Painting faces question

[Dave Mc]

Heh, well that "For the artistically challenged" part has a "by the artistically challenged" part to the title as well. That part would be me.

Remember when doing those fine details you don't have to get it exact the first pass. If you're lining the eyes and it's a little thick, remember paint covers paint. Just go back with the flesh paint and fix your issues. My first pass at eyebrows and eyeliner is rather sloppy looking, like such...
Painting for the artistically challenged…

Then I go back with flesh and touch it up to get the finished look.
Painting for the artistically challenged…

[jessica]

Thank you everyone for your input. This is all new to me and it's getting me nervous! While at the craft store, I couldn't find anything that said "primer"...but I see that Yanouli answered that question for me already.

If Fallen Saviour and Type3 have had great results without the use of primer, then I'm just going to have to go for it and see what I come up with just using thin layers of acrylic paint. When you say thin layers of acrylic paint, do you thin it out with a blending medium, or just make sure you apply thinly? Or do you water down the acrylic and then apply thinly?

CTC, I've never heard of automotive interior vinyl paint, so thanks for the heads-up for a future project. Can you please tell me what main colors to get so that when I try this out someday (probably in the summer when it's warm enough to paint outside) I will have a shopping list already? How about using automotive interior vinyl paint as a sort of primer? Can you paint over this with acrylic if you cannot mix the colors you are trying to accomplish?

This painting (or thoughts of painting) is exciting and nerve wracking. Is it better to pop off the head? I already sewed my costume onto the ape and was just going to wrap the rest of his body in plastic for protection from the paint. Should I undo his costume and force his head off after warming it up with a blow dryer? Is it hard to pop back on?

[boss]

I water down the acrylic and apply thinly. The first couple of coats look like doo doo, but after that it really starts to take shape. Just make sure you allow the thinned paint to dry completely between coats.

[fallensaviour]

I use water to thin my Acrylics.The acrylics that I use are really inexpensive.I buy them from wal-mart or Michaels.They are called "Folk Art" I pay around .97-1.42 per bottle.
Not sure how Type3toys thins his paint?
I paint all my heads while attached to the body.If you are using an original head you may accidentally squeeze it while attaching and possibly damage your paint job.Resin heads you may get lucky with and not damage to much,but my advice would be to install the head and then paint.

[jessica]

Didn't think of that, Fallen Saviour. Wish me luck. Here goes.

[ctc]

>You've obviously NEVER painted a vinyl head with enamels. The elasticizer in vinyl prevents enamel paints from drying; they stay sticky FOREVER.

Painted all sorts of vynil stuff with all sorts of enamel paint. It's hit or miss. Some enamels WILL dry on their own on some sorts of vynil. Krylon makes a good plastic formulated enamel that will dry on the more rigid vynils. (I've used it on the limbs of old Star Wars figures.) I've also used an accellerant on some of 'em. A few I've had to powder and varnish. (Again, some old Star Wars figures....) Overall it's not usually worth the effort. The paintjob ends up really fragile.

>tell me what main colors to get so that when I try this out someday

The primaries are pretty good to get. I've come up with a decent caucasian skin tone by mixing a bit of red with white; mixing the pink into a yellowish tan I found. You'll hafta see what's available where you're at.

>Can you paint over this with acrylic if you cannot mix the colors you are trying to accomplish?

It soaks right into the head... so there isn't too much of an advantage painting over it.

>Is it better to pop off the head?

Yup; but it's probably too late for that now. Just wrap the parts you don't want paintd with paper towels and masking tape. No biggie.

>While at the craft store, I couldn't find anything that said "primer

Hardware store. I use an automotive primer; which works great, but is kinda thick so you have to spray a couple of thin coats.

>This painting (or thoughts of painting) is exciting and nerve wracking.

There are so many techniques you just gotta try a few and see what works for you. The nice thing is; there are very few painting mistakes that CAN'T be fixed. (Sculpting is a little different....)

Don C.

[REMOVED]

If you want your paint job to last, use a primer. A fast drying auto primer works best. If you can't spray then there are a couple of "craft" products you can use. DecoArts makes a sealer that you mix with a bit of acrylic pigment. You can mix it with most acrylics including Delta paints. You should lightly sand the head with a fine sandpaper (like maybe 320 paper) to promote adhesion. Primers stick to substrates better than any paint. And if you don't prime, the paint will chip easily, slough off in water after drying (which it shouldn't), etc. For plastics, Plaid makes a solvent based, fast drying clear sealer, primer in small silver metal bottles. The craft products are not as good as auto primer but they are better than not using one.......... If you don't care if your paint sloughs off, than you don't need to use primer.

There are some auto vinyl primers and paints that make a good base coat for vinyl and provide a little tooth to help acrylics adhere....... If you don't prime it, again, use a little fine sandpaper on it to help create a physical bond between new paint and old paint....... Not talking deep, visible scratches here-- just a fine grade paper.

