How to paint vintage action figures?

[Katsuhiko JiNNai]

Recently, I bought a really cheap vintage toy: a 1994 Playmates Servo from the Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad  TV series. I use Superhuman Samurai toys for play with "Samurai Robots Battle Royale" and "Mighty Monsters" by Ganesha Games.
Initially I wanted to do some easy restoration with the silver and white colors, but now I'm considering to repaint all the model, trying to copy the style and paint scheme of the original costume and maybe include a painted round base. However I never painted a plastic vintage toy, then I could need some suggestions.

First: How I could remove the original color? Somebody suggested to me to wash for two hours with water and bleach (but he said it worked especially with chromed colours)
Second: What primer use? I usually use citadel white primer.
Third: What colours use? I usually use citadel colours, but for this toy I was thinking to buy some cheaper acrylic colours, and maybe some inks and oil paints.

Thanks.

[Pijlie]

Your suggested primer and paints should work fine for plastic like this.

Removing the paint however is a different art. Acetone is the only certain way I have ever found to remove "Made in China" style factory paint. Unfortunately it stinks to high heaven, is poisonous and might dissolve some plastics as well. So experiment with care and in the open air.

[Katsuhiko JiNNai]

Your suggested primer and paints should work fine for plastic like this.

Removing the paint however is a different art. Acetone is the only certain way I have ever found to remove "Made in China" style factory paint. Unfortunately it stinks to high heaven, is poisonous and might dissolve some plastics as well. So experiment with care and in the open air.

Thanks, meanwhile I've found a guide for painting old action figures:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Life-Back-To-Old-Action-Figures/
He used tamiya primer and paintings (I have many of these paintings), however he just done a simple paint job, without wash or highlights.

[Pijlie]

And he doesn't seem to strip the figure. Which is fine with a huge figure like that with large dimensions of detail. When repainting smaller figures you will want to strip the original paint layer to preserve detail.

[Katsuhiko JiNNai]

And he doesn't seem to strip the figure. Which is fine with a huge figure like that with large dimensions of detail. When repainting smaller figures you will want to strip the original paint layer to preserve detail.

The action figures I'm considering to repaint are about 13cm, then about the same size of the batman from the guide.
Meanwhile I've done some small restoration on another action figure of the same series, using citadel colors, the final job was fine.
Still not sure about what cleaner use for strip the original paint (maybe acetone?) or if just give a white primer, after cleaning the toy.

[zemjw]

The Tamiya paint bottles are great for airbrushing, but really really bad for painting with brushes. Any I've used are far too thin to work without a lot of layers (which is what makes them great for airbrushing). They're also remarkably smelly.

If you can get the primer on then you're painting on it, not the model, so normal citadel or vallejo acrylics should be fine.

I use the cheap craft paints for scenery and weathering vehicles. People do use them for figures, but artist's paints are generally too thick to use without thinning, so I'd stick to model paints if you can.

I'm not sure about the quality of the plastic on the figure, but I've used Valspar plastic primer with success on cheap crap (tm) from Poundland. However, it's an etching primer, so you may not want to do that to the surface.

Another thing you could try is to prime it using matt varnish. I've also used that on vehicles with success. The main thing you're trying to achieve is to get something to stick to the plastic.

I'm not sure I'd bother trying to strip the paint, unless it's blocking details. You definitely want to give it a good wash in warm soapy water before priming, but as long as your primer sticks, that will cover the original paint (unless you use a clear primer, obviously) and give you a good base to start applying the main colours.

[Katsuhiko JiNNai]

You are right, most of the tamiya colours are too thin for a good paint job.
I've done some minor restorations on some of my superhuman samurai toys using citadel colors, and they seem fine.
Then I think I could just clean and then prime the toy and paint it as a big miniature.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

I have used Vallejo and GW with success. However, the final result is delicate. If you handle the figure too much, then the painting chips. Also, mind that in many cases, vintage action figures weren't actually painted. The colour was directly mixed with the plastic before injection, therefore you can't remove the original colour. Remember to use brake fluid or isopropyl alcohol to remove the parts that are actually painted. Other solvents, like those based on nitrocellulose, will melt the plastic. 

[Donpimpom]

Recently I´m after painting some muscle figures (any tip is welcome) and I came over a few links that might help you.

http://mikespaintedminiatures.blogspot.dk/2016/05/muscle-figures.html