best paints/products for harnesses and flexi plastic

[sgt goat]

heya all.. new guy here..im looking for tips on painting th flexi plastic used on th harnesses/vests , belts etc ..
ive painted a couple of figs only so far..
spray primer , a few washes n weathering/ detail followed by a coupla coats of GW purity seal...
but im getting a dung ton of paint rub ..
any suggestions would be hugely appreciated..
thanks..

goaty

 

[K-Tiger]

Testors Model Master acrylics seem to have the best durability.

 

[sgt goat]

my thanks K tiger... will have a look into em.. Is this a common problem or am I just effin things in th direction of up?

 

[K-Tiger]

Could be the spray primer. Soft plastics don't take to lacquer or enamel-based paints, which is what most sprays are.

 

[Mr. Black]

Which primer do you use? I mostly use GW's Chaos Black, but I've also got a few cans of Humbrol acrylic grey primer.

As for paint rub: on the joints? Because then you'll have to prep the joints by sanding them down. Besides the joints, also check the sockets of the shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, etc.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

You're most likely always going to have problems getting paint to stick long lasting to parts that flex, especially that flexi plastic stuff that bracelets are made of...

 

[Mswi]

nothing beats proper prep. washing the mold release off factory parts with warm soapy water and a toothbrush will serve you better than any primer will. Testors paint is good.....citadel is better in my opinion

 

[sgt goat]

thank you for th replies guys ! most useful..

 

[TIE_FighterTK069]

Resurrection time, as I'm having some issues painting vests and such, and I don't want to ruin any more parts!

So I've had adhesion issues with regular Liquitex Basics paints, but that's an expected problem.
I tried using Testor's model paint (not model masters, as I have not found that yet, but the small bottles of paint that are everywhere)... And the shit is a tacky mess that hasn't cured in a week.
The experiment was on a DG Cobra Commander harness and scabbard, so I'm not that bummed about it being trash, but I would like to figure out how to do this right before moving onto something else. Are those model master paints different than the little pots and bottles?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[darthdre758]

If the paint you're using is enamel, you're screwed. Acrylic paint only on figures. It'll never get by that tacky feeling you have now.

Model Masters are acrylic paints.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Yeah, I learned the hard way long ago that enamels are only good for hard plastics. Used on the softer stuff such as Joes and MU, it'll never dry. The chemicals in the paint react with the plastic. Works fine on Joe vehicles or transformers though.

 

[K-Tiger]

Yup, sounds like you've gotten into some enamel paints. Those will only cure on hard plastics. Model Master is Testor's good line. Their regular acrylics (generally found in sets) can be pretty lousy.

 

[TIE_FighterTK069]

Well that's that, then! Time to get serious about finding some model masters... So glad I didn't start on a figure.
Thanks, everyone.

 

[blackrazor1]

You can save a little money using Apple Barrel or Folk Arts acrylic paints. You can get them at your local Walmart, if you don't have a modeling/craft store nearby.

I usually soak the parts in degreaser, then rinse them in hot water and let air dry as prep.

 

[darthdre758]

I used to use the craft paints all the time. There is a big difference from them to the Model Masters paints. The have a grainy, matte finish while the MM have a smooth factory finish. Also I've notice significant less chipping with the MM paints.

 

[K-Tiger]

While a matte finish is preferable for our particular subject of choice, I agree they aren't very durable. I still use them, but I try to leave the base color coats for MM.

 

[daremo]

Model Masters Acryl = Durability. They are more expensive than the craft paints but you get a higher quality paint that lasts. I only use the craft paints for diorama pieces. I have far less joint rub (if any) when using model master paints in thin coats and letting it cure for a week before reassembly.

 

[TIE_FighterTK069]

I used to use the craft paints all the time. There is a big difference from them to the Model Masters paints. The have a grainy, matte finish while the MM have a smooth factory finish. Also I've notice significant less chipping with the MM paints.

Thanks for the tips everyone, but yea... Smooth is what I'm looking for. Even with the higher end Liquitex, it just isn't giving me the results. I found a shop not too far that has Tamiya and Model Masters, so I'll be hitting that tomorrow. I'll keep my low end Liquitex for the dioramas.

Deeper into the rabbit hole I go!
Cheers.

 

[starwarsgeek]

For painting on flexible items, if you mix a tiny bit of liquid latex it will actually help the paint dry a little rubbery and avoid chipping and scraping from being bent.

 

[TIE_FighterTK069]

So I picked up some Tamiya acrylics to start experimenting, but first I need to finish this dumpster tutorial.

For painting on flexible items, if you mix a tiny bit of liquid latex it will actually help the paint dry a little rubbery and avoid chipping and scraping from being bent.

Right on, man, thanks!
So where would one procure liquid latex? Are we talking about the same stuff used for FX? The cheapo Halloween store shit, I assume, would not be recommended...?

 

[starwarsgeek]

Yeah I wouldn't use the Halloween stuff. You want something that can be used to make molds. I used to buy small quart or maybe even pint sized containers of liquid latex at Pearl Art Supply. Not sure where else they would sell it. Beware - it stinks like ammonia so make sure you use it in a well ventilated area. Also, you'll have to experiment to figure out how much latex to add to each color as it might be different depending on the color. The latex is a beige/fleshy color (or at least the one I use to buy was) so also take that into consideration as it may alter the color of the paint.

 

[starwarsgeek]

This isn't the brand I was buying, but this would probably work well.

Castin' Craft Mold Builder

 

[TIE_FighterTK069]

This isn't the brand I was buying, but this would probably work well.

Castin' Craft Mold Builder

Right on, that is not at all what I was thinking of. Should be easy to find if it is at Michaels. Thanks!