How to Paint Reaper Bones?

[cheetor]

I have heard conflicting accounts of what approaches work and what approaches do not work when painting Bones figures. 

For example, I have heard that some primers remain sticky after being applied to the material.  I have also heard that paint can be applied directly to the plastic without issue, while other sources have stated that the paint beads on the surface.

I hope to treat Bones figures like I would any other plastic, metal or resin miniature (that is spray acrylic primer, hand paint GW/VGC/VMC, Windsor & Newton matt varnish) but I dont know If I can take that approach.

Is there a comprehensive repository of info about this sort of thing somewhere?  Do you guys know the answers?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Tom Reed]

I have painted several Bones figures and I can say this.
You need to wash the figures before painting, if not the paint WILL bead on the figures. Even if you do wash them I have seen that some will still bead. Spray primers that I have tried do not work. They tend to never dry and remain sticky. I have been using brush on Gesso and have had no problems with that. I painted with acrylics and then sprayed with matt sealer.

[TheShadow]

Reaper have a good thread on their forums about this, in general it says wash but no need to prime, but for the first coat of paint don't thin it down, I've painted a few now and doing it that way does seem to work

Very good post here..
http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?/topic/48668-bones-preparation-glues-putties-mould-lines-etc/

[gi6ers]

Halfords primers are fine, id echo the washing though

[snitcythedog]

You need to wash the figures before painting, if not the paint WILL bead on the figures. Even if you do wash them I have seen that some will still bead.

Ditto.  They are using some sort of release agent and I have had paint flake or bead when painting. 

Spray primers that I have tried do not work.  They tend to never dry and remain sticky.

I have used regular flat black spray paint and it has worked fine.  Might be environmental though, since I am in Arizona and everything here dries up, whether it is suppose to or not! 

I have been using brush on Gesso and have had no problems with that. I painted with acrylics and then sprayed with matt sealer.

The Gesso is good advise no matter what!  Love the stuff when I am painting on primer. 
If you got the Kickstarter, you have enough models to try several different types of primers to see what works at your location for you. 
Snitchy sends.

[cheetor]

Thanks for the responses everyone, all very helpful.

[Amalric]

... wash but no need to prime, but for the first coat of paint don't thin it down, I've painted a few now and doing it that way does seem to work

This is what I have been doing with no problems.
1-Wash with warm soapy water, rinse, let dry completely.
2-paint acrylic base coat at full strength ie do no water the paint down at all
3-paint with usual mini painting techniques, ie layer/wash/drybrush etc..
4-enjoy
5-take pics to share with us  

[Hatemonger]

I have had vastly different results from different things. Some of my suspected variables are: initial washing method, brand and/or specific color of paint applied, length of time drying between coats, and different individual figures (i.e. the formulation of plastic used for a given miniature).

SO... the very best thing I can tell you to do is:
1) KEEP NOTES
2) Use your 'extras' wisely

Use the sprues from the small models, miscasts, or ones that you just don't like or care about as test pieces. Then write down exactly what you do on each occasion.

Oh, and please, please, share whatever experiences you have so that others can learn from them too.

On that note, I have tried:
Duplicolor Sandable Primer - remained sticky; did not cure.
Duplicolor (flast black) Acrylic Laquer - dried perfectly fine, but too brittle: when I bent the Bones figure, it cracked and then flaked off.

GW's (now OOP) Foundation Paints - these worked very well as a base coat.
Testor's Model Master Acryl (brush-on) Gray Primer - also worked very well as base coat.
Vallejo (various Model and Game Color) - highly variable; a few adhered ok, but most would bead up, and all of them rubbed off quite easily after drying. I plan to avoid them for Bones.
Army Painter Black (normal brush-on bottle) - beaded up and would not hold. Rubbed off, much like Vallejo.
GW/Citadel paints (several generations and styles) - some colors would hold better than others, and/or rubbed off more easily afterward. The new "Base" paints seemed to work ok, IF I let them dry overnight before continuing to paint.

It's also worth noting that once you have a good base layer down, it doesn't matter what you use. Based on these experiences, my opinion is that you do need to "prime" the model... just not necessarily with something designated as a "primer". I want to do a few more tests, for the sake of curiosity, and to see what the limitations of the material are. Aside from that, my tentative plan is:
1) Wash with a strong dish detergent, and rinse thoroughly.
2) [Air]brush a coat of Testor's Acryl Primer
3) Paint as normal.

- H8

[beefcake]

This is what I have been doing with no problems.
1-Wash with warm soapy water, rinse, let dry completely.
2-paint acrylic base coat at full strength ie do no water the paint down at all
3-paint with usual mini painting techniques, ie layer/wash/drybrush etc..
4-enjoy
5-take pics to share with us  

Exactly what I did, except for step five as of yet. I think these must be the easiest minis to paint really.

[Froggy the Great]

Anyone used Testor's or Model Master white or black acrylic sprays?

I can confirm that Krylon white primer remains sticky.

[TheShadow]

Exactly what I did, except for step five as of yet. I think these must be the easiest minis to paint really.

Same here ! Its amazing how many you can get done when the kids ahem ``help``, with the painting....!

Can second the foundation paint being an excellent one to use, especially for the first non watered down coat

[obsidian3d]

I've painted figures two ways. The first one I did, I didn't wash it (although I should have), and sprayed it with P3 black primer. Then painted as usual. The second was a batch of skeletons. This time I washed them, then applied black undiluted paint to the entire figure with a large brush. Once that dried, painted as usual.

[cheetor]

Thanks for all of the help guys, this is all really useful info

I will add anything that I learn from my experience with Bones here.

[leegwonfu]

I wash mine and then I paint on Vallejo primer. It still beads just a bit. I always have to go back over each model. I did try to simply start laying down paint, but found that it beaded too much. That plus the fact that I like (and nearly always use) a black primer.

I do like the Bones stuff, but I think that you certainly do have to approach painting them differently than you do metal or even "standard" plastic or resin models.

[Cosmotiger]

I prefer a black primer also, and I found that brushed on black Gesso will work on Bones. Although sometimes it requires a touch up in a few small spots - I'm not sure if that is because it is beading up, or if it is just the Gesso shrinking as it dries.