Painting softer plastic?

[Watery Graves]

I just picked up a couple of boxes of Zvezda Samurai to paint. They're a softer plastic than I'm familiar with and I'm wondering if there's anything to watch out for when it comes to painting. I usually prime with black gesso, use acrylic paints, and seal with paint-on liquitex varnish. That still a safe strategy with these?

(By the way, these are awfully nice--they won't scale with anything else I have, but spending 8 dollars for 44 very pretty figures makes me feel a little foolish for buying anything else.)

[Glitzer]

I have no idea what your primer is made of nor di have any experience with Zwezda soft plastic minis, but I found the plastic softener from Pegasus hobbies slowly softened my acrylic primers on my farmland animals.

Try priming a mini first and leave it to itself for a weak or two. If you'll be able to peel the primer of again by rubbing on it, you might want to switch to a epoxy based filler/primer from your local DIY stores car repair departement. That worked wonders for me on the Pegasus Hobbies farmland animals where I first experienced the peeling primer problem. (knowing that plastic softeners will evaporate sooner or later I've decided to "seal" all my soft plastics minis in epoxy primer before from that day onwards, and never sealed one of them with spray varnish because I fear of peeling the colours of again)

[Scout_II]

Depends on your gesso.  Some dry hard, others dry a bit bendy.  If it dries a bit bendy, you should be OK.

The biggest problem with painting the softer plastics is that they are softer.  If the plastic bends, but the paint doesn't - your paint will crack and flake off.  If your paint is flexible though, any bending can be absorbed and you should be fine.

Artists acrylics are probably the worst when it comes to painting bendy plastic.  They tend to use a higher quality acrylic that dries very hard.  Enamels and vinyl based paints are some of the best, they are most capable of bending with the plastic itself.

I normally will prime soft plastics with a regular spray primer (Duplicolor in my case).  After that, I paint them up with enamels or acrylics from the FLEX line from Badger (FreakFLEX, ModelFLEX and MilitaryFLEX).  They are a line of paints designed for airbrushing, but work well enough with a regular brush.  As the name implies though, they have a lot of bend in them.  Once everything is painted and has had a few days to dry - they get a coat of Dullcote.  Has worked pretty well for around 10 years now, and other than a box that was crushed...haven't had any problems with them (before that - it was more problematic).

[Burgundavia]

I have these exact miniatures and I haven't noticed anything different. They primed fine with my normal white spray paint, and they have taken paint/washes just fine. Now if only I could finish them...

[Watery Graves]

Thanks, this is all very helpful!

[Hammers]

I learnt a trick some time ago on how to prime soft plastic.


First, was the miniature thoroughly with warm water and a little detergent to get rid of the oils.
Second, base coat the miniature with diluted white glue. The glue should be neither too thick nor to thin, too much water will make the glue run off, too much glue and you'll cover details. What happens is that when the glue sets you get a flexible film on the plastic to which acrylic paint sticks well. The medium of most acrylic paints is basically the same as white glue, see!

[Mason]

I learnt a trick some time ago on how to prime soft plastic.


First, was the miniature thoroughly with warm water and a little detergent to get rid of the oils.
Second, base coat the miniature with diluted white glue. The glue should be neither too thick nor to thin, too much water will make the glue run off, too much glue and you'll cover details. What happens is that when the glue sets you get a flexible film on the plastic to which acrylic paint sticks well. The medium of most acrylic paints is basically the same as white glue, see!

That is a great tip, Hammers!

It could prove useful to do this on things other than plastic, foamcard etc, which has a tendency to be pliable.
May or may not work, but no harm in doing so for that extra piece of mind...

[Hammers]

That is a great tip, Hammers!

It could prove useful to do this on things other than plastic, foamcard etc, which has a tendency to be pliable.
May or may not work, but no harm in doing so for that extra piece of mind...

Well, it is not a silver bullet but I stake my name and reputation (*covers a grin*) on that you get a better result than if you paint directly on the soft plastic.

[sundayhero]

I heard old schools historic mins painters first wash carefully the figures (with soap, alcohol), and the put a coat of PVA glue on the entire figures. It helps the paint to stick  on them better, avoiding cracks.

[Hammers]

I heard old schools historic mins painters first wash carefully the figures (with soap, alcohol), and the put a coat of PVA glue on the entire figures. It helps the paint to stick  on them better, avoiding cracks.

That's what I wrote! What am I, chopped liver?!

[sundayhero]

OUPS ! 

I admit I did not read the entire topic... 

[Mason]

That's what I wrote! What am I, chopped liver?!

Chopped liver!
I didnt think of that one!
Will give it a go!

[Fitz]

Not all soft plastics are alike, and many producers have come a long way since the horror days of Airfix/Revell paint-repelling polyethylene. HaT figures, for example, while quite soft and bendy take paint very well; I haven't found the need for any prep work with them apart from a quick bath in warm, detergenty water.

[Greek_Geek]

Welcome to the world of 20mm (or 1/72) plastics. There are several techniques that are used to ensure good paint adhesion on PE figures. First of all, good washing is essential. The watered down PVA also works well. But for me the best results have been achieved using the soft plastic primer I picked up in my local hardware store. It comes in two varieties (one smooth, one that roughens the surface a bit). Ask in your hardware store. Over here in Greece it's often known as primer for car bumpers. In the States, I've heard of people using Krylon white primer.

I've used the soft plastic primer for years now and I've never ever had paint flake off miniatures. Not even when I moved my stuff from my office to home. It's highly recommended.

Dimitri

[Driscoles]

Hi,

I paint lots of plastic miniatures. Soft plastic, hard plastic all sort and they never crumble.

First step.
Wash miniature with soap.

second step.
Wash with clear water

third step
dry

fourth step
prime thin with whatever you have at hand spray can

fifth step
second prime thin with acrylic colour

sixth step
paint your miniature with acrylics and important water the colour down.

seventh step
seal miniature

Finnished