Wet Paint

Welcome to the third and final entry in my "here's how, not why I make toys" series of blogs.  The past two posts regarding body building and sewing continue to be popular (I know, I don't get it either).  So to wrap things up, I'd like to discuss my favorite part of the process... painting heads.

Why is painting heads my favorite part?  Because contrary to popular belief, you don't need to have a lot of skill to pull this off.  Any monkey can do it well as long as they have the right tools, possess a relatively steady hand, and follow these simple steps...

1.  Buy painting stuff

your colors may vary

Typically I paint cast resin parts.  Because of that, the paint of choice is acrylic.  My favorite brand is Delta Ceramcoat.  I find it has the best consistency for this scale (not too runny and not too thick).  I bought mine at Michaels Craft back in the day.  I assume they still sell it there.  The last time I was in the store they had moved everything around and two blue-haired old ladies were standing between me and what I thought was the right stuff (so I'm not 100%).   

You'll also need brushes.  I always try to have a few "spotter" brushes handy.  They have very few bristles and come to a sharp point (my favorite size is 10/0).  You'll need these for the fine, detail work.  They stay sharp for about 2-3 heads and then they begin to dull.  Keep them around because oftentimes you'll need a brush that's a little less sharp.  You'll also need some larger brushes (the bristles on the head of the brush should be no more than 1/4" wide).  These will come in handy when you need to cover larger areas. 

And because of my slowly deteriorating eyesight (from painting these damn, tiny heads), I use a lighted magnifier to make everything a little easier.

2.  Flesh coat baby

don't drink the water

(NOTE:  I don't prime my heads.  If they were cast properly, you shouldn't have to either.  I tried it a few times and the primer diminished the detail of the sculpt).  I know earlier I said that I like the consistency of the Delta Ceramcoat.  That's true, but with one exception... putting down the flesh coat.  In order to get the smoothest flesh base I can, I thin out the paint with a couple drops of water.  I then slop on 3-4 coats with my bigger brush.  In the series of pictures below, I started with the base resin head.  The next picture is after one thin coat of paint (looks like ass, doesn't it).  The third picture is after 4 thin coats.  By this point you should have smooth, brushstroke-free, coverage. 

of course, if you can cast in a flesh color... you'll skip this part

3.  It's in the eyes

It's critical to get the eyes right.  If you nail this part, the whole head comes to life.  The first thing I like to do is paint in a thin, black line along the top lid of each eye (here's where the 10/0 brush comes in handy).  After that's done, I immediately paint in the whites of the eyes.  It's also useful to keep some flesh paint handy.  If you happen to go full Michael J. Fox at this point, you can touch up and no one will ever know.

hey, that's kind of cool

Next up, the iris.  I typically use an older 10/0 brush to paint it in.  If you're lucky, you can land a big round drop of color perfectly in the middle of each eye like so...    

I'm lucky about 4% of the time

Next, I add the pupils.  It's the same drill as the iris, but the dot is a little smaller.  This step can either take 5 seconds or 2 hours.  Lining the dots up in the same plain is easier said than done.  But don't worry if you make a mistake.  You can always paint back over with your iris color and start again.  (I remember showing the first head I had painted that I was really proud of to my Mom.  She took one look and said... "oh, he's cross-eyed".  Nice).

Oh look... he's NOT cross-eyed!

The last step is to add the "glinty" white speck.  Just like the pupil was smaller than the iris, the spec on the pupil is tinier still.  This is where you'll need the sharpest brush you have.  This step is a pain in the rear, but it really adds depth and life to your figure.  I usually get one spec perfect on the first try and then try and fail on the second eye for a while.  It's best not to ask me "how's it going" when this happens.

the eyes have it

4. Glorious hair

After the eyes are done, I'm really on the downhill slope.  I grab a small brush and add eyebrows and paint in the hairline.  This allows me to cut in the hairline with precision without ruining my face paint.   After I've painted in the hairline around the head, I grab my larger brush and fill in the rest.

almost done

5.  Sealed with a... noxious chemical

There are few things more frustrating in this hobby than finishing a beautiful paint job and then accidentally scratching the head.  The best way to protect yourself is to use a sealer.  My preferred brand is Testors Spray Lacquer (dull coat).  All of the other dull coats I've tried (spray and brush on) leave the head looking shiny.  This stuff gives me exactly the finish I'm looking for.  And remember, it's still possible to scuff your head after you've sealed it... so be careful.

use in a well ventilated area

Step 6.  Quit... you're done

At this point, your head should be done and look something like this (or completely different if you're painting a different head).  

quit staring at me

Thanks again for humoring me.  We'll talk soon.