|
|
Post by jknox33 on Feb 23, 2017 12:18:34 GMT
Excellent work on the head!!!! Im kitbashing a guy with Troll arms, Crash body and legs and a modified Rucker head at the moment. Trolls legs do look awesome though. Thanks! I look forward to seeing your custom as well. It took more time than I thought it would. I'll still modify him more, but a lot can be done with an exacto knife, a nail file and a dremel. |
|
|
|
Post by AWCramer on Feb 23, 2017 14:38:27 GMT
How do you buff the sanded parts to be smooth again?
|
|
|
|
Post by jknox33 on Feb 23, 2017 17:08:52 GMT
How do you buff the sanded parts to be smooth again? He actually hasn't been buffed yet. His skin looks like a skin graft in hand. The dremel is basically a handheld drill with interchangeable bits. When I hollow out masks/helmets off figures like the non-Corps custom I did, I'll use a specific round-tip bit. I've actually been using a carving bit to take off sections of the head uniformly (at least more uniform than my exacto knife) like this figure. Instead of just the tip, I can use about a quarter inch of the bit at a flat angle to sand down his head and face. A nail file (which is very fine grit) can sand down something to where it looks fairly buffed (if that is your only option). Other than that, there is a dremel bit with rounded cotton wheel that really buffs things fairly well. All in all, it is a very tedious and delicate process. You can spend a good amount of time on a head and make one mistake that ruins it all. If you dive into processes like this, it's best to just go very slow. |
|
|
|
Post by sageforsaken on Feb 23, 2017 17:53:44 GMT
How do you buff the sanded parts to be smooth again? He actually hasn't been buffed yet. His skin looks like a skin graft in hand. The dremel is basically a handheld drill with interchangeable bits. When I hollow out masks/helmets off figures like the non-Corps custom I did, I'll use a specific round-tip bit. I've actually been using a carving bit to take off sections of the head uniformly (at least more uniform than my exacto knife) like this figure. Instead of just the tip, I can use about a quarter inch of the bit at a flat angle to sand down his head and face. A nail file (which is very fine grit) can sand down something to where it looks fairly buffed (if that is your only option). Other than that, there is a dremel bit with rounded cotton wheel that really buffs things fairly well. All in all, it is a very tedious and delicate process. You can spend a good amount of time on a head and make one mistake that ruins it all. If you dive into processes like this, it's best to just go very slow. Do you plan much painting? |
|
|
|
Post by jknox33 on Feb 23, 2017 18:07:36 GMT
Yes. I'll be painting him a brown complexion. The whole figure will have a repaint. He'll likely have a camo-green color overall. I'll paint up the details. The biggest aspect of the paint is trying to make it look factory-grade quality which takes some planning on the thinning, drying and application process.
|
|
|
|
Post by AWCramer on Feb 23, 2017 19:14:33 GMT
An airbrush is the best way to get that factory look on big areas
|
|
|
|
Post by jknox33 on Feb 23, 2017 22:03:33 GMT
I would love to learn how to airbrush. The Testors paint that I use can be used for airbrush too. I don't have the setup for it. My figure painting is really time consuming. I'll do 3-5 thin coats with dry time in between. I've thought about using a clear coat matte finish on them to preserve the paint because my kids play with them. Airbrushing seems like it'd be a much quicker process and would look more factory-like.
|
|
|
|
Post by sageforsaken on Feb 23, 2017 22:10:51 GMT
Me too. I dont have an airbrush but thinking about getting one. Some people use a sealer like matte finish hodge podge to make a more durable finish. Some also while the figure is apart paint the joints the cover with superglue to cut down on paint rub. He doesnt do 4 inch figures but craig warrck has a bunch of good videos on his customizing process.
|
|
|
|
Post by AWCramer on Feb 23, 2017 22:11:09 GMT
Yes I need to get a clear coat too!! My dad gave me one of his old airbrushes he isnt using but I need a can of compressed air as I dont have a compressor. Here's what I have so far. Still need to strip all the paint off of the legs and torso and the hair. (thats just a test coat to see how the blonde would look. I have shaved down this Rucker's hair somewhat.) Still deciding on the grey torso or the desert torso  |
|
|
|
Post by sageforsaken on Feb 23, 2017 22:13:44 GMT
Thing is if i had an airbrush i feel like I need a sepperate desk for that with walls to avoid spraying the room and a vent to put in the widow.