[jessica]

If you don't care if your paint sloughs off, than you don't need to use primer.

There are some auto vinyl primers and paints that make a good base coat for vinyl and provide a little tooth to help acrylics adhere....... If you don't prime it, again, use a little fine sandpaper on it to help create a physical bond between new paint and old paint....... Not talking deep, visible scratches here-- just a fine grade paper.

Wahh...I already started it. I used grey acrylic as a primer. If it sloughs off in the future, I will just have to take it as a learning experience and get some more practice painting.

I didn't sand my vinyl at all but I did scrub it very well with dish soap and a brush. How do you deaden the shine? I used a matte varnish mixed in with the acrylic but it's still shiny if you photograph with a flash.

Thank you everyone for the input--I am adding it to my arsenal and learning a lot.

[REMOVED]

Here's a great product that you can use in lieu of a primer on vinyl heads (and use as a basecoat): duplicolor duplicolor vinyl and fabric coating. It comes in a spray and has an adhesion promotor in it, which is why you don't need a primer with it. Not only does it adhere to vinyl, but it's great for painting boots and accessories and adheres better than anything else I've found.... Dupli-Color : Yes You Can

You can also use other auto primers. Again the issue is longevity. If that isn't your concern, then don't use one. Most Barbie doll head painters don't prime but in Japan, they sell adhesion promotors to use on the vinyl , since acrylic paints do NOT adhere well to vinyl. I think Volks sells such a product. Mass produced vinyl products use special paints with adhesive properties not available in hobby paints. Vinyl toy artists also recommend priming (like the Dunny and Munny painters).....

[REMOVED]

[QUOTE=ctc;81294]>You've obviously NEVER painted a vinyl head with enamels. The elasticizer in vinyl prevents enamel paints from drying; they stay sticky FOREVER.

Painted all sorts of vynil stuff with all sorts of enamel paint. It's hit or miss. Some enamels WILL dry on their own on some sorts of vynil. Krylon makes a good plastic formulated enamel that will dry on the more rigid vynils. (I've used it on the limbs of old Star Wars figures.) I've also used an accellerant on some of 'em. A few I've had to powder and varnish. (Again, some old Star Wars figures....) Overall it's not usually worth the effort. The paintjob ends up really fragile.


If you want to use enamel on vinyl, try 1 Shot Acrylic Bonding Primer / Block Out White (5005)

[REMOVED]

"I didn't sand my vinyl at all but I did scrub it very well with dish soap and a brush. How do you deaden the shine? I used a matte varnish mixed in with the acrylic but it's still shiny if you photograph with a flash."


This is my favorite matte varnish...... Also, Liquitex has a new line of matte paints..... Most products that say matte are more what I think of as satin, unfortunately...

The most matte paints I have ever used are a French vinyl paint called Flashe (a fine art paint). They can also be used in conjunction with some acrylic paints. They are really expensive but I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a velvety matte surface. They also work pretty well on vinyl dolls (without primer)....

[jessica]

Thanks EVERYONE for your input. I wanted to show you what I have done with the General's face. If the paint doesn't last because I did not prep very well, then I will just have to live with it and repaint. I will need to cover this up with a matte varnish, but I think I am finally done with the paint treatment. Do you guys like it?



I also made a quick rifle last night. The barrel of the rifle was made from the tube that used to hold gel ink and the handle of the gun is made out of toasted fimo clay which was painted to simulate wood. It's a little on the rough side, but I think it adds to the character of the rifle. The rifle strap is made out of real leather. This gun will be part of General Ursus' portrait when I finally get to it.

[fallensaviour]

Wow!!!
Looks good.I really like the wood grain paint job on your rifle.
Perhaps you need to do a how-to on the rifle?
The face paint looks great I'm glad it worked out well for you.

[jessica]

Darn it, Fallensaviour...I didn't take any photos of my gun process because I was having too much fun making it. The secret of the wood grain simulation is 3D paint. Make a small batch of various colors of browns and don't over-mix. I used one part 3D paint and the rest of it was regular acrylic paint. Make a couple of swipes with this to your gun handle to cover up the clay. Then take a very dry and stiff brush--the cheapie kind--dab some paint onto it and make sure the bristles are all spread out--and swipe this lightly in the direction of the wood grain while the paint is still wet. The barrel of the gun is just an empty gel pen tube--use whatever you can find that is the basic size/shape of what you're after. If it still doesn't work for you, let me know and I will put together a how-to (of the wood grain painting, right?...and not the whole gun process).

[ctc]

Neat!

The rifle turned out pretty good! Actually looks like wood. The head turned out really good too; the only thing I'd have done would be a bit of drybrushing on the beard to bring out the texture.

Don C.