now does that mean that you need to stear clear of these all together? I say no. I will use these some times for maybe eye color, or if I need to mix a specific color. Some of you may say I'm crazy. That's ok....I am.

Once I moved to a larger city and got more into the hobby, I came across other customizers and learned about other kinds of paints. There are a lot of toy makers that have their preferences about paints and I will tell you guys what I use and like.

First off are Citadel Paints by Games Workshop. These paints are great. There is a wide variety of colors as well as different types of paints. You have base paints that are exactly what they sound like. They also have specific paints for washes and layering. Very versatile. These come in handy little pots that allow for easy access and clean up. They are a thicker paint so depending on how you are using it you may have to water them down a little bit.

Another great paint that I use is Vallejo. These paints are very similar to the Citadel in color options. They also have different paints just for airbrushing. But that is a whole nother post. Vallego paints come in a bottle that you need to pour out into a cup or tray first. They are easily mixed and also may need to be watered down a little depending on how you plan on using them.

One huge thing that you need to know about paints. NEVER USE ENAMEL!!! These paints will never fully dry on most plastics that figures are made out of. They also will eat away at the figure itself. Again, NO ENAMEL!

So in conclusion, there are a lot of paints out there. I know there are some really good ones that I did not touch on, and that is only because I have not tried them. Use what works for you and what you can get your hands on. Have fun and try different things. There are so many good tutorials on the internets on different techniques and tips and trick.

Thanks for reading, and have a Happy Day.