painting over plastic?

[Inarah]

If I wanted to paint over some plastic figures, not completely but just in certain areas, how do I prep the piece?

 

I'm guessing... wash with soap and water to start, let it dry.

 

Then what? Brush on primer?

 

Help from those who've done this before is much appreciated.

[Ferox]

Never done a partial paint-over, but I find that plastics need a thorough washing even more than white-metal figs. I'd be tempted to go for something stronger than soap and water, if you think you can get away with it.

[Doug Sundseth]

Are the figures already painted? If they are, just wash them and then paint over.

 

Do you want to remove the existing paint to reduce the loss of detail?

 

What kind of plastic? The answer for polyurethane is different than the answer for polystyrene.

[twjolson]

I have not done so, but gathered from forums would be something like : Clean (maybe iso alcohol), prime with a dull coat, paint, then seal as normal.

 

If anyone has more experience, I'd love to hear it.

[Darkstar]

What Twjolson said about priming with Dulcote is the way I've done it. Wash with Dawn and water, then dry, then spray a coat of Dulcote. lets the new paint adhere, then seal it over with a topcoat when done.

[psyberwolfe1]

Are these prepainted plastics?

[Helltown]

Repainting a pre-painted figure is a different animal than say the plastics that GW and Privateer Press are using. With any project you want to thoroughly wash the piece with soap and water. For prepaints, I suggest keeping it to mild soap as they can surprise you with being multi-piece if you're not entirely careful. Removing the paint is NOT something I'd try, they tend to melt when subjected to most solvents and the paint itself is designed to stay on through rough handling, even flexing doesn't normally crack the paint unless it's to extremes.

 

After the bath, RMS Brush-on Primer grabs hold of the latest incarnation of HeroClix figures easily, but dulcote or RMS brush-on sealer should be used for more oily plastics especially the clear plastic phantasm type D&D figures. I recommend the latter because you can mix in brush-on primer to make sure you're getting good coverage.

 

Games Workshop or Privateer Press can benefit from a very light scuff sand with a fine grit sanding sponge before their scrub and from there can be treated like puny, pewter people. Just don't soak 'em in your fav pewter stripper as it might not be friendly to plastics.

[Inarah]

This is a plastic toy, pre "painted". Something like clix or D&D minis, but not too bendable.

[psyberwolfe1]

This is a plastic toy, pre "painted". Something like clix or D&D minis, but not too bendable.

Then wash, prime, paint. I wouldn't suggest selectively painting since your style and the style the toy company used are going to be different.

[Frankthedm]

This is a plastic toy, pre "painted". Something like clix or D&D minis, but not too bendable.

Whats the fig? Japanese Gashapon toy? I've got a few of those that start with fairly respectable paint jobs.

[haldir]

have a Fomorian Giant from the DDMs that I just washed & primed with white Tamiya primer & it has turned out great (what little I've painted on it so far).

 

that reminds me I need to finish that up----maybe before the the end of the year