|
|
|
|
Post by jknox33 on Feb 24, 2017 5:38:13 GMT
Me too. I dont have an airbrush but thinking about getting one. Some people use a sealer like matte finish hodge podge to make a more durable finish. Some also while the figure is apart paint the joints the cover with superglue to cut down on paint rub. He doesnt do 4 inch figures but craig warrck has a bunch of good videos on his customizing process. I've seen cans of clear coat matte finish sealer, but I haven't given it a try yet. I haven't tried the super glue. I typically dremel down the joints to avoid paint rub, but I may try the super glue. Also, I've always enjoyed Craig's videos. He's one of my faves. |
|
|
|
Post by AWCramer on Feb 24, 2017 9:31:14 GMT
Wouldnt sanding down the joints make them loose though?
|
|
|
|
Post by jknox33 on Feb 24, 2017 12:14:06 GMT
Wouldnt sanding down the joints make them loose though? Not necessarily. I'm only sanding down parts that are tight. For example, I sand the crook of the arm just a bit because when you bend the arm the paint will come off if the joint is big enough to rub against the other plastic. It also helped my paint stick. If you sand way too much, it'll look weird and it can cause a little looseness. I actually had a whole response to your fig pic, but I fell asleep before it got sent last night (I have a newborn). He looks good by the way and I like the blonde hair. It makes him look less like Rucker. Great combo on parts too. I don't necessarily strip the paint off the majority of my figs because it is time consuming. One thing you can try (if you want) is take the figure apart and wash it with hot soapy water and a toothbrush. It'll wear down the factory sealer and give it the ability to have paint stick (the sealer is the reason why a kid can throw a figure against a wall or flush him in the toilet and there no significant paint damage for a while). Do a solid scrub down and paint apps are much smoother and take better which also means better looking consistency overall and you don't have it gum up on you. Stripping a figure will also do the same effect but only on the parts you strip Good luck with the airbrush though. Tell us how it goes. |
|
|
|
Post by sageforsaken on Feb 24, 2017 13:34:14 GMT
Wouldnt sanding down the joints make them loose though? Not necessarily. I'm only sanding down parts that are tight. For example, I sand the crook of the arm just a bit because when you bend the arm the paint will come off if the joint is big enough to rub against the other plastic. It also helped my paint stick. If you sand way too much, it'll look weird and it can cause a little looseness. I actually had a whole response to your fig pic, but I fell asleep before it got sent last night. He looks good by the way and I like the blonde hair. It makes him look less like Rucker. Great combo on parts too. I don't necessarily strip the paint off the majority of my figs because it is time consuming. One thing you can try (if you want) is take the figure apart and wash it with hot soapy water and a toothbrush. It'll wear down the factory sealer and give it the ability to have paint stick (the sealer is the reason why a kid can throw a figure against a wall or flush him in the toilet and there no significant paint damage for a while). Do a solid scrub down and paint apps are much smoother and take better which also means better looking consistency overall and you don't have it gum up on you. Stripping a figure will also do the same effect but inlyonthe parts you strip Good luck with the airbrush though. Tell us how it goes. Great point about washing the figure. The oils that coat the figure can make it hard to get a good paint job. If you think of most joints the reason an arm is tight is because the width of the gap is almost exatly equal to the disk that slides into the gap and the pin pushed in from the side slide through the holes in both very snugly. In fact you might have to dip the figure in hot water or hit it with a hair dryer to get it loose. The part we sand is not those parts but the edge of the disk and sometims we deepend the track the disk goes in slightly this way the crook of the elbow and elbow dont rub against each other after paint. You dont even have to take the arm apart to do this. But some do. |
|
|
|
Post by AWCramer on Feb 24, 2017 18:42:10 GMT
Lol thanks guys. Great info!! I think I need a visual guide here as to what parts to sand
|
|